Rod Blagojevich

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Rod Blagojevich is officially off the government’s payroll. The Illinois Senate voted 59-0 today to kick him out of office. I guess they think our tax dollars should go to causes other than keeping an alleged criminal employed.

Blagojevich was arrested last month on federal corruption charges. The charges include trying to sell Barack Obama’s former Senate seat. If Blagojevich wanted some quick cash, maybe he should have tried fast payday loans instead of soliciting bribes.

No more government paydays

On top of voting him out of office, the Illinois Senate agreed in another unanimous vote that Blagojevich should never again be allowed to hold a political office in Illinois.

Granted, this only affects his ability to take office in Illinois, but I highly doubt any other state will be gunning to hire him as a public servant. The ex-governor is also accused of trying to commit mail and wire fraud.

“Honest and competent governors don’t act like Rod Blagojevich,” Republican Sen. Kirk Dillard said.

Blagojevich’s witness list: Blagojevich

Blagojevich presented no evidence in his defense, and he did not call any witnesses during his impeachment trial. It appears that the only opposing argument he presented was that he was innocent.

“He talked more about the evidence with Barbara Walters on ‘The View’ than he did in this chamber today, where he’s facing impeachment and removal from office,” House prosecutor David Ellis said.

Blagojevich’s defense: “I didn’t do it!”

In his closing argument Blagojevich said he had done “absolutely nothing wrong.”

“There hasn’t been a single piece of information that proves any wrongdoing. You haven’t proved a crime, and you can’t, because it hasn’t happened,” Blagojevich said.

Apparently Blagojevich’s “prove it” defense wasn’t enough to sway any of the senators in Illinois.

Keep up with current events and get fast payday loans at Personal Money Store.

Blagojevich has been charged with trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s senate seat to the highest bidder. Madigan filed the charge in federal court this morning. She has also asked that the state allow Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn to take over Blagojevic’s post.

Senate seat for sale

U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald has said that secret tape recordings were made of Blagojevich attempting to sell the senate seat over the phone. Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9. Along with the solicitation of bribery charge that he faces for allegedly trying to sell Obama’s senate seat, he was also charged with attempting to commit mail and wire fraud.

Fitzgerald also seized the Governor’s eBay account, after at least one parody posting offered up the senate seat as a joke. I wonder if any eBay users took out a cash advance to buy the Senate seat.

Road to a scandal

Blagojevich has been in hot water for the duration of his political career. A Democrat who voted for Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, he won a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives in 1992, largely because of the influence of his father-in-law, Richard Mell. It’s rumored that the support of his father-in-law is what propelled him all the way to the governor’s mansion. He was the first Democrat to become governor of Illinois in 30 years.

Among other scuffles he had with his fellow Democrats during his political career, he was the only Democrat from Illinois to vote in favor of the Iraq War in 2002. In his current role as governor he is often opposed by his own party members, particularly when it comes to budget issues.

Blagojevich has been the target of multiple federal investigations and currently has historically low approval ratings.

Alternative to Blagojevich

Madigan is imploring the state Supreme Court to appoint Quinn take over Blagojevich’s post immediately. Quinn began his professional career as a tax attorney, but eventually got into politics. He served as Illinois’ State Treasurer from 1991 to 1995.

Quinn ran for Secretary of State and for U.S. Senate before his successful campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. He is considered a serious candidate for Obama’s vacant senate seat.

Madigan states her case

Madigan has cited several reasons to back up her assertion that Blagojevich should be immediately removed from his post. An order from the court for him to cease his position would go through more quickly than an impeachment. She insists that it is crucial for the transfer of power to occur quickly so that the government of Illinois can continue to operate.

She also points out that Blagojevich’s power to appoint a new senator should be stripped because of the charges that he attempted to use that power for his own political and financial gain. Because of these charges, she says, he should also be blocked from being able to spend state money, and thus cannot serve as governor during his trial.

Madigan’s basic message seems clear enough: if you’re a politician in search of extra money, make sure your methods of obtaining it are ethical, like a cash advance.

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I’ll start the bidding . . .

All interested bidders should have at least a few hundred thousand dollars to start the bid (admittedly more than your average payday loan), since Mr. Blagojevich indicates that he “can drive a hard bargain,” and that if he does not get what he wants for the seat, then he will simply “take the Senate seat” for himself. He states that a Senate seat, “Is a valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.”

Call her Senator Patti Blagojevich

A little short on cash, even after getting that payday loan? Don’t shy away just yet, because Governor Blagojevich just might be interested in alternative benefits for himself and his wife Patti. Since he has been rather vague as to what his other interests might be, you could just throw in some broad negotiation terms such as, “Mr. Blagojevich, should you offer me this Senate seat I vow to always keep your best interests in mind.” A little cash from www.personalmoneystore.com, coupled with this broad language, just might have your friends and neighbors calling you “Senator.”

Going . . . going . . . gone!

Don’t wait. Grab that payday loan and start bidding now as this Senate seat will not be available for very long. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald was just quoted as saying, “The Senate seat, as recently as days ago, seemed to be on the verge of being auctioned off.”

If anything bad should ever come your way, don’t even sweat it as I hear the latest courtroom apparel is a light blue jogging suit!

President-elect Barack Obama has called for his resignation

President Obama & First Lady Michele Obama

Blagojevich reported to work today, then discovered just hours after that Obama has called for him to resign. The governor was arrested Tuesday, but is currently out on bond. Blagojevich continues to deny he has committed any wrongdoing.

Obama spokesman, Robert Gibbs, said the President-elect agrees with other prominent politicians in Illinois and elsewhere that “under the current circumstances, it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois.”

Blagojevich has been accused of trying to sell Obama’s open Senate seat for a cash reward or a lucrative job for himself. Moreover, he was accused of trying to intimidate the Chicago Tribune into firing editorial writers who had called for his impeachment.

Blagojevich has been charged with two counts: conspiracy to commit fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and solicitation to commit bribery, which is punishable by up 10 years.

“A sad day for Illinois”

Obama believes the Illinois legislature should hold a special election to fill the seat. The governor has authority to appoint the replacement.

The President-elect, who hasn’t been implicated in the matter, called it “a sad day for Illinois.”

“I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so we were not — I was not aware of what was happening,” Obama said.

No More Payday Loans

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich

“No appointment by this governor, under these circumstances, could produce a credible replacement,” U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Tuesday after Blagojevich was arrested.

Clearly, Mr. Blagojevich will not be long for his office. Without a sufficient income stream, he will also not be eligible to take out payday loans. On that count, the embattled governor could not be reached for comment.