Blagojevich discusses ethics to packed audience

Northwestern students have recently expressed confusion about why the University's most notoriously corrupt alumnus was going to deliver their next lecture on ethics.

Tuesday night Rod Blagojevich explained.

"Many of you must think it's kind of ironic that I would agree and accept an opportunity to come here and talk to you about ethics in government," the former Illinois governor said. "For all the courage and testicular virility you think you have, if I did the things they said I did, and I did wrong things like they want you to believe I did, I would be nowhere near this event."

The impeached governor defended himself in front of a sold-out crowd in Cahn Auditorium Tuesday night at the College Democrats event, "Ethics in Politics: An evening with Former Governor Rod Blagojevich."

"I am innocent of all charges," he said. "I was not only ethical and followed the law, but I kept my promises."

In 2009 Blagojevich (Weinberg '79) was indicted on 16 federal corruption charges, which include federal extortion, fraud, bribery and racketeering. Along with a scheme to sell

President Barack Obama's vacated seat in the U.S. Senate, he is charged with trying to extort money from companies seeking state business and using public funds to pressure the termination of editorial writers at the Chicago Tribune.

College Democrats decided to invite Blagojevich to speak at NU to foster a conversation about ethics and its role in politics, said Dan Rockoff, the group's vice president for programming. Because four out of the last eight Illinois governors have been indicted, the Communication senior said corruption was a key issue during the state's primary elections.

"We think the best way to better our politics isn't to ignore the past but to learn from it," he said. "We want future leaders to hold themselves to higher standards."

Despite the charges against him, Blagojevich maintained his innocence throughout the event.

After a 15-minute speech, he fielded questions from three NU professors: political science Prof. Donald Gordon, School of Law Prof. Tonja Jacobi and Medill Prof. Donna Leff. The trio questioned everything from Blagojevich's definition of political corruption to his motives for participating in reality television shows.

The discussion heated up as the floor switched to Jacobi, who disagreed with Blagojevich on the legality of quid pro quo.

Blagojevich said exchanges between politicians are inevitable. He said Hillary Clinton was offered her current position, secretary of state, because she dropped out of the 2008 presidential race.

"Hillary is qualified," he said. "But she is no Henry Kissinger."

Since his impeachment, Blagojevich and his wife, Patti Blagojevich, have been left unemployed, which led them to participate on reality television shows, the Celebrity Apprentice 2010 star said.

"Necessity compelled my wife to go to the Costa Rican jungle and eat tarantulas," Blagojevich said of his wife's experience on "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here."

Media inaction is part of the reason he participated in reality television,  he said.

"The media isn't doing its job to scratch the surface," he said. "What happened to Woodward or Bernstein?"

Blagojevich said journalists have an ethical obligation to be skeptical and question what the government tells them. He added he would be proved innocent if journalists worked harder to obtain conversation tapes being used in his trial.

Although the crowd moaned at these statements, Kaley Stroup said the forum made her think about the role journalists play.

"It changed my opinion a little," the Weinberg freshman said. "He has a point about the media. A lot of the coverage does seem negative, and the media don't seem to be looking at the other side."

Zach Ratner said the event was a great opportunity to see "political theater."

"He definitely delivered a performance," the Weinberg sophomore said. "Rod Blagojevich is an enigma. He's like the man, the myth, the legend."

laurenmogannam2007@u.northwestern.edu