Comments on: How Karl Rove Almost Saved Blagojevich’s Bacon

By: Phoenix Woman

Phoenix Woman — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:13:51 +0000

Dakine01 is wise.

By: Kassandra

Kassandra — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:24:10 +0000

That was from a story in ‘05. too bad

Bush will issue a blanket pardon one minute to midnight on Jan 19th. Then we’ll see how far the Democrats guts extend to overturning so many illegal rules and regulations in the 60 day window http://www.ombwatch.org/articl.....4400/1/550 they have to do so. After that, America and Obama not necessarily in that order, will be bound by them until the whole rule making process is instituted…years

By: muleboy303

muleboy303 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:04:47 +0000

i don’t know about chess bob
but i would say that from all i’ve seen of Patrick Fitzgerald
is that if there were anything, even the slightest instance of
malfeasance or perception of impropriety, it would have been
trumpeted by Rove & Co. to the high heavens. which is why,
regardless of party affiliation, i was hoping he would become
the next Attorney General of the United States.

but now, alas…

By: bobschacht

bobschacht — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:58:15 +0000

O halcyon days of Hope!
As a reminder here’s a brief account of the First Fitzmas.

siri, don’t play with us. Stand forth, and deliver! Link, please!

BTW, the world thinks Rove “won” back in 2005. I don’t know. We didn’t know then how thoroughly politicized DOJ was. Fitz did well to indict and convict Libby under such circumstances, despite any attempts Rove may have made to scuttle Fitz’s case.

And Fitz has survived, despite any attempts Rove may have made to remove him from office. Fitz may have stopped short of indicting Rove, but he may have something on Rove that we don’t know about, that he can use to shield himself from Rove’s machinations, and that we might hear about after January 20.

I suspect that Fitz is better at chess than Rove.

Bob in HI

By: muleboy303

muleboy303 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:56:13 +0000

oops… forgot to add

even Jim Guy Tucker’s “pressure” came from a “semi” Republican appointed “Independent” special prosecutor

By: dakine01

dakine01 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:55:31 +0000

Patton had very limited opportunity for the Senate even in the best of times and after 8 years as Gov, it wasn’t going to happen. KY governors tend to not be real popular after 4 years, much less 8 years in office. The state pays far more attention to doings in Frankfort than they ever do to things in Washington.

By: muleboy303

muleboy303 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:52:02 +0000

tyvm on the fletcher and patton info (though patton’s senate bid was derailed whilst he was still Gov)

all i can find so far from the previous 8 year period was Jim Guy Tucker of Arkansas.

By: dakine01

dakine01 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:41:13 +0000

Patton termed out after two terms. Prior to him, state law did not allow a governor to serve two consecutive terms.

And Fletcher screwed himself after campaigning on being an ethical, Christian minister then conspiring to subvert the state civil service system, using politics to hire folks rather than qualifications. He issued a blanket pardon to everyone in his administration (including some under indictment) except for himself and wound up negotiating a plea with the state AG on his charges (I believe a misdemeanor rather than a felony). The then AG was a Democrat and no one in DC was involved at all.

By: muleboy303

muleboy303 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:33:30 +0000

i largely agree, but with this caveat

i suspect that perhaps with exceptions for the smallest of states, most every one who reaches the Governors office has done, or will quickly do, something which can be used to ‘pressure’ them out of office if it should come to light. i do not think of it in terms of takeovers, but more of roiling the waters and putting in their place i.e. sending a message.

the numerical comparisons of previous 8 year periods may prove useful.

p.s. patton and fletcher of kentucky may also qualify. somehow gibbons survived the “treatment”

By: dakine01

dakine01 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:26:18 +0000

Well, I was living in Connecticut during Rowland’s period in office and in Illinois when Ryan was Governor and the news for both was fairly strong that they got lucky with how limited their prosecutions actually were. Both had multiple staffers go to jail as well.

Davis was rolled but not prosecuted.

Siegelman was most likely screwed in a blatantly political prosecution

McGreevy (and Spitzer) were just dumb. Although admittedly, there is a bit of smell to the timing of the Spitzer crap.

I don’t think there’s any nefarious plot to take over state governments; I just think there have been a whole lot of people who thought the rules and laws didn’t apply to them. From the Dem party and the Rep party. I actually think that if anything, the Reps are blessed that BushCo has been running things and keeping a lot of their people out of jail and protecting them as much as possible.