Alternately praising and upbraiding those who would decide his fate, Blagojevich urged the senators during a 47-minute speech not to remove him from office, saying he had “never, ever intended to violate the law.”
“There hasn’t been a single piece of information that proves any wrongdoing,” said Blagojevich, who was arrested at his Chicago home Dec. 9 on federal corruption charges. “How can you throw a governor out of office with insufficient and incomplete evidence?” [LA Times]
One who serves the public in a position of power and trust has a duty to avoid the appearance of impropriety. He has an affirmative duty to keep his stupid nose clean. So saying, “I acted like a crook, but you haven’t proven I am a crook” doesn’t carry a lot of currency with me.
February 14, 2009 at 9:45 pm |
I guess he’s of the opinion that if he was the governor, it wasn’t illegal.
February 14, 2009 at 9:52 pm |
Ah, yes, the Cheney Defense. A classic, and a cousin to the Sicilian Defense. Obviously, Blago forgot to make his protection payments. A rookie move.