Blagojevich Issues 22 Pardons, Vows To Stay And Fight

CHICAGO — Facing federal corruption charges that threaten to end his political career, Gov. Rod Blagojevich has made clear to the world what those close to him know well: He's not one to be easily fazed.

"I have done nothing wrong. And I'm not going to quit a job that people hired me to do because of false accusations and a political lynch mob," a composed yet combative Blagojevich said Friday, addressing the public for the first time since his arrest 10 days earlier.

"I will fight. I will fight. I will fight until I take my last breath," Blagojevich said. He took no questions from reporters and immediately left the room after wishing his listeners, "Merry Christmas, happy holidays."

The 52-year-old Democrat's uncompromising pledge comes as little surprise to those who know him, but doesn't necessarily resonate.

"I just think that he is living in an alternate reality right now," state Sen. Christine Radogno, a suburban Chicago Republican said earlier Friday. "I don't think he's being realistic, probably even with himself, with respect to how much trouble he's in so he's just carrying on with what's worked for him before."

Blagojevich is charged with scheming to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat for big campaign contributions or a lucrative job for himself. Prosecutors built their case on Blagojevich's wiretapped conversations.

"I'm here to tell you right off the bat that I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, that I intend to stay on the job, and I will fight this thing every step of the way," Blagojevich said.

Acknowledging his political isolation, he recited the opening lines of the stirring poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling: "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you ..."

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What he hopes to accomplish by staying in office appears unclear. Blagojevich appears to have no political support, the Illinois House having voted 113-0 last week to assemble an impeachment committee, and his ability to govern has been crippled.

Still, following his appearance, Blagojevich issued 22 pardons. Aides wouldn't provide any information about why he granted the pardons, or what crimes the people were accused of committing, but the move served as reminder of the governor's authority.

Republican state Sen. Dale Righter said that if Blagojevich manages to escape impeachment, his governing will be limited to signing legislation, directing his agencies and other "housekeeping stuff." Blagojevich will not be able to work with lawmakers or energize the public to support his ideas, Righter said.

"Is this governor finished as a leader? I don't think there's any question about that," he said. "I don't think the instrument has yet been invented that can measure how little credibility he has."

After the speech, disappointed Republicans argued that if Blagojevich cannot be dislodged right away, he should at least be disarmed. They called on the Democrats in the Legislature to hold a special election to fill the Senate seat, stripping Blagojevich of the power to make the appointment.

"Anything short of resignation today from the governor was unacceptable," said Illinois GOP chairman Andy McKenna.

Democratic Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn pleaded with Blagojevich to step aside under a constitutional provision that allows him to keep his title but give his duties to an acting governor _ which, under the rules of succession, would be Quinn.

"Our state cannot wait while the chief executive battles in the court of law while we have so many issues affecting safety and welfare of the state of Illinois," Quinn said.

Even before the speech, Blagojevich's lawyer, Ed Genson, a hard-charging Chicago criminal defense attorney, had made it plain the governor would not go down without a fight.

Genson challenged the Illinois House impeachment committee at every turn this week, arguing that the wiretaps were illegal, accusing some of the panel members of having already made up their mind, and complaining that Illinois law does not spell out the grounds for impeachment or what evidence should be considered.

"He'll worry about the criminal part, the governor will continue to govern," said another Blagojevich attorney, Sam Adam Jr.

The impeachment panel wants federal prosecutors to release details of their probe of Blagojevich, including copies of the taped conversations, and give the Legislature some guidance on who can be called as a witness without compromising the federal case.

Blagojevich, a former boxer, has for years cultivated an image as a fighter _ dating back to his youth, when he trained for the Chicago Golden Gloves. During his first campaign for governor in 2002, Blagojevich and his aides would sum up each day's success in boxing terms: 10-10 for a draw, 10-9 a win, 10-8 a decisive win, a knockdown, and so on.

