SOLD! Illinois Senate Seat

I know how stunned we all were to learn that there was more government corruption in Illinois . . . which is to say, it was about as stunning as when George Michael was jerked out of the closet. They've got Tony Rezko, Christopher G. Kelly, a long and storied tradition of Democratic Lazarus voters, why this state makes "earn $1,000 a day from home" scams seem legit.

Now we find Governor Rod Blagojevich, who should have been locked up years ago for that cheesy smile, under arrest for trying to sell the Senate spot vacated by Barack Obama. Perhaps he thought fair is fair since Obama recently bought the White House.

According to Fox News:

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald on Tuesday accused Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich of participating in a "political corruption crime spree" that was a blatant effort to sell the state's U.S. Senate seat in the latest "pay-to-play" scheme in Illinois politics.

"He has been arrested in the middle of what we can only describe as a political corruption crime spree," Fitzgerald said in a news conference to announce the charges against the governor and his chief of staff. "This is a sad day for government. It's a very sad day for Illinois government. Governor Blagojevich has taken us to a truly new low."

Usually Senators are the ones being bought, but never let it be said that an Illinois politician can't think outside of the box. So how much does a Senate seat go for these days?

The 76-page FBI affidavit alleges that Blagojevich was taped conspiring to sell or trade Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat for financial and other personal benefits for himself and his wife, including an annual salary of $250,000-$300,000 at a nonprofit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions.

Ol' Abe Lincoln would be spinning in his grave, if he wasn't actually from Kentucky.