Posted on 12/09/2008 8:43:05 PM PST by STARWISE
Published: December 9, 2008 - 3:50 PM
The latest buzz about the arrest of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is that President-elect Barrack Obama's appointed Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, "turned" him in.
While Emanuel's conduct is sure to be part of the ongoing investigation and potential trial, the notion that he is responsible for Blagojevich's indictment is not supported by the facts contained in the criminal complaint (PDF).
Federal investigators received permission to bug the Governor's telephone lines BEFORE the presidential election took place.
Emanuel may well have declined to get involved in any of Blagojevich's schemes, but to suggest that he is some how a hero for "turning in" Blagojevich doesn't square with the facts presented so far.
The Feds already knew about Blagojevich's attempts to sell Obama's Senate seat because THEY WERE LISTENING TO HIM TRY TO SELL IT. What could Emanuel have told them that they didn't already know?
That "tip" is obviously a trial balloon (and lefty blog fodder) to try and throw the scent off of Obama and Emanuel. Don't buy it...
Hat Tip: Politico commenter furytrader for wording
~~Making like Rahm’s the hero PING!
Emmanuel, Obama and Daley fed Blago to Fitz. They sacrificed Blago.
Fitz is not going to do anything about Obama or Rham. They are even bigger crooks.
If anyone sold out Bloggo, it was probably Rezko.
i bet this misinformation was immediately spawned from the “office of the president-elect”
it’s a tidbit to take people’s eyes off the MAN who is truly involved yet to be named.
I believe I’m of the same opinion.
Spinning and secrecy will now have
been ramped up to stratospheric heights
in the Obama squads.
They’re going to have their hands
full.
The Dems are back! Everything’s starting to feel like a tobacco road soap opera...
The Untouchables. Starring Obambi
With the MSM's help, this 'possee' may prove to be equally inept.
I don't see a whole lot of difference between what he was attempting to do with the senate seat and political favors that are exchanged for donations all the time, not they are exactly comparable.
There's a whole laundry list of pols who seem to exchange favors for contributions or contracts and got what they wanted. Obama seems up to his neck in it, too, can't remember the exact details about the house deal and his wife's job and subsequent grant to the hospital (?).
I don't know where the actual bribery or lawbreaking kicks in, seems like a fine line. I'm not saying that any of this comes across as ethical, but hasn't our side done it, too, trading favoors, quid pro quo, like it's business as usual in the world of politics?
Maybe the difference is that you don't actually cut a deal specifically for a political contribution in receiving a favor but it just happens without soliciting it.
I read a lot of the complaint, multiple issues there.
I must say, he looked quite somber and maybe a bit skeeered today.
###
Blagojevich, Obama, Rezko, Illinois governor, Governor in middle of case, Chicago Tribune, May 17, 2008, Rezko trial, Political corruption
May 18, 2008 ·
If you have been following the Tony Rezko corruption trial, several names are mentioned over and over. Obama, Stuart Levine and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich are mentioned in the same sentence as Rezko and Chicago and Illinois corruption. Governor Blagojevich has not been indicted yet but many believe his indictment is probable.
The Illinois legislature recently proposed a bill to allow the Illinois people to recall the governor. It was narrowly defeated.
The Chicago Tribune just came out with a story about Blagojevich, his strong ties to Rezko and the possibility of his indictment. Here are some excerpts:
~~~
It sounds more like trying to cover someones butt.
This is such a blatant ‘pay for play’ routine and
so unscrupulous and harmful to the citizens of
IL .. it’s totally criminal.
Blago deserved to be arrested .. have you ever
seen such sheer unadulterated stupidity?
My hunch (not unique) is Fitz had Blago....and was on his way to finding deep ties of Blago into Obama's world - after all, both are products of the Chicago Democrat Corruption Machine.
When Blago contacted Rahm Emmanuel, attempting a bit of a shakedown of Obama concerning the appointment of a US Senator to fill Obama's now vacant seat, (this contact has been confirmed in several reports), Emmanuel, who had to know of Fitz's investigation, forced Fitz to go public before he had followed the string to Obama.
