CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in Saturday news updates

Re: Saturday news updates

Been There — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 01:55:40 -0000

It's late at night, but I agree with schnorf. Why would he resign? We all might want him to, but I think he should be glad Lisa filed whatever that rule number thing was with the supremes. If they agree, he is not gone. Just doing the two-step to the side. Paid and not having to worry about going to the office every day for show. Probably keeps most of the security guys and he can spend full time on his defense. My thinking is he files a weak defense to Lisa's legal stuff and he is temporarily out.The best of both worlds.

Re: Saturday news updates

Six Degrees of Separation — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:13:47 -0000

Steve-

Only thing I can think of...the legal meter doesn't run as long...

Re: Saturday news updates

steve schnorf — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:32:41 -0000

Someone with all the insight that is present here tell me how it is in the Governor's best interest to just unilaterally resign.

Re: Saturday news updates

Emily Booth — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:16:29 -0000

Rod leaves office next week, more people step forward after he is indicted and he is sentenced at least 9 years.

I'm going to steal this line from a dailyherald.com poster: a six-figure salary ain't what it use to be.

Re: Saturday news updates

Six Degrees of Separation — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:37:24 -0000

In a side note to the day's proceedings, former Tollway exec Brian McPartlin winds up walking away from that job opportunity with engineering company McDonough. I was willing to give him some benefit of the doubt on this one, but when I read LM's complaint, this is the correct outcome.

http://www.dailyherald.com/...

Re: Saturday news updates

Mad Brown — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:13:59 -0000

Conrad Black was still found guilty. And he's a bagoolionare.

Re: Saturday news updates

hisgirlfriday — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:13:23 -0000

Ha! It all comes full circle, I guess.

Re: Saturday news updates

Gabriel — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:36:24 -0000

From Robert Cooley's website...

==â€œThe man[Cooley] is a paragon of corruption. The man is walking slime.â€ - Criminal Defense Attorney, Edward M. Genson==

Re: Saturday news updates

Cowgirl — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:30:40 -0000

==Accept he hasnâ€™t been charged with anything. Doesnâ€™t everything appear to be waiting on the Feds? Whatâ€™s Fitz going to do? ==

He has been arrested, charged, and released on bail. The criminal complaint can be read at this link:

http://www.chicagotribune.c...

Re: Saturday news updates

Rod's New Guy — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:29:41 -0000

Scott Fawell.
Dean Bauer.
Larrry Warner.
Mel Reynolds.
R Kelly.

Ed Genson couldn't help acquit them. Since Rod is on audio tape he won't be able to much with those charges either.

But, plenty more charges against Rod to come. Only two cars of the "Rod For Jailbird" campaign train have left the station and Ed might be able to derail some of the following cars. Anything under 10 years in the pokey for Rod will be a marginal win for Ed.

Re: Saturday news updates

wordslinger — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:18:57 -0000

Cooley's book is worth a read. He was a player. And he's way down on Burke.

Re: Saturday news updates

Gabriel — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:16:32 -0000

==I hadnâ€™t heard this before, but maybe itâ€™s common knowledge/rumor. During an interview on Thursday, Robert Cooley was on TV talking about the scandal and just in passing accused Blagojevich of having in the past run a suburban gambling operation where he paid street tax to the Outfit.==

Umm, Robert Cooley, essentially, says in this footage that Ed Burke runs the whole state.

Re: Saturday news updates

Ghost — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:04:27 -0000

Rich in regards to genson advising the Gov to step aside, I would bet numerous others have advised the Gov to do that already.

The trash bins of the Gov office are lined with the resignation letters of advisors who the Gov notoriously never followed.

If Blago followed advice, he would not be where he is today.

Re: Saturday news updates

SPFLDnet — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:28:23 -0000

If I were Ed Genson, doing the right thing would be allowing Blagojevich to wallow in his delusions while milking him dry. Ultimately, if his sentence gets commuted, Blagojevich will still be hamstrung by debt. It's the right thing to do.

Re: Saturday news updates

Oswego Willy — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:23:29 -0000

Why is it that Fritchey falls all over himself to get in front of the cameras and any media-rich, targeted issue. If he is not careful, He WILL be the next Pat Quinn. At first blush, sounds pretty good, but alienating everyone for your own headlines, is not going to go over well in the long run and may lead to a step back, before his step forward.

