Blago faces the music

By Michael Jonas

Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich’s fate is now in the hands of a federal jury.  The Chicago press has had a field day with the circus-like corruption trial of Blago, who has often served as ringmaster at what could be his own wake, working the crowd with handshakes when he arrives in court each day like it’s a campaign stop. There has been no better chronicler of the courthouse follies than Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass, who dubbed the defendant Dead Meat as soon as Blago was first charged.  Read his latest offering here. 

The column is a great primer on Illinois politics.  More than a little of it will be familiar to those steeped in Massachusetts politics, including Kass’s description of real power in state politics resting with legislative leadership – and his conclusion that a Blagojevich conviction would change precisely nothing about the crooked state of things in the land of Lincoln.

When it comes to direct parallels, Tom Menino and Richard Daley are kissin’ cousins when it comes to big-city mayors who understand power, have held it for a long time, and have managed to escape major scandal, even if occasionally dogged by stories of friends or family who have happened to do well during their reign. Bobby “Slots” DeLeo hardly seems to have the chops of a Michael Madigan. Gov. Bouffant himself doesn’t appear to have a direct counterpart here, so relatively small-timers Dianne Wilkerson and John Buonomo will have to do until Sal’s run at the Moakley courthouse opens.