Blago's Highest Bidder

Two incestuously related examples of honest, open governance at the dawn of the Age of Obama:

Defying U.S. Senate leaders and his own state's lawmakers, [criminal] Goveror Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday appointed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate. Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell Obama's Senate seat to the highest bidder, praised the 71-year-old Burris' integrity and asked that the corruption allegations not "taint this good and honest man."

"The people of Illinois are entitled to have two United States senators represent them in Washington D.C.," Blagojevich said. "As governor I am required to make this appointment."

Burris, standing at the governor's side, said he's eager to get to work in Washington. He said he has no connection to the charges against Blagojevich, who was arrested on December 9 and accused of trying to profit from appointing Obama's replacement.

Burris was the first African-American elected to major statewide office. He's served as Illinois' comptroller and ran for governor three times — the last time losing to Blagojevich.

The Democratic governor's announcement as Burris as his pick may be an empty gesture. Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, who must certify the appointment, said Tuesday he will not do so. And U.S. Senate leaders reiterated that they wouldn't accept anyone appointed by Blagojevich, who was arrested December 9 on federal corruption charges.

One factor in Burris' favor leaps out at us right away - his skin color.  God forbid that Blago pick a white guy, or an Asian woman, or a Hispanic hermaphrodite - no, that Senate seat, two out of the last three holders of which have been black, has to remain in black hands.  So much for "diversity".

The other factor is even less surprising:

Roland Burris, the former Illinois Attorney General named by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to fill the vacant Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama, has a documented history of making substantial donations to Friends of Blagojevich, the very campaign organization that federal prosecutors charge Blagojevich used to put Obama’s seat up for sale to the highest bidder.

According to Illinois State Board of Elections records, Burris donated $1,000 to Friends of Blagojevich on June 27.

On October 22 of last year, he donated another $1,500.

The records also show that Burris’ company, Burris & Ledbed Consulting, Inc., a government relations, media and political consultancy firm, made two donations totaling $4,000 to Blagojevich’s campaign on March 13, 2006, just as Blagojevich’s gubernatorial contest was heating up that year.

Roland Burris, come on down!  You're the next winner on Blago's Price Is Right!

Hey, d'ya think Red Barry will get a commission from Blago after Dirty Harry & Company change their minds and seat Burris next week?  Oh, sure, they piously insist they won't....:

In a statement Tuesday, Senate Democrats maintained that Blagojevich should not make the appointment because it is unfair to Burris, unfair to the people of Illinois and ultimately won't stand.

"It is truly regrettable that despite requests from all fifty Democratic Senators and public officials throughout Illinois, Governor Blagojevich would take the imprudent step of appointing someone to the United States Senate who would serve under a shadow and be plagued by questions of impropriety," the statement said.

"Under these circumstances, anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative of the people of Illinois and, as we have said, will not be seated by the Democratic Caucus."

....but they similarly claimed they weren't going to seat Al F'ing Franken, either, and look how that's changed.

I said two years ago that with the Donk re-conquest of Congress, the REAL "culture of corruption" was returning to power.  As Ronald Reagan used to say, we ain't seen nothing yet.  The question is, with the Obamedia running interference for and otherwise stoutly defending it, will about-to-be-crushingly oppressed American people care, or even notice?  Or be allowed to protest and try to "throw the bums out" if they do?