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Obama’s Intervention for Ethics Bill Indirectly Led to Case Against Governor
NY Times ^
| December 10, 2008
| MIKE McINTIRE and JEFF ZELENY
Posted on 12/09/2008 11:28:24 PM PST by neverdem
In a sequence of events that neatly captures the contradictions of Barack Obamas rise through Illinois politics, a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall of a fellow Democrat he twice supported, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich.
Mr. Obama placed the call to his political mentor, Emil Jones Jr., president of the Illinois Senate. Mr. Jones was a critic of the legislation, which sought to curb the influence of money in politics, as was Mr. Blagojevich, who had vetoed it. But after the call from Mr. Obama, the Senate overrode the veto, prompting the governor to press state contractors for campaign contributions before the laws restrictions could take effect on Jan. 1, prosecutors say.
Tipped off to Mr. Blagojevichs efforts, federal agents obtained wiretaps for his phones and eventually overheard what they say was scheming by the governor to profit from his appointment of a successor to the United States Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Obama. One official whose name has long been mentioned in Chicago political circles as a potential successor is Mr. Jones, a machine...
--snip--
If I dont get what I want and Im not satisfied with it, then Ill just take the Senate seat myself, the governor said, according to the criminal complaint. Later, he said the Senate seat was a valuable thing you just dont give it away for nothing.
Meanwhile, Mr. Blagojevich was busily trying to shake loose up to $2.5 million in campaign donations, much of it from contributors with business before the state, according to federal prosecutors. The governors goal was to bring in the money before the end of the year, the complaint said, before a new state ethics law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2009.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: blagojevich; libmyths; obama; obamatruthfile; spin; spinmasters; spinmeisters; spinmiesters; spinspinspin
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Something tells me that a lot of American fools will get burned by Obama.
1
posted on
12/09/2008 11:28:24 PM PST
by
neverdem
To: neverdem
2
posted on
12/09/2008 11:30:40 PM PST
by
SMCC1
To: neverdem
3
posted on
12/09/2008 11:32:42 PM PST
by
AliVeritas
(Pray, Pray, Pray)
To: SMCC1
“Obamas a HERO!!”
That's the spin alright. Already heard it on the local John and Ken show (Los Angeles) today.
Better go out and get some of those Presidential Coins.
4
posted on
12/09/2008 11:36:48 PM PST
by
Kickass Conservative
(Democracy, two wolves and one sheep deciding what's for dinner.)
To: neverdem
Something tells me that a lot of American fools will get burned by Obama. I doubt Blago has anything useful on Obama but if he does, I hope he spills his guts before he goes to jail.
5
posted on
12/09/2008 11:37:12 PM PST
by
teletech
(Friends don't let friends vote DemocRAT)
To: neverdem
"Something tells me that a lot of American fools will get burned by Obama."And they still won't figure it out when they do.
6
posted on
12/09/2008 11:40:41 PM PST
by
blackbart.223
(I live in Northern Nevada. Reid doesn't represent me.)
To: neverdem
"In a sequence of events that neatly captures the contradictions of Barack Obamas rise through Illinois politics, a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall of a fellow Democrat he twice supported, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich. "
Dear Governor Blagojevich,
Sorry to hear you're receiving some negative feedback for some of your recent decisions.
I sincerely hope that you won't let recent rumors about me visiting your home while you were out of town, or my recent conversations with Mr. Jones, have any influence on information you may, or may not, give the FBI, or the Grand Jury, during their investigation of this matter and those who are involved.
I'm sure that before you're convicted and impeached you will see your way clear to appoint my choice to my vacant senate seat. I'd like to remind you that after I take office on January 20th, 2009, I will then have the power of "pardons".
Thanks for your help, I know I can count on your discretion.
Sincerely,
Office of the President Elect
/satire
7
posted on
12/09/2008 11:52:24 PM PST
by
FrankR
(“Turtle up”, economically, for the duration of the 0bamanation.)
To: neverdem
I don’t see what the connection is between whatever Obama did and what the FBI and federal prosecutors did. This was a state law, anyway.
Can anyone inform me, or has the NYT gone that delusional?
