Posted on 12/09/2008 6:14:19 AM PST by KeyLargo
Edited on 12/09/2008 6:17:49 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
A source said today that Gov. Rod Blagojevich was taken into federal custody at his North Side home this morning. The U.S. attorney's office would not confirm the information, and a spokesman for the governor did not immediately return a phone call for comment.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Wow that was tacky! Good thing I didn't mash 'Post'...
I believe that the timing of this arrest was accelerated by Fitz because he had reason to believe that Zero was indeed about to put together a nice little offer to Blago for “naming rights” to his old Senate seat.
you do realize that these are democrats we’re talking about, right?
They who are without shame.
Why didn't B just use Ebay? "Senate Seat - Hardly used formerly held by current President Elect."
Your eyebrow raised on ‘and that’s all I’m going to say.
‘??
Mine too.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2145605/posts
Wanted President-Elect to “Put Something Together . . . Something Big”
abc news ^ | today | brian ross
Posted on Tuesday, December 09, 2008 12:01:22 PM by OL Hickory
Fitzgerald said “there is no allegation in the complaint that the President-elect was aware of it and that is all I can say.” His comment did not close the door on the possibility that Obama or someone on his staff may have known of some aspect of the Govenror’s demands.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
CNN’s on overdrive talking about how this doesn’t affect Obama and doesn’t implicate him
yep...but Fitz punted on the question of whether Obama’s minions were involved in discussions, so don’t be surprised if the FBI also has a few tapes of one or two of his surrogates already.
There is a reason that Blago thought he was immune from all of these corruption charges and it can only mean one thing. He feels for some reason that Obama is going to protect him or pardon him down the road. Maybe that ‘reason’ is ‘having the goods’ on Obama. ?????
I’m watchin’ these guys and their choice of words.. glad others are too
THAT was fast ... and WRONG!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-blagojevich-obama,0,6697514.story
Prosecutor: No allegations of Obama wrongdoing
Associated Press
10:56 AM CST, December 9, 2008
CHICAGO - Federal prosecutors say the investigation into allegations that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich tried to sell the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama found no evidence that Obama did anything wrong.
At a news conference in Chicago on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald reiterated a number of times that there were no allegations of impropriety on Obama’s part.
The governor is accused of conspiring to sell or trade Illinois’ vacant senate seat.
The 76-page FBI affidavit contends that governor was intercepted on wiretaps last month conspiring to shake people down, and it alleges he even considered appointing himself if he wasn’t offered anything of value.
Possibly, maggief. But at this point, the focus should be on Blago and what convictions he will receive.
The thing about corruption is that if someone gets away with one thing, he or she does more and more. Like Charlie Rangel - the scandals just won’t stop popping up.
I’m giving Obama the benefit of the doubt as at this point, the central guilty party that we know about for now is in custody and he may start talking, credibly or otherwise.
I’m interested in his lawyer’s ties to the Opossum camp (Rahm Axelrod, etc.)
CONFIRMED!
I taped the press conference. The FBI guy was asked by a reporter about the governor’s office being searched at the Thompson Center. He asked whether he could answer that, then said it wasn’t the governor’s office at Thompson Center but the “deputy governor’s office”. This occurred shortly before WLS lost the feed...
“Ok Somebody beat me to the punch. ONE (1) ILLINOIS US SENATE SEAT FOR SALE”
Haha, way funny!
Just one question, is there a difference between a “deputy governor” and the Lt. governor? His exact words were “...it’s at the office of deputy governor, uh, uh, a deputy governor...”
Aye!
Welcome to Chicago politics.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/12/blajovich_indictment_the_best.html?nav=rss_blog
• Blagojevich was convinced that President-elect Barack Obama wanted senior adviser Valerie Jarrett appointed to the Senate seat and, time and again in the indictment, is quoted laying out a variety of scenarios by which he could benefit from such a move. The two most mentioned: 1) Trade a Jarrett appointment for a spot as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services in an Obama Cabinet 2) Name Jarrett to the Senate in exchange for Obama helping him to get a job as the head of Change to Win, a labor coalition.
• Blagojevich seriously — and repeatedly — considered naming himself to the Senate. “Unless I get something real good for [Senate Candidate 1], [expletive deleted], I’ll just send myself, you know what I’m saying,” Blagojevich said at one point. “I’m going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain,” he said later. He was — inexplicably — convinced that serving in the Senate might be a way to rehabilitate himself for a possible run for president in 2016. And, no, we are not kidding; it’s on page 74 of the indictment.
• Seeking to “send a message” to Obama and his people, Blagojevich authorized the leak of state Attorney General Lisa Madigan as a potential Senate appointee to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed.
• In one profanity-laced passage (page 63) Blagojevich is counseled to appoint Jarrett but rejects the idea out of hand, indicating he won’t make the appointment without being provided something in return. The governor also uses some colorful language to refer to Obama when he notes that “they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation.”
• Blagojevich floats the idea that wealthy donors could be convinced to fund, to the tune of $10-$15 million, a non-profit — 501(c)(4) — focused on health care. He cites billionaire investor Warren Buffett as a friend of Obama who could help finance such an endeavor. He also makes mention of “Senate candidate 6” (referenced in the indictment as “believed to be a wealthy person from Illinois”) as someone who might be able to make a major donation to such an organization in exchange for being nominated to the Senate.
• An “emissary” from “Senate candidate 5” allegedly approached Blagojevich about the possibility of a “pay to play” deal for the appointment. “We were approached ‘pay to play,’” said Blagojevich, recounting a past conversation with an associate of “Senate candidate 5.” “That, you know, he’d raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator.”
Naw no difference ! it’s actually Lt. Guv here in illinois.
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