In Rod We Trust

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested today by the FBI on very serious corruption charges.

Of all the accusations, perhaps the most troubling is that the governor was preparing to 'sell' Obama's vacant senate seat to the highest bidder. He was hoping to garner the most benefits for himself in exchange for using his gubernatorial authority to appoint someone to the seat.

FBI special agent Robert Grant had this to say about the history of corruption stemming from Illinois “If it is not the most corrupt state in the United States, it’s certainly one hell of a competitor”.

The "Land of Lincoln" has certainly become a breeding ground of corruption over the years.

Blago's own predecessor, George Ryan, was incarcerated last year for separate corruption charges.

This has caused a major headache for the president-elect and will test his ability to manage crisis.

The Chicago machine is alive and well. It has modernized with the times. Its ability to sink to new lows is a source of constant amazement to me.

"Honest politician" is an oxymoronic phrase in Chicago. And now we have several Chicagoan politicos holding top spots in Washington D.C.

I just hope Rahm Emmanuel isn't already working on Blago's pardon.