This wrong = the conviction of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich.
"You didn't have to pardon him, only commute the sentence. You just had to let him come home. You didn't. You released others, like Chelsea Manning or FALN terrorists, who actually committed reprehensible crimes, but you failed to release an innocent man.... I am shocked at how bitter and full of hate I have become.... I truly thought you were a good person. I guess I was just as brainwashed as everyone else. At least now I can see the blood on your hands."
Wrote Rod Blagojevich's 20-year-old daughter, Amy Blagojevich.
Adding tags to this post, I see I have an old tag Blagosmear on Obama. That goes back to a time when I pictured Blagojevich dragging Obama down. That didn't happen, and I think Obama figured out how to keep Blagojevichishness off of him.
Here's my original "Blagosmear on Obama" post, from December 14, 2008, before Obama even took office. The GOP had put out this video, obviously intended to wreck Obama before he got started:
I'm not surprised Obama never did anything to help Rod Blagojevich. I feel sorry for the man's daughter, but look how her father undercut Obama on the eve of his honeymoon.
IN THE COMMENTS: mccullough said:
Blagojevich's sentence was ridiculously long. Trump should commute to 6.5 years, which is what George Ryan's sentence was. The judge is an asshole who was pissed that Blagojevich got a hung jury on the first trial.A few comments later, mccullough came back and said:
Trump fired Blagojevich on Celebrity Apprentice. It would be awkward for him to get involved now. So he'll probably get involved.Ha ha. That made me go look up the old "Apprentice" scene:
Trump does fire him, but he also expresses respect for his tenacity and shakes his hand and wishes him well.
More "Apprentice" with Blagojevich (and Joan Rivers too):
"I'll do anything [PAUSE] legal and ethical and [PAUSE] honest."
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५३ टिप्पण्या:
Blagojevich's sentence was ridiculously long. Trump should commute to 6.5 years, which is what George Ryan's sentence was. The judge is an asshole who was pissed that Blagojevich got a hung jury on the first trial.
Trump could commute Blag's sentence, and poke Obama in the eye at the same time.
She has a point- it does seem inconsistent of the administration to leave him hanging while all the other crooks get to walk.
Blago was caught. That is the only difference between him and obama.
Trump fired Blagojevich on Celebrity Apprentice. It would be awkward for him to get involved now. So he'll probably get involved.
Did Blago commit treason or run a domestic terror operation?
He embarrassed the organization.
Everyone seems to be mourning your exit from office
Bubble!
The Count of Blago Cristo is still a political prisoner. Mean while Bill and Hillary are totally safe. It may be a rigged system.
Harding pardoned Debs. Trump should at some time commute the sentence to time served. I guess Blago was guilty, but it wasn't the kind of crime that provokes enduring anger. Such a commutation would inspire invidious comparisons with those of Obama and would thus be a win for Trump.
"I truly thought you were a good person. I guess I was just as brainwashed as everyone else."
Not everyone else, sister. Sorry for your disillusionment. Well before November, 2008, many of us knew the time of day concerning Obama. We weren't driven by racism like so many blacks* were; we were repelled by this guy because of his anti-white, leftist thinking.
And we were proved right, over and overm through his 8 years.
*If I had decided not to vote for Obama because he was black, that would be clear racism. So when >90% of blacks voted for Obama, expressly stating that they were doing so because he was black, why wasn't that called what it was - raw, naked racism.
We wave toward him from the road often. He's in a country club-style facility here in CO. Not very kind of us.
I do kind of hope Trump commutes his sentence. And also gets that filmmaker out of jail (if he's still in), hey?
Pardon me for asking, but why would Obama or Trump be involved? Isn't this a state crime, and as such they can do nothing?
Or was Blago sentenced for a federal crime?
--Vance
There's an apple that fell not far from the tree.
This was during Obama's honey moon, when everyone loved him.
But Jarrett was actively working with SEIU to see if she could get that Senate seat. The fact that the incoming Obama administration investigated itself and found itself faultless would be a 5-alarm breaking news story in the Trump admin.
mccullough said...
Trump fired Blagojevich on Celebrity Apprentice. It would be awkward for him to get involved now. So he'll probably get involved.
This week's winner in "Things I Wish I Wrote."
"Trump could commute Blag's sentence, and poke Obama in the eye at the same time."
I agree but, also don't know if it was a federal crime.
I'm not even sure the presidential thing is restricted to federal crimes.
He's doing federal time.
Calling Obama "mediocre" is to praise him.
I watched every episode of 24 and, on Jack Bauer's advice, Presidents Palmer and Logan pardoned far and wide to save the nation. No mention of limitations to federal crimes was ever made. So if Joel Surnow is good with letting murderers go free for raisons d'Etat, who are we to say no? I bet President Trump has the 24 steelbook collection, so he's way ahead of me on this.
Now, the only question Obama ever asks is:
What's in it for me?
So, what's in it for President Trump?
Blago got railroaded as a sacrificial lamb to make it look like somebody was able to do something about Chicago corruption. I was not a fan, but it seems to me he got 15 years in federal prison for political horsetrading.
Nobody would give away and appointment to the US Senate for 'free'.
Seems like Blagojevich has raised his daughter to be as narcissistic and self-obsessed as he is.
I'd say a few terrible pardons/commutations (that FALN one is really horrid) does not justify MORE terrible pardons/commutations. It's like sports Hall of Fame debates. Because one person you don't think is qualified is in the Hall doesn't mean more unqualified people HAVE to also be added. Limit damage when possible.
