Allegations Against the Governor Of Illinois

It all started with the friend of the Smartest President Ever™ Tony Rezko. Patrick Fitzgerald was the lead US Attorney in the case.

* Democrat Rod Blagojevich wanted the Chicago Tribune to fire editorial staff in exchange for state help with the sale of Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs baseball stadium which is owned by the Tribune Co.

* Blagojevich was taking bids for the US Senate seat vacated by Mr. B. Obama. He wanted to be appointed to Secretary of Health & Human Services in the Obama administration or a fat paycheck union job in exchange for appointing a union friendly Senator favored by the (unnamed union).

* Naming Ali Ata to a high level position in the State of Illinois in exchange for a $25,000 donation to Friends of Blagojevich. Ata was to be given a job where "he could make some money".

* When Blagojevich was a member of the United States House of Representatives he asked Ata for his support in a run for higher office. Ata said that Rezko was very involved in fund raising for Blagojevich.

* Joseph Cari has testified that Blagojevich wanted to run for President of the United States. Evidently the Smartest President Ever™ who was a good friend of Tony Rezko beat him to the job.

* Cari testified that he eventually became involved in the attempted extortion of JER, a real estate investment firm that was seeking an investment from the Teachers Retirement System (“TRS”). Details regarding corruption at TRS involving one of its board members, Stuart Levine.

* Stuart Levine a member of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board was soliciting bribes in exchange for board action. Levine testified under oath at the Rezko Trial. Levine further admitted to defrauding a medical school and a charitable organization which he controlled out of additional millions of dollars. Mercy Hospital wanted to build a hospital in Illinois. In order to get a construction permit they were required to make a donation.

Jeeze. I'm only up to page 23 of the 78 page indictment. And the indictment does not claim to list all of Blagojevich's crimes. Only enough to get him arrested.

Now think of what will happen if the Federal Government gets deeper into the practice of medicine. Well you know how it goes. When politicians control what is bought and sold the first thing bought and sold is politicians.

You can read the whole indictment here.

There is already talk in Illinois about impeaching the Governor. State Senator Dave Syverson discussed it on WNTA radio in Rockford and on a local Rockford TV station.

You know if the friend and next door neighbor of the Smartest President Ever™ Tony Rezko spilled all the beans there is a very good chance that the new guy will not be taking office or will be taking office under a cloud.

I'm looking forward to his "I am not a crook" speech. It should be one for the ages. If I was the Smartest President Ever™ I'd be laying low and doing nothing in the first 100 days of my administration and the other 1,361 days as well because everybody would be looking over my shoulder to see who paid for what.

John McCain said he was going to be naming names. Evidently Rezko has dropped enough names to make that temporarily unnecessary. You know if Palin runs on a clean out the bums platform I'd vote for her next chance I got.

Cross Posted at Classical Values