Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) “sought Tuesday evening to distance Illinois Democratic candidates from former Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), who was convicted by a federal grand jury earlier in the day of lying to the FBI,” Congressional Quarterly reports.
“Let’s be honest, we’ve had two governors of opposite political parties who have faced prosecution for misconduct in office,” Durbin said. “And I think that most voters, although they’re probably down on most politicians, will judge candidates as individuals.”
Blagojevich’s most recent predecessor, former Gov. George Ryan (R), was sentenced in 2006 to six and a half years in prison for racketeering. Durbin in 2008 asked President George W. Bush to consider commuting Ryan’s sentence to time served; Bush refused.
“I feel badly for honest, hard-working elected officials in both political parties who are unfortunately going to be tarred by many of the images created by the Blagojevich trial,” Durbin said Tuesday.
(credit image – daylife/associated press)
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