The Second to Last Laugh

As shown by this post, it really is rather amazing the way in which Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-IL) managed to completely out-maneuver Senate Democrats even while in the depths of career-destroying scandal. The vote by the CBC urging that Roland Burris be seated will be the final nail in the coffin. And the upshot is that this process became about as embarrassing, drawn out, and politically damaging to national Democrats as possible.

Blagojevich won't have the last laugh, because while the Democratic Party will recover, he'll be spending some quality time in prison. But still -- well played, soon-to-be-ex-governor.

Blago's Choice

Rod Blagojevich has announced his appointment for Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat: former Illinois AG Roland Burris. Kagro X has a good run-down of the various issues in play here, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's insinuation that he might not be seated. Burris, as far as I can tell, is a clean politician (both generally and specifically with regards to this controversy), but of course, he's tainted by the mere fact that he's associated with Blagojevich. The appointment also puts Democrats in a tight spot, as they may be faced with trying to deny seating to the man who would be the sole Black Senator in the entire body (for some reason, I imagine Republicans will find this significantly less awkward).

Jackson was a Canary

CNN is reporting that Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL), who had come off looking bad in the wake of the Illinois senate scandal, actually had been an informant for the FBI on Gov. Blagojevich for several years (though not on this particular case). That is interesting, and gives new credence to Jackson's furious denials that he acted at all untoward during this ordeal. It would be rather bizarre, after all, for Jackson to participate in corrupt dealings with a man he knew the FBI was taking interest in. Then again, it was kind of bizarre that Blagojevich tried to sell a Senate seat even as he know he was in the middle of (separate) corruption investigation.

Still, I'd like to see Rep. Jackson vindicated, both because I prefer fewer corrupt politicians to more, and because Republicans have gained way too much pleasure labeling Rep. Jackson as a slimeball.

Does Harry Reid Have To Choke a Bitch?

Ezra Klein relays a story from Harry Reid's past explaining his hardball approach to any last-minute shenanigans from Rod Blagojevich:

In July of 1978, a man named Jack Gordon, who was later married to LaToya Jackson, offered Reid twelve thousand dollars to approve two new, carnival-like gaming devices for casino use. Reid reported the attempted bribe to the F.B.I. and arranged a meeting with Gordon in his office. By agreement, F.B.I. agents burst in to arrest Gordon at the point where Reid asked, “Is this the money?” Although he was taking part in a sting, Reid was unable to control his temper; the videotape shows him getting up from his chair and saying, “You son of a bitch, you tried to bribe me!” and attempting to choke Gordon, before startled agents pulled him off. “I was so angry with him for thinking he could bribe me,” Reid said, explaining his theatrical outburst. Gordon was convicted in federal court in 1979 and sentenced to six months in prison.

Yikes. Watch out, Blago.

Yenta for Senator!

JTA has a profile on Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), who has emerged as a leading candidate for Barack Obama's senate seat in the wake of the Rod Blagojevich scandal (mostly because Blagojevich apparently wasn't considering her at all). Here's my favorite paragraph:

Schakowsky is among the most liberal lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives, and is one of the few in the body who can claim opposition to the Iraq War from its outset. Her record is solidly pro-Israel, and she conveys a Jewish mother vibe, actively seeking out dates for her unmarried staff.

A liberal Jewish mother who is anti-Iraq war and solidly pro-Israel? What more could a guy ask for? Of course, it doesn't help hurt that she's close to both Rahm Emanuel, and probably soon-to-be Governor, current Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn (D).

Dodging Bullets

As Jason Zenegrle points out, the Rod Blagojevich scandal was this close to being an outright disaster for Barack Obama. If Obama had engaged in even a little quid pro quo for Blago's favor, it'd have been caught entirely on tape, and his presidency would be ruined before it started. Instead, Obama gets a rousing endorsement of his incorruptability through Blagojevich yelling futilely into the phone "Fuck him. For nothing? Fuck him."

Meanwhile Spencer Ackerman marvels at the sheer gangsta displayed by the Illinois Governor, while Adam Serwer calls it an act of self-suicide of Scarface proportions and Ta-Nehisi Coates goes with the simple but evocative "inter-stellar fail".

Meanwhile, in (slightly) better news for the soon to be ex-gov, Eugene Volokh wonders if one of his alleged acts of corruption really ought be considered illegal at all.

Corruption Machine

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been arrested on allegations that he tried to literally sell the appointment to the Senate seat currently held by Barack Obama. Anybody who even remotely follows Illinois politics is, shall we say, less than surprised, as Blago has quite the reputation for sleaze.

Word is that federal prosecutors received a tip from none other than Rahm Emanuel, Chicago-area Congressman and Obama's to-be chief of staff. That'd be a nice touch -- in addition to adding to the "don't mess with Rahm-bo" vibe, it's a good thing when Democrats don't tolerate their fellows corruption.

Indeed, with William Jefferson knocked out of office and Blago looking to follow him to federal prison, the Democratic Party is losing two of its biggest blights in the space of a week. As far as I'm concerned, this is good news.