Posted on 12/12/2008 6:11:12 AM PST by Sub-Driver
Report: Jackson Backers Sought Cash For Obama Post CHICAGO (CBS) ― Businessmen with ties to both Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson discussed raising $1 million for Blagojevich to help persuade him to appoint Jackson to President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, according to a published report.
Citing unnamed sources, the Chicago Tribune reports in a story for Friday's editions that businessman Raghuveer Nayak and Blagojevich aide Rajinder Bedi told attendees at an Oct. 31 meeting that they needed to raise the money for the governor to ensure Jackson's appointment.
"Raghu said he needed to raise a million for Rod to make sure Jesse got the seat," an unidentified source who attended the meeting told the Tribune. Blagojevich also attended the meeting, which was sponsored by Nayak, an Oak Brook businessman.
A message left at a listing for Raghuveer Nayak in Oak Brook was not immediately returned early Friday. No published listing for Bedi could be found.
Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on federal corruption charges that allege, among other things, a brazen scheme to put Obama's vacant Senate seat up for sale.
(Excerpt) Read more at wcbstv.com ...
The Chicago way...
I never wanted this for you. I work my whole life, I don’t apologize; to take care of my family, and I refused to be a fool, dancing on the string held by all those bigshots. I don’t apologize; that’s my life, but I thought that, that when it was your time, that you would be the one to hold the strings: Senator Jackson; Governor Jackson. Well, it wasn’t enough time, Jesse Jr., It wasn’t enough time...Now listen, whoever comes to you with this Obama meeting, he’s the traitor. Don’t forget that.
Some key dates (all can be sourced) ...
9/17/08 0 calls Emil Jones about ethics bill
9/19/08 Blago calls the move a Republican trap, and brings up Rezko’s name in a presser. “I have a theory on what happened in the Rezko situation was a system, you know, sucked him in and then some lines were crossed and then that person found himself actually violating some of the rules,” Blagojevich said.
10/07/08 Blago tells Rezko to tell the truth, the day after federal prosecutors indicated that the convicted fund-raiser might be cooperating with them. Rezko sentencing subsequently delayed.
10/12/08 Rezko starts talking.
10/17/08 Blago sends 0 message via Sun-Times’ Sneed, “Who will it be?”
10/21/08 Order was signed authorizing a 30-day interception of oral communications at Friends of Blago, Blago’s personal office and the conference room and that it was begun on Oct. 22.
??? Feds ask Trib to hold the presses due to wire taps.
10/28/08 “Goodbye gov? Sneed hears a plan is afoot to impeach Gov. Blagojevich following the presidential election next month. Word is the votes are there. Stay tuned.”
10/31/08 “I just don’t want to jinx him and I don’t like the karma of me thinking that far ahead,” Blagojevich said of Obama ‘s prospects in Tuesday’s election. The governor added, “We have had some discussions about a process which we’ll share ... if all goes well.”
Businessmen with ties to both Illinois Blago and JJJ discussed raising $1 million for 0’s seat. Raghuveer Nayak and Blago aide Rajinder Bedi told attendees at an Oct. 31 meeting that they needed to raise the money for the governor to ensure JJJ’s appointment. “Raghu said he needed to raise a million for Rod to make sure Jesse got the seat,” an unidentified source who attended the meeting told the Tribune. Blago also attended the meeting, which was sponsored by Nayak, an Oak Brook businessman.
11/05/08 Blago meets with 0 regarding senate appointment process. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2146114/posts (Follow up 11/08, both reports pulled 12/10/08.)
11/06/08 Rahn named chief of staff.
??? AFTER being name chief of staff, Rahm has multiple conversations with Blago, giving him a list of names acceptable to 0.
11/07/08 Blago sends second message to team 0 via Sneed, “Sen. Madigan?”
11/10/08 Marathon conference call, more than two hours, between “various Washington, D.C., based advisers,” Blago, his wife, his general counsel, an unnamed adviser, and John Harris, regarding “what (Blago) can get from the President-elect for the Senate seat.” Blago believed the candidate was Jarrett.
7:56 PM ET, CNN reported that “two Democratic sources close to President-elect Barack Obama tell CNN that top adviser Valerie Jarrett will not be appointed to replace him in the U.S. Senate.”
11/12/08 Durbin announces his intent to speak about his senate candidates with Blago.
11/13/08 Durbin asks Blago for a meeting, voices Duckworth as a favorite.
Jarrett accepts cabinet post.
“After several pages of detailing those machinations, the criminal complaint takes an abrupt turn, describing NO WIRETAPS for a period of THREE WEEKS. The complaint says Blagojevich had “numerous conversations” about the Senate seat during that period, but it doesn’t detail any.”
11/14/08 0 announces senate seat resignation, and distances himself from Blago, (courtesy of the WaPo). Resignation meant to ratchet up the pressure on Gov. Rod Blagojevich “to name a successor more quickly than planned.”
11/23/08 Axelrod said, “I know he’s talked to the governor and there are a whole range of names many of which have surfaced, and I think he has a fondness for a lot of them.” (youtube video pulled 12/10/08)
11/26/08 Durbin weighs asking Bush to commute ex-Gov. Ryan
11/27/08 Blagojevich: Bush should let Ryan out of Prison
12/05/08 “Chicago Tribune ran a story on its front page reporting that law enforcement had secretly recorded Blagojevich’s conversations as part of a criminal investigation. Blagojevich immediately instructed Fundraiser A to “undo” the plan to meet personally with the associate of Candidate Five, (JJJ).”
12/09/08 Blago arrested, is accused of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, as well as soliciting bribes.
12/10/08 0 and Durbin call for Blago’s resignation.
See-BS actually reported this? Will wonders never cease?
Well done. Thanks.
For Democrats, of course.
There is obviously an entirely different set of standards for those not loyal to The Party.
That’s gonna leave a mark....
Nice work, maggie! Thanks for putting that together.
Excellent work Maggie!!
I am just starting to follow this story. At this time I can only wonder how far up this will go.
This is just part of doing business in Chicago, and now that the Illinois gang has the keys to the asylum--and the media is as complicit as the a Chicago alderman--it seems a little naive to think that this or any future Obama malfeasance will amount to anything more than the trashing of those "nasty and divisive" enough to say that it is a problem.
there’s a whole lot of missing pages, tapes, days. They only released what they want us to know. NOT THE TRUTH. But lets face it, if they did, the whole lot of them would be out in the cold or behind bars. We are all mushrooms, and you know what they say about mushrooms.
I have been saying that for two days now. A crime was committed, both by Blago and by the candidates who were negotiating with him. Blago was extorting money or other compensation for return of a Senate seat appointment. He didn't actually have to complete the deal for a crime to be committed. It is unlawful to attempt extortion and bribery as it is to actually do it. JJjr could be nailed for attempted bribery and Blago could be nailed for attempted extortion(or whatever name they care to call this crime).
To say there was no crime is like saying someone who attempts to murder someone but fails, committed no crime, either statement is incorrect.
I am hoping the nail Bozo to the wall also but doubt if they do. I believe old Fitz is covering for him.
“there’s a whole lot of missing pages, tapes, days. They only released what they want us to know. “
As the leaks come forward we can fill in some blanks. I’m betting on leaks from Blago.
What do they say about mushrooms, dare I ask?
bump so much corruption so little time
Great work in detailing that.
Please ping me if there’s anything to add or change in the timeline.
Where’s the white chick that sings with these guys?
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