John, how about taking a breather for one second, and be concerned with the people of Illinois, instead of your own press.

Re: Saturday news updates

Vote Quimby! — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:05:18 -0000

For his sake, I am glad to see RRB getting a new attorney. His first said 'most of this is just politics' and I instantly thought how well that worked for Scott Fawell. This is the first smart thing he's done since Tuesday. How about this scenario: sign all the 'good' bills on your desk, make a public statement (MOU) that you will not fill the Senate seat (or sign the bill that passes Monday), and then you hang on until impeachment. That way you pick up about another 20 grand in pay, fight tooth-and-nail the charges and get 18 months when you are convicted. Declare bankruptcy, then sell your memoirs for the retirement fund. Because if you've lost the trial lawyers, you're toast. I think even you and Punkin Haid know that.

Re: Saturday news updates

Bill Baar — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:01:33 -0000

whow...

Re: Saturday news updates

Cubs Fan — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:01:20 -0000

What about the financial woes Blago was whining about? He just got himself another high-profile and no doubt high-priced lawyer. For a man already in debt to W&S for a half-million, how is he going to pay this guy?

Re: Saturday news updates

Legal Scholar — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:37:28 -0000

Can someone explain to me how the Attorney General doesn't have a conflict of interest here? She's already running to compete against Blagojevich in the primary for governor in 2010, she has a direct vested interested in the outcome. Do we really want the Supreme Court to entertain challengers filing suits to declare incumbents unfit just to score political points?

Re: Saturday news updates

Bacon — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:33:06 -0000

While AG Madigan's arguments may seem to convey a broad reading of "disabled," it is the job of good, creative lawyers to make such arguments on behalf of their clients. Here, the people of IL (The AG's clients) should be thankful for such an approach, even if the ILSC doesn't accept her office's approach.

Also, a careful reading of the memo and complaint will show that the "disability" in this context is not the same type of complete cognitive disability required by an insanity defense (though the act of putting forth such a defense in these circumstances would be self-reflexive indeed)

Re: Saturday news updates

Master of the Oblivious — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:29:54 -0000

Don't forget that Ed Genson was also the defense attorney for Scott Fawell and Larry Warner who was tried with George Ryan.

Re: Saturday news updates

hisgirlfriday — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:28:50 -0000

I hadn't heard this before, but maybe it's common knowledge/rumor. During an interview on Thursday, Robert Cooley was on TV talking about the scandal and just in passing accused Blagojevich of having in the past run a suburban gambling operation where he paid street tax to the Outfit.

It's after the 13:30 mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Is this the old vague "indiscretion" that MJM knew about but didn't share with the public back in the day?

Now if this is true that helps explain his friendship with Chris Kelly a bit more and maybe even his financial troubles.

Re: Saturday news updates

Gabriel — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:28:40 -0000

==Impeachment is the clear constitutional remedy in a situation where a governor has been charged with criminal conduct while in office==

Accept he hasn't been charged with anything. Doesn't everything appear to be waiting on the Feds? What's Fitz going to do?

Re: Saturday news updates

Cowgirl — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:58:33 -0000

Blago's attorney may advise him to resign if the House moves to impeach him, as the evidence produced in the impeachment hearing, if it goes that far, could bolster the criminal case against him.

However, Michael Madigan is still silent on impeachment. That is intriguing. Is he moving slowly so that his daughter can have her time in the spot-light? Possibly.

It is difficult to know how the Supreme Court will rule on Lisa Madigan's motion. It is not a certainty that the court will want to take a preemptive action, where the Legislature clearly could go through the impeachment process. Impeachment is the clear constitutional remedy in a situation where a governor has been charged with criminal conduct while in office. Madigan's reading of the Constitution and Supreme Court Rule are rather broad in scope, and I'm not sure the Court will want to set such a precedent.

Re: Saturday news updates

wordslinger — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:46:48 -0000

Genson's also a favorite lawyer of Outfit types. Given the governor on the tapes sounds like a Grand Avenue street crew capo, the choice is wholly appropriate.

And Carl, if it ever gets that far, I'm sure the governor's defense team's first order of business will be an attempt to keep the tapes from being entered into evidence. Failing that, spinning them to mean something else through tone, context, etc.