Today's hoot: Jesse Junior G-Man

Jon Kass at the Chicago Tribune says: Got corruption? Get Jesse Junior G-Man:

With so much news on the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, I almost missed an incredible aspect of this amazing case:

The Jesse Junior G-Man Task Force to Fight Political Corruption thing.

So I called the federal building in Chicago and asked for the Jesse Junior G-Man Task Force.

"Pardon me?" asked a female federal employee.

Don't be obtuse. It's been all over the national TV news, U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Bud Light) working with the feds to fight corruption. So connect me to the Jesse Junior G-Man headquarters.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said.

It might not be a formal "task force." Perhaps there's another name for it, like Jesse Junior G-Man Blago Working Group. I'm a reporter. You can tell me.

"Sorry," she said. "No Junior G-Man office here."

Oh, c'mon! Just stop with your little bureaucratic games. The story was on TV. Jackson's been working with the feds, which means he's a good guy.

But she had nothing for me, so I called someone else.

"Jesse Junior G-Man? No," a guy said. "Not on this floor."

Just tell me. The Junior G-Man works in a high-tech complex buried deep underground, right? Behind a series of cool interlocking steel doors, protecting the Cone of Silence, right?

Nope, no trace of Jesse Jr. was to be found, but I did like the later comparison with the Soprano's Big Pussy. It's a good name for the little weasel too.

PMs get Web site stipend

I'm sure that my British readers will be glad to know that MPs pay themselves £10,000 website allowance:

MPs have voted in favour of a government proposal to give each of them £10,000 to spend on websites to give the public more of an idea of what goes on in Parliament, the BBC reports.

House of Commons leader Jack Straw told MPs: "The purpose of this allowance is to contribute to better public understanding of what this Parliament is about and what it does. It's important for the health of our democracy for the public to know more about what we do."

Er, hold a on a sec, that was a snap from US Rep. John Murtha's "Pretend You're a Sheik" party.

The BBC reports that Mr Straw said websites funded by the extra £10,000 must not promote a party or politician, or raise funds, and must carry a message saying they are publicly paid for.

"not promote a politician" - They have to be kidding!

Speaking of which I was interested to see that Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., finally broke down and accepted some public funds for an official Web site at http://www.house.gov/jackson/. Of course, he has still kept his old Web site at http://www.jessejacksonjr.org/ (which is still number 1 on Google), but even there he has killed the old book club link (where he sold screeds to those of his fans that could read) although he is still peddling Monarch VoteTech software. Hmm, he's also lost the scruffy beard and is looking more Obamaesque in his publicity snaps. Maybe he figured it was time to clean up his act and try for higher office! If a cheapjack hustler like Obama can do it, why not Jesse Jr.?