Epilogue: Will Politicos Learn From Blagojevich’s Downfall?

BY JACK CONATY

“This must stop!”

That was the public declaration of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, leader of the successful prosecution of disgraced ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted on corruption charges and sentenced this week to 14 years in prison by US District Judge James Zagel.

But the big question going forward is quite simply: “Will it?”

Are longer prison terms the antidote to political corruption in this state? Will that be the legacy of the three-year Blagojevich spectacle?

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Final Week: Blago Has Left the Building But Corruption Melody Lingers

BY JACK CONATY

Blago 2.0 is over.

The convicted defendant is “stunned”, the U.S. attorney is vindicated and the jury seems oddly self-satisfied, having returned a verdict that former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is guilty on 17 of 20 counts, including trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Barack Obama.

But the political process in Illinois is still very much intact. Big money and personal gain will still dominate the game until the rules are changed.

The lesson of this high-profile case shouldn’t be: Don’t get  caught.  It should be a much loftier ideal: Don’t misbehave in the first place.

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Some of the best Blagojevich courtroom sketches

foxillinois:

Here’s a collection of some of the best courtroom sketches drawn during former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s second corruption trial underway in Chicago.

Week 9: Now It’s Up to the Jury

BY JACK CONATY

The prosecution has had its last word.

The defense has had its last emotional appeal.

But as the trial of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich heads into jury deliberations, the cliché about Blago 2.0 being the streamlined version of the government’s first case seems to ring hollow.

Indeed, Blago 2.0 remains complex, complicated, nuanced and murky.

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Week 8: Blago on the Defensive

BY JACK CONATY

This will be the determinative week in Blago 2.0. Or it won’t. Anyone who claims to know that for sure is just guessing. Judge James Zagel doesn’t know, the prosecutors don’t know, the defense doesn’t know and those of us covering the trial most certainly do not know.

What we can say with some degree of certainty is it will be volatile.

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