Source: Feds take Gov. Blagojevich into custody

[ReardenSteel]

pdf of the CRIMINAL COMPLAINT.  (sorry if already linked)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/acrobat/2008-12/43789434.pdf

I admit to feeling like dancing on this guys political grave but it's too soon for me. This guy looks so dirty it's just bad for the whole State if not the country. (I'll dance when he is in jail and they throw away the keys)

[Tucker]

Well, Lincoln was from Illinois, and his nickname was "Honest Abe." Other than that, I don't think so.

He was a transplant. He was born and bred in Ky.

[Wretched Excess]

jeez.  how do people like this get elec . . . never mind.

The Senate candidate whom Blago at one point thought that President-elect Obama seemed most likely to be supporting -- friend and adviser Valerie Jarrett, who later took herself out of the running and will be a White House Senior Adviser -- is discussed, as "Senate Candidate 1." Jarrett referred ABC News to the Obama Transition Team for comment; they did not have one.

Ultimately, it appears that neither PEBO nor Jarrett were willing to discuss any of Blago's various notions of how he could sell them the seat. Talking to his chief of staff on November 11, Blago said he knew PEBO wanted Jarrett to get the Senate seat but “they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. F--- them."

At one point, discussing what he could get from PEBO for the Senate seat, Blago said his general counsel believes that PEBO could get Blago's wife on paid corporate boards "in exchange for naming the President-elect’s pick to the Senate."

The general Counsel asked, “can [the President-elect] help in the private sector... where it wouldn’t be tied to him?... I mean, so it wouldn’t necessarily look like one for the other.”

Blago says consultants are telling him that he has to “suck it up” for two years and do nothing and give this “motherf----r [the President-elect] his senator. F--- him. For nothing? F--- him.”

He adds he will give "Senate Candidate 4" (a deputy Governor) the Seat “before I just give f---ing" Jarrett the "f---ing Senate seat and I don’t get anything.”

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[Wretched Excess]

at least one of the candidates for obama's senate seat was willing to play ball, apparently.  this could get deep.  quick.

According to the affidavit from prosecutors, Mr. Blagojevich told an adviser last week that he might “get some (money) upfront, maybe” from one of the candidates hoping to replace Mr. Obama. That person was identified only as “Candidate 5.”

In an earlier recorded conversation, prosecutors say, Mr. Blagojevich said he was approached by an associate of “Candidate 5” with an offer of $500,000 in exchange for the Senate seat.

Would it be too much to ask of Fitzmas that Jesse Jackson Jr. is candidate number 5?


**edited for quote tags**

[ReardenSteel]

Quote
According to the affidavit from prosecutors, Mr. Blagojevich told an adviser last week that he might “get some (money) upfront, maybe” from one of the candidates hoping to replace Mr. Obama. That person was identified only as “Candidate 5.”

In an earlier recorded conversation, prosecutors say, Mr. Blagojevich said he was approached by an associate of “Candidate 5” with an offer of $500,000 in exchange for the Senate seat. [quote/]

Would it be too much to ask of Fitzmas that Jesse Jackson Jr. is candidate number 5?

Maybe not. 

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/12/blago_indictment_who_is_senate.php

In other words -- if Blago doesn't get what he wanted, then he'd stiff the PEOTUS by appointing someone he didn't like -- Senate Candidate 5.

Who might this person be?

From the context, it's probably Jesse Jackson. Jr.

"Later on December 4, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke to Fundraiser A. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated he was "elevating" Senate Candidate 5 on the list of candidates for the open Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated he might be able to cut a deal with
Senate Candidate 5 that provided ROD BLAGOJEVICH with something
"tangible up front." ROD BLAGOJEVICH noted he was going to meet with
Senate Candidate 5 in the next few days."

The only candidate with whom Blagojevich met within that period was Jesse Jackson, Jr.

[Chris_]

Rove, you magnificent b*stard!   

[JohnnyReb]

Santa Claus is coming to town.....he knows if you've been bad or good.....

