Judge to Deadbeat Guv: Time for Waffling Has Passed...

Judge to Deadbeat Guv: Time for Waffling Has Passed...

December 11, 2006
As reported recently by GamePolitics, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has failed to order payment of more than a half-million dollars to the video game industry.

The money represents the cost of legal bills the ESA and EMA ran up defending Blagojevich's ill-fated Safe Games Illinois Act, which was ruled unconstitutional by Federal District Court Judge Matthew Kennelly more than a year ago.

Now, the Associated Press is reporting that Judge Kennelly seems to be losing patience with the Governor. Earlier today Judge Kennelly ordered Blagojevich and the Illinois attorney general to explain by next Monday how they plan to repay the video game industry.

Judge Kennelly said, "...the time for waffling has passed," and accused the Illinois guv of giving the game biz "the run-around."

The Chicago Tribune has more.
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Comments

Submitted by Warren Lewis - December 11, 2006 at 1:57 pm -0500
mmm...waffles.....:)


What will happen if he doesn't pay?

- Warren Lewis
Submitted by Jabrwock - December 11, 2006 at 1:59 pm -0500
Damn you! That picture made me hungry! Mmmmm, waffles. ;)

Maybe Blagojevich is still trying to scrounge up loose change to pay the ESA with. I seem to recall him having spent all the taxpayers money on pizza or something. ;)
Submitted by BlitzFitness - December 11, 2006 at 2:47 pm -0500
Kennelly is actually being very active in this, and keeps chopping away time and opportunities from the Illinois guv because he feels (correctly, I believe) that the time is being squandered and nothing is being done.

I'm really starting to like this guy.
Submitted by hayabusa75 - December 11, 2006 at 2:59 pm -0500
Good for Judge Kennelly. Apparently the oily jerk thinks he can get away with jerking the game industry around. I'd like to think Blago-fool is sweating it out in his office right now, desperately wondering how he's going to produce the money. Out of pocket's got my vote.
Submitted by AlteredBeast - December 11, 2006 at 3:33 pm -0500
$500,000 can buy a helluva lotta waffels.
Submitted by Daniel - December 11, 2006 at 4:52 pm -0500
Let's hear it for the judge. They have to pay the video game industry and, actually, I think it's good that they're not because that gives anti-game activists a bad name. This judge diserves a lot of praise and the governor is doing a great job of dragging anti-game activists name through the mud. As time goes on, and the losses mount for Jack Thompson, and his friends, it's looking less and less like they're going to ever win anything and I hope they keep losing.
Submitted by Robb - December 11, 2006 at 5:16 pm -0500
I believe failing to comply with a judge's order is contempt of court and you can be jailed for that. That's a stupid thing to go to jail for since it's the State that owes the money, not the Governor.
Submitted by Brer - December 11, 2006 at 5:32 pm -0500
I have a friend whose father is in the state legislature for IL, and the last I heard from them (I've fallen out of touch, I'm sorry to say) the state budget was not in the best of shape, and it was mostly Blagojevich's fault. The reason he may be stalling is that the state can't -afford- half a million without some serious adjustment of the current budget. I know that the state is a billion dollars over budget on its medical programs, -not counting- the new ones Blagojevich created, and that Blagojevich's main plan for balancing the budget in 2005 was to just cover the difference by taking 1.2 Billion out of the state employee pension fund.
Submitted by PHOENIXZERO - December 11, 2006 at 5:36 pm -0500
I think he's trying to sweep this under the rug, bury his head in the sand and hope it goes away.... I'm willing to bet one reason it hasn't been paid out is because it was a election year. The ESA/EMA should have a guy go to his office, dressed as a pimp and smack him up while yelling "where's my money b****h?!"
Submitted by konrad_arflane - December 11, 2006 at 5:50 pm -0500
@brer: Well, if they're already $1 billion over budget, what's $500,000? Though I suppose that kind of thinking won't go over well with the taxpayers.
Submitted by CaptainZM - December 11, 2006 at 7:26 pm -0500
Good Old Democracy.


THIS, is a Leet version of what will happen.

Judge: You got Pwned.
Lawyer:OMG.WTF. Invincible Bill suxxors...
ESA:Pwnage! Woot!!
Dead Beat Govener: Omg. *Buries Head in Sand*
Voters:WTF! *New Govener*
Submitted by Salen - December 11, 2006 at 8:13 pm -0500
Damn, now I'm hungry for waffles, and its like... 8pm. And no wafflehouse within 5 miles. *murfles*

On the plus side, I'm still glad to see the judge slapping the governor around to make sure that future governors don't try this stuff.
Submitted by Thefremen - December 11, 2006 at 8:49 pm -0500
I want some waffles and fried chicken. That would really hit the spot.
Submitted by sabin_blitz - December 11, 2006 at 9:01 pm -0500
Please, people. No more talk of waffles or any other form of food. I'm already feeling nauseous as is from some unknown source and the last thing I need to think of is food. Either way, way to go, judge! Take Blagojevich to task for the legal fees HE incurred.
Submitted by Bissel - December 11, 2006 at 9:07 pm -0500
Justice is justice is justice. Doesn't matter who is who if someone is in the wrong, neh?
Submitted by Benji - December 11, 2006 at 10:25 pm -0500
Seems the Gov had too much on his plate with this bill, and now he's got egg all over his face. Sure, Hot Coffee was bad, but defeating this legislation was a piece of cake for the industry - they certainly are on a roll. Things aren't peachy for Rod now, and if he keeps up his waffling he might end up being toast.
Submitted by Kyouryuu - December 12, 2006 at 12:11 am -0500
He fights under the disguise of defending morals, and when the time comes to pay up for his mistake, he does the immoral things. Brilliant. We could learn a lot from a dummy like Blagojevich.

Put this guy away, Illinois.
Submitted by -Jes- - December 12, 2006 at 1:03 am -0500
Damnit Benji...

Now I'm hungry again! D:
Submitted by lordlundar - December 12, 2006 at 1:14 am -0500
Nice one Benji! :)

Now you see, THIS is how you get effective results! You don't make baseless threats, you make promises and act on them.
Submitted by Thefremen - December 12, 2006 at 2:04 am -0500
Justice is blind, but has an awesome sense of smell when it comes to breakfast foods.
Submitted by Brer - December 12, 2006 at 2:16 am -0500
@konrad_arflame:

Well, maybe IL taxpayers will reconsider in 2008 before electing another tax-and-spend, "never met a government program I didn't like" Democrat for Governor.
Submitted by Matthew - December 12, 2006 at 2:29 am -0500
"The evil videogame industry wants an impoverished state to pay half a million in damages to enable them to continue peddling violent porn to kids."

It's only a matter of time.
Submitted by Kajex - December 12, 2006 at 4:16 am -0500
Indeed. But most taxpayers and voters are going to remember that Rod was the one who pushed for this, so no matter what people like JT or other politicians might say to demonize the industry, the law is still going to be on their side.
Submitted by JQuilty - December 12, 2006 at 2:22 pm -0500
@ Brer: Blago isn't up in 08'. He already got re-elected since he was up this year.
Submitted by monte - December 12, 2006 at 7:18 pm -0500
@Jquilty

Indeed, if i had to gues, that could be a reason why he held out on paying back the industry (aside from just plain not having the money and wanting to give the idustry the run around). Had he payed up sooner the whole fiasco might have been more noticable and his opponenent might have been able to turn it into a campaign issue. Now that the election is over and he has won, he doesn't have to worry much about his job... afterall, by 2010 this ordeal will more than likely be forgotten... to voters atleast...

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