Arrogant, Stupid or Both?

About six this morning, Robert Grant, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI office in Chicago, called Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to tell him there were two agents outside the door of his Chicago home with a warrant and that he should let them in.
Minutes later, the man whose hairstyle should have gotten him arrested years ago was in custody, charged in a seventy-six page federal complaint with, among other things, conspiring to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Elect Barack Obama.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald says the Feds moved now rather than waiting until their case was pristine because of the damage that could have been done to the state and to the senate .

Those of us who live here have known it for years, but could Illinois politics appear any dirtier to the rest of the world? Our former governor in prison for corruption and the man who was elected as a reformer facing charges. As SAC Grant put it, “"If Illinois is not the most corrupt state in the country it is certainly one hell of a competitor."

Grant says even the most cynical agents in his office were shocked and revolted as they listened to wiretaps of the Governor, among other things, allegedly plotting to force the Chicago Tribune to fire those editorial board members who called for Blago's impeachment.

Wow.

A Brad Thor or Vince Flynn novel couldn't be any more compelling.

I think a remark from the judge in the recent O.J. Simpson trial sums up ol' Blago pretty well. She said something about Simpson to the effect of, “At the beginning of the trial I wondered if you were arrogant or stupid. Now I realize you’re both.”

Could any politician appear any more arrogant than to try and sell the highest profile U.S. Senate seat or more unbelievably stupid than to be caught on tape saying, “The whole world is listening,” and then go on to discuss other allegedly felonious schemes designed to amass great personal wealth and power?

Our governor has been redefining the meaning of the word “arrogance,” since the beginning of his first term when he turned his back on his father-in-law Dick Mell, the old time Chicago pol who helped him get elected. Since then, he’s alienated not only the Illinois legislature but the citizenry, which shows in the paltry thirteen percent approval rating he scored in a recent poll.

Even now I doubt he’ll do the humble, honorable thing and resign. No, Ol' Blago won't fall on his sword for anyone. I predict his megalomania will lead him to attempt to fight the charges against him while retaining his office . . . unless the Illinois legislature votes to impeach him. It wouldn't even surprise me if he tries to fill Obama's senate seat, although legislators are reported to be drawing up a bill that would keep that from happening.

Whatever the case, this is all fascinating to me, especially in light of Blago and Senator Dick Durbin’s recent call for President Bush to pardon former Governor George Ryan, now imprisoned for influence peddling.

Hey, considering the overcrowding in U.S. prisons, maybe that’s not a bad idea.

Even better, move over George. Make room for The Hair.