Blago seeks to sway public opinion by hiring PR firm

Get your DVRs ready for Monday morning. Impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich is taking his defense to the national media - apparently hoping that will sway the members of the Illinois Senate who will begin to try him next week. Blago will be interviewed on Good Morning America, The View and Larry King Live on Monday.

Also, the governor hired a Public Relations firm to help him with his image - not his legal defense mind you, but his image - according to a report in the Chicago Tribune. This is the same firm that represents former Bollingbrook police officer Drew Peterson, who is a suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife. Blago's only hope is to gain sympathy from the public, but it's doubtful how much sympathy he is going to get. On Friday Blago said he was the victim of a conspiracy of the legislature. In Blago's mind, the legislature wants to remove him from power in order to have Pat Quinn, who will become governor upon Blago's ouster from office, raise taxes. Blago wants the people of Illinois to believe he is the only one standing between them and a tax increase - of course this is the same man who proposed the biggest business tax increase in Illinois history.

Instead of a PR firm, Blago should have legal representation in the Senate Chamber next week. But those fellows (in a PR move that's not helping Blago) are refusing to attend the hearings because they claim the hearings are unfair.

Blagojevich says impeachment is a plot to have new governor raise taxes

Gov. Rod Blagojevich finally spoke out on his impending impeachment, which begins next week.

Earlier this morning he talked with morning radio hosts on WLS-AM. Playing the victim card, Blago said this impeachment proceedings are nothing more than a plot to raise income and sales taxes on the people of Illinois by May. Blago claimed that Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn has cut a deal with the Democrats in charge of the legislature to get rid of the embattled governor. Of course earlier this month Blago told the press the House has conspired against him because they didn't like the way he was trying to help the common man.

It is entirely possible the Democrats in Springfield are conspiring against him. It's no secret that Blagojevich and Democratic leaders in the legislature, particularly House Speaker Mike Madigan, have a poor relationship. However, it is more likely the Democrats want to get rid of Blagojevich because he is an ineffective governor and chances are there will be a backlash in the next gubernatorial election which could return Republicans to the governor's office.

Blagojevich did not address any of the charges against him - like attempting to sell the Senate seat of President Barack Obama (now Roland Burris), pay to play scams and threatening the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune.

In an interview on Thursday, Blagojevich is also claiming the impeachment proceedings are unfair and unconstitutional because he will not be allowed to call witnesses who would refute the charges he was attempting to sell the Senate seat. In fact, Blago's own attorneys are refusing to represent him in the impeachment proceedings because they are claiming the proceedings are unfair as well.

Blago believes he is the victim of apolitical conspiracy, but in reality the victim is the population of Illinois which deserves good, open government - something that will be a long time coming given the state of politics in Illinois.

House impeaches Blago

The Illinois House voted 114-1 to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich this morning. Not that this is any surprise to anyone - least of all to Blago. At his post impeachment press conference this afternoon, the disgraced governor said the animosity between him and house leaders (read Speaker of the House Michael Madigan) has been brewing for years and an impeachment was something expected.

Regardless of why it happened, the House allowed the problem to become fodder for national pundits and talk show comedians. Illinois is embarrassed. The people of Illinois are embarrassed. And more than Blago is to blame for his alleged crimes. The entire culture of corruption in Illinois should be put on trial. While Blago bears the guilt for his impeachment - after all, personal responsibility is an admirable trait - but the entire culture of corruption that has permeated the political landscape of Illinois contributed to the arrogance of Blago and his predecessors in thinking they could get away with whatever they wanted. For too long many Illinois lawmakers believed they could do what they wanted to line their pockets all while ignoring the the duties of the office they were elected to. Sadly it took the arrogance of the helmet-haired one to have the beacon of light shine into the dark nooks and crannies of the Illinois culture of corruption.

And speaking of lawmakers not doing their jobs, what in the world was Ill. Rep. Milt Patterson, D-Chicago, thinking when he voted against impeachment. According to a comment issued to the Chicago Tribune after the roll call vote for impeachment, Patterson said it was not his job to impeach Blago. What did he mean by that statement? Unfortunately he did not talk any more to the Tribune. Whether or not Rep. Patterson is part of the culture of corruption remains to be seen, but I imagine his past will be investigated after a comment like that.