Although Halloran doesn't explicitly defend Blagojevich, a figure that are quick to condemn, she does present an alternate point of view - that although his actions were wrong, in the context of today's politics, they aren't unheard of. With an unassuming tone - she admits in casual language that quid pro quo politics "can get pretty confusing" - she points to cases of corruption in the past, including ones in Connecticut. Halloran puts our state up next to Illinois and Louisiana for the "corruption crown," which surprised me at first, but with indicted officials including Waterbury Mayor Joseph Santopietro, his successor, the mayor of Bridgeport, and of course Governor John G. Rowland, it's a legitimate comparison.
Halloran raises the following question: Where is the line drawn between crimes like Blagojevich's and the quid pro quo exchanges that have driven American politics since the birth of the country? One thing's for sure - that line's not a clear one. One person quoted, Connecticut defense lawyer Hugh Keefe, said "Politicians exist and thrive on legitimate political contributions, but there has always been a vague line between those contributions and the point at which bribery and personal gain come into play." There are always big donors that receive some sort of benefit for their support in political campaigns. Unfortunately for Blagojevich, his chances of sliding under the radar are shot. The tapped phone calls that incriminate him will probably be more than enough evidence for jurors, who, as Halloran points out, are already suspicious of public officials. However, Hubert Santos, a defense lawyer that represented former Connecticut State Treasurer Paul Silvester, makes a good point - that no money or favors have actually changed hands.
The aspect of Blagojevich's dealings that will seal his fate is the upfront nature of his Senate seat auction. Politicians can usually get away with exchanges as long as they're not explicit, but this was not the case for Obama's successor in the Senate.
I do think that Halloran presents the story with an interesting slant, and I commend her for reporting the news with an alternate point of view. It's always good to make yourself think about things in a different light, and if we had more dissenting points of view represented in the media, we would be a much better educated public. Personally, though, I think Blagojevich (like a lot of other politicians) is a pig, especially in his persistent claims that he did nothing wrong and his stubborn refusal to back down from his governorship. I hope the American justice system is functional enough to give him all the consequences he deserves.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98326848
1 comment:
It was shocking to discover that an elected official can be so disturbingly moral-free and unscrupulous. I mean we all have stereotypes and preconceived notions about politicians and how they're bought and sold and all that, but this is truly disappointing. To think that Gov Blagojevich abused the trust of the state of Illinois and cast such a pall over the President Elect Obama is truly scary.
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