Blagojevich & Balkan Revelries

Where do I send my contribution to the Illinois governor Radomir Blagojevich's defense fund? Not that I have any doubt that the man is guilty of something, but he is not indicted, tried or convicted; I just want to pay for my ticket to watch this comic political opera, hopefully to continue to unfold.

Blago the Serb is a man of steel. When in trouble, he does not squeal like those evangelical TV bible preachers who weep publicly for forgiveness when confronted by their transgressions of the flesh; neither does he prostrate himself before the media on stage like those contrite squalid politicians standing with their stricken, embarrassed wives; nor does he try to hide from justice like those pedophile Irish Catholic priests who had to be dug out by the law from bisphoric protection in their dioceses. Blago is a BLEEP YOU sort of a guy whose species I thought had perished with the demise of Mafioso Don John Gotti.

Blago was arrested by federal prosecutor Fitzgerald for some sort of criminal conspiracy for allegedly trying to sell the senate seat vacated by President elect Obama in Chicago to the highest bidder in a pay-and-play scheme. He is free on bond for around four thousand dollars which is a pittance for corruption charges in high places. Despite this inconvenience, he still conducts the duties of his office when he is not jogging on Chicago icy streets in his designer gym suit. As a matter of fact, he just legally appointed a 71-year old Illinois politician named Roland Burris for the subject-embroiled, hot senate seat.

And it has Team Obama and the Senate Democratic leadership pulling out their hair and rendering their clothes – politically correct main stream media is having a calf over the Serb's temerity. Establishment Democrats are doing their utmost to stop the Senate confirmation of the appointment.

Fitzgerald claims he has proof of Blago's nefarious deeds based on court-ordered wire taps. When the prosecutor arrested Blago weeks ago, it seemed that the governor would be immediately indicted and swiftly tried. Not so.
Weeks after his arrest, on the day the governor recently filled the senate seat, Fitzgerald announced he needed another 90 days to proceed to trial on Blago. Smell a rat? Yeah, one of those big, fat stockyard fed Chicago ones.

I had dismissed Blago as just another venial corrupt politician, but the fact he is a first generation Serb should have alerted me that he is a tough man to knock down. My experience with Serbs runs through my childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Up front, have to confess that of all the bloody Balkan tribes, they are my favorite. Though in the past and most recently they seem to lose their battles, they reflect an indomitable spirit who always justify their loss based on flawed reasoning; the tribe certainly has panache. They are a handsome group of people – Blago is of course an exception.

First rule in Balkan politics is every tribe hates the other and each tribe is prepared to carry out these hatreds murderously – Serbs are no exception – so Blago-the-Serb has the DNA to at least make a very game fight to defend himself. He will not fold without delivering grief to his enemies; Obama and Fitzgerald should beware. Team Obama has already been tagged while Fitzgerald appears to be fumbling Blago's indictment.

Blago's pick for Obama's senate seat bears not a hint of bribery or pay-to-play. Burris is an earnest Illinois politician who has a quirky vanilla personality who has served as State attorney general with integrity; though no ball of fire, he is certainly more qualified than Caroline Kennedy chosen to replace Hillary in New York.

What do you know? Senate Majority leader Reid has also contacted Blago to prevent him from appointing congressmen Jesse Jackson Jr (Aka JJJ). It is assumed the calls are also on Fitz's tape recorders. Conflict of interest by our number-one law giver? Tsk-Tsk...

Apparently, Reid does not think JJJ could win in a statewide election for senator in 2010. My hunch is that Reid feels the same about Burris, who has already lost a few state-wide elections. Reid needs quick votes for Obama's critical legislation in the next few months, so it seems foolish for him to tie up the Burris seating in the Senate. If Reid kept that worm, Judas Joe Lieberman, in the Democratic caucus for his vote, why not Burris too ?

This drama goes on as the Illinois Legislature prepares to impeach Blago – so what? President William Jefferson Clinton was also impeached; seems to be doing well despite the fact he was disbarred. He remained in office to trade pardons for donations to his presidential library.

My advice to Blago is have a couple shots of slivovitz and sit back and watch the Democratic leadership implode over the issue. During this time he should, however, only communicate by carrier pigeon. As far as Fitz goes, he should turn the case over to a deputy; Fitz blew the high profile Valerie Plane Wilson case badly and if he boots this one too, he had better find another line of work...

If Blago can behave himself, Obama might even appoint him to be Ambassador to a fly-blown, bullet-riddled post of Zimbabwe or Sudan or Somali... Colonel Robert E Bartos USA Ret.