Blagojevich: Sleaze vs. Crime

Last Friday I was on Wisconsin Public Radio's Week In Review with Joy Cardin and fellow guest and blogger at Boots and Sabers, Owen Robinson.

When the conversation turned to embattled Illinois Governor Blagojevich, I made the observation that:

On the sleaze meter the guy is off the charts, but that so far, the complaint against him has no concrete proof that he either specifically asked anyone for a bribe or that her ever received anything of value.

All of which poses a dilemma, namely when does a politician cross the line from playing hardball politics in appointing only friends and supporters, to the world of extortion and criminality?

The New York Times took up this question on Monday, In Blagojevich Case, Is It a Crime, Or Just Talk?

Ever since the country’s founding, prosecutors, defense lawyers and juries have been trying to define the difference between criminality and political deal-making. They have never established a clear-cut line between the offensive and the illegal, and the hours of wiretapped conversations involving Mr. Blagojevich, filled with crass, profane talk about benefiting from the Senate vacancy, may fall into a legal gray area.

The best advice for any politician, is do not go near that line. You do not want to be in the gray area or any other area that comes near crossing the line.

Comments

[antpoppa]

https://www.nycla.org/siteFiles/Publications/Publications185_0.pdf

Does this apply to elected officials?
Probably not, but it would be nice if we had a code of conduct for elected officials, perhaps even a course on government ethics.

[Rich Preston]

Paul,

Good point. And I'm sure that will resemble his sole defense. However, it seems to me that the Gov did ask for campaign contributions in exchange for the promise of the Senate seat, which seems to be strictly prohibited by IL statutes.

But I could be wrong.

-Rich

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs2.asp?ChapterID=2

(5 ILCS 430/5‑30)
Sec. 5‑30. Prohibited offer or promise. An officer or employee of the executive or legislative branch or a candidate for an executive or legislative branch office may not promise anything of value related to State government, including but not limited to positions in State government, promotions, or salary increases, in consideration for a contribution to a political committee, political party, or other entity that has as one of its purposes the financial support of a candidate for elective office.

[Rich Preston]

http://ethics.state.wi.us/

Wisconsin does have a "Standards of Conduct" for both State officials and Local officials.

[Dan]

Paul,
Historically in Illinois using the words "Governor" and "Prison Sentence"
in one sentence has been a common occurance. From Otto Kerner, and Dan Walker to George Ryan to my current Governor, Mr. Sleaze, nothing political in my state shocks me. I am just waiting for the feds to bust the Mayor of Chicago for something.

[A.J. Love]

"I am just waiting for the feds to bust the Mayor of Chicago for something."

Like not plowing the roads? It'd take alot for a Daley to lose a mayoral election in Chicago, but not plowing the roads just might do it... in a (somewhat) unrelated note, I don't think Rahm Emmanuel will be in Obama's cabinet for long, if at all. I think he'll get caught up in this Governor Sleaze-Gate

[nonheroicvet]

He should go to jail for that hair.