Illinois Corruption: Whose Fault Is It Really?

What is the more amazing (or disturbing or appalling): That Rod Blagojevich allegedly tried to, in effect, sell the open U.S. Senate seat that was vacated by President-elect Barack Obama (and all the other illegal things U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is alleging Governor Blagojevich did) or that the people of Illinois re-elected him governor in 2006 even though we knew what he was?

I will agree Governor Blagojevich hadn’t tried to sell a U.S. Senate seat back in 2006, but that may have been because he hadn’t had a chance. There were plenty of allegations of corruption swirling about Governor Blagojevich even then. But the people of Illinois re-elected him anyway.

So who is more at fault: Rod Blagojevich for trying to sell a Senate seat (and for everything else he is alleged to have done) or the people of Illinois for re-electing him in 2006?

To me, it’s the voters of Illinois. We knew what Rod Blagojevich was, and we re-elected him anyway.