Un scandal politic de proporţii a izbucnit pe scena politică americană. Azi, 9 decembrie, au fost arestaţi Rod Blagojevich, guvernatorul statului Illinois, şi şeful său de cabinet, John Harris. Arestările au fost efectuate de FBI şi procurorul federal Patrick Fitzgerald a dat publicităţii o litanie de acuzaţii şi detalii care se potrivesc ca o mănuşa unui Al Capone, dar în acest caz descriu corupţia sordidă a unui oficial ocupînd cea mai înaltă funcţie administrativă la nivel local. Blagojevich este acuzat de încercarea de a vinde poziţia vacantă de senator lăsată de Barack Obama, de perpetuarea unui sistem de mită şi favoruri pentru acordarea de contracte guvernamentale, de nepotism, de conspiraţie vizînd schimbarea biroului editorial al ziarului Chicago Tribune (responsabil de numeroase critici şi dezvăluiri în presă a practicilor fostului guvernator), de….
Blagojevich and Harris were accused of a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy that included Blagojevich conspiring to sell or trade the Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama in exchange for financial benefits for the governor and his wife. The governor was also accused of obtaining campaign contributions in exchange for other official actions.
Blagojevich was taken into federal custody at his North Side home this morning.
On the issue of the U.S. Senate selection, federal prosecutors alleged Blagojevich sought appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the new Obama administration, or a lucrative job with a union in exchange for appointing a union-preferred candidate.
Blagojevich and Harris conspired to demand the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members responsible for editorials critical of Blagojevich in exchange for state help with the sale of Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs baseball stadium owned by Tribune Co.
Blagojevich and Harris, along with others, obtained and sought to gain financial benefits for the governor, members of his family and his campaign fund in exchange for appointments to state boards and commissions, state jobs and state contracts.
„The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering,” U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement.
„They allege that Blagojevich put a ‘for sale’ sign on the naming of a United States senator; involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism.”
Cum i-a venit ideea să transforme locul vacant de senator într-un troc vizînd beneficii personale? Simplu, o lege a statului Illinois îi permite guvernatorului să numească un nou ocupant cînd poziţia de senator al statului devine vacantă între două cicluri electorale. Blagojevich apreciind ocazia ivită, într-o conversaţie înregistrată de FBI:
Attached to the U.S. District Court complaint is an FBI affidavit, excerpted below, alleging that Blagojevich was caught on wiretaps noting that the Senate seat „is a fucking valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.” He was also recorded saying that unless „I get something real good,” he would appoint himself to the vacancy. „I’m going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain. You hear what I’m saying. And if I don’t get what I want and I’m not satisfied with it, then I’ll just take the Senate seat myself.” According to surreptitiously recorded conversations, Blagojevich spoke with associates about the possibility of trading the Senate post for either an ambassadorship or a Cabinet post.
Aceste fragmente din conversaţiile private ale lui Blagojevich au fost date publicităţii azi. Luni, cu ocazia răspîndirii veştii că FBI îl are în vizor, guvernatorul declara emfatic:
Speaking to reporters Monday for the first time since the Tribune revealed federal investigators had recorded him and others as part of their corruption probe, Blagojevich said his discussions were “always lawful.”
Regardless of “whether you tape me privately or publicly, I can tell you that whatever I say is always lawful and the things I’m interested in are always lawful,” Blagojevich said. “And if there are any things out there like that, what you’ll hear is a governor who tirelessly and endlessly figures out ways to help average, ordinary working people.”
Ultima frază, cea cu lupta neobosită pentru omul obişnuit, e probabil o rămăşiţă din recuzita oratorică folosită în urmă cu cinci ani, cînd Blagojevich a candidat la postul de guvernator promiţînd o administraţie dedicată… eradicării corupţiei. În orice caz, guvernatorul este un tradiţionalist, chiar dacă aparţine Partidului Democrat. Isprăvile şi stilul de conducere de don mafiot se înscriu perfect în buna tradiţie politică à la Chicago. Din 1960 pînă în prezent, trei predecesori ai săi au înfundat puşcăria, inclusiv cel pe care l-a înlocuit. Aceştia sînt doar capul de listă, urmaţi de un lung şir de parlamentari, şefi de sindicate, avocaţi cu influenţă şi birocraţi cu ştaif care au fost implicaţi într-un carusel de scandaluri politice vizînd trafic de influenţă, delapidare de fonduri publice, sperjur în curtea de judecată, obstrucţia justiţiei şi alte îndeletniciri de tipul scărpina-mă ca să te scarpin.