(that FALN one is really horrid)
I'd be fine with Rivera's commutation if it was coupled with independence for Puerto Rico. Time to give that draining island dependency the old heave ho.
"Blago got railroaded as a sacrificial lamb to make it look like somebody was able to do something about Chicago corruption."
-- This was another one of those times the Obama team investigated themselves and determined they had done nothing wrong. I think he probably just didn't get involved so no one speculated about how much he knew about the political horsetrading/corruption.
To the daughter: I for one an not mourning the departure of the Chicago lightweight from the Oval Office. As for Blago--just another Chicago crook. They've got lots of them. And of course many recent Illinois governors have left the state house to go to the big house. It's like a stretch in the Illinois state penitentiary is the normal mode of departure for an Illinois governor--sort of like a high school graduation trip. My heart does not bleed for Illinois politicos.
Also, I think Blagovich trying to subpoena Obama pretty much killed any good will remaining between the two. Remember, he rewards his friends and punishes his enemies. And, once you call him a liar and try to prove it in front of court (whether he was lying or not), you're not his friend any more.
At least her brows are right.
I hope Blago sings like a bird....Let's bring the sainted Obama down!! I bet he knows a few secrets!!!
Blago is an idiot who was lucky in marriage and politics. It was only a matter of time before he got caught and became another in a long line of Illinois governors sent to the pokey.
He took Dan Rostenkowski's seat two years after Rosty was upended by an unknown Republican lawyer named Mike Fitzgerald, thanks to the congressional check kiting scandal. (I met Fitz at a business association gathering. He was stone drunk and clearly not campaigning for votes). The seat was there for Blago's taking thanks to his father-in-law Dick Mell. It gave him the visibility to run for governor.
We had a tradition of electing generally liberal Republicans to the governorship: Jim Thompson, Jim Edgar and George Ryan. Ryan was a corrupt POS, and likely the reason that Blago was elected.
I seriously wonder if Blago is too stupid to know that he was so obviously breaking the law. Have mercy on the weak and disabled. Pardon the idiot.
"I hope Blago sings like a bird....Let's bring the sainted Obama down!!"
-- I actually think Obama had nothing to do with this, because Blago would've sung like a bird long ago if there was anything to sing about.
Hey, that's Erin Burnett in the seat next to Donald Trump!
J. Farmer said...
Seems like Blagojevich has raised his daughter to be as narcissistic and self-obsessed as he is.
1/27/17, 10:52 AM
Seems like Blago raised a daughter who loves him and wants him to come home. I must say, how do you not get that? Did you have a bad home life?
Blagojevich is kicking himself now knowing that he should have blown shit up or trafficked in cocaine, he'd be a free man now. Maybe even moved in next door to Obama and become a professor.
@Bad Lieutenant:
Seems like Blago raised a daughter who loves him and wants him to come home. I must say, how do you not get that? Did you have a bad home life?
No I was raised by people who have so far managed to go their entire lives without having to see the inside of a police car, let alone a jail cell. If Ms. Blagojevich should be mad at anyone, it should be her father. As the cliche goes, "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime."
"I actually think Obama had nothing to do with this, because Blago would've sung like a bird long ago if there was anything to sing about."
We're talking Chicago, he'd be dead by now.
I thought the President's power of pardon applies to both federal and state law.
And I was wrong, it appears.
@Yancey Ward:
And I was wrong, it appears.
Yes, but it's a moot point. Blagojevich was charged with federal crimes, tried in federal court, and imprisoned in a federal prison.
No I was raised by people who have so far managed to go their entire lives without having to see the inside of a police car, let alone a jail cell.
And if they had, you'd just write them off? "Fuck you, Dad, that'll teach you to rip the tags off the mattress!"
Seriously: Sorry, did someone demonstrate that POTUS cannot pardon non federal crimes e.g. murder? Was there a link or cite or quote? I missed it. Thanks in advance for reposting.
Blaggo needs to be pardoned simply for uttering the best line recorded on any evedence tape, "I got this thing, and it's F'ing GOLDEN!"
I was unfortunately reminded of those abhorrent Gotti women, whining and screeching about their loving father and husband being railroaded after his convictions.
You rarely come off looking good in such circumstances.
I wouldn't be caught dead with a ridiculous nickname like "Blago".
Gotta say, the point about releasing a murderous, unrepentant terrorist but not some other dudes convicted of non-violent crimes...pretty solid.
> but look how her father undercut Obama on the eve of his honeymoon.
Manning and Snowden released so many of our military and diplomatic secrets that they largely eliminated President Obama's ability to conduct significant military operations other than dropping lots of bombs on places and hoping for the best. I'd have thought that any CIC would see this as undercutting his administration more than a few nasty words could have. Assuming that the CIC had any degree of moral agency, of course.
Try saying "Blagojevichishness" five times, fast.
"I got this thing, and it's F'ing GOLDEN!"
Imagine the products he could pitch with that trademark line.
He'll make Blago look ethical by comparison
Seriously: Sorry, did someone demonstrate that POTUS cannot pardon non federal crimes e.g. murder?
The president's pardon authority comes from the Constitution (Article II, Section 1): "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment."
"Offenses against the United States", that is, not offenses against a state.
WaPo headline re Trump pardons: "Republicans have unleashed an ethical monster", with no mention that Blagojevich is a Dem. It does mention that former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards is a Dem, but only in connection with a related pardon of someone else, and makes no mention of Edwards' conviction for racketeering.
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