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.
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.”