Posted on 12/09/2008 4:24:12 PM PST by STARWISE
The shocking arrest of Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich for, among other things, all but auctioning off the US Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama's election to the Presidency, poses some very interesting questions, although it is certainly not clear that they will be answered any time soon.
One of those questions clearly has to do with the timing of the arrest and whether it will or was planned to, have the maximal or minimal effect of embarassing the incoming Administration.
Even more interesting is the possible role that Blagojevich's apparent shakedown of the incoming Administration had anything to do with the timing. According to reports Blagojevich stated he was interested in either a cabinet post or at least ambassadorship in exchange for the installation of Obama's favorite candidate for the job, Valerie Jarrett.
Reportedly, if he couldn't get what he wanted, Blagojevich was prepared to install himself in the Senate, speculating that in the event he was indicted, (it was well known that Blagojevich had been under investigation for years), that he would be better able to deal with it as a Senator than as Governor.
Interesting also is whether or not the Blagojevich-Obama campaign dynamic at this summer's DNC in Denver might have been indicative of either the coming indictment or its timing.
Despite his desire to speak at the DNC, Obama made clear his desire that not only should Blagojevich not be allowed to speak the Convention as a whole, but that Obama would prefer it if "Blagojevich stay 200 miles away from Denver" during the DNC.
Clearly even the Illinois delegation was uncomfortable with the Democratic governor to the point that it was Tuesday evening before the Governor traveled to Denver. Ironically, he had spent Monday rewriting an ethics bill that had been unanimously passed by the Illinois State Legislature, a move the legislators vowed to oppose once back in Illinois.
While State Attorney General Lisa Madigan called Blagojevich's absence "noticeably strange," State Representative Jack Franks stated his opinion that the Governor ought to have stayed away from the DNC entirely.
"He's going to be another side show, with his ties to Tony Rezko and Rezko being convicted," Franks was quoted as saying by Chicago Public Radio
http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=28502
"that's not something that Barack Obama needs here and we don't need that division."
This morning just as news of the arrest was first announced, KHOW morning drive time talk show host was telling his audience that in light of the Supreme Court's refusal to here (sic) the eligibility question and the fact that he felt like a pummeled fighter whose corner needed to throw in the towel, that he was abandoning the Obama birth certificate controversy.
Whether or not these new questions drag him back into the fray remains to be seen.
~~PING!
The investigation was brought to a close and Blago arrested BEFORE any further criminal implications beyond those just merely non-illegal, yet-questionable against Obama could be lawful observed by FBI personnel, period.
Daley machine shenanigans.
Well, let's see. Was Fitz's intent maximal embarrassment or minimal? Hmm? Rather than allowing the exclusively Democratic auction to run it's course and then roll up everyone involved, the Fed's had to crash the party and arrest the auctioneer just before bidding started.
I agree, I think this was done so 0bama wouldn’t get dragged into it.
Hmmmm.....so Obama knew nothing about corruption in Chicago, but realized it was highly unwise to be seen with Blago?
Hopefully history doesn't repeat itself.
Their boy Fitz comes through at the right moment and saves his boss from embarrassing himself in front of the FBI agents watching Blago. One never knows what kind of politics those law enforcement guys have, so it pays to be cautious about what they hear or see.
Here’s my take...
Obama is now getting briefings on National issues. Maybe investigations of corrupt state governments came up - or was scheduled to come up. The FBI realized that Obama and Blago are buddies. So, he had to be nabbed before BHO would warn him. Blago seemed to know something was going on yesterday based on comments he made. Maybe he already was tipped off...
BHO was at the National Governors Meeting, so was Blago. They met - there is a picture of it online - just can’t find it.
Either way, good job FBI.
We now have an Administration even more corrupt than the Clintons. We also have a media invested in covering for it.
Obama is getting pretty adept at throwing people under the bus.
If he was tipped off, there wouldn't be any point in continuing the investigation. Fitz may have also decided to do it now before being fired. He is public enemy number 1 in Chicago. It will make it harder for Obama to toss him with a major corruption case pending..
In 2002, Blagojevich ran for his party's nomination to become governor. Blagojevich won a close primary campaign against former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, whose base was largely African-American voters,[citation needed] and Chicago Public Schools Superintendent Paul Vallas, who ran strong in the suburban "collar" counties of Chicago.[citation needed] Blagojevich ran strong in southern Illinois, winning 55% of the primary vote downstate, enough to win a primary victory by a thin margin.[13]
He was endorsed in the race by then-state senator Barack Obama, who also served as a "top adviser" to Blagojevich for the general election.[16] Future Obama senior adviser David Axelrod had previously worked with Blagojevich on Congressional campaigns, but did not consider Blagojevich ready to be governor and declined to work for him on this campaign.[16] According to Rahm Emanuel, Emanuel, Obama, Blagojevich's campaign co-chair David Wilhelm, and another Blagojevich worker "were the top strategists of Blagojevich's 2002 gubernatorial victory," meeting weekly to outline campaign strategies.[16] Wilhelm has said that Emanuel overstated Obama's role in the sessions, and Emanuel said in December 2008 that Wilhelm was correct and he had been wrong in his earlier 2008 recollection.[16)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich
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I saw the presser and knew right away that the reasons given for pulling the plug and going public were pure bull. Any other investigation would have allowed the evil doers to continue to play out their scheme.
This was shut down to save bambi from himself.
Also, is it possible that having arrested Blago, the FBI has more leverage to roll him over against Hussein?
This won't be the last we hear of this type of thing. Barky is deeply, completely, totally immersed in Chicago's dirty politics and Barky owes them a little or a lot. Those boys are used to getting what they want.
I believe the fed’s case against Gov. Blago was strengthened courtesy of Tony Rezko, who apparently is singing like a yellow canary, in order to get a reduced sentence for himself. I expect the feds to use the same tactics on the Gov... There are other big fish in the Illinois ocean, and the Gov makes pretty good bait...
“Obama is getting pretty adept at throwing people under the bus.”
That is EXACTLY what I said earlier today!
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