Obama--A bystander to corruption

Washington Times:

"I'm from Chicago," Barack Obama used to tell voters wondering whether he was tough enough to win the presidency, drawing laughs for referring to rough-and-tumble - and often corrupt - politics in his hometown.

But the arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich on charges of trying to sell Mr. Obama's vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder is probably not what the president-elect had in mind.

Authorities stressed that Mr. Obama was not involved in the far-flung corruption probe, but a 76-page FBI affidavit mentions a top Obama adviser who will be a senior White House staffer, a prominent labor union that worked for his candidacy, convicted felon and former Obama fundraiser Tony Rezko, and Washington-based consultants.

Within hours, lawmakers from both parties were calling for Mr. Blagojevich's resignation and Republicans were trying to exploit the scandal by demanding that Mr. Obama offer more details about his relationship with the disgraced governor.

"We're at an all-time low in our state," said Rep. Bobby L. Rush, Illinois Democrat.

...

Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the No. 2 Republican in the House as minority whip, called on Mr. Obama to offer a clear statement right away about the investigation.

"The serious nature of the crimes listed by federal prosecutors raises questions about the interaction with Governor Blagojevich, President-elect Obama and other high-ranking officials who will be working for the future president," he said. "Simply put, I ask President-elect Obama to publicly explain tomorrow exactly what steps he is going to take to ensure that the forthcoming investigation is independent, fair, open and honest. Those planning to work for President-elect Obama should be as forthcoming."

Democrats who had been reveling in their presidential victory were suffering political heartburn Tuesday as the federal corruption charges detailed expletive-laden conversations and Mr. Blagojevich cursing the president-elect.

...

"If Illinois isn't the most corrupt state in the United States, it's a strong competitor," FBI chief Robert Grant said during the press conference.

Mr. Blagojevich's predecessor George Ryan is serving jail time for racketeering and fraud. The current governor is on track to be the fifth Illinois chief executive to be indicted or convicted since 1929.

Mr. Obama told reporters he had no knowledge of the goings-on in the governor's office, and authorities said the person they identified as Senate Candidate 1, thought to be transition co-chairwoman Valerie Jarrett, had done nothing wrong.

The president-elect said he was "saddened and sobered" by the news but that it was not appropriate for him to comment on an ongoing investigation.

"I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening," he told reporters in his only public remarks about the matter.

...

Obama has a "Don't shoot me. I'm just the piano player," approach to the cess pool of corruption in which he swam in Illinois. Unlike Sarah Palin who took an active roll in attacking corruption, Obama took more of a clean hands empty head approach.

The media is already trying to suggest he had a roll in bringing down Blagojevich by supporting an ethics bill that prompted some of the Governor's alleged criminal activity. Again it was just a bystander roll. He has never shown an interest in going after his fellow Illinois politicians.

He could do something that might change opinions and make the Democrats look less venal, but he is unlikely to do so. He could withdraw the nomination of Eric Holder for AG and instead nominate Patrick Fitzgerald. That would show a sign of seriousness about the issue of corruption, but it is one that would be pretty scary to a lot of Democrats.

If he does not do that, his administration will be tainted by the culture of corruption that infests the Democrat party right now.