Welcome to Legal Insurrection’s Official Guide to Blagojevich Blogs. What makes this “official”? The same thing that makes people think the Franklin Mint is related to the U.S. Mint, even though the commercial says it’s not.
These blogs have frequent posts or links specifically about Blago. This list is a work in progress and will be updated frequently. Please post suggested blogs as Comments, or e-mail me at contact/at/legalinsurrection/dot/com (if you can’t figure out what to change in the address, I’m not sure I want your input).
The blogs are listed alphabetically within category. Please, don’t anybody create the “AAABlagoBlog” or you won’t be listed.
Pure Blago Blogs. These blogs are focused only on Blago:
- Blago Blog Central – “This blog is about Illinois, its miscomings and its criminal element.” Moved to first place after it was pointed out that there is no “the” in the name. Wins the award for best blog title banner.
- Blagojevich Blog – From Windy Citizen. “Tracking the latest on Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s Federal Indictment” or so they say. Most direct name, going to be hard to beat alphabetically.
- BlagoWatch – Why didn’t I notice this sooner? Collects stories from the internet that reference Blago, and people comment. Can’t tell who runs it. Looks like one of those social networking things that people over 40 can’t understand. Worth a look.
- BloggingBlagoBlog – Describes itself as “More Nonsense From the Governor and the Illinois Democrat Party.” Describing your blog as “nonsense” does not set a very high bar, but at least you won’t be disappointed. Created by Illinois Republican Party. Lots of videos.
- Bloggin Blagogojevich’s Blunders – Not updated since January 2006, which shows how far back Blago’s “alleged” misconduct goes. But of course, Obama knew nothing. At this point, of historical value only, but a great name.
- Patty Blagojevich’s Freakin Blog – Not really, but talks like her. Throws the F-bomb every other word. R-rated.
Blago Blog Aggregators. These blogs collect other blogs posts on Blago:
- Beltway Blips – Aggregates both news and blog posts and lets readers vote.
- Clout City – Collects Blago blog posts from “Chicago Reader.”
“Illinois” Blogs. And I mean that as a compliment. These bloggers know Blago well, and they don’t like him:
- Backyard Conservative – “This blog is a product of over 25 years of biting my tongue in polite society.” We must have been separated at birth, because that’s why I started blogging. When she’s not biting her tongue, she’s sticking it out at Blago, Democrats, liberals, well you get the picture.
- Bill Baar’s West Side – Looks like this guy knows where all the political bodies are buried in Chicago, and he’s digging for Blago.
- Capitol Fax – Excellent blog by Rich Miller, who also writes for the Chicago-Sun Times, and seems to know Illinois politics. Highly recommended even though he does refer to me at “this guy.”
- Chicago Argus – from “Chicagoland’s far South Side.” If that’s not enough, also the “World’s Greatest Weblog” — High opinion of himself, and deserved. Good stuff on Blago.
- Critical Thoughts – Not critical of me, so must know what he (she?) is talking about.
- Illinoize – Pulls from several Illinois blogs, commentary and news. Run by someone who specializes in phonetics.
- Illinois Review – “Crossroads of the conservative community.” Cross-posts many of my articles about Blago and Lisa Madigan. Other than that, they exercise good editorial judgment.
- McHenry County Blog – Focuses on McHenry County (duh!) but now on the trail of Blago, with great screen shots of headlines and videos.
- Open Line Blog – “From Aurora, the 2nd largest city in Illinois.” Doesn’t like Blago, at all. May have to change the slogan, since at the rate Obama is hiring, Washington, D.C. , may soon be the second largest city in Illinois.
- The Barbershop – Dennis Byrne, Proprietor. A real writer really writes on everything Illinois, including Blago.
- The Real Barack Obama – f/k/a Rezkowatch, soon to be known as the ObamaRezkoBlagoRahmboJJJrValerieWatch. I normally don’t put “Obama” sites on this list, but Blago is emerging from the crowd here, and they have a Blagogate Reading List.
