Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) was arrested on federal charges today. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald calls the charges of pay-to-play politics "staggering."

Campaign contributions from private contractors to elected officials are pretty common at the federal level, and it's something we've covered here in the past. This morning, the Trenton Times reports on pay-to-play ordinances with the Fair Lawn Borough Council in New Jersey.

Here's a little piece of pay-to-play to take you into the weekend - more from the annals of Jack Abramoff, this time an email from an associate at his lobbying firm hitting up coworkers for donations to a very friendly Senator, Thad Cochran (R-MS) to stay in his good graces. TPMmuckraker has the email and the background - it doesn't get a whole lot more clear cut that this. Money goes in, favors go out.