Blagojevich Apparently Unaware He’s Been Accused of Corruption (Updated With Video)
Jul 31, 202068.7K Shares3.4M Views
Following his impeachment this morning, Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-Ill.) gave a press conference that addressed everything under the sun — except the charges of corruption and abuse of power for which he was impeached. It was an utterly bizarre spectacle that left CNN’s Rick Sanchez asking, “What the hell was that?”
“The House’s action today was not a surprise; it was a foregone conclusion,” Blagojevich began calmly. “They’ve been talking about doing it for years.”
He went on to describe his accomplishments as governor, and the state House of Representatives’ efforts to hinder his health care reforms. Flanked by a motley crew of Illinoisians who he said “have benefited from some of these initiatives,” he ranted for minutes on end about breast cancer and kidney conditions.
But he made absolutely no mention of the core issue: his attempted sale of Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat, as alleged by federal prosecutors. Instead, he seemed to think that he had been impeached for his crusade to save lives.
Over and over, he described his health care programs and asked rhetorically, “Is that an impeachable offense?”
The only moments that did not seem thoroughly surreal came at the end of the press conference — but not the very end, when he once again quoted a British poetto prove some point that eluded me — as he maintained his innocence.
“Let me reassert to all of you once more that I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing,” he insisted. “I’m confident that at the end of the day I will be properly exonerated. In the meantime I have a job to do for the people.”
UPDATE: Here’s the video:
Dexter Cooke
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Dexter Cooke is an economist, marketing strategist, and orthopedic surgeon with over 20 years of experience crafting compelling narratives that resonate worldwide.
He holds a Journalism degree from Columbia University, an Economics background from Yale University, and a medical degree with a postdoctoral fellowship in orthopedic medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina.
Dexter’s insights into media, economics, and marketing shine through his prolific contributions to respected publications and advisory roles for influential organizations.
As an orthopedic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive knee replacement surgery and laparoscopic procedures, Dexter prioritizes patient care above all.
Outside his professional pursuits, Dexter enjoys collecting vintage watches, studying ancient civilizations, learning about astronomy, and participating in charity runs.
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