Fritzmas at last ......but the DUmmies ain't gonna like it......

What's Poo-lucy got to say about this? Was he part of the most ethe.... ether..... ehtr.... ah hell, even spell checker won't put that word anywhere near a democrat.

[debk]

Fox has a press conference going on.

All I can say is WOW.....it's stunning. Apparently even the FBI was shocked at the information coming from the wire taps.

Blago kept money from going to a Children's Hospital because someone wouldn't give him money first. (from the wire tap)

US Attorney is answering questions now, and has said there is no time limit on the Q/A session.

[Miss Mia]

Santa Claus is coming to town.....he knows if you've been bad or good.....

Fritzmas at last ......but the DUmmies ain't gonna like it......

What's Poo-lucy got to say about this? Was he part of the most ethe.... ether..... ehtr.... ah hell, even spell checker won't put that word anywhere near a democrat.

According to the article WE posted, Obama didn't want any business with selling the seat and Blagojevich wasn't too pleased with that:

The Senate candidate whom Blago at one point thought that President-elect Obama seemed most likely to be supporting -- friend and adviser Valerie Jarrett, who later took herself out of the running and will be a White House Senior Adviser -- is discussed, as "Senate Candidate 1." Jarrett referred ABC News to the Obama Transition Team for comment; they did not have one.

Ultimately, it appears that neither PEBO nor Jarrett were willing to discuss any of Blago's various notions of how he could sell them the seat. Talking to his chief of staff on November 11, Blago said he knew PEBO wanted Jarrett to get the Senate seat but “they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. F--- them."

At one point, discussing what he could get from PEBO for the Senate seat, Blago said his general counsel believes that PEBO could get Blago's wife on paid corporate boards "in exchange for naming the President-elect’s pick to the Senate."

The general Counsel asked, “can [the President-elect] help in the private sector... where it wouldn’t be tied to him?... I mean, so it wouldn’t necessarily look like one for the other.”

Blago says consultants are telling him that he has to “suck it up” for two years and do nothing and give this “motherf----r [the President-elect] his senator. F--- him. For nothing? F--- him.”

He adds he will give "Senate Candidate 4" (a deputy Governor) the Seat “before I just give f---ing" Jarrett the "f---ing Senate seat and I don’t get anything.”
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[NHSparky]

So lemme get this straight--Zerobama KNEW Blagojevich was pulling this, but did or said nothing?

Oh, this is REALLY getting good now.

[thundley4]

So lemme get this straight--Zerobama KNEW Blagojevich was pulling this, but did or said nothing?

Oh, this is REALLY getting good now.

Knowledge of the crime during an ongoing investigation? Yo mama, Obama. 

[Wretched Excess]

I wonder if he was being wiretapped before the election as a result of the rezko investigation, and this all just sort of fell into their lap.  the dates for the incriminating quotes have all been post-election, but that could just be because this was so glaring, and by definition had to occur after the election.  well, I suppose he could have speculated on what he would do with BHO's senate seat should it become vacant, but it really wasn't worth anything until he had officially won.

[Peter3_1]

The FBI has the lot of them, including Nobama's REPRESENTITIVES , but, of course, NObama knows nothing.


Nobama should be called "Schultz".

[Miss Mia]

Knowledge of the crime during an ongoing investigation? Yo mama, Obama. 

It never says that they approached or talked to Obama about a deal, but that Blagojevich in a phone call with Harris agreed that it was unlikely that Obama would appoint him to anything.

On November 10, Blagojevich, his wife, Harris, Governor General Counsel, Advisor B and other Washington-based advisors  articipated at different times in a two-hour phone call in which they allegedly discussed, among other things, a deal involving the SEIU.  Harris said they could work out a deal with the union and the President-elect where SEIU could help the President-elect with Blagojevich’s appointment of Senate Candidate 1, while Blagojevich would obtain a position as the National Director of the Change to Win campaign and SEIU would get something favorable from the President-elect in the future. Also during that call, Blagojevich agreed it was unlikely that the
President-elect would name him Secretary of Health and Human Services or give him an ambassadorship because of all of the negative  publicity surrounding him.


