Career News 24/7: The Cynical Girl: Blagojevich: 14 Years Is Excessive

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The Cynical Girl: Blagojevich: 14 Years Is Excessive

Posted: 12 Dec 2011 06:45 AM PST

I’m no fan of Rod Blagojevich. He is my former congressman and governor. His attitude towards politics and service are gross. And even his in-laws are a piece of work.

But fourteen years is an excessive prison sentence for someone who talked about trading a senator’s seat for perks but didn’t actually do it.

I know, I know, I know. You think he’s a scumbag. He committed a felony. But the government had to bend over backwards to prove it and I think this is a case of misplaced prosecutorial zealousness.

Pensions have been depleted and states are bankrupt. CEOs can’t find money. Banks have accepted government money while raising fees, laying off workers, and giving their executive teams bonuses. Financial institutions have pushed you and your relatives into sketchy loans. Some companies foreclosed on properties illegally and prematurely. Law enforcement is used to kick people out of their homes instead of pursuing crooks and thieves who stole our pensions, raided the coffers, and knew the government would bail them out and behaved illegally.

And what about the situation that bankrupted us in the first place? We fought two wars — one of which was started illegally. There were no WMDs. A CIA agent was outed. Government contractors raped their own employees and forced those employees into silence through sketchy employment contracts and mandatory arbitration instead of the courts.

Where’s the justice?

Sex offenders get an average of nine years in prison in Illinois. Blagojevich got fourteen years. He’ll serve 12.

How does this fix anything?