December 9th, 2008
03:11 PM ET
14 years ago
Blagojevich free on $4,500 bail
CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) - Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich appeared in court Tuesday afternoon to hear corruption charges against him. Bail was set at $4,500, and Blagojevich was then released on his own recognizance.
He also had to forfeit his passport.
Also, read the 76 page indictment – Obama refused to go along with Blago's scheme, which angeres the Governor (who called Obama a bunch of explitives). The US Attorney (Fitzgerald) even made a point in the press conference today to point out that the President-elect was in now ways implicated of any wrong doing.
I think voters would like to know the identity of this judge if they felt justice was lacking to vote out of office come next election.
April, the nurse is calling, she has your meds and you need to take them.
If I was the part of the Illinois DNC, I would immediately distance myself from the governor and begin the impeachment process personally. Before this becomes a major backeye for the democrats, I would file the paperwork and explain that he doesn't respresent democrats (or anyone for that matter) and hang him out to dry. I hope they don't make the mistake of standing up for him until the bitter end and lose everything they have gained.
Oh come on, everybody has a Rezko in their league. Have you check under the hood of GW and Chen ey?
I'm hoping that there is no honor among thieves and the Gov.will name names of all the other people that are, and have been involved with him.
He should step aside while the investigation and trial continues–or the legislature should immediately declare no confidence in him and begin impeachment procedures. That he is free on pocket change is an unspeakable outrage–but we all know there is no justice in America, for justice means you have the money and injustice means you're poor. This guy is clearly an amateur, however, for such things probably are done every day–think of the lobbyists who do favors for Congress in exchange for favorable legislation–and only a few get caught, usually because they are amateurs and not subtle enough.
He's going to get impeached if he doesn't resign, and i doubt Bush will pardon him....he's toast.
Kathy S. Cloughn
Yet as Democrats, if one Republican commits a crime, you blame all Republicans? So why can't we blame all Democrats if one Democrat breaks the law? Such a double standard among liberal democrats.
First there was Wright, then Ayers, then Rezko and now Blago. Obama sure has some interesting allies. Of course this is all a coincidence, isn't it? Nothing worth investigating here. I'm sure O'Bama knew nothing about Blago's corrupt tendencies just as he knew nothing of Ayers' terrorist past or Wright's anti American racist sermons or Rezko's corrupt business practices. So all you Obama haters, don't draw any conclusions from all this. Obama is the paragon of virtue. Really.
OBAMA ANOTHER CROOK FRIENDS. LOL!
Corruption within the District really needs to be investigated. Obama, please, start to conduct REAL investigations across party lines into everyone. I am amazed we saw hundreds of comments on any Republican, but when a fellow Democrat gets tagged...all I see is more hateful bile "its the Republicans, trying to frame us Democrats!"
HELLO, WAKE UP! Corruption crosses party lines. Let's take action for our nation, and insist that corrpution is stopped in DC, regardless of party of affiliation.
i cant believe how shocked everyone seems to be, about politics. the gov. is the norm, they just arent dumb enough to get caught. obama
was oblivious to everything. we are going to be in trouble if he is really unaware of every thing that goes on. god bless us all !!!
He should get 20 years for that haircut.
You poor republicans are grasping at straws. Same state, give me a break. I am from the same country as Bush, that doesn't make me a criminal.
This was the candidate that Obama backed. So much for Obama's judgement. Seems like it is a little lacking – just like his experience. Oh well, no big deal.
To Eloise,,,,
This is nothing compared what W and Chen ' ey has done. Have you seen their lists?
I don't care what any of you say! Obama is up to his "Rezko's" in this mess and you all voted him in as our President! Chicago-style politics is a negative connotation for nothin' people and your guy is right in the middle! Good going America! I said all along he's as sneaky as they come and is probably sweating it out right now hoping his own paper trail has been destroyed!
20 years ago, my bail for getting caught with a small amount of marijuana was $5,000. How is it this clown is out for attempting to sell what hundreds of thousand of Americans have died for for only $4,500. This is wrong..., Very wrong!
I think the judge should be arrested too.
I wonder how much the Kennedys have offered up for Clinton's seat for Caroline.
I'm sorry. I like Obama, but we don't need another Kennedy. Let's be done with them.
She may be a nice person, but she doesn't have the first clue what it's like to be an average American.
Just more stuff for the right wingers to foam over. That is what they do.
The Governor is no fan of Obama because Obama did not want to play ball. Does that make Obama "angelic". Of course not, this is national politics. The dirt needed to make it at that stage would probably scare most of us to death.
However, Obama was the best candidate to be President. He will clearly do the best job. And after all of the dirt of the last 8 years, what exactly are you right wingers bleating about?
All of you anti-Obama people might be surprised if/when it turns out that members of his transition team just may have been the whistle-blowers on this 'buy a senate seat' scam that Blago was attempting.
The bigger question should be HOW OFTEN DOES THIS HAPPEN WITHOUT SOMEONE BEING CAUGHT?
Can anyone be from Illinois politics, Chicago politics without rot?
Pocket change bail amount in exchange to gain freedom from corruption and crime.Theft has a higher bail out amount than this.