In a conversation with Harris on November 11, the charges state, Blagojevich said he knew that the President-elect wanted Senate Candidate 1 for the open seat but “they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. [Expletive] them.” Earlier in that conversation, Blagojevich suggested starting a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization, which he could head and engage in political activity and lobbying. In that conversation with Harris and other discussions with him and others over the next couple of days, Blagojevich suggested by name several well-known, wealthy individuals who could be prevailed upon to seed such an organization with $10-$15 million, and
suggesting that he could take the organization’s reins when he is no longer governor, according to the affidavit.

pdf of Press Release "ILLINOIS GOV. ROD R. BLAGOJEVICH AND HIS CHIEF OF STAFF
JOHN HARRIS ARRESTED ON FEDERAL CORRUPTION CHARGES"

[lastparker]

Who knew Fitmas would REALLY come?  And it has come for me!!!!!

Oh happy day!  I got a big paycut last week, and I don't care!

[Miss Mia]

I wonder if he was being wiretapped before the election as a result of the rezko investigation, and this all just sort of fell into their lap.  the dates for the incriminating quotes have all been post-election, but that could just be because this was so glaring, and by definition had to occur after the election.  well, I suppose he could have speculated on what he would do with BHO's senate seat should it become vacant, but it really wasn't worth anything until he had officially won.

I would assume that until Obama won, this was in the back of his mind, but come Election Day he was already starting to plan.

Over the next couple of days – Election Day and the day after – Blagojevich was captured discussing with Deputy Governor A whether he could obtain a cabinet position, such as Secretary of Health and Human Services or the Department of Energy or various ambassadorships. In a conversation with Harris on November 4, Blagojevich analogized his situation to that of a sports agent shopping a potential free agent to the highest bidder. The day after the election, Harris allegedly suggested to Blagojevich that the President-elect could make him the head of a private foundation.

[DumbAss Tanker]

I wonder if he was being wiretapped before the election as a result of the rezko investigation, and this all just sort of fell into their lap.  the dates for the incriminating quotes have all been post-election, but that could just be because this was so glaring, and by definition had to occur after the election.  well, I suppose he could have speculated on what he would do with BHO's senate seat should it become vacant, but it really wasn't worth anything until he had officially won.

This has to have been going on for a little while, these investigations do not get to the point of wrapping up and arresting the principals in a handful of weeks, getting the warrants for the wiretaps has to jump some big hurdles for anything but critical national security cases.  I suspect there has been a corruption probe going on for some time (so the Rezko deal probably does figure into this), and the Senate seat transaction fell into the laps of the investigators, a special-delivery piece de resistance.

I can hardly wait to see PJ's Fitzmas-themed extravaganza on this one over at DUFU!

 

[TexasFred]

Anyone that reads my blogs knows, I LOVE a feel good story, and THIS is a feel good story if ever there was one!

I don’t care WHAT political party they belong to, Dem, Repub, Libertarian, Indy, makes NO difference to me, I HATE crooked politicos! There is nothing that makes me ANY happier than to see a crooked official get arrested. I am elated when they have their feet held to the fire. And if we’re so lucky as to see them actually go to prison, well, that is a great day for American government!

[Thor]

Maybe, just maybe, there will be a few roads leading back to Obama....

[Peter3_1]

Remember, the Electoral College has yet to speek, so NObama is still NOT YET Pres. Elect, and , if it all goes to hell in a handbacket, we may be saying, "Congratulaions, Prestdent Biden!" , which might be worse.....

[Wretched Excess]

It never says that they approached or talked to Obama about a deal, but that Blagojevich in a phone call with Harris agreed that it was unlikely that Obama would appoint him to anything.

well, blago called BHO the hyphenated mother-word, so he was obviously pissed off at him about something.

