The Blagojevich Fallout
By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 9, 2011 3:40PM
Painting created by Lauri Apple.
Tribune columnist John Kass called the sentence just and a warning for other politicians, pointing out that, if Blago serves his full sentence, he'll be in prison until he's "a hard 67."
"No, this is a hard 67, a Blago 67, the man broke and broken and no prospects for anything better."When the number hit Rod he sat quietly in his seat, without expression, perhaps he was hoping there was an alternate ending to the movie and they'll show it to him someday. When he finally walks out of Terre Haute or wherever they'll send him, Blagojevich will be pushing 70, too young to die and too old to build.
"If that doesn't freeze the grabby fingertips of the Illinois political class, nothing will."
Much of the live panel chat on WBEZ yesterday (of which I was a last-minute participant) focused as much on the force of Blagojevich's personality as the severity of his crimes. And as well it should: Blagojevich made the decision to take his case to the public through every camera and recorder he could find as soon as he was arrested, and didn't let up until he finally realized he was going to go to prison. Nearly all of the WBEZ panelists said Blagojevich's apology was too little, too late and suspected it was insincere.
The governor's brother Robert also broke his silence yesterday and said the sentence was unjust. "I cried," he told the Tribune's Mary Schmich. "I cried for my brother."
Judge James Zagel agreed with prosecutors' suggestion that Blagojevich serve his sentence at a minimum security prison, the location of which is to be determined. Blagojevich's attorneys, meanwhile, will begin the long appeal process to have his conviction overturned.
Then there's the matter of Blagojevich's $65,000-a-year state pension and whether he's still eligible to receive it. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan put the kibosh on that right away.