8
posted on
12/09/2008 11:54:22 PM PST
by
unspun
(PRAY & WORK FOR FREEDOM - investigatingobama.blogspot.com)
To: neverdem
"...a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall of a fellow Democrat he twice supported, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich..."The New York Times knows of "a phone call"?
9
posted on
12/09/2008 11:55:29 PM PST
by
Does so
(Got Pirates? Use von Luckner's SEEADLER technique—perfected in WW1.)
To: neverdem
Mike McIntern-me and Jeff Celebral-Hemorrhage try to spin Obama into a hero? The NYT isn't fit to wipe my dog's rear.
10
posted on
12/09/2008 11:56:34 PM PST
by
SolidWood
(Sarah Palin - Everything that is Sweetness and Light! WE STAND WITH HER!)
To: neverdem
Trying to clean-up with some cash and goodies before the new ethics law kicks in, but got caught raiding the cookie jar.
11
posted on
12/10/2008 12:13:25 AM PST
by
smokingfrog
(I'll go green when they plant me in the ground.)
To: neverdem
The ole corrupt Gov. will turn the tables on Obama and Rham Emanuel. Take that to the bank. Any high ranking IL politician, i.e., Emanuel, Obama and others in Congress now had better hope ole Gov. and chief of staff have bad memories and/or little dirt to spill on them. If I was a betting man, I would say their memories will be crystal clear, they will have a dust buster full of dirt and they will squeal like Ned Beatty did in deliverance to lessen their criminal sentences.
12
posted on
12/10/2008 12:14:16 AM PST
by
jrooney
To: unspun
I dont see what the connection is between whatever Obama did and what the FBI and federal prosecutors did. This was a state law, anyway. Can anyone inform me, or has the NYT gone that delusional? "The federal corruption investigation that eventually led to Mr. Rezkos indictment, and Tuesdays charges against Mr. Blagojevich, had already begun to taint the governors administration. And by 2006, Mr. Obama had eclipsed the governor as a plausible national candidate, dashing his presidential aspirations."
Taps from Rezko made the feds act, IMHO.
13
posted on
12/10/2008 12:16:22 AM PST
by
neverdem
(Xin loi min oi)
To: SMCC1
I knew that! It was all Obama. He will part the Sea and walk on the water! Jan 21, 2009 economic problem will be solved!
14
posted on
12/10/2008 12:16:37 AM PST
by
tallyhoe
To: unspun
I agree with you, I see no connection either.
The Obama staff undoubtedly leaked the call to the New York Times hoping that they would build a positive story around it. The surprise in the story is that it does not fail to recount Obama's cynicism and cozying up to the Chicago machine.
15
posted on
12/10/2008 12:22:38 AM PST
by
nathanbedford
("Attack, repeat attack!" Bull Halsey)
To: SolidWood
Mike McIntern-me and Jeff Celebral-Hemorrhage try to spin Obama into a hero?I guess some might have that impression. I look at it more like the American fools he'll leave in his wake.
16
posted on
12/10/2008 12:26:03 AM PST
by
neverdem
(Xin loi min oi)
To: nathanbedford; unspun
Obama supposedly pushed for a law that passed. The governor then set out to break this law, which led to wiretaps, which caught him on an entirely unrelated crime.
A stretch to be sure. I could see some blogger pushing this craptastic line of reasoning? The NY Times? My how the mighty have fallen.
17
posted on
12/10/2008 12:27:24 AM PST
by
Chet 99
To: smokingfrog
Trying to clean-up with some cash and goodies before the new ethics law kicks in, but got caught raiding the cookie jar. Being Chicago, I have to ask... was this activity legal before the new law kicked in? I doubt it. I'd guess the new law just planned to make it easier to catch them? Stupid excuse.
18
posted on
12/10/2008 12:30:57 AM PST
by
Dianna
To: neverdem
Are we to believe that the chosen one walks out of the corrupt Chicago machine untouched by it, clean as the driven snow? Some might believe it but the chosen one is definitely not who he claims to be.
19
posted on
12/10/2008 12:40:03 AM PST
by
skimask
(Never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience)
To: jrooney
I think Federal Witness Protection might be in order. I’m serious.
20
posted on
12/10/2008 12:52:13 AM PST
by
ksm1
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