On Hardball today, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich defended himself by pleading ignorance of the Constitution.
In his new book, The Governor, Blagojevich claims White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel asked him to appoint someone to Emanuel’s old House seat, in case he wanted to run again in 2010. But House members, unlike senators, are never appointed, only elected.
Chris Matthews asked Blago today how it was possible he and Emanuel — who served in the House for six years and was chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — didn’t know that.
“I think you’re giving me and Rahm too much credit. It’s not like we know the Constitution backwards and forwards without talking to lawyers,” he said, calling it a “good” and “appropriate” conversation.
“I didn’t think I had the power, he thought I might. He also thought there could be a way where we could find, through legal ways, a creative approach to the issue,” Blagojevich continued. “It turned out it wasn’t there.”
Blagojevich was impeached and indicted for allegedly trying to sell President Obama’s former Senate seat for political favors and lucrative jobs.