Once in office, he earned a reputation for publicly sparring with everyone from his Chicago alderman father-in-law to the powerful Democratic House speaker.

"Now I know there are some powerful forces arrayed against me," Blagojevich said Friday. "It's kind of lonely right now. But I have on my side the most powerful ally there is, and it's the truth. And besides, I have the personal knowledge that I have not done anything wrong."

Comments

[blowhard]

How much did he charge for each pardon?

[jpshotwheels]

His statement sounded like Ted Stephens statement, we see where it got him, convicted and lost his re-election. If Blago had any honor for the people of Illinois in which elected him and for that matter the United States he would resign. He is dragging down his State, the US Senate, and this reflects bad on the whole Country.

Obama needs to get busy on Jan 21st, and without an appointment to replace him, is one less vote to help the Country.

[smallfish]

i wonder how much he made off of those pardons?

[Pragmatus]

What's all the claptrap floated in the last couple days that nobody has anything concrete on Blagojevich, that he is suddenly seen as likely to vindicate himself? Since when did CONSPIRACY to commit a felony disappear from the law books? Granted, no deals for the Senate seat were apparently consummated, but even a fifth-grader could assemble the logic necessary to prove that he CONSPIRED to sell the seat to the highest bidder. And what about his former chief aide, who is cooperating with the prosecutor? Doesn't anybody consider the juicy details that are going to come out of that arrangement, none of which will be favorable to Blago?

This is a typical silly MSM frenzy. First they were all rushing for the tar and feathers, now they're working the unjustly-accused angle for all it is worth.

If we ever had a truly free and fair press in this country, liberated from not only government (and advertiser) pressure but from the basic inanities of human nature, nobody would recognize it.
.

[hortonhearsawho2]

Switches over to the GOP, instantly becomes leading candidate for 2012.

[ggmome]

Then joins Sarah to be her VP! Heavens to Betsy!

[slowhand0728]

Blago should start his next press confrence singing, "Put your hands in the air like you just dont care! Put your hands in the air like you just dont care!" Get the whole Press Core going! Get everyone all rouwdy!

[Honestly22]

Let me see if I can do the math here.
Blag is in dire financial straits.
He has the most expensive criminal attorney.
Impeachment looms on the horizon.
You think any of these pardons are related to cases his attorney represented?
I wonder how much money he walks away with from these pardons?

[Bocado]

Good deductive thinking.

[rollingdivision]

"I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening," he told the press, and refused to elaborate.

That remark clarified nothing; today it seems like obfuscation at best and prevarication at worst. Nobody is likely to believe that Emanuel spoke more than 20 times with Blagojevich or the governor's aide John Harris without informing Obama about those conversations. To insist that he had "no contact" when his top aide was involved in so many contacts is precisely the kind of parsing that undermines confidence.

[Selbourne]

Your suspicions are not facts. Obama's statement to which you referred was not offered as a clarification. In fact he said clarification would have to await the result of an internal investigation he had ordered. Latest rumor says this report will be available during the coming week.
The Chief of Staff is not an errand boy. Emmanuel as of now is a powerful, experienced politician in his own right. He uses his independent judgment to carry out the President's policies and protect the President. When he resigned Obama announced he was not going to intervene in the selection of his successor. I heard him make that statement to a reporter. So Emmanuel would not be doing his job properly if he kept the President Elect informed as to what he was doing on his own initiative. So I am not surprised that Obama did not know of his contacts with Blagljevitch.

[mmgbizgirl]

This Elvis wannabe is going down.

[Okieborn]

My God When is this jerk going "AWAY" !!!

[rollingdivision]

Progressives worked hard in Illinois to get Blogo elected governor, twice. He's your man and your responsibility.

[mightyhead]

I still think it's worth mentioning that we have lost two governor's to scandal recently, one who was taking on Bush and his policies of shutting down state regulation of mortgage lending, and this guy who was threatening to withhold state business from multinational Bank of America over the labor dispute (pro-labor and anti-bank? Might as well paint a target on your back).

