Gov. Blagojevich must go -- right now

If Gov. Blagojevich does not resign immediately, impeach him.

This is the inescapable conclusion that comes after reading Tuesday's 76-page criminal complaint against the governor alleging a runaway crime spree of political corruption.

Even if the governor were found not guilty of every accusation against him -- and given the apparent weight of the evidence against him, we're not taking any bets -- the criminal charges would cripple his already limited ability to lead Illinois.

The criminal complaint paints a portrait of Blagojevich that is stunning in its venality and arrogance. It taints any future decision Blagojevich could make as governor, especially his selection of the next U.S. senator from Illinois.

The federal investigation of the governor's administration dates to 2003, but the details in the criminal complaint are as fresh as this month.

With federal agents planting listening devices at Blagojevich's campaign office and on his home phone, the most damning evidence against the governor comes from his own mouth.

To Blagojevich's way of thinking, the criminal complaint alleges, picking the next senator from Illinois isn't a solemn obligation, it's a sale -- to the highest bidder.

"It's f - - - - - - golden and . . . I'm not giving it up for f - - - - - - nothing," Blagojevich is recorded saying, according to the complaint.

And if President-elect Barack Obama doesn't give Blagojevich something valuable in return for selecting Obama's choice to replace him in the U.S. Senate?

"F - - - him," Blagojevich allegedly said.

In the same spirit, deciding how much taxpayer money to spend on a tollway project is not a matter of fine planning. It's a matter of fund-raising -- how much money a highway contractor who will profit from the job can raise for the governor. If the contractor raises too little money, too bad.

"If they don't perform, f - - - 'em," the governor allegedly said.

And, in the same sad spirit, figuring out whether the state should help the Tribune Co. finance the sale of Wrigley Field doesn't come down to dollars and cents. It comes down to muscling the Tribune to fire the editorial writers who called for the governor's impeachment.

"Fire those f - - - - - -," Blagojevich allegedly said.

We repeat these quotes not to dwell on an unpleasant obscenity but to give you insight, based on what's in the complaint, into how the governor privately views his commitment to serve the people of this state.

Earlier this year, you may recall, Blagojevich opposed a state ethics law limiting how much businesses with state contracts could donate to him.

He claimed the bill wasn't tough enough.

Few believed him then.

Fewer will believe him now, as the criminal complaint details how Blagojevich allegedly went on a fund-raising spree to squeeze $2.5 million in contributions from those very businesses before the ethics law went into effect.

Context is key to understanding why the allegations against Blagojevich are worse than your typical charges against a politician who shakes people down. (We sadly say "typical" because, after all, we live in Illinois.)

In Blagojevich's case, federal agents have been swarming over every part of the governor's life for years. His friend and fund-raiser Tony Rezko has been convicted for political corruption in Blagojevich's administration.

So what kind of man -- knowing all this -- continues to shake down businesses and puts a Senate seat up for sale? What combination of hubris, stupidity and greed is at work here?

What kind of governor considers snatching back a state grant to Children's Memorial Hospital because its CEO refused to cough up a campaign contribution?

If the business of political corruption is a race, these allegations suggest, Blagojevich has left former Gov. George Ryan in the dust.

The only scenario worse than Blagojevich's refusing to resign would be his refusing to resign and then selecting our next senator. Fortunately, the state Senate and House look poised to meet, so lawmakers can change the law to select a new senator by special election.

None of this, of course, will be necessary if Blagojevich does in fact resign. He could do this for the sake of the state, not as an admission of guilt.

In his last official act, Gov. Blagojevich can show the people of Illinois that, for once, he has their interests at heart.