'for sale'

That's President-elect Obama and Illinois Governor Rod Blogojevich, another Democrat. Blogojevich, and his chief of staff, John Harris were arrested this morning by FBI agents on federal corruption charges after a three year investigation.

Allegedly, Blogojevich was attempting to muscle his way into the Health and Human Services Cabinet job with the incoming Obama administration, or a high paying union job in exchange for a union-friendly Senate replacement for Obama.

Additionally, prosectors charge that Blogojevich and Harris sought to demand firings of Chicago Tribune board members critical of the Governor. And that they essentially had a 'for sale' sign on the Governor's mansion, where financial benefits for the Governor and his family would result in appointments to boards, commissions, state jobs and state contracts. Even Obama's Senate seat was available for the right price.

From the Chicago Sun Times:

"Throughout the intercepted conversations, Blagojevich also allegedly spent significant time weighing the option of appointing himself to the open Senate seat and expressed a variety of reasons for doing so, including: frustration at being “stuck” as governor; a belief that he will be able to obtain greater resources if he is indicted as a sitting Senator as opposed to a sitting governor; a desire to remake his image in consideration of a possible run for President in 2016; avoiding impeachment by the Illinois legislature; making corporate contacts that would be of value to him after leaving public office; facilitating his wife’s employment as a lobbyist; and generating speaking fees should he decide to leave public office."

This is staggering corruption that goes well beyond the Randy "Duke" Cunningham graft case. They've even issued subpoenas on the Obama/Rezko land deal.