Kevin White.
Kevin White, a very smart lawyer and astute Republican strategist…the 38th ward Republican committeeman and former 5th district GOP nominee for Congress against Rahm Emanuel…was on my radio show last night with State Rep. Jack Franks (D-McHenry)…and I’ll be darned if I got his point about Blago’s impeachment correctly. Yeah, I know I’m an old codger but I’m going to ask Kevin to write it up for us and submit it to this website via my email thomasfroeser@sbcglobal.net .
It seems to me Kevin was saying the impeachment process is being railroaded by the Dems to get rid of Blago early…the so-called railroading depriving Illinoisans of learning the full extent of Blago’s sins…sins committed (if I read him correctly) with full participation by the two parties. If I’m wrong about this, Kevin, I apologize. Jack Franks vociferously disagreed that the impeachment was a railroad. I have doubts that the House railroaded Blago-- because he didn’t show up. But then I don’t have the full transcript of the impeachment that Kevin and Jack have.
Still, one thing does bother me. I think everybody is entitled to fair legal representation and if Pat Fitzgerald freezes Blago’s campaign fund, it means that he will be virtually defenseless while the full brunt of the feds will be utilized against him. That doesn’t seem to bother Jack but it does me. I think Blago is rotten to the core but I believe he is entitled to good representation. I don’t know how long Genson is going to hang around as his lawyer if he isn’t paid. The same thing happened to George Ryan…Fitz cutting off his legal water as well…but George got Big Jimbo to use his firm “pro-bono” which provided a Cadillac-style defense. I think Fitz is a bit of a zealot on this. Sort of tying the guy’s both arms and beating him up. Fitz maintains the campaign fund is corrupt money and shouldn’t be used in this way. Okay—but then I think…much as I hate to say it…the state should pay Blago’s defense—at least in the impeachment-conviction phase…since he is standing trial as a governor who was elected twice by the people.
But back to the central question…whether or not there was a House railroad. I ask via this post that when Kevin finds time to do it, he jots down his reasoning and then maybe we can all consider who’s right (although right now I think Jack Franks is). Yet I have great respect for Kevin’s sagacious intellect…so we’ll see.
Don’t Blame Me Bumper Sticker.
A friend has sent me the “Don’t Blame Me: I Voted for Judy!” bumper sticker. That opens up an interesting question. I did not vote for Topinka but wrote in the name Randy Stufflebeam, the 3rd party candidate for governor…knowing full well he didn’t have a chance. I rationalized it this way: Bad as Blago is, were Topinka to beat him, she would return the Republican party to the Jim Thompson-Jim Edgar-George Ryan crowd…not to mention Bill Cellini, her friend for whom she tried to get the state to help ease him out of the Renaissance hotel fiasco. I decided I’d rather have Blago and a chance to build an independent, Reagan-style party than to vote for her.
You know what? I still feel that way. Tell me what you think. Also, since many readers seem to find it difficult to get on the Reader’s Comments section of this website, write to me at thomasfroeser@sbcglobal.nert
I'm just checking to see if this is functioning, and to see if you typed your email wrong, with the r in there so that it's nert and not net.
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