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Down goes Blagojevich!! Who's next in Illinois Politics? Jesse Jackson Jr. or Emil Jones (possible Senate Candidate 5 from Affidavit) Or maybe Mayor Richard M. Dailey (John Harris worked for the Mayor prior to being Blagojevich's Chief of Staff... had to have learned his corruption somewhere... Plus Dailey has become increasingly corrupt trying to get the Olympics and pushing through the O'Hare International Airport Modernization Project through).

Hopefully this incident will shed light on the needed cleaning up of Illinois & Chicago Politics.

Mr Rod
Please count me ,You make me happy I make you happy

Of course no one is saying they're [Senate Candidate X] because for some values of X, that would be an admission of criminal conspiracy. I can't wait to see who this Bozo rolls over on.

Obama won his election with a karmic price tag attached to his sleeve because the media played favorites. Now let's wait and see how karma evens the playing field.

This is like a 3 ring circus! The Governor needs to step down and let the people of Illinois decide their Senator. What a corrupt man ! He should pay.

@atlas – Four more year of what? Oh, don't tell me – this is Obama's fault, right? Get over your bitterness that your guy didn't win the election. Obama has nothing to do with the lunatic Illinois govenor nor Jesse Jackson, so get over it. Everything that happens in the State of Illinois can't be blamed on YOUR NEW PRESIDENT ELECT so just deal with it. Mr. Obama will be your new President on January 20th, like it or not.

He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. They send one of yours to the hospital, you send you of theirs to the morgue. That's the Chicago Way!

Contrary to popular thought.........if a person is corrupt, this act knows no political party.It belongs to that individual.That person will have to deal with the effects that this person has caused.Others that have been affected will also have to deal with the same. The responsibility of this corrupt behavior is that persons.In this case it is the Ill Gov.

Next case......................................................................................................
there is always another waiting...............................................................

I'm a registered Democrate in Illinois, did NOT vote for him and for sure didn't vote to re-elect him. The last honest governor we had was Jim Edgar, yes a Republican, – Oh Jim please come back, if ony for one term!

if there is any justice, jail time is coming

Not anymore!!!!!

It's the Reverand Jesse "cry me a river" Jackson's son.

You couldn't write this sitcom any better......and BO ain't even in office yet. Four more years of this.....yeah, that's the change we're looking for.

mad magazine!

Please dont let it be Jessie Jackson Jr. God knows his father has added enough scandal to that family too last a life time.

Step down and blow the whistle on everyone.

This man looks like a larger version of Tattoo from Fantasy Island....De Plane, Boss, De Plane!!!

If Bush didn't dscrew up the economy Iraq and everything else in this country, this Illinois crap would never have happened! Let's move on folks. It's time for Hope and Change!!!

Indie PA – I don't think impeachment is an option. I may be wrong but that seems to be reserved for Presidents. Everyone else can be arrested, tried by jury and sentenced as if a private citizen. In this case he has been arrested and arraigned, the next step would be jury selection and trial. This would take enough time that, barring intervention of some sort, he would still be entitled to make the appointment to the senate. Maybe even close any deals already made by making it.

I would not want to disappoint "Independent" who wrote:
Even though this has nothing to do with Bush, Bush-bashing comments in 3… 2… 1…

Blagojavich became corrupt because of the Bush Cheney administration showed the way. But he could not keep his mouth shut like Cheney which is why he got caught

Yeah – they may have a hard time giving away that seat. No one wants to admit to being anywhere near this.

Didn't surprise me at all he was going to pull a fast one like this.

And we could've gotten him out in 2006, had it not been for the fact his opponent was crazier than he is.

(That's why I voted for myself as a write-in)

I am truly surprised that "the numbered ones" have not yet come forward claiming they were running their own "sting operation".

what a muttttt.

Hey, we already have power-hungry, greedy politicians in America, and we can start with the Prez-elect and his cronies, including this one. Just wait and see where the chips fall.

