(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Rod Blagojevich has been told in rather blunt terms by a federal judge that the former Illinois governor may not run for state or local office in the future.
Blagojevich had asked the federal courts to overturn the state Legislature’s ban on his holding office, but U.S. District Court Judge Steven Seeger released a written decision rejecting that request while expressing exasperation that the Chicago Democrat won’t leave the public stage already.
Seeger even quoted a Dr. Seuss story, “Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!” – a story about the banishment of a persistent character.
Wrote Seeger: “Read generally Dr. Seuss, Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! (1972) (‘The time has come. The time has come. The time is now. Just Go. Go. GO! I don’t care how. You can go by foot. You can go by cow. Marvin K.Mooney, will you please go now!’)”
Blagojevich was convicted of federal charges of public corruption and served more than half of a 14-year sentence before President Donald Trump commuted it in 2020.
Judge Seeger ruled Blagojevich may not hold public office for two reasons: The federal courts cannot overturn his impeachment and legislative conviction, and Illinois law forbids felons from running for office.
Seeger said Blagojevich’s legal complaint was riddled with problems and that "if the problems are fish in a barrel, the complaint contains be an entire school of tuna."
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