IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

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Half Bottle
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IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Half Bottle » Tue Dec 09, 2008 3:53 pm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00987.html
U.S. Attorney Announces Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich Arrested

By Carrie Johnson and Peter Slevin
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, December 9, 2008; 10:08 AM



FBI agents this morning arrested Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich (D) and his chief of staff on conspiracy and bribery charges, including allegations that the governor was seeking to benefit financially from his appointment of a successor to the U.S. Senate seat that was vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

The arrest of Blagojevich and his top aide, John Harris, capped a lengthy investigation into public corruption at the highest levels of state government.

The two men will appear in a federal courthouse in Chicago later today, and U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert D. Grant are preparing to describe their case at a news conference at noon eastern time.

The arrests, which authorities say occurred "without incident," follow news reports that a well-connected lobbyist turned FBI informant had taped the governor saying that he might "get some [money] up front, maybe" from an unnamed candidate for a Senate seat.

"The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering," U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald said in a prepared statement. "They allege that Blagojevich put a 'for sale' sign on the naming of a United States Senator; involved himself personally in pay to play schemes . . . and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism."

Justice Department spokesmen in Washington referred all calls to authorities in Chicago, who have been doggedly pursuing the investigation for years.
Wow, just.... wow. If any of this is true, Blagojevich can share a prison cell with Ted Stevens. Good riddance and kudos to the feds for ferroting this out before he actually made the appointment.
~~~ In Oxford Town, you smell like dead lab rats. ~~~

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Half Bottle » Tue Dec 09, 2008 4:00 pm

And it's even more interesting -- the person he was considering appointing appears to have been Valerie Jarrett, a close Obama advisor and confidante. So, Mr. President-elect, "what did you know and when did you know it?"



http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16348.html

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was captured on tape saying that unless he received “something real good” for the appointment of a top adviser to Barack Obama to fill the president-elect’s Senate seat he would appoint himself, according to the criminal complaint.

“Unless I get something real good [for Senate candidate 1], s***, I’ll just send myself, you know what I’m saying,” Blagojevich said was taped saying on November 3rd, the day before Election Day.

Blagojevich added that the Senate seat “is a f***ing valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.”

The complaint does not mention her name, but the description makes clear that Blagojevich is referring to Valerie Jarrett, a senior campaign adviser to Obama who has been tapped as a top White House aide.

“By this time, media reports indicated that Senate Candidate 1, an advisor to the President-elect, was interested in the Senate seat if it became vacant, and was likely to be supported by the President-elect,” the complaint states.

Blagojevich also was caught on federal wiretaps saying he was interested in the job as secretary of health and human services in an Obama administration, a well-paid position on a foundation board, or millions of dollars for a nonprofit organization that he would run after leaving office, according to a 78-page federal criminal complaint.

The charges upend the process of filling the open Senate seat and threaten to subject the president-elect to an onslaught of press scrutiny about what he knew about the investigation.

The indictment is silent on what role, if any, Obama himself or his transition team played in the investigation.

The governor and his chief of staff John Harris were also changed with demanding the firing of members of the Chicago Tribune’s editorial board in exchange for helping the Tribune Co. with the sale of Chicago’s Wrigley Field. Additionally, Blagojevich sought a seat for his wife on corporate boards where she could reap significant salaries.

The complaint details conversations between Blagojevich and Tony Rezko, a major Chicago fundraiser and one-time benefactor to Obama.

"I want to make money," the affidavit quotes the governor as saying.

U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald said in a statement that "the breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering."

"They allege that Blagojevich put a for sale sign on the naming of a United States senator," Fitzgerald said."

Obama’s transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Obama was not accused of any wrongdoing.

The Illinois Republican Party called on the governor to resign his office effective immediately.

“If Governor Blagojevich does not resign his position, we urge the General Assembly to move swiftly with impeachment proceedings,” the party said in a statement. “Furthermore, Governor Blagojevich should not, under this cloud of extremely serious allegations, appoint a United States Senator. While there is a presumption of innocence, in these troubling economic times, the people’s work should be placed ahead of Governor Blagojevich’s legal troubles.”
~~~ In Oxford Town, you smell like dead lab rats. ~~~

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Dmmoore » Tue Dec 09, 2008 4:03 pm

GOOD GRIEF!
Well, it is Illinois, the home of Chicago, where even the dead have been known to vote.
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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Giles » Tue Dec 09, 2008 4:06 pm

Was Obama in office when Meigs was destroyed illegally?

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Half Bottle » Tue Dec 09, 2008 4:54 pm

Well, I've now read most of the FBI's criminal complaint against Blagojevich and there is a lot to cull through. Some of what they present as supporting evidence sounds like routine (if somewhat slimy) political quid pro quo. But there is clearly some very damning evidence, much of which is in Blagojevich's own voice because the FBI secured a warrant to tap his phones. Bottom line: he's in deep trouble.