Is there anything good coming out of Chicago, Illinois? After all, he is a lawyer, and a politician, from Chicago, Illinois, sounds familiar?? None of us is angel either, and Obama is no exception.

Independent:ask and ye shall receive... this moron is as corrupt as Bush/Cheney...lets impeach both of them

Is there anything good coming of Chicago, Illinois? After all, he is a lawyer, and a politician, from Chicago, Illinois, sounds familiar?? None of is angel either, and Obama is no exception.

he is a mopped

If Gov. Blagojevich is found to be guilty in a court of law, let's hope he draws the maximum sentence. Apparently he missed Dick Cheney's seminar on "Government for Sale, how not to get caught". I think we are all pretty tired of this corrupt conduct from our elected officials. Harsh mandatory sentencing guidelines for corrupt politicians: an idea whose time has come.

Remember that Obama and his people never once even talked with the gov on his replacement. They made a mistake Nov. 23 saying they did. Now they have corrected the mistake. One of Obama's boys made the mistake, Obama himself does not make mistakes.

As for as that Rezko dude being involved, ( again ). Obama barely even knows him. I think they just met once over the fence while doing chores.

Not only who are they but the ones that were approched to purchase the senate seat and didn't report it should be questioned and investigated for possible past under the table deals. If Jackson Jr. is a part of that he should suffer too. Regardless of party corruption has to stop and poll must do jail time.

Independent December 10th, 2008 12:37 pm ET

Even though this has nothing to do with Bush, Bush-bashing comments in 3… 2… 1…

------------------------–

This 3...2...1 countdown thing has got to be by far the oldest and most worn out, crusty old joke in the Ticker. I've been seeing it for months now, and it seems like every time somebody does this countdown, they fancy themselves clever and original and funny.

And it sounds like you didn't really want to comment on this article; you just want to vent your hard feelings about the election being a complete repudiation of Dubya.

I am glad when crooks get caught regardless of party by the Republican Senator Stevens is always identified that way but the Gov must have no party affiliation or could it be that he is a Democrat. ABC News is reporting candidate #5 is Jesse Jackson Jr no party affiliation given. I wonder why that is happening?

I dont know. At this point in time, I just want to put all all politicians on 50% or 60% sale. I dont know it's so expensive to advertise. How do we balance getting the right person into office with advertising? It's just hard.

How disgusting is this creep? Maybe he can try to sell his jail cell!

Just what was he thinking anyway? Soon he will be out of politics once and for all..Let the impeachment begin!!!

Independent: What a dumb comment!

Anyway, this guy is creepier than creepy, has anyone else noticed that every other word out of his mouth is bleeped out? Yuck. Send the greedy jerk to prison. FAST.

Blagojevich's actions violate the public trust. He needs to resign or face impeachment and removal from office.

Why was he charged so quickly?????

Is there a hurried COVER UP to protect someone else???

They should have let this play out until he was ready to appoint someone and then step in.

Too many CROOKS are getting off free because the was done too soon.

.................i think Rep Jessie Jackson Jr is in hot water

Senate Candidate #5 is Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Jesse Jackson Jr. The apple does not fall far from the tree.

Why should anyone be surprised? There is so much corruption in politics, nothing surprised me any more. I just pray to God that President Elect Obama was in no ways involved, if he had any part in it whether he was privy to the info are not, the first thing that is going to come up is "see, we told you he keeps company with bad apples". So God, please don't let him be involved in any way.

I hope Rod gets a nice cell with a view.

I am glad that Obama's people appear to be the ones who turned the Governor in to the FBI.

Can he not be impeached?????? He's just what America needs (not)!...a greedy, power-mongering, arrogant, superficial crook.

He looks like Alfred E. Neuman from Mad Magazine. What a clown. He deserves everything he gets–jail, loss of pension, everything. Chicago can bury their legacy once and for all by sending this moron to the BIG HOUSE, and I don't mean the Governor's mansion.

Even though this has nothing to do with Bush, Bush-bashing comments in 3... 2... 1...

