* Illinois (you've probably heard about this state alot lately) Governor Rod Blagojevich was charged by federal prosecutors yesterday for attempting to extort money and favors by trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat to the highest bidder. As governor, Blagojevich would appoint a successor for the remainder of Obama's senate term.
The 76-page federal criminal complaint also alleged that Blagojevich conspired to pressure the Chicago Tribune to fire editorial writers, who had often criticized him, if they wished the state to help it unload Wrigley Field [baseball field where Chicago Cubs play owned by the Tribune] to ease its crushing debt.
Blagojevich, a Democrat, was wiretapped by the FBI and was heard to say that Obama's senate seat “is a fucking valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.”
As one friend told me this morning, Blago got caught doing what is standard horse trading in national politics in America.
Blagojevich is likely to end up in jail and would be the fourth Illinois governor in the past 35 years to go to prison. Must be something there in the water.
* Also in Chicago, the workers occupying the Republic Windows and Doors factory appear to be winning their fight. Bank of America has announced that they are prepared to "provide additional loans" to the company so that the workers could be payed money owed to them.
The workers are remaining vigilant and will stay inside the plant until the deal is certain and they have cash in hand. The amount of money in question is the tiny sum of about $2 million.
* With the U.S. economy collapsing it is hard to imagine how the Obama team can justify the extravagant inauguration parties that are now being planned in Washington in late January. The official theme for the inauguration will be "Renewing America's Parties" - I mean "Renewing America's Promise."
One benefactor has decided to rent an entire hotel along the inauguration parade route for the cost of $1,000,000. The donor, Earl Stafford, has added to the package a prayer breakfast and luncheon on the 19th (to celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday) and two balls (one adult, one youth) on the 20th. He will also be providing gowns, tuxedos and hairstylists for the Balls. One-third of the tickets to his "ball" will go to poor folks. They will dress up for the day in their fancy clothes and pretend they are like the rich and after the party is over they will return home to their poverty and growing unemployment. It's a version of "let them eat cake for awhile."
Stafford owns a military-related company and is funding this through his foundation.
* It's winter meeting time in professional baseball and the teams are in Las Vegas (of course) to made trades and sign free-agent players. This years top available player is pitcher C.C. Sabathia and the New York Yankees (the evil empire) have just signed him to a deal worth $160 million over the next seven years. It's getting harder to be a ball fan........some are predicting that he will purchase a certain window and door factory now for sale in Chicago.
It's called the free enterprise system.
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