Source: Feds take Gov. Blagojevich into custody

[Wretched Excess]

I read the entire complaint.  it certainly appears as though someone identified as "President-elect advisor" was in contact with blago's chief of staff on a relatively frequent basis to discuss the candidacy of obama's #1 choice for his former senate seat.  and whoever it was, seemed  to be "in the know".

wonder who "President-elect advisor" is . . .

[BEG]

Apparently Obama's seat is for sale on Ebay now.   

http://cgi.ebay.com/OBAMAS-ILLINOIS-SENATE-SEAT-FOR-SALE_W0QQitemZ160303950570QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item160303950570&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[Chris_]

I read the entire complaint.  it certainly appears as though someone identified as "President-elect advisor" was in contact with blago's chief of staff on a relatively frequent basis to discuss the candidacy of obama's #1 choice for his former senate seat.  and whoever it was, seemed  to be "in the know".

wonder who "President-elect advisor" is . . .

Elsewhere, I was hearing that said advisor was none other than (fellow Illinoian) Rahm Emanuel.

[Miss Mia]

I read the entire complaint.  it certainly appears as though someone identified as "President-elect advisor" was in contact with blago's chief of staff on a relatively frequent basis to discuss the candidacy of obama's #1 choice for his former senate seat.  and whoever it was, seemed  to be "in the know".

wonder who "President-elect advisor" is . . .

Possibly Rahm.  There was some reporter on Chicago's Fox affiliate that said Rahm talked to the Feds about Blago wanting a deal. Pure speculation, I'm sure within a day or so, we'll know for sure. 

And we know Jarrett was #1 Candidate. 

I think either Jesse Jackson Jr or Emil Jones is Candidate #5, just a guess. 

[ReardenSteel]

Elsewhere, I was hearing that said advisor was none other than (fellow Illinoian) Rahm Emanuel.

That's what The Smoking Gun link I posted thought too. It's a small world after all.

Apparently Obama's seat is for sale on Ebay now.

Freaking great find there. 

[ReardenSteel]

I gotta leave for work now. Be there late. So, could nobody learn anything cool till I get back? I promise we can turn the internet back on bright and early tomorrow. 

Merry Fitzmas everyone. Rove bless us each and everyone.

[Chris_]

Rove DAMN that Ebeneezer Scrooge for making you work on Fitzmas, Rearden.

[debk]

The media is apparently working quite deligently to find out who the candidates are....

[Miss Mia]

The media is apparently working quite deligently to find out who the candidates are....

http://gawker.com/5105643/whos-who-in-the-blago-affidavit

    * Senate Candidate 1, whom Obama's team wanted appointed and whom Blagojevich was disinclined to appoint without a gift, is Obama confidante and advisor Valerie Jarrett. Jarret withdrew from considering for the seat, maybe partly because she didn't want to be involved in the coming Blagojevich indictment and scandal (if Rod had appointed her before this all broke, lord knows how bad that'd look for Barry and company).
    * Senate Candidate 2, the one whom Chicago Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed shilled for on Blago's behalf (in order to piss off Obama), is Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Hey, her dad is the Speaker of the Illinois House. The Illinois House would be the ones who would have to impeach Blago or pass legislation necessitating a special election if they don't want Rod to still appoint his own candidate.
    * Senate Candidate 5, rumored to be Jesse Jackson, Jr., is actually probably Illinois state legislator Emil Jones. This is the one Obama didn't want appointed, and Blago repeatedly threatened to pick him instead of Jarrett.
      Senate Candidate 6, a rich person Blago wanted to appoint to the Senate in exchange for millions of dollars in donations, is probably J.B. Pritzker. Pritzker is a Hillary donor, a wealthy Chicago businessman, and the brother of Obama finance advisor Penny Pritzker.

[bijou]

"I did not have a conversation with that Governor"

[Miss Mia]

Obama: No contact with IL gov
Posted: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 3:31 PM by Carrie Dann

From NBC's Athena Jones
CHICAGO -- President-elect Barack Obama responded solemnly to news that FBI agents arrested Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich this morning on a series of corruption charges and said that he had not been aware of what was going on in the governor's office.

"Obviously, like the rest of the people of Illinois I am saddened and sobered by the news that came out of the US attorney's office today," Obama said today, "but as this is a ongoing investigation involving the governor I don't think it would be appropriate for me to comment on the issue at this time."

The charges against Blagojevich include seeking favors in exchange for appointing a replacement to Obama's Senate seat.

Obama said he had had no contact with Blagojevich's office about the appointment of a replacement for the Senate seat he resigned last month after winning the presidential election.

"I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening," he said.  "And as I said, you know, it's a sad day for Illinois. Beyond that I don't think it's appropriate to comment."

Obama made the comments to a pool of reporters after he and Vice President-elect Joe Biden met with former Vice President Al Gore to talk about climate change.

[Wretched Excess]

I just realized it, but all of this brazen, unabashed, in-your-face corruption makes me a tiny bit nostalgic for the clintons.  at least you knew what they were all about.

[Chris_]

"I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening," he said.  "And as I said, you know, it's a sad day for Illinois. Beyond that I don't think it's appropriate to comment."

Translation: "My handlers are trying to work the timing so that I am prez before he gets tried (so I can claim Exec Privilege) but the trial is soon enough to make sure my handlers' cronies get in clean.  I would hate to have to Clinton-Fosterize him, but hey, you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs."

