All I can say is, "Wow." It's still hard to believe that the governor a State was arrested by the FBI and is alleged to have been trying to sell a Senate seat. "Children, can you say 'corruption'? Yes, we can." The immediate response from everyone seems to be that it's Chicago and Illinois. What do you expect? But Blagoyevich won election as a reformer to end corruption in Illinois.
Perhaps the last two governors of Illinois may eventually share a cell in prison.
Taking a more serious look at the allegation, one of them presents a concern that I have long had. The Criminal Complaint alleges that "ROD BLAGOJEVICH has also been intercepted conspiring to sell the Senate seat in exchange for his wife’s placement on paid corporate boards." (paragraph 87 of Affidavit) Absent wire tap or similar evidence, the mere election of the spouse of a governor or former governor to the board of directors of a corporation would be unlikely to support prosecution for corruption.
Clearly, spouses of politicians have a right to pursue their own careers. However, reality suggests that such pursuits offer fertile opportunities for corruption. This does not suggest that the spouse of any elected official must be required to forgo his/her career and stay quietly at home. In fact, perhaps this indictment will serve as adequate warning to all of the need to avoid even the appearance of impropriety in this area.
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