Life is never boring in Chicago.
Whether it's the antics of its sports teams, preachers, criminals, politicians, or any combination thereof...
"The City of Chicago and its Chicago Board of Ethics, and the Cook County Board of Ethics, the Illinois State Board of Elections and the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission...
are proud to host the 30th Annual COGEL (Council on Governmental Ethics Laws) Conference...
to be held at the Westin River North Hotel from December 7- 10, 2008."
Dateline - December 9th...Sometime in the early morning:
Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris were arrested today by FBI agents on federal corruption charges.
Blagojevich and Harris were accused of a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy that included Blagojevich conspiring to sell or trade the Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama in exchange for financial benefits for the governor and his wife. The governor was also accused of obtaining campaign contributions in exchange for other official actions.
Blagojevich was taken into federal custody at his North Side home this morning.
See the fascinating, update filled, linked-fest orchestrated by the magnificent Michelle Malkin:
Corruptocrat alert: Blagojevich taken into custody by FBI; conspired to sell/trade Senate seat, HHS position, stifle newspaper; Team Obama contradicts itself
Look for the union label: Who’s the SEIU official who talked with Blago? Update: Stern?
Blago, Rezko, and infrastructure corruption
Amazing, and disturbing, to say the least.
FOR SALE: United States Senate Seat
This recently vacated office was little used by the previous occupant who spent the last 2 years of residency openly shopping around for better digs, and is available, as a fixer-upper, to the highest bidder.
Republicans need not apply.
One doesn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Well, actually, I DO know which. ;-D
***UPDATE - 12/10/08 - 830AM***
I get E-mails, and one came in, this morning, regarding a Tip I sent out last night to one of my favorite Authors/Bloggers/Columnists:
Too funny!
Just linked in my main post.
Best,
MM
A humble Thank You to Michelle Malkin for using this post as the lead in to the posting of her latest Syndicated Column, on her Blog: Boomerang: The Democrat culture of corruption
My Bosum Buddy, and Co-Blogger, Nikita the Cat, and I, wish to extend an enthusiastic welcome to our fellow readers, and fans of Michelle, and her work, and to invite you to make yourself comfy, and explore the place a bit.
We are a, mostly, Politics Free place in the Blogosphere with a lot to offer to anyone interested in what Monty Python was fond of calling "Something Entirely Different".
Comments, and story tips, always welcome.
***END UPDATE***
***UPDATE 2 - 645PM***
Thank you to the person who linked to this post in a comment, this afternoon, in this post at Michelle Malkin's Hot Air - ABC: Candidate who allegedly offered Blago money for Senate seat is Jesse Jackson Jr. by Allah Pundit.
Thanks also to Clueless Emma, and Peenie Wallie, as well!
The Above Welcome is extended to readers of all 3 Blogs, as well. ;-D
BTW: Peenie describes itself as "A confused jumble of paranoid ramblings, politically incorrect diatribes, worthless photographs, amateur slideshows, and disturbing videos. Guaranteed to offend the narrow minded and amuse the rest."
I am truly honored to be found worthy of mention in such fine, upstanding, company. ;-D
Oh, and this is interesting:
Gov. Blagojevich (Macedonian patronymic meaning:
"Благој's son"; alternatively, "son of a gentile blogger")
Found in this post on the scandal, by TheBigHenry, on his Blog, Remembrance in Space Time.
Notice I said "Interesting".
Accurate?
Good Question!
I'm only HALF Macedonian, so how the hell should I know!
Hee, hee! ;-D (See Update 3, below! )
According to Wikipedia:
He is the second Serbian American to be elected governor of any state of the United States, after George Voinovich of Ohio.
Serbians and Macedonians are 2 different peoples, from 2 different regions of the old country of Yugoslavia, though it's possible the name has Macedonian Origins. ;-D
The Governors website Bio does nothing to clear up the question, not even metioning his ethnic backround.
I found the post by accident.
According to my stats one of my visitors spent the afternoon doing a Google Search for "Blagojevich Macedonia".
The 2nd entry listed was that story.
Guess who came in 10th?
Yup! This entry of Musings! ;-D
***END UPDATE***
***UPDATE 3 - 12/11 - 920am***
TheBigHenry sent me the following explanation for his "Macedonian patronymic meaning":
Mad Macedonian,
My "Macedonian patronymic meaning" is a 3-language pun that just came to me in a flash:
(1) It's a Slavic patronymic from its "-evich" suffix;
(2) I translated "Bla" to the English "blogger" using "poetic" license";
(3) I took "goj" to be the Yiddish "goy" which is a disparaging word for "gentile" (i.e., a non-Jew).
Hence: Blagojevich => "son of a gentile blogger"
Ohhhh...now it makes sense! ;-D
***END UPDATE***