Aceasta e cultura politică din Chicago şi vrînd-nevrînd gîndul duce la preşedintele ales al Americii. În acest mediu de intrigă, maşinaţii şi patronaj a început şi s-a consolidat cariera de politician a celui care din ianuarie va prelua frîiele Americii. În Chicago i-a cunoscut şi a devenit tovarăş de drum cu personaje dubioase ca Wright, Ayers, Dhorn, Rezko şi Rashid Khalidi, iar cu această ocazie, la această galerie jenantă se adaugă în conştiinţa publicului şi dizgraţiatul guvernator Blagojevich. Obama a servit drept consilier al lui Blagojevich pe timpul campaniei gubernatoriale din 2002, iar în 2006 l-a recomandat cu căldură — „We’ve got a governor in Rod Blagojevich who has delivered consistently on behalf of the people of Illinois”, Associated Press — cu toate că la acea vreme deja deveniseră publice o serie de acuzaţii referitoare la practica vînzării de slujbe în administraţia locală.
Documentele publicate de FBI în cazul Blagojevich nu îl implică pe preşedintele ales în corupţia celui pe care l-a sprijinit şi recomandat în trecut drept un luptător pentru binele locuitorilor din statul Illinois. În schimb, relaţia Blagojevich – Obama serveşte drept aducere aminte că tăria de caracter şi principialitatea nu fac parte din paleta de calităţi a noului preşedinte. Şi, într-un fel pervers, soarta lui Blagojevich şi a altor notabili urcaţi şi striviţi de maşinăria politică din Chicago serveşte drept avertisment: Chicago este un schelet ascuns şi în dulapul lui Obama.
![mihaela-barbus[1]](https://inliniedreapta.net/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/mihaela-barbus1-pydiituedconmrou0twklsfz7egtqhonla40po561c.jpg "mihaela-barbus[1]")
24 Comments
Francesco
10 December 2008Rod Blagojevich – ce distanta uriasa intre discursul sau oficial si fapte! Isi dorea omul 135000 de dolari pentru acea functie de senator si uite c-a iesit rau. Dupa Rezko, Blagojevich este al doilea amic sau partener politic al lui Obama ce se dovedeste a fi lup in piele de oaie. Măcar de l-ar tăbăci în justiţie.
Imperialistu'
10 December 2008Obama calls for Blago’s resignation
Francesco
10 December 2008Pay to play!
Asa s-a exprimat Rod Blagoevich in inregistrarile FBI. Povestea Chicago-ului politic murdar continua cu asa-zisul Candidat Nr.5 pentru locul de la Senat, nimeni altul decat Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., fiul militantului pentru drepturile afro-americanilor Jesse James.
Binenteles ca neaga orice implicare si spune ca nu este anchetat. Oare?
Ziarul de casa al democratilor The Huffington Post contine declaratia lui Jesse James Jr.:
Pai am mai vazut un Democrat jurandu-se ca nu stie nimic, pe Ron Blagoevich…
dr. jones
10 December 2008There were signs the continuing investigation could still involve Obama.
It appears that Obama friend Valerie Jarrett, an incoming senior White House adviser, is the person referred to repeatedly in court documents as „Candidate 1.” That individual is described as a woman who is „an adviser to the president-elect” and as the person Obama wanted appointed to the Senate seat. Court papers say that Candidate 1 eventually removed herself from consideration for the Senate seat.
Blagojevich talked at length about Candidate 1 in a Nov. 11 phone conversation with an aide.
One day later, Jarrett, a Chicago businesswoman who is one of three co-chairmen of Obama’s transition team and was a high-level adviser to his presidential campaign, made it known she was not interested in the seat. On Nov. 15, Obama announced that Jarrett would be a senior White House adviser and assistant for intergovernmental relations.