Be interested in anyone's comments on this theory.
Although Blagojevich was the first governor to back Obama, and will appoint his successor in the Senate, he’s now keeping a low profile. The governor’s spokesman, Guerrero, tells NEWSWEEK that it “hasn’t been decided yet” whether Blagojevich will even attend the Inauguration in January. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still state business to conduct. In the days before the election, the governor had to figure out what to do with Richard E. Beard, the $200,000-a-year executive director of the Lincoln Library and Museum. Beard had just been arrested shoplifting a DVD box set of the TV show “House” from a local Target. (He has pleaded not guilty; Target also identified him as having previously walked off with a box set of “Seinfeld” DVDs.) And as it turned out, he was convicted last year of stealing neckties from Macy’s. Blagojevich fired him–an executive decision to restore integrity in the land of Lincoln.
Blagejevich is connected to Obama beyond this incident. Ryan Lizza reported in the New Yorker that Obama received “his first high-level experience in a statewide campaign” while advising Blagojevich during his campaign for governor. Additionally Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s current Chief-of-Staff also was a top strategist for that campaign. From the report:
He and Obama “participated in a small group that met weekly when Rod was running for governor,” Emanuel said. “We basically laid out the general election, Barack and I and these two.” A spokesman for Blagojevich confirmed Emanuel’s account, although David Wilhelm, who now works for Obama, said that Emanuel had overstated Obama’s role. “There was an advisory council that was inclusive of Rahm and Barack but not limited to them,” Wilhelm said, and he disputed the notion that Obama was “an architect or one of the principal strategists.”
Of course Obama’s other good friend and partner indicted developer & Obama advisor/fundraiser Tony Rezko was also involved with Blagojevich. Rezko used his influence with the Governor to “profit from companies seeking business with the state.” Rezko, a top fundraiser and advisor for the Governor attempted to corrupt two boards and create a pay-for-play system that has been tied to the Blagojevich administration.
Immanuel & osama are both senators from IL. Both are up to their posteriors in this muck. Just watch the spin they give mainstream media to throw off their complicity, and the media will just drool goose step in order.
“If anyone sold out Bloggo, it was probably Rezko.”
Look a little CLOSER to Springfield..
It was either Emillle, or Lisa Madigan. Both were on the list of potential candidates.
You can bet that Rahm Emanuel is neck deep in this mess. He certainly was during the Clinton years so I doubt that he has changed much since then.
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/il05_emanuel/081704_08.jpg
After working in investment banking, in 2002 Emanuel pursued the U.S. House seat in the 5th District of Illinois previously held by Rod Blagojevich, who chose not to run for re-election, but instead successfully ran for Governor of Illinois.
In a city where Democrats rule, the party stamp of approval usually assures a candidate’s victory. Emanuel was the Democrats’ endorsed candidate when he ran for his seat as representative of the 5th district on Chicago’s far northwest side. So was the person Emanuel replaced, now-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
******
August 17th, 2004
Congressman Emanuel and Governor Blagojevich announce plan to make Illinois first state in the nation to provide consumers with access to prescription drugs from Canada, Ireland and the UK
State will contract with and inspect foreign pharmacies to launch online and toll-free ordering system; Illinois citizens stand to save 25-50% on cost of Rx drugs
In December, Congressman Rahm Emanuel (D-Chicago) joined Governor Blagojevich in asking the federal government for a special waiver to launch a pilot program to import prescription drugs from Canada. After weeks of waiting for a response, the Governor helped organize a class action lawsuit to give senior citizens across the nation, the same opportunities that senior citizens in states that border Canada have to purchase cheaper prescription drugs.
Zackly. Rezko has been singing like a canary for over a month.
As much as some folks here will never accept it, it’s entirely possible Obama had nothing to do with Blago’s dirty dealings.
Time will tell. If the evidence is out there, it will come to light.
This is going to be fun, because he can only read from a telepromter..He can’t make or THINK it up on his own, we are gonna see some great stuff , stuff of legend, stuff that will have us rolling in the aisles, or even ROTFLMAO if you will !
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