[bijou]

Axelrod Comments On Open Senate Seat, D.C. Leadership Vacuum
by Josh Kalven on November 23, 2008 - 4:04pm

This morning, David Axelrod appeared on Fox Chicago Sunday and had some notable remarks on both the local and national fronts.  He said that President-elect Barack Obama plans to stay out of Prairie State politics once in the White House and doesn't plan on being "a kingmaker or boss here in Illinois."  When co-host Dane Placko asked him about the vacant U.S. Senate seat, Axelrod disclosed that the Obama has spoken to Gov. Blagojevich about his replacement.  Watch it:

This is the first indication I've seen that the governor and president-elect have directly discussed the issue.  Of course, Axelrod gave no timeframe, so the discussion in question could presumably have occurred at any point (after all, the Chicago media and Illinois political community has been chatting about the subject for almost a year).

...

http://progressillinois.com/2008/11/23/axelrod-on-fcs

video at the link

[Wretched Excess]

From NBC's Athena Jones
CHICAGO -- President-elect Barack Obama responded solemnly to news that FBI agents arrested Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich this morning on a series of corruption charges and said that he had not been aware of what was going on in the governor's office.

had this involved republicans:

President-elect Hugh G. Guiltydude denied allegations of criminal wrongdoing this morning in response to the news that his long time close associate and confidante, Ima ****in-Felon, had been arrested on a variety of federal charges stemming from the attempted sale of the senate seat that the President-elect himself held until just a few weeks ago.  His transition team had no response to questions as to whether or not there had been any contact between the Guiltydude transition team and the ****in-felon regime.*  The Guiltydude camp reportedly fell into disarray** as rumors that ****in-felon was cooperating with federal authorities swirled through Washington***.

and then something about chimpeachment.


*_{probably because no one asked the question.}
**_{reportedly, because we just reported it}
***_{at happy hour.  in the bar that I hang out in.  with 100 other fuzzy headed liberal journalists.}

[Wretched Excess]

http://progressillinois.com/2008/11/23/axelrod-on-fcs

video at the link

that makes this a big lie.

"I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening," he said.  "And as I said, you know, it's a sad day for Illinois. Beyond that I don't think it's appropriate to comment."

[Odin's Hand]

Change! Bwahahaha!

Right out of the same stable...

[bijou]

that makes this a big lie.

Yup. Unless he manages to throw his own statement under a passing bus.

[Wretched Excess]

Yup. Unless he manages to throw his own statement under a passing bus.

or axelrod.  God knows that is one lamb I wouldn't mind seeing sacrificed for the Obamessiah.

[Miss Mia]

that makes this a big lie.

Obama said that he hasn't had any contact with Blago since he resigned his seat.  I can't watch videos at work, but did Alexrod suggest a specific time frame when this discussion about the replacement happened?  For all we know they did discuss it before he resigned and hasn't had any contact with him since. 

[Lacarnut]

The Democrats are frothing at the gills. The Magic Negro might be involved with his buddy. 

[Wretched Excess]

Obama said that he hasn't had any contact with Blago since he resigned his seat.  I can't watch videos at work, but did Alexrod suggest a specific time frame when this discussion about the replacement happened?  For all we know they did discuss it before he resigned and hasn't had any contact with him since. 

Obama said he had had no contact with Blagojevich's office about the appointment of a replacement for the Senate seat he resigned last month after winning the presidential election.

"I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening," he said.  "And as I said, you know, it's a sad day for Illinois. Beyond that I don't think it's appropriate to comment."

not that it would do us any good to be splitting hairs that finely to begin with, but obama didn't specify a timeframe.  neither did axelrod, other than chronologically speaking. according to axelrod, obama would have had to have had contact before this afternoon, when he said that he had not.


edit for punctuation

[bijou]

Obama said that he hasn't had any contact with Blago since he resigned his seat.  I can't watch videos at work, but did Alexrod suggest a specific time frame when this discussion about the replacement happened?  For all we know they did discuss it before he resigned and hasn't had any contact with him since. 

Axelrod was speaking on 23rd November but doesn't give a time frame for the calls with Blagojevich.  But Obama may want to rethink this answer:

PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA: I -- hold on, hold on, hold on a second, guys. I'll just answer this one question.

I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so we were not -- I was not aware of what was happening. And as I said, it's a sad day for Illinois. Beyond that, I don't think it's appropriate to comment. Okay?

Q Thank you very much.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/12/obama_on_blagojevich_says_he_n.html

[debk]

I just realized it, but all of this brazen, unabashed, in-your-face corruption makes me a tiny bit nostalgic for the clintons.  at least you knew what they were all about. 

uh....that would be sex, drugs, and rock and roll? 

[Wretched Excess]

Axelrod was speaking on 23rd November but doesn't give a time frame for the calls with Blagojevich.  But Obama may want to rethink this answer:

PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA: I -- hold on, hold on, hold on a second, guys. I'll just answer this one question.

I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so we were not -- I was not aware of what was happening. And as I said, it's a sad day for Illinois. Beyond that, I don't think it's appropriate to comment. Okay?

Q Thank you very much.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/12/obama_on_blagojevich_says_he_n.html

this could have been read in such a way as to infer that he had specified a time frame.  it's a clumsily written sentence;  it has a flashback, a flashforward, and a flashsideways.

Obama said he had had no contact with Blagojevich's office about the appointment of a replacement for the Senate seat he resigned last month after winning the presidential election.