This guy is an idiot and he's not bringing the whole country down with this fodder for the Republicans. They are salivating, but I have one thing to say, if they attach this to Barack, BRING IT ON. We are ready for you. We have survived Rev. Wright, bittergate, terrioristgate, real estategate and Hillary. We will survive this–trust me.

As Babs can say, DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE.

And if you believe that Obama didn't at least have knowledge of these corrupt activities, if not fully involved, then you're a fool. This is Chicago politics at it's finest and it's a team sport.

Between this and Rezko coming up, Obama will be lucky to make it to inauguration day without being indicted.

Guess who? someone has a lot of cash like Obama would buy that seat! Don't we all know that most of politicians from Southside Chicago are dirty ones?

Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich should charged with RACISM, too that "the replaced senate seat must be a BLACK man or a woman." he said. He should also step down right way before his disgrace will
dent Democratic party and Obama.

It would be interesting to compare this process to the same process going on in New York finind Hillary's successor. Would these people, who were just talked to, really want their names all over the press?? 'Guilty by osmosis' is not always true no matter how the press wants to play it.

Speaker of the House Mike Madigan will do the right thing and begin conducting impeachment hearings against this jerk. The sooner the better and Blowgo is going to jail!

ABC is saying that Candidate #5 is Jesse Jackson Jr. I'm sure he'd be able to afford it, seeing as his dad's raked a lot of money in from his threats...I mean civil rights protests.

Thank goodness the Democrats (the Chicago ones in particular) are showing us how corruption is supposed to be done. Too bad we're gonna have 4 years of this starting in January. But hey, with the Sopranos gone, and ER ending in May, we need to get our drama from somewhere!

Everything is mysterious about politics, especially in Illinois, people are mere "numbers," or statistics, and what is more important than people is ambition, or power or fame. What is new?

This guy appears to be another sleaze bag. Politics sure does attract them, especially the Republican Party of hypocrits so once in a while you have to have a sleazy democrat, too to even it out. Of course the right wing nuts will attempt to slam Obama although it's been made clear that Obama has zero to do with this!

Blagojevich should be removed from office immediately. This type of corruption is one of the things American voters want stopped. I don't care what party affiliation these corrupt people claim...they need to be impeached immediately. Wonder when these corrupt politicans will finally get it through their thick heads that this type of behavior is unacceptable in government regardless of the level of positions held. ENOUGH!

Isn't it frightening to think that our voting public can be fooled by arrogant politicians who they elected for what the electorate believed were qualities of character. Where there is no shame, there can be no character. Blagojevich's arrogance is only overshadowed by his stupidity. Can politicians really be that stupid? Now we know. This man should be removed from office by impeachment as soon as possible. I hope the decent politicians in the state govenment of Illinois will step up and do the right thing, and as swiftly and legally possible. Good luck Illinois.

Asked Tuesday in Chicago whether he had been in contact with Blagojevich about the job, Obama said, "I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening."

But Axelrod said on Chicago television Nov. 23 that the two had spoken. Asked if Obama had expressed a preference, Axelrod said he had not, but also said: "I know he's talked to the governor. And...there are a whole range of names, many of which have surfaced, and he's, I think he has a fondness for a lot of them."

On Tuesday, Axelrod said: "I was mistaken when I told an interviewer last month that the president-elect has spoken directly to Gov. Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. They did not then or at any time discuss the subject."

Yea right!
Oh, this just keeps getting better!

This is a total disgrace. I don't care who they are, as long as I know there are people out there who are willing to give money to this jerk, so that they can have a seat in the senate! This is absurd and I am so glad Ms. Jarrett is not one of them. She must have accepted the job in the White House to be as far away from this s... as possible.

At this point in time, Tammy Duckworth is probably the most ELIGIBLE of all these candidates. She's a Iraq war veteran who has sacrificed her life for America. Second, she's not tainted like the rest of the crowd (Repubs or Demos)

This will be interesting. Especially who #5 is since they said they could put up $500,000.

