Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich Taken Into Federal Custody

by BMCWrites | December 9, 2008 at 06:40 am

696 views | 46 Recommendations | 26 comments

Illinois Democrat Gov. Rod Blagojevich has reportedly been taken into federal custody following months of suspicion about him being under investigation by federal authorities.

The Chicago Tribune reported similarly-brief news:

A source said today that Gov. Rod Blagojevich was taken into federal custody at his North Side home this morning. The U.S. attorney’s office would not confirm the information.

A Blagojevich spokesman said he was unaware of the development. “Haven’t heard anything – you are first to call,” Lucio Guerrero said in an e-mail.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported this one-liner this morning:

A source has told the Sun-Times that Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been taken into federal custody at his home on Chicago’s North Side.

Developing…

UPDATE 12/09/08 9:28 a.m. CDT: U.S. Attorney Outlines Charges Against Blagojevich

UPDATE 12/09/08 10:41 a.m. CDT: ‘Nothing but sunshine’ and Corruption Charges Hanging Over Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich

UPDATE 12/09/08 12:12 p.m. CDT: Patrick Fitzgerald Says Governor Blagojevich Engaged in ‘Political Corruption Crime Spree’

-- Bob McCarty Writes

4 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

Jarrett Martineau

at 08:19 on December 9th, 2008

Thanks for getting this story out.

Jarrett Martineau

at 08:58 on December 9th, 2008

More information on this story is posted here: RAW DATA: Press Release on Blagojevich Arrest

BMCWrites

at 09:04 on December 9th, 2008

Jarrett -- The first update above, U.S. Attorney Outlines Charges Against Blagojevich, contains that press release.

Albert Milliron

at 09:32 on December 9th, 2008

The news conference says that Illinois is probably the most corrupt state in America. Good fast reporting. How much for Obama's Seat?

Fairbanks

at 11:34 on December 9th, 2008

Sitting here in Alaska I wonder if that is a fair statement.

The name is apparently pronounced Blagoyevich.

Albert Milliron

at 12:14 on December 9th, 2008

Fairbanks,

I know you live in Alaska. I was there in the 80s-90s and based upon IL history Alaska doesn't hold a candle to the history of this state. The last Governor is in Jail as well. The one before him was under investigation.

Fairbanks

at 12:22 on December 9th, 2008

Sure. But we're a relatively new State and have had unlimited oil money only for 1/4 century. This town has a legal incorporated name, but what it is known as is not proper for a public forum.

Albert Milliron

at 12:11 on December 9th, 2008

PE Obama states that he is not going to comment on the issue due to the investigation

duo

at 10:21 on December 9th, 2008

Thank you for this news story. I read that the Gov. is accused of trying to bribe people to get Obama's senatoral seat. If he is under federal arrest for this, all I can say is he must have been short of money, failed to make timely payments, or offered it to the wrong parties.

Whoever heard of anyone high up going to jail for unjust practices? This is probably some kind of precedent. I thought important people could get away with anything at all. They certainly have been in my family's justice quest.

Mary Neal
http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com

djsblack

at 11:13 on December 9th, 2008

I wonder what other shoes will drop, and wich other names will be named, before this scandal is fully investigated.

Albert Milliron

at 12:20 on December 9th, 2008

I won't say too much here... one should look at a well known state senator and US senator and look at how they opposition to this individual dropped out or were successfully forced out due to signature disputes. I don't think it is totally appropriate to link the former Senator with the Gov but... Stay tuned.

Here all this time I thought it was the Republicans who were part of the culture of Corruption.

djsblack

at 12:56 on December 9th, 2008

Here all this time I thought it was the Republicans who were part of the culture of Corruption. "

Hey politisite, we're an equal opportunity country. And, btw, if I'm not mistaken, most people that work on Wall Street, are Democrats.

Alida Antonia Cornelius

at 12:09 on December 9th, 2008

It's sad also because the Chicago Tribune just filed for bankruptcy and he is accused of keeping them from money due them. I am so glad the government caught him.

Great post.

Albert Milliron

at 12:15 on December 9th, 2008

Yes, The Chicago Trib went further then most news organizations on holding this story for as long as they did.

djsblack

at 12:58 on December 9th, 2008

As to the allegation of the "Most Corrupt State" in the nation--look up the Daly machine. That and Tamany hall stand out.

Fairbanks

at 13:37 on December 9th, 2008

See a distinction between corruption as criminality, and political machine as institutionality.

djsblack

at 09:11 on December 12th, 2008

See a distinction between corruption as criminality, and political machine as institutionality. "

I'm not totally sure what you're implying but they are all one and the same.

Fairbanks

at 09:24 on December 12th, 2008

they are all one and the same

. . . Thanks for considering the distinction.

Lee da man (not verified)

at 13:48 on December 9th, 2008

Most corrupt state? Did we lose Louisiana?

PEP

at 16:41 on December 9th, 2008

Not to mention that his wife is in all this too. And she made a lot of money off real estate deals with Tony Rezko.

Albert Milliron

at 19:53 on December 10th, 2008

I added a photo of President Elect Obama and Governor Blagojevich. The rational for posting it here is that it was taken on November 11, 2008. Obama stated that he has had no contact with the Governor. The photo appears to speak of another story. In addition, Obama's Chief Political Strategist David Axelrod stated earlier that Obama had indeed been in contact with the Governor over campaign issues, but retracted these comments following the Governor's arrest. See the Photo Here Does this photo mean anything to the story? Only that Obama and Axelrod made contrasting statements. The other question is what constitutes contact? Remember in the Clinton Administration it all came down to what you definition of, "is" is.

If Obama was able to get through this, and I will say it, culture of corruption, then he is a great man indeed. For all of us American's I am hopeful he is the reformer that he campaigned on being not an insider in the political loop. If not, comparatively, the Bush years will look like a kindergartner disobeying his teachers instructions.