Marathon Pundit: Feds rest case in Blago trial

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Feds rest case in Blago trial

"He's always been a person who's honest and one of integrity...I have confidence the governor does the right thing all the time." Pat Quinn, October 20, 2006, about his two-time running mate, Rod Blagojevich.

Quinn is now governor of Illinois. We have a $13 billion deficit and the most underfunded public pension program in the nation. Luckily we can fix things this fall.

As for Blago, this afternoon federal prosecutors rested its case against the hair-brained one.

From an Illinois Republican Party press release:

Chicago – Illinois State Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady today said prosecutors in the trial of Rod Blagojevich presented a credible trail of evidence and testimony that will prove hard to overcome. "We knew much of what the evidence would show even before the trial began, but when taken together, the government’s case is overwhelming," said Brady. The prosecution rested its case today.

Evidence to date provides a vivid portrayal of pay-to-play politics and high-pressure shakedowns of potential contributors along with the most infamous charge against Blagojevich, trying to sell the Obama Senate seat. "While all of this was going on, (Illinois House Speaker) Mike Madigan denied voters the chance for a special election to decide Barak Obama’s replacement," Brady argued.

Brady also took Democratic leaders to task for failing to call out Blagojevich when they knew he was up to no good. "Blago's scheming was going on in the earliest days of his administration, and yet (Pat) Quinn, Madigan and the Democrats were silent."

Jurors heard numerous taped conversations that portray a governor who was focused only on his own personal gain at the expense of his public duty and responsibilities. "What do I have a shot at getting," Blagojevich could be heard when discussing whom to appoint to replace then President-elect Obama in the U.S. Senate.

The jury also heard Blagojevich's open disdain for the Illinois public. "(Expletive) all of you," he said at one point. He could also be heard uttering his infamous "F---ing golden" remark as well as his efforts to extort the CEO of Children's Memorial Hospital. "Screw these guys," Blagojevich said.

"As I've said before, the whole case is a real shame and a black eye for Illinois,” Brady said. "But, at the end of the day, it's beyond belief that the Democratic leaders stood by this man and supported his re-election."