Blago’s arrogant use of power will cost him freedom, future

United States Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald in Chicago could well have been talking about the Mahoning Valley when he offered the following observation about Illinois’ deep-rooted political corruption: “... You look to the FBI to do a lot. You look to law enforcement to do a lot. But the real effort to clean up corruption is going to start with the citizenry.”

However, we would go a step further: Government corruption in our area will end only when individuals who have no qualms about influencing public officials through bribery or other means are prosecuted and sent away to prison for a very long time.

Why does Fitzgerald’s observation about the role citizens can play in ending corruption warrant attention? Because this week he scored another major victory with the prosecution of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. A jury in federal court in Chicago convicted Democrat Blagojevich on 17 criminal counts of corruption — 11 relating to his attempt to sell President Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat and six dealing with fund-raising shakedowns of a hospital executive and racetrack owner, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The Tribune reported that on paper, Blago, as he is commonly referred to, could be sent away to prison for 300 years. However, criminal justice experts believe that he is looking at 10 years.

“This is a bittersweet moment,” Fitzgerald said. In 2006, the U.S. attorney successfully prosecuted Blagojevich’s predecessor, Gov. George Ryan, for government corruption. Ryan is now serving time. “Five years ago, another jury sent a message that corruption in Illinois is not tolerable. Gov. Blagojevich did not get the message.”

Remember Traficant?

Why not? Because of the arrogance that comes from wielding so much power. He, like others of his ilk — the Mahoning Valley’s Hall of Shame is filled with portraits of such individuals — believe that their public offices are god-given and, therefore, can be used for their personal gain. On a local level, think former Valley Congressman James A. Traficant Jr., former Mahoning County Sheriff Phil Chance, former county prosecutor, the late James Philomena, ex-common pleas Judge Maureen Cronin and on and on.

It is ironic that after ex-Illinois Gov. Ryan was convicted in April 2006, then Gov. Blagojevich had this to say: “Today’s verdict proves that no one is above the law. And just as important, it proves that government is supposed to exist for the good of the people, not the other way around, and certainly not for the personal enrichment of those who hold public office3.”

Just two years later, he was arrested on corruption charges and tried last year. Then, a jury found him guilty of only one of the charges against him.

The federal government decided to retry him, resulting in this week’s verdict.

The former governor was charged with wire fraud, bribery, attempted extortion, conspiracy and lying to the FBI.

Yes, for those of us in the Mahoning Valley with a front-row seat to the crime and corruption of government, what occurred in the federal courtroom in Chicago has a familiar ring. The refrain that we hear from so many local residents, “Everybody does it,” unfortunately will grow louder.

But everybody doesn’t do it — it being the corruption of government.