Illinois governor arrested

Once again another Democrat has been accused of wrongdoing. This time it is right in President-elect Obama's backyard:

Illinois Governor Arrested for Corruption

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on charges of conspiring to get financial benefits through his authority to appoint a U.S. senator to fill the vacancy left by Barack Obama's election as president.

According to a federal criminal complaint, Blagojevich also was charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co., the owner of the Chicago Tribune, in the sale of Wrigley Field. In return for state assistance, Blagojevich allegedly wanted members of the paper's editorial board who had been critical of him fired.
Blagojevich also was charged with using his authority as governor in an attempt to squeeze out campaign contributions, prosecutors said.
Blagojevich's chief of staff, John Harris, also was arrested.
Federal agents were in Blagojevich's office in the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago on Tuesday morning.
Corruption in the Blagojevich administration has been the focus of a federal Operation Board Games involving an alleged $7 million scheme aimed at squeezing kickbacks out of companies seeking business from the state. Federal prosecutors have acknowledged they're also investigating "serious allegations of endemic hiring fraud" under Blagojevich.

Once again I advise President-elect Obama to bring real change to politics and to our party in particular. He should stand up and demand the highest ethical standards. Obama should call for Rep. Rangel to step down from the House Ways and Means Chairmanship. He should call on Senator Dodd to clear his name in his mortgage scandal questions. Obama should demand Blagojevich resign now. In addition, there should be a clear standard that even the hint of impropriety is reason for removal in the new administration.

Also, all of the left-leaning blogs need to demonstrate some integrity and treat all of these scandals from William Jefferson, Former Rep. Mahoney (who replaced Mark Foley), Rangel, and any other issues with the seriousness they desire.

As a party we should stand for principles and not personalities or winning for winning's sake.

It doesn't work and will lead to a collapse, but nonetheless it is the wrong thing to do.

Democrats should be the party of good and effective government. That takes honest politicians.

We can do it. Yes we can.