Two sidebar notes:

First, the name Tony Rezko comes up several dozen times during the course of the complaint, so I suspect Obama's ties to Rezko will get fresh airing in the media (although the issues in the complaint that link to Rezko are not connected to the Senate appointment).

Second, it appears that Blagojevich tried hard to get something from Obama in return for Jarrett's appointment to the Senate, but was shut out. Money quote from page 68 of the complaint: "Later in the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he knows that the President-elect wants [Valerie Jarret] for the Senate seat but, 'they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. f*** them.'"
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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Half Bottle » Tue Dec 09, 2008 4:59 pm

Was Obama in office when Meigs was destroyed illegally?
He was a state senator in 2003 when Meigs was closed. He was elected to the U.S. Senate the following year.
~~~ In Oxford Town, you smell like dead lab rats. ~~~

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Sabre » Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:36 pm

CHANGE we can believe in.

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby David Hilditch » Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:51 pm

CHANGE we can believe in.
"Yes we can" ?

I suppose someone will soon ask: What did Obama know, and when did he know it ?

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Half Bottle » Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:51 pm

CHANGE we can believe in.
Hold that thought until the change-man himself is implicated, if he becomes so. Right now it looks like Obama (or his people) rebuffed Blagojevich, which didn't take brilliant political instincts, but at least appears laudable based on what's in the criminal complaint.

Should Obama have fingerprints on this somewhere, though, I'll be the first to criticize him.
~~~ In Oxford Town, you smell like dead lab rats. ~~~

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Half Bottle » Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:52 pm

I suppose someone will soon ask: What did Obama know, and when did he know it ?
See post #2
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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby David Hilditch » Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:52 pm

I suppose someone will soon ask: What did Obama know, and when did he know it ?
See post #2
OK, good for you.

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Sabre » Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:10 pm

CHANGE we can believe in.
Hold that thought until the change-man himself is implicated, if he becomes so. Right now it looks like Obama (or his people) rebuffed Blagojevich, which didn't take brilliant political instincts, but at least appears laudable based on what's in the criminal complaint.

Should Obama have fingerprints on this somewhere, though, I'll be the first to criticize him.
Do I think Obama is directly involved? No, but if so, like you said, it would most likely be involved in ratting out Blagojevich. I was just having a little fun. Although my intent was primarily humor, there are plently of unsavory folks in Chicago politics, many on which BO has played footsie with during his rise up the ladder.

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Half Bottle » Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:14 pm

Do I think Obama is directly involved? No, but if so, like you said, it would most likely be involved in ratting out Blagojevich. I was just having a little fun. Although my intent was primarily humor, there are plently of unsavory folks in Chicago politics, many on which BO has played footsie with during his rise up the ladder.
Fair enough, I suppose. I also noted that in making your wry observation, you were implicitly acknowledging that the Bush Administration or GOP generally, are corrupt. Otherwise, why would a lack of "Change" be ironic in this instance? ;)
~~~ In Oxford Town, you smell like dead lab rats. ~~~

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Sabre » Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:34 pm

I also noted that in making your wry observation, you were implicitly acknowledging that the Bush Administration or GOP generally, are corrupt. Otherwise, why would a lack of "Change" be ironic in this instance? ;)
Not at all Halfie, just noting this is not merely 'change' for the sake of 'change', but 'change we can believe in'.

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Verbal » Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:48 pm

This could turn into Clinton administration redux.
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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Pipe » Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:57 pm

Hysterical take on what´s routine business down here. No wait, none of them are in prison ... :x
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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Giles » Tue Dec 09, 2008 10:19 pm

This could turn into Clinton administration redux.
i wish. those were better days.

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby flyboy2548m » Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:16 am

This could turn into Clinton administration redux.
Could? You mean, it hasn't already?
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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby flyboy2548m » Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:17 am

And it's even more interesting -- the person he was considering appointing appears to have been Valerie Jarrett, a close Obama advisor and confidante. So, Mr. President-elect, "what did you know and when did you know it?"
If this is the same Obama who had no idea what his pastor of twenty years did or didn't stand for, then no, he knew nothing.
"Lav sinks on 737 Max are too small"

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Re: IL Gov. Arrested: Seeking Bribes to Replace Obama in Senate

Postby Half Bottle » Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:18 am

Blagojevich was removed from office today with a 59-0 vote of the Illinois senate, ending his impeachment trial with a unanimous conviction.

Money quote:

"We have this thing called impeachment and it's bleeping golden and we've used it the right way"
- State Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago)
~~~ In Oxford Town, you smell like dead lab rats. ~~~


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