Obama’s circle of major Illinois political allies and supporters is largely separate from Blagojevich’s, with two major exceptions. Both Obama and Blagojevich got extensive money and support from Chicago businessman Antoin „Tony” Rezko, who is awaiting sentencing after being convicted in June on charges of using clout with Blagojevich’s administration to help launch a $7 million kickback scheme. And Obama is close to Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, who has been the governor’s staunchest legislative ally.
At least one top aide to Obama, Michael Strautmanis, previously worked for Blagojevich. Obama has appointed Strautmanis to serve in a top post in the White House. The Chicago native was legislative director and counsel to Blagojevich when the governor was a member of Congress and then helped Blagojevich win the governorship in 2002. There is no indication Strautmanis is involved in the case.
More details on the case could be forthcoming.
Court documents say they don’t include all calls dealing with the governor’s efforts regarding the Senate appointment. And many people in the documents are referred to by aliases; there’s little doubt their identities will eventually surface.
democratii nu stiu nimic, nici presedintele ales cu toate ca la pozitia numarul unu era Valerie Jarrett o prietena de incredere si consilier de seama la casa alba.
dr. jones
10 December 2008de citit si:
Illinois Governor’s Arrest May Hurt Obama Transition
si inca una tare de pe bloomberg:
Dec. 10 (Bloomberg) — President-elect Barack Obama’s plans to encourage U.S. development of alternative energy have put him at odds with investors, who are abandoning the industry.
avem noroc insa ca va falimenta industria de carbune care mergea cat de cat.
si asta in timp ce scandalurile se tin lant: CHICAGO – His career in shreds, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich clung defiantly to power Wednesday, ignoring a call to step down from President-elect Barack Obama and a warning that Senate Democrats will not let him appoint a new senator from the state.
„Everyone is calling for his head,” said Barbara Flynn Currie, a leader in the Illinois Senate and, like the governor, a Democrat.
zici ca s-a transferat psd in america.
Francesco
10 December 2008Dr. jones>
De cand Obama si-a trasformat orasul in care s-a lansat, Chicago, in a doua (sau prima?) capitala a Americii, dand comunicate din partea The Office of the President Elect structura de putere a avut de suferit.
Cand este vorba sa faca programe, sa dea iluzii, Obama este la timona, cand trebuie sa explice, tace sau face pe niznaiul, daca ma intelegi.
Asa si cu Rod Blagojevich, Obama a facut pe nestiutorul! Doar da lectii de moralitate…
Imperialistu'
10 December 20087 Blago questions for Obama
1 – “Did you communicate directly or indirectly with Blagojevich about picking your replacement in the U.S. Senate?”
Obama issued a categorical statement Tuesday that he personally hadn’t spoken with Blagojevich about the seat — but seemed to correct himself in a way that suggested others around Obama might have.
“I had no contact with the governor or his office and, so we were not – I was not aware of what was happening,” Obama said.
Yet, according to prosecutors’ characterizations of Blagojevich’s wiretapped telephone conversations, the Illinois governor seemed to believe he had a channel of communications with Obama’s team.
For instance, Blagojevich was recorded speaking to a union official who Blagojevich “understood … was an emissary” to discuss the interest of Obama confidant Valerie Jarrett in the seat, according to the criminal complaint unveiled Tuesday.
But at some point, Blagojevich seemed to become aware that Obama’s team had no interest in his favored option – he would pick Jarrett in exchange for being named secretary of health and human services, prosecutor allege. How did he know that?
2 – “Why didn’t you or someone on your team correct your close adviser David Axelrod when he said you had spoken to Blagojevich about picking your replacement?”
Last month, Axelrod unambiguously described a conversation between Obama and Blagojevich about filling the seat.
“I know he’s talked to the governor and there are a whole range of names, many of which have surfaced, and I think he has a fondness for a lot of them,” Axelrod told an interviewer from Chicago’s Fox affiliate.
But then, Axelrod retracted the comment – after the president-elect asserted Tuesday that he hadn’t spoken to Blagojevich. Axelrod issued a statement saying he „was mistaken when I told an interviewer last month that the President-elect has spoken directly to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. They did not then, or at any time, discuss the subject.”
3. “When did you learn the investigation involved Blagojevich’s alleged efforts to ‘sell’ your Senate seat, or of the governor’s impending arrest?”
Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said it was not until Tuesday that Obama learned the details of the complaint against Blagojevich – the same day it was released to the public – and wouldn’t say exactly when or how Obama was notified.
But at least some people got an early heads-up: Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. told reporters that he was notified Monday night by federal prosecutors that the investigation was coming to a head, that an arrest was imminent and that Jackson was not a target.
4 – “Did you or anyone close to you contact the FBI or U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald about Blagojevich’s alleged efforts to sell your Senate seat to the highest bidder?”
Blagojevich seems to believe that Obama’s team was aware of – and had rejected – his offers, telling Harris in a wiretapped Nov. 11 conversation that Obama was “not willing to give (Blagojevich) anything except appreciation” for picking Jarrett.
If Blagojevich contacted anyone on Obama’s team even hinting at a possible pay-for-play arrangement, it seems they would have been obligated to report that to law enforcement.
One report out of Chicago suggested the possible tipster was Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s pick for chief of staff and a potential conduit for any communications from Blagojevich’s office to Obama. But Emanuel’s office has denied that story.
5 – “Did federal investigators interview you or anyone close to you in the investigation?”
Fitzgerald said Tuesday he was “not going to speak for what the President-elect was aware of,” but it’s difficult to imagine his investigators did not reach out to Obama or his team during the course of the investigations into Blagojevich and businessman Tony Rezko, given how closely the subject matter involved Obama.
Rezko, a former Obama fundraiser who in June was convicted of 16 corruption-related counts, had alleged that prosecutors pushed him for dirt on both Blagojevich and Obama.
6 – “When did you and Blagojevich last speak and about what?”
Obama and Blagojevich both attended the National Governors Association meeting last week in Philadelphia and were photographed shaking hands at the event.
Before the meeting, Blagojevich was quoted saying he had asked Obama’s transition team for federal stimulus aid of $3 billion over the next three years to help fill Illinois’ estimated $2 billion deficit.
If Obama had spoken on the phone with him since Election Day, it’s conceivable that the conversation would have been recorded by the FBI, which in late October won a court order authorizing the wiretapping.
7 – “Do you regret supporting Blagojevich?”
Obama endorsed Blagojevich in his two gubernatorial runs and was among his key advisors during his first bid, in 2002.
During the governor’s reelection campaign in 2006 – with press reports swirling about a grand jury investigation into Blagojevich’s alleged jobs-for-contributions scheme – Obama praised the governor as a leader “who has delivered consistently on behalf of the people of Illinois.”
It doesn’t seem like he shared the same high regard for Obama, at least not lately, considering that during a Nov. 10 conference call with advisers he called his old political ally and the president-elect an obscene name.
*********************************
Nici acum nu se vor trezi astia. Si ce daca am mai gasit un corupt in jurul lui? Asta nu inseamna nimic, Obama e CHANGE, ma.
Imperialistu'
10 December 2008Dr. Jones, uite, daca tot ai adus vorba de PSD, uite ultima izbanda anti-justitie: Adrian Nastase, ultimul tun.
Corb la corb…
P.S. N-am idee ce se intampla cu comentariile astea. Ceva nu e inchis cum trebuie din moment ce a reaparut dunga aia neagra. Emil, dupa ce rezolvi problema, sa ne lamuresti si pe noi. Degeaba am acces si pot edita, daca nu stiu ce si nu stiu cum. ????
emil
10 December 2008De urmarit ce va face Obama cu procurorul Fitzpatrick. Odata inscaunat oficial (la inceput de ianuarie), presedintele are dreptul (si ultimii presedinti s-au folosit de el) de a schimba procurorii federali. Va ramine Fitzpatrick pe caz? … de fapt cazuri: Fitzpatrick a instrumentat si cazul lui Tony Rezko, escrocul cu afaceri imobiliare din orbita atit lui Blagojevich cit si a lui Obama. Rezko i-a facilitat lui Obama cumpararea unei vile in Chicago la un pret cu $300 de mii mai mic decit pretul pietei. Rezko si Obama se cunosc din anii ’90. Obama a lucrat ca avocat pentru o firma de avocatura si relatii publice care l-a ajutat pe Rezko sa obtina 43 de milioane in fonduri guvernamentale pentru afacerile sale imobiliare (toate falimentare si aflate sub investigatie), iar Rezko a organizat campanii de finantare pentru cariera politica a lui Obama. Scarpina-ma ca sa te scarpin.