- The Sixth Ward – “Dispatches from Chicago’s south side.” Obsessed with Blago and potholes, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Sometimes Blago Blogs. These blogs have good original Blago content, but cover the real world also, so you have to keep checking:
- Ace of Spades HQ – Not a ton of Blago posts, but when they do, ouch. Like a spear through the groin.
- American Thinker – Apparently has a lot of Illinois thinkers, so they know Illinois politics well. The intellectual of this bunch, by far.
- Fullosseous Flap’s Dental Blog – What a catchy name. What does dentistry have to do with politics? Beats the floss out of me, but this blog has some good Blago posts.
- Hot Air – Good posts on Blago, but mixed in with posts on unimportant things, like the fate of the nation.
- Marathon Pundit – Based in Illinois, but so much more, so I didn’t want to pigeon-hole it into the “Illinois” category. Describes itself as “your Blagojevich scandals headquarters.” Hey, that’s my gig.
- Michelle Malkin – Run by Michelle Malkin. ‘Nuff said. Good stuff on Blago, when you can get it. Who else could think up a posts like “corruptocrat alert” and “The Real Housewives of Crook County”?
- NewsBusters – Busting the mainstream media’s coverage of Blago.
- Rightwing Nuthouse – Rick Moran is from Illinois, but covers just about everything. His articles on Illinois politics and Blago appear frequently in American Thinker.
- Scared Monkeys – Not that scared. Very biting posts, but need to search for them under the “Barack-Obama” tag.
The Linkers. These blogs link to the best of the Blagosphere:
- Gateway Pundit – “Where hope finally made a comeback.” Wins the award for “quickest on the draw.” When Blago news breaks, I immediately check the web, and they already have a post with numerous links.
- Instapundit – Run by a law professor, but not a “law professor blog.” Where else can you get Blago links next to links for the latest high tech gadgets?
Mainstream Media. Blogs in mainstream newspaper websites are mostly useless and only concerned that Blago doesn’t taint Obama, but these are the exceptions:
- John Kass – Not really a blogger, more a columnist, but the “go to” guy on corruption in Illinois. I think Fitzgerald taps his phone just to find out what is going on.
- Lynn Sweet – Possibly my favorite Blago blog, by Chicago Sun-Times columnist named (drumroll, please) …. Lynn Sweet.
- The Blagojevich Blog – From the Springfield, Illinois State Journal-Register, but not updated that frequently. What a waste of a great blog name.
- Washington Wire Blagojevich page – Good reverse chronological (not the same thing as bass ackwards) list of Blago news posts from the Wall Street Journal.
Law Professor Blogs. Will only link to law professor blogs that do not take themselves too seriously, or act like they know what they are talking about just because they are law professors:
- Althouse – Legal analysis, mixed with other more fun stuff. Hard to beat alphabetically.
- Legal Insurrection – “The best, most in-depth legal analysis of the Rod Blagojevich case, soup-to-nuts,” if I do say so myself.
News/Resources. These are the best sites for news and resources, such as court documents:
- Blagobusted.com – The Chicago Sun-Times’ Blagojevich Section, including an interactive “Obama Family Tree” (I don’t see Blago on it, but I’ll keep looking).
- Constitution of the State of Illinois
- Illinois House Special Investigative Committee – Documents in evidence in impeachment hearings
- Illinois Issues Blog – Good day-by-day summaries of impeachment proceedings
- Illinois Supreme Court – original court filings and orders – sure to get active again once the impeachment hearings move to the trial stage
Funny Stuff. Isn’t that what Blago is accused of?
- “All Star Jailhouse Rock” video, from the folks at Parody and Son blog
- Blago Cartoons – Here and here and here and here
- The Nose On Your Face – Original Blago video spoofs (and Obama too!).
