Arrested developments

What a time for the Chicago Tribune to be filing for bankruptcy protection. The newest governor going to jail this year is none other than Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff. It seems that the governor, in his constitutional capacity as governor, thought the position being vacated by Barack Obama was an actual seat, like something in say Soldiers Field that could be bought and sold once vacated. This razzle-dazzle dynamic duo was arrested by the FBI. They seemed to be running quite a racket in Springfield and tried to intimidate the editorial board of the Tribune because the governor didn't like what Sam Zell was saying about him. But just as Illinois is the land of Lincoln, it is also the land of Capone, and the federal government's untouchable U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald was there to explain it all. For those of you keeping score, Fitzgerald also bagged Scooter Libby and Conrad Lord Black. In this little affair it seems that Illinois bankruptcies stretch well beyond North Michigan Avenue.