Senate Seat: For Sale

The Tribune reports that Illinois Rod Governor Blagojevich was arrested on federal charges of corruption. Specifically, Governor Blagojevich was arrested for attempting to "sell" Obama's empty Senate seat.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents for what U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald called a "staggering" level of corruption involving pay-to-play politics in Illinois' top office.

Blagojevich is accused of a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy, including alleged attempts by the governor to try to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama in exchange for financial benefits for the governor and his wife. Blagojevich also is accused of obtaining campaign contributions in exchange for other official actions.

My comment is: another corrupt Chicago politician? Is anyone really surprised?

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that in the last three decades, at least 79 local elected officials have been convicted of a crime, including three governors, one mayor, and a whopping 27 aldermen from the Windy City.

It is widely assumed in many circles that all politicians are corrupt; In Chicago enough are that it has become a by-word.

It would seem that this guy's main failing in that regard is that he had no finesse.