Rep. Danny K. Davis Statement On The Criminal Complaint Against Governor Rod Blagojevich

Statement

Rep. Danny K. Davis released the following statement on the crinimal complaint against Governor Rod Blagojevich.

"I am seriously disappointed and saddened by the allegations and quotations contained in the Criminal Complaint released by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald this morning. These allegations suggest corruption and criminal activity in the office of the Governor on a massive scale. In a state still rocked by the convictions of Governors George Ryan, Dan Walker and Otto Kerner, this document suggests wrongdoing on a scale never before seen.

The harm done to our government and our people by corruption is hard to quantify. There are the direct costs of precious wasted resources and tax dollars and the harm to the populace in lost services, programs and infrastructure development. Every dollar siphoned off means fewer dollars for education, health care, police protection and economic development. Harder to measure, but no less significant, are the losses in public trust and disruptions in the processes of government. Even worse is the climate created by corruption, a climate that breeds further corruption.

For the sake of our state and our people, one hopes that the allegations are not true, but we should not, and cannot, permit Illinois government to become paralyzed in the face of the profound economic crisis we are experiencing and the immense challenges we face. I am confident that our state legislative leaders will come together and coalesce around the need to keep government functioning and restore the confidence of the people of Illinois. The challenges faced by Illinois families are as urgent today as they were yesterday. I trust as our legislative leaders move expeditiously to address this crisis that we will draw the appropriate lessons from the events leading up to this crisis and act decisively to take the measures required to prevent them from ever occurring again.

On the human side of this tragedy, I am praying for the Blagojevich family, especially his two daughters, Amy and Anne and for all the people of our state."

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