What an IDIOT! This Grinch look alike did one of the most stupidest thing he could have ever done. I hope his career is over and I don't have to see his face again. He needs to go to jail!

I do not understand why Rod Blagojevich did not put this Senate seat on E-Bay.

It seems that today's politicians lack all kind of decent manners......

What an IDIOT! Thsi Grinch look alike did one of the most stupidest thing he could have ever done. I hope his career is over and I don't have to see his face again. He needs to go to jail!

The only numbers Blogojevich should be quoting are the numbers that will soon be appearing on his jumpsuit across his chest...

Who cares. Send this dirty SOB to jail, and while you are at it, start investigaiing the Bush reich: most belong in the cell right nex to him!

The only numbers Blogojevich should be quoting are the numbers that will soon be appearing on his jumpsuit across his chest...

They should expose them all! And let WE THE PEOPLE decide their fate!!!!!

I find it strange that after a copple of years of invesagation he is brought in right after he says that the state will no longer do busniess with bank of america

This guy needs to be IMPEACHED, and JAILED!

This guy is crazy. Barack Obama was too smart to have anything to do with him.

Once sentenced this guy is gonna sing... no way he goes down alone... and I hope he brings the whole rotton Chicago Machine down with him.

This is just the start.

I agree with Bob Greene, Chicagoans and Illinoians should be livid. They showed the world how wonderful the city and state was, in sending off the first African American candidate to win the presidency. Then this bum, Blagojevich tries to SELL a Senate seat. How stupid can one man be?

If I were Illinois, I would cut off his political legs and arms and toss him in the political river (The Big House).

Barack is still a star and no shannanagans from a two-bit politician will ever change that.

Rumor has it, that Jesse Jackson Jr. may be one of the mystery candidates tha was vying for Obama's Senate seat.

On the auto bailout........anyone find it ironic that 51% of GMAC Financial is owned by Cerebus Capital Management.......which owns 80% of Chrysler.

Let see......GM parent of GMAC wants how many billions and Chrysler owned by CCM wants how many?

Sounds like it is all going in the same pot.

I'm telling you all these left wings are nothing but a piece of crap an they will run this country down!!!

I live in Chicago and I still trust him. That's just how we do business here. I don't see why this is even a story.

I hope the names come out so the electorate knows who tried to cut a backroom deal. The people of Illinois can't afford to elect or have appointed someone willing to capitulate to extortion.

The most exculpatory comments for President Obama come from the Illinois Governor's own mouth

Referring to the Obama team .... "All they would give me is their appreciation" ..... Oh how I love it. Even the most twisted, Rovian operative can't spin this against Barack.

He is always at least one step ahead of his opposition. I only hope the majority of Americans put the beat down on these types of partisan attacks.

Our interests are best served when Team Obama applies it's intellect to solving our problems instead of watching for knives in their back.

Is anyone surprised by this? Illinois historically is the ,pst cpmsostemtly politically corrupt state in the country.

I am sure every mentioned candidate is clean.......only some unnamed candidate with no credentials is at the top of the list!

I say impeach this bum before he does any more damage than he's alredy done to the state of Illinois. The important thing is to take all of his cronies down with him who have given the state such a bad name for corruption. It's sad that these guys never seem to learn from the mistakes of others. Today's modern technology and investigative techniques make it very difficult to do these dirty tricks without being caught. That male ego has ruined many lives. They all think that they are the one who won't get caught. This is one up for the FBI. They are on their jobs and I say CONGRATS!!!!!

Is he wearing a Toupee?

Just in this week alone we have Charlie Wrangle…tax cheat, fraud and corrupt liar.
William Jefferson……thief, tax cheat and corrupt liar.
Rod Blogojevich…….corrupt liar, thief, blackmailer.

What do they all have in common? Hmmm, let me see….oh yeah, they are all democrats, the party of zero ethics.

What a bunch of crooks. And that includes Obama. I know that's not popular to say but it is what it is.

This guy sure likes to drop the "F" bomb a lot!

It was the Riddler according to CNN. We need to send Batman on this caper.