more blago

It's worth reading the full press release here (and the entire 78 page "complaint" can be downloaded here).

To recap: Obama's elevation means there is a vacant Senate seat in Illinois, and as Governor, Rod Blagojevich has the power to fill it. He even considered filling it with himself (but only if he couldn't get a good price for it):

"If . . . they're not going to offer anything of any value, then I might just take it." Later that day, speaking to Advisor A, Blagojevich said: "I'm going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain." He added later that the seat "is a fucking valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing."

Apparently Blago thought that taking the seat himself might set him up for a presidential run in 2016! The man is insane as well as corrupt.

Possibly my favourite quote is this one, which involves Blago instructing an associate on how to go about soliciting money in return for the Senate appointment:

You gotta be careful how you express that and assume everybody's listening, the whole world is listening. You hear me?

We hear you.

Comments

[Christmas has come early!]

My personal favorite, from CNN's coverage: "He said Blagojevich was looking to pull $8 million in funding for a children's hospital after the hospital's chief executive officer did not give a $50,000 contribution to the governor's campaign."

A children's hospital. Seriously, who does that. Look out, orphanages, if the matron doesn't cough up, you're next!

This is just utterly delicious.