Best Headlines. No NY Post headlines, that wouldn’t be fair to others:
Hors Catégorie. Not like it sounds. French for “Beyond Category”:
- “Free Blago” Button
- Govna’s own official website – showing all the stuff Blago is doing while he supposedly is unable to act as Governor, and how to get hired as an intern (ugh oh, what’s next?)
- Illinois Poet Laureate – Poetry in the service of Blago, sort of.
- Lisa Madigan’s own official website, featuring “MethNet“
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Comments
Another Blog with light-hearted documentary on Blagojevich, and Capital and Illinois in general http://YourDecisionMaker.blogspot.com
Thanks…consider The Real Barack Obama too.
The Real Barack Obama added. I saw it before but figured it was only Obama related, but it has good Blago coverage also. As to YourDecisionMaker, looks a little thin on the Blago coverage, but I’ll keep an eye on it.
Lol, great idea.
am remembering The Old Mayor Hizzoner’s friend Paddy Bauler’s infamous quote: CHICAGO AIN’T READY FOR REFORM!
And Chicago (and Illinois) still may not be ready.
A few weeks ago I heard someone on radio mention that Obama got the US senate seat because Chicago pols wanted him out of the state instead of in the Illinois governorship — they didn’t want him playing in their back yard anymore.
The Blago office-selling flap raises interesting questions.
Let’s all watch to see if any dots appear between ethics changes that Blago wanted and the US senate seat ‘scandal’.
Chicago has seen much worse than the sale of political office, and in fact speaking of sale of political offices, if local pols are so offended about the sale of a senate seat, where were they when Mayor Daley held back Cook County’s vote talley the night Cook County elected Jack Kennedy? And which judge promised Joe Kennedy his kid would be elected by Chicago?
This paragraph from the ethics change story is something that for sure would set Chicago machine policians’ hair on fire:
“Blagojevich last month used his amendatory veto power to expand the contractor donation ban to lawmakers and all state officeholders. He also tried to change how pay raises would be voted on, bar lawmakers from holding most other government jobs and require them to more fully disclose lobbying work”
With lawmakers and state office-holders’ ‘donations’ from contractors, self-voted pay raises, and other sources of off-the-books income in jeopardy, you better believe that the whole state legislature, not to mention every Chicago machine politician past, present, and future would want Blago gone.
From the ‘reform’ story: “Let’s go ahead and give the people of the state of Illinois what they want and what they deserve,” Fritchey said
Oh yeah. And he was using the one-finger salute to let his audience know exactly what he meant.
Sorry to be cynical but I’ve lived in Chicago and in its shadow too long not to know that there’s more going on under the blanket and behind the curtain than is going on in the front of the house.
Just a thought.
——————————————————————————–
“Is Illinois ready for ethics?
The House undid in about two minutes the sweeping ethics reform rewrite Blagojevich spent two months putting together.
The House voted 110-3 for the original version of House Bill 824 that lawmakers passed in May. That version would bar people with state contracts worth $50,000 or more from making political donations to state officeholders overseeing the contracts.
Blagojevich also issued an executive order effective Jan. 1 barring people with high-dollar contracts with agencies under his control from giving donations to any state officeholders or lawmakers.
Blagojevich last month used his amendatory veto power to expand the contractor donation ban to lawmakers and all state officeholders. He also tried to change how pay raises would be voted on, bar lawmakers from holding most other government jobs and require them to more fully disclose lobbying work.
Rep. John Fritchey, D-Chicago, said lawmakers should consider the changes in separate bills that he filed Wednesday, not in a take-it-or-leave-it vote.
“Let’s go ahead and give the people of the state of Illinois what they want and what they deserve,” Fritchey said.
The vote came just hours after Blagojevich had urged lawmakers not to override his changes because he fears they will be stalled if they’re put into separate bills.
If the measure isn’t voted on in the Senate within 15 days, the entire bill and the changes die.”
Hey, Gov. Rod Blagojevich Shakespeare, Illinois Poet Laureate, has collected his poems in one blog:
http://illinoispoetlaureate.blogspot.com/
Enjoy.
Added the poetry.