Blagojevich prepares for prison, Public statement coming, More pristine on Rezko than Obama, Obama chaired IL committee that allowed planning board rigging

“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

“Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

“There is enough corruption in Illinois so that all it takes is someone who is serious about finding it to uncover it. If a U.S. attorney is not finding corruption in Illinois, they’re not seriously looking for it.”…Northwestern Law Professor James Lindgren

Rod Blagojevich, who is appealing his conviction for longtime corruption in Chicago and IL, is preparing for his prison sentence that begins next week.

From Chicago Argus March 9, 2012.

“Seven more days for 40892-424”

“One week from now, federal inmate number 40892-424 will have gone through orientation and will have completed his first night in prison – a lifestyle that he’s going to have to endure for just over a decade.

That inmate, of course, is Rod Blagojevich, who has to report to prison (possibly a minimum-security facility in Colorado) come Thursday. Which means he’s now going through his final week of freedom.

EVERYTHING HE DOES in coming days will take on the aura of “one last time” – both for himself and for his family.

It even seems that we’re going to get “one last statement” from Blagojevich. The Associated Press reported that a Blagojevich “spokesman” said the former governor himself will make some sort of public statement some time in coming days.

Then, he will go off to prison – which makes me wonder if his final day of freedom will resemble the scenes in the film “Goodfellas” where actor Ray Liotta’s “Henry Hill” character engaged in a final party of booze and drugs and floozies, only to climb into a limousine and tell the driver, “Now, take me to jail.”

Although as much as I might joke here, and some people will eagerly be awaiting this week with glee (a fact that still bothers me more than anything Blagojevich might have actually done while in public office), the truth is that there really is nothing funny about what is going to happen a week from now.

HE’S STILL A human being, and he will have a wife and two daughters who will be devastated by what will happen. I’m not about to start up the charity fund for the family Blagojevich. But we shouldn’t overlook the loss that is created by a 14-year prison term (even if that translates into 11-plus years of REAL time).

Which is why I can’t help but feel a bit of sympathy these days. But not so much sympathy that I really care much what Blagojevich has to say in a final statement. In fact, a part of me desperately wants to ignore whatever the former governor has to say for his final words as a “free” man.

Because I’m convinced that if we really wanted to inflict a “blow” to the ego of Blagojevich, we’d blow it off. We wouldn’t cover it. We would let his statement twist in the wind, and we’d seriously debate that old philosophical cliché, “If a tree falls in the forest but no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”

If Blagojevich speaks and no one records it, does it really matter?

BECAUSE I CAN’T really envision anything he’d say that needs to be recorded for posterity. He still thinks he ‘didn’t do it.’ He’s been framed?”

http://chicagoargus.blogspot.com/2012/03/seven-more-days-for-40892-424.html

Actually, Blagojevich has said plenty before and since he has been screwed over by Obama, I would be willing to bet he will say more. Perhaps when his appeal process evolves further.

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