There's 48 governors out there that must be thinking it's none too wise to buck the system. Everyone of them probably has a skeleton in their closet just like these two.

Anybody think I'm out of my mind?

[DinkSinger]

Yes

[concernvoter]

He needs an MHD.
MENTAL HEALTH DAY!!!

[Cheesemelt]

Few doubt that Blago looks and sounds dirty, but the evidence I've read indicates not that a crime was committed but that possible crimes were discussed and captured on wiretap.

If that's the best Fitzgerald has, it's a shockingly weak criminal case. At least insofar as other pols actually caught in the act of a crime.

In any event, Blago is so damaged by the indictment that he can no longer serve without every decision he makes being tainted by scandal.

Meanwhile, Fitzgerald, who had a sterling reputation, suffered a lot under the abortive and weak Plame indictments and now looks like he may have a very weak case here.

Blago is hanging on for the paycheck and the trappings of the office. Plus, if he quit he knows it's a tacit acknowledgement of his guilt. Now, he may be guilty of conspiring to commit a crime (or three) but he won't go until something other than his loose lips and tough talk is the best Fitzgerald can provide.

Check that: How many guilty-as-sin pols actually acknowledge their crimes? Answer: Rare as hen's teeth to find some.

[DinkSinger]

Discussing possible crimes is a crime, it's called conspiracy and that is what the complaint alleges along with corrupt solicitation (which is also a talking crime). There is no indictment yet and we have not seen "the best Fitzgerald has". The only thing we have seen so far is the complaint and the affidavit in support of the application for the complaint. Complaints are written to contain the bare minimum of information needed to obtain an arrest warrant. Obviously they have a lot more, especially if reports that Christopher Kelly is co-operating and will plead guilty are correct. They also have plenty of sworn testimony from the Resko trial that in FItzgerald's words, "Blagojevich was involved in corrupt conduct."

Fitzgerald sought only one indictment in the Plume case. It was neither abortive nor weak and Scooter Libby was convicted on four of the five counts in that indictment. If there is any criticism due in that investigation it is that Fitzgerald moved too slowly and too cautiously.

Finally your answer to the question "How many guilty-as-sin pols actually acknowledge their crimes?" is wrong. In my experience many politicians take plea-bargains, just like most street criminals. They sometimes use their resignations as leverage in obtaining a better deal. Examples who took pleas include Spiro Agnew and John Roland, Governor of Connecticut. In Illinois, former Governor Dan Walker, pleaded guilty although to crimes committed after he left office.

[Cheesemelt]

"Discussing possible crimes is a crime..."

No, not exactly. Your oversimplification fails to acknowledge many things, including the common but not unlawful act of horse trading. Moreover, discussing unlawful activities is only supposition at this point, and reading the indictment leaves a lot of gray area. Also Blago has already been indicted. Perhaps you need to read up on basic criminal law before pontificating?

"Fitzgerald sought only one indictment in the Plume [sic] case. It was neither abortive nor weak.."

Indeed, it was Plame and it missed Richard Armitage, Cheney, Rove and Novak. By every unbiased benchmark, it was a failure. Unless you're a Republican shill, of course. Are you?

As far as pols acknowledging their crimes. I give you D'amato, Ted Stevens, De Lay, Nixon and far too many more to mention. Calling my statement "wrong" with so many examples that prove it correct is simply fatuous and false.

[Areyoume2]

Are you sure this guy's not a REPUBLICAN. Everything about his behavior suggests he's gone to the Republican school of how to destroy a country (state) in 8 simple years/rules/sessions. Plus who LOOKS like this? The guy is from era? What country? and What were the voters thinking voting this looney-tune into office? Were they all on his payroll?

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

He'll fight it every step of the way, trip, then fall right into the waiting and loving arms in the jail cell of his new lover, Roscoe.

This guy is TOAST!