Obama and his Rezko ties
PS
Imperialistu’, problema apare cind avem un comentariu pe home page care contine un link mai lung; sparge sablonul grafic; avem un plugin care face linkurile mai compacte, dar se pare ca nu este destul de compact pt rubrica „Comentarii Recente”; daca observi problema in alt context, spune-mi te rog intr-un email; sau cind re-apare, uita-te in dreapta la comentarii recente, exista acolo vreun link care se extinde peste limita paginii in banda neagra?
Panseluta
10 December 2008emil, Imperialistu’, dr. jones:
Nu stiu ce-as mai putea adauga la raportul si analiza voastra, asa de exacte, mai bune decit orice am citit in presa americana….decit ca „Chicago-style politics” s-a nationalizat, prin alegerea lui Obama ca Presedinte. Ce era o cultura politica faimos si explicit corupta dar locala a ajuns la Casa Alba.
De la primar la „aldermen”–primarii de sector din Chicago–la deputati si senatori si guvernator, toti socialisti oportunisti, adica cei care au descoperit ca sursa cea mai mare de inavutire personala e cea de la troaca publica si/sau corporatista finantata tot de stat, totul e de vinzare.
Blagojevich era in vizorul federalilor de cel putin doi ani. A inceput sa circule ideea ca e psihopat, instabil mental, ca sa explice anomia si lipsa de scrupule extraordinare pe care tipul le arata in inregistrarile facute de FBI, desi stia ca e sub observatie.
I-as sfatui pe naivii si ignorantii globali sa studieze culturi endemic corupte, ca Romania, unde a nu insela, a nu fura–oricit de putin, la cintar sau la ghiseu sau pe autostrada–e un semn de prostie si incapacitate existentiala.
Obama e produsul culturii politice profund corupte din Chicago-Illinois, unde a intrat in tranzactii oneroase cu Rezko et comp.(acum la pirnaie),l-a sprijinit pe Blagojevich pina cum citeva zile, si si-o dorea pe prietena Valerie Jarrett pe posul de senator de Illinois–o alta corupta, care a facut avere din fonduri de la stat pentru reabilitarea locuintelor pentru saraci, ca si Rezko, locuinte ramase in ruina, un fel de Ferentari a la Chicago, exact in districtul fostului senator Obama.
emil
10 December 2008Panseluta, Israelianca, Dinny… cu totul pe linga subiect. Va dedic Bach in interpretarea lui Glenn Gould… si oricui, de fapt. Dedicatia se afla in cele doua casete video de pe home page.
Dinny
10 December 2008Costin, multumesc ????
Pentru tine si toti autorii acestui site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VAnQ6PJpzs
Sper sa va placa [si sa mearga linkul ???? ]
costin
10 December 2008pt Dinny si restul lumii, daca tot am inceput sa ne facem dedicatii, vreau si eu sa va arat ceva ce am descoperit de curind. Un copozitor estonian, Arvo Part. look him up! (nu am gasit un echivalent romanesc al expresiei care sa-mi convina)
costin
10 December 2008Obama l-a sustinut pe Blagojevich, on tape:
israelianca
10 December 2008Merci tuturor pentru muzici – minunate!
Panseluta
10 December 2008emil:
Multam de dedicatii. Nimic, absolut nimic mai frumos ca Bach. Citesc, de cite ori am timp, comentariile la clipurile cu interpretari ale lui Bach pe YouTube, si ma izbeste ce comun e sentimentul–cu diverse nuante–pe care-l am si eu: Bach era in comunicare cu Dumnezeu, sau Bach demonstreaza ca Dumnezeu exista (asta chiar de la atei convinsi). Partea asta ma amuza, pentru ca ma face sa ma gindesc, imediat, ca Dumnezeu trebuie sa fie un neamtz din secolul 18, protestant, si cu o ureche perfect educata in contrapunctul baroc, si ma intreb de ce Dumnezeu s-a instalat nu in Shoenberg sau Ernst Krenek, ca sa ma refer doar la doua din modelele lui Mann pentru Adrian Leverkuhn? S-a strecurat diavolul in muzica practicata de Leverkuhn? Si de ce nu vorbeste Dumnezeu prin Ima Sumak, de exemplu, recent decedata–Dumnezeu s-o odihneasca? De ce l-a ales Dumnezeu pe un neamtz din Eisenach care s-a format absorbindu-i pe catolicii baroci Lully si Marais?
