Winning “The Blago”
“The Blago…it’s Effing Golden!”
I had not intended to blog but I was struck by a news article on political corruption in New Jersey – so much so that I am instituting an award for politicians or other public figures who get caught making damning statements regarding their own political corruption. I am calling the award “the Blago“, in honor of the impeached and indicted ex-Governor of Illinois.
Our first nominee for this prestigious award is Peter Cammarano III, Mayor of Hoboken New Jersey, now facing Federal charges:
Among those ensnared by the informant was Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano III, prosecutors said. The 32-year-old Cammarano, who won a runoff election last month, was accused of accepting money from the developer at a Hoboken diner.
“There’s the people who were with us, and that’s you guys,” the complaint quotes Cammarano saying. “There’s the people who climbed on board in the runoff. They can get in line. … And then there are the people who were against us the whole way. … They get ground into powder.”
I suspect that time will deliver us no shortage of contenders for the Blago.
“I seen my opportunities and I took’em”
– George Washington Plunkett.
July 25th, 2009 at 3:47 am
Pitch-perfect!—– I humbly nominate for 2010 ex- NC Gov. Sleazley once his e-mails are finally released to the public showing him browbeating terrified NC State alumni and officials to create a 6 figure position for his wife. Apparently he pulled out all the stops and threats just to take care of the colder side of the pillow.
July 25th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
[…] Zen Pundit has just instituted the prestigious Blago award – named after the indicted ex-governor of Illinois – “for politicians or other public figures who get caught making damning statements regarding their own political corruption” and their first nominee is Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano III […]
July 25th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
It may be hard to keep up after awhile because there will be so many nominees. In Illinois alone there’s at least 1-2 officials under indictment at any one time….
July 25th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Recent revelations have certainly given me a feeling of solidarity with the people of New Jersey.
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There, as here, it doesn’t appear that you could round up enough unindicted pols to have a good softball game.
July 26th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Eddie – well phrased. Given his bizarre personal odyssey the governor sounds like a guy looking for a financial exit strategy from his marriage moreso than a Blago style personal enrichment a la a good job for "Patty".
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Dona julia – but you understate.
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Dave – maybe if we migrated down to township level government. Not that they are less corrupt than aldermen or assemblymen but the positions are so obscure s to usally escape scrutiny
July 28th, 2009 at 1:25 am
It seems that the lower the level of government in Illinois, the more, not less, corrupt it is, in large part due to the lack of scrutiny.
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So much for Burke and subsidiarity. In practice, it is the G that is generally cleaner than state government, and local government is a cesspool, where the stakes are small, but no one is watching.
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So it seems to my unscientific observation.
July 28th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Laugh or cry, I don’t know which is more appropriate.