Hung Over

Judging by the national hissy fit over a recent jury verdict, your LakeCountyEye would've thought OJ Simpson had been acquitted of murder, or something. But no, it was only Rod Blagojevich; who walked.

Operatives will not have been surprised, the verdict was predicted nearly 2 months back, on this blog ...

An Eye to the Future

... where it was foretold with Nostradamian clarity that Blagojevich would not be convicted.

Hawk-eyed operatives who like to quibble over legal technicalities will point out that Blago in fact did not walk. He was convicted of one charge -- lying to the FBI. And there was a hung-jury on each of the other 578 Federal counts. And while soccer matches can end in a draw, our bookies Americans like contests that produce a winner and a loser. So with a justice system modelled after NFL rules, it's reasonable to expect the Blagojevich trial to go into sudden death overtime.

These are understandable quibbles. However Blagojevich no doubt will appeal the perjury conviction; since this particular charge is a case of he-said-he-said, your LakeCountyEye reasonably expects to see an acquittal when brought before a jurist who understands the law.

Regarding a retrial on the other 857 counts, there is a significant difference between Blagojevich and OJ. Unless aggravated mopery with intent to gawk has suddenly become a Federal crime, Blagojevich didn't break any laws. According to a News-Sun rehash ...

This is a governor who hid in a bathroom to avoid talking business with his budget director. This is a governor who had to be hunted down at a bowling alley to sign important legislation. This is a governor who tried to squeeze a cushy job out of the White House as a swap for appointing a friend of President Obama's to the vacant U.S. Senate seat. This is an elected official who left the state miserably adrift at a time of financial crisis.
Retrial? Yes

Point well taken, Blago is an incompetent & self-serving asshat. But, to cite another legal technicality, being an incompetent & self-serving asshat is not a punishable offense. If it was, then George W Bush would be doing life+50 right now. So far the Feds have proven that Blago comported himself while in office like -- oh let's say -- any big-city mayor does. Headline seeking federal prosecutors may crave a scalp as famous as Blago's, but you still can't grow hair on an eight-ball.

Your LakeCountyEye foresees Blagojevich walking once again.