Another Illinois governor convicted

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

No pleasure should be taken in seeing anyone in public life disgraced - even if that person has conducted himself in an appalling manner.

So although justice has been done, there is sadness that former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been convicted by a Chicago jury on 17 of 20 charges, including one charge that he tried to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat that was formerly held by President Barack Obama.

It is also sad that Blagojevich continues a tradition of corruption in Illinois. Half of the state's past eight governors were convicted of felonies.

Blagojevich surely will appeal his conviction. He faces a sentence of up to 300 years.

Plainly, he should never have been elected governor. He also should never have behaved in a way that made him vulnerable to the charges on which he now has been convicted.