[Miss Mia]

This has to have been going on for a little while, these investigations do not get to the point of wrapping up and arresting the principals in a handful of weeks, getting the warrants for the wiretaps has to jump some big hurdles for anything but critical national security cases.  I suspect there has been a corruption probe going on for some time (so the Rezko deal probably does figure into this), and the Senate seat transaction fell into the laps of the investigators, a special-delivery piece de resistance.

I can hardly wait to see PJ's Fitzmas-themed extravaganza on this one over at DUFU!

 

He's been under investigation for 3 years (I believe) and the first count goes back to 2002:

Count One
From in or about 2002 to the present, in Cook County, in the Northern District of Illinois, defendants did, conspire with each other and with others to devise and participate in a scheme to defraud the State of Illinois and the people of the State of Illinois of the honest services of ROD R. BLAGOJEVICH and JOHN HARRIS, in furtherance of which the mails and interstate wire communications would be used, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341,1343, and 1346; all in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 1349.

[Wretched Excess]

This has to have been going on for a little while, these investigations do not get to the point of wrapping up and arresting the principals in a handful of weeks, getting the warrants for the wiretaps has to jump some big hurdles for anything but critical national security cases.  I suspect there has been a corruption probe going on for some time (so the Rezko deal probably does figure into this), and the Senate seat transaction fell into the laps of the investigators, a special-delivery piece de resistance.

I can hardly wait to see PJ's Fitzmas-themed extravaganza on this one over at DUFU!

 

this quote was october 31, so the wiretaps were active at least as far back as that.

In a recorded conversation on Oct. 31, Blagojevich claimed he was approached by an associate of Senate Candidate 5 as follows: “We were approached to ‘pay to play.’ That, you know, he’d raise 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator.”

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[Peter3_1]

Well, Rod's the top of the Ill. food chain, and, if he wants to deal himself out, there's only one way up....

[Wretched Excess]

amazing.  it sounds like they had him wiretapped for quite some time trying to get the goods on him for a dozen other charges, and trying to sell a senate seat just "happened".

so, then the question becomes, "didn't this guy know he was under federal investigation"?  hell, I knew it, and I live a thousand miles away?   what a maroon.

I am sure the wiretaps were part of the BFEE "domestic spying" program.

The feds said the charges focus on events since October when they obtained information that Blagojevich and “Fundraiser A,” who is chairman of Friends of Blagojevich, were accelerating Blagojevich’s allegedly corrupt fund-raising activities. The goal was to accumulate as much money as possible this year before a new state ethics law would severely curtail Blagojevich’s ability to raise money from individuals and entities that have existing contracts worth more than $50,000 with the state of Illinois.

Agents said they learned that Blagojevich was seeking approximately $2.5 million in campaign contributions by the end of the year, principally from or through individuals or entities — many of whom have received state contacts or appointments — identified on a list maintained by Friends of Blagojevich, which the FBI has obtained.

The complaint details several incidents involving efforts by Blagojevich to obtain campaign contributions in connection with his official actions as governor, including three in early October:

•     After an Oct. 6 meeting with Harris and Individuals A and B, during which Individual B sought state help with a business venture, Blagojevich told Individual A to approach Individual B about raising $100,000 for Friends of Blagojevich this year. Individual A said he later learned that Blagojevich reached out directly to Individual B to ask about holding a fund-raiser.

•     Also on Oct. 6, Blagojevich told Individual A that he expected Highway Contractor 1 to raise $500,000 in contributions and that he was willing to commit additional state money to a Tollway project — beyond $1.8 billion that Blagojevich announced on Oct.15 — but was waiting to see how much money the contractor raised for Friends of Blagojevich.

•     On Oct. 8, Blagojevich told Individual A that he wanted to obtain a $50,000 contribution from Hospital Executive 1, the chief executive officer of Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, which had recently received a commitment of $8 million in state funds. When the contribution was not forthcoming, Blagojevich discussed with Deputy Governor A the feasibility of rescinding the funding.

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