Friday, August 20, 2010

Hung Over

Judging by the national hissy fit over a recent jury verdict, your LakeCountyEye would've thought OJ Simpson had been acquitted of murder, or something. But no, it was only Rod Blagojevich; who walked.

Operatives will not have been surprised, the verdict was predicted nearly 2 months back, on this blog ...
An Eye to the Future
... where it was foretold with Nostradamian clarity that Blagojevich would not be convicted.

Hawk-eyed operatives who like to quibble over legal technicalities will point out that Blago in fact did not walk. He was convicted of one charge -- lying to the FBI. And there was a hung-jury on each of the other 578 Federal counts. And while soccer matches can end in a draw, our bookies Americans like contests that produce a winner and a loser. So with a justice system modelled after NFL rules, it's reasonable to expect the Blagojevich trial to go into sudden death overtime.

These are understandable quibbles. However Blagojevich no doubt will appeal the perjury conviction; since this particular charge is a case of he-said-he-said, your LakeCountyEye reasonably expects to see an acquittal when brought before a jurist who understands the law.

Regarding a retrial on the other 857 counts, there is a significant difference between Blagojevich and OJ. Unless aggravated mopery with intent to gawk has suddenly become a Federal crime, Blagojevich didn't break any laws. According to a News-Sun rehash ...
This is a governor who hid in a bathroom to avoid talking business with his budget director. This is a governor who had to be hunted down at a bowling alley to sign important legislation. This is a governor who tried to squeeze a cushy job out of the White House as a swap for appointing a friend of President Obama's to the vacant U.S. Senate seat. This is an elected official who left the state miserably adrift at a time of financial crisis.
Retrial? Yes
Point well taken, Blago is an incompetent & self-serving asshat. But, to cite another legal technicality, being an incompetent & self-serving asshat is not a punishable offense. If it was, then George W Bush would be doing life+50 right now. So far the Feds have proven that Blago comported himself while in office like -- oh let's say -- any big-city mayor does. Headline seeking federal prosecutors may crave a scalp as famous as Blago's, but you still can't grow hair on an eight-ball.

Your LakeCountyEye foresees Blagojevich walking once again.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Remember, the Illinois Senate, led by Democrats, tried, convicted, and removed Blago in 1/4 the time of this trial, for 1/25 the cost of this trial, and, unlike this trial, reached a unanimous verdict.

Anonymous said...

Oh yes! Rod Blagojevich did nothing wrong, broke no laws and is totally and completely innocent! Nearly sainted he is, just misunderstood and engaged in politics as usual.

And the Illinois Democrats, bless their hearts, rid us of this innocent little creature they helped to elect twice and enabled while he was in office! They then "reformed" (kinda, not really, but took a few teeny tiny steps towards reform) our state government and ethics laws to end politics as usual!

LOL!

Try putting THAT one over on the Daily Show with Stewart!

In 2002, Michael Madigan, Lifetime Speaker of the House, held up a broom at the Illinois State Fair and announced that all Republicans needed to be swept out of office following the George Ryan scandals.

May we see those Democratic brooms this year?

LOL!

Democrats! You mean well but really slay me sometimes!

Louis G. Atsaves

Barney Baxter said...

hi Louis,
I doubt if anyone is completely innocent.
-BB-