In alta ordine de idei, si e o chestie de gust, Gould mi se pare prea mecanic acum, dupa ce l-am descoperit acum 20 de ani, cind mi s-a parut o revelatie. Tipul a incercat sa redea, la pian, sunetul lui Bach–asa cum il percepea el–pe klavirul timpului, care nu avea capacitatea de a suna/rezona mai mult decit era, mecanic, posibil, si deci de a lasa timp pentru un tempo pe care ti-l stabilesti subiectiv, nuante, agravari si tristeti, idile urmate de despartiri furtunoase, tinarul Werther sinucigas, abtineri de o secunda urmate de cavalcade de emotie ca Bonaparte va salva Europa. Cam asta e istoria pianului-forte romantic/modern, fara de care nu i-am avea pe Beethoven si Chopin si Rubinstein si Lipatti (e o fata la mine la slujba care jura ca Lipatti e un trimis al Domnului).
Daca-ti amintesti, era vremea revirimentului originalismului in instrumentele folosite , cind toata lumea incerca sa prinda „sunetul original” prin instrumente adecvate timpului de origine.
Wanda Landowska a stors, genial, tot ce se putea stoarce din mecanica matematica a klavirului.
costin
10 December 2008Panseluta, iti lasasem un mesaj aici: http://patrupedbun.net/si-m-am-intors/
dar s-a scurs in arhiva inainte sa il vezi
Imperialistu'
10 December 2008The One nu vrea sa mai asculte. Nu are de ce.
Dinny
10 December 2008:)) Deci eu ACUM am vazut ca dedicatia cu Bach este de la emil si nu de la costin!!! Mii de scuze :”>
In concluzie dedicatia mea s-a vrut a fi: „pentru emil si toti autorii acestui site”. Whatever…sper ca nu s-a suparat nimeni ????
costin
10 December 2008nu s-a suparat nimeni, doar ca m-ai bagat pe mine in ceata putin ????
Francesco
10 December 2008E grava situatia lui Rod Blagojevich, astazi s-a aflat – multumiri yahoo news – ca sunt nu mai putin de 19 capete de acuzare federale pentru bietul sustinator al lui Obama.
Ai lui, democratii il reneaga, Casa Alba nu are comentarii de facut desi este implicat si unul din fratii lui Rahm Emanuel. Well, asa este in lumea politica
democrata, ti se intoarce spatele la timp.Crisan
10 December 2008Francesco, nu e doar la democrati. In 2004, va sa zica in an electoral, fostul guvernator republican din Connecticut, John Rowland, a fost acuzat de coruptie si ulterior inchis pentru un an. G.W. Bush a uitat brusc ca il cunoscuse vreodata pe Rowland, fiind ei pana atunci prieteni de familie, cu vizite informale, partide de vanatoare, etc. Asta e, asa e la toti.
Francesco
10 December 2008Crisan, bine ai venit! Iti dau dreptate, am facut o „corectura” la comentariul anterior (am taiat cu o linie cuvantul democrata). Era necesar. Faptele in afara legii nu sunt circumscrise doar in zona unui partid.
Adaugasem democrat pentru ca se spune ca Rahm Emanuel era in contact direct cu R. Blagojevich pentru nominalizarea din senat.
Dar in politica „existi” atata timp cat plutesti in zona nepenala. Exclus Romania, la noi e posibil sa „fii” si dupa moarte, cum este cazul lui N.Ceausescu!
Francesco
10 December 2008Blago meets RICO, asa si-a intitulat articolul pe blog William A. Jacobson, Associate Clinical Professor of Law, Cornell Law School, Ithaca, NY.
RICO – Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act – este legea care ii aduce la acelasi numitor pe Blagojevich si pe mafiotii din Famiglia Gambino, mafia politica si cea criminala.