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The Real Story Behind the Rushed Blagojevich Bust . . . .
Wall Street Journal ^ | 12/14/08 | Cam Simpson

Posted on 12/14/2008 5:53:36 PM PST by jimbo123

Conventional wisdom holds that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald ordered the FBI to arrest Rod Blagojevich before sunrise Tuesday in order to stop a crime from being committed. That would have been the sale of the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

But the opposite is true: Members of Fitzgerald’s team are livid the scheme didn’t advance, at least for a little longer, according to some people close to Fitzgerald’s office. Why? Because had the plot unfolded, they might have had an opportunity most feds can only dream of: A chance to catch the sale of a Senate seat on tape, including the sellers and the buyers.

The precise timing of Tuesday’s dramatic, pre-dawn arrest was not dictated by Fitzgerald, nor was it dictated by the pace of Blagojevich’s alleged “crime spree.” It was dictated by the Chicago Tribune, according to people close to the investigation and a careful reading of the FBI’s affidavit in the case.

At Fitzgerald’s request, the paper had been holding back a story since October detailing how a confidante of Blagojevich was cooperating with his office.

Gerould Kern, the Tribune’s editor, said in a statement last week that these requests are granted in what he called isolated instances. “In each case, we strive to make the right decision as reporters and as citizens,” he said.

But editors decided to publish the story on Friday, Dec. 5, ending the Tribune’s own cooperation deal with the prosecutor.

(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: 4thestate5thcolumn; biasmeanslayoffs; blagojevich; bleepgate; botchedinvestigation; botchedsting; camsimpson; chicagocorruption; chicagotribune; chicagotribunebias; corruption; coverup; cultureofcorruption; democratscandals; dnctalkingpoints; doj; enemedia; fbi; fifthcolumn; ivorytower; lapdogmedia; leak; looselips; nifongism; obama; obamascandals; obamaskatesfree; obamessiah; partisanmedia; patrickfitzgerald; paytoplay; pravdamedia; puppetmedia; simpson; yellowjournalism; zell
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1 posted on 12/14/2008 5:53:37 PM PST by jimbo123
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To: jimbo123

For this alone, I hope they go out of business


2 posted on 12/14/2008 5:55:44 PM PST by RummyChick
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To: jimbo123
The timing issue did seem ... bizarre and anticlimatic.

Emanuel, you magnificent bastard.

3 posted on 12/14/2008 5:56:00 PM PST by the invisib1e hand (appeasement is collaboration.)
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To: jimbo123

The Tribune OBSTRUCTED JUSTICE!! They are STILL trying to save Obama’s ASS.


4 posted on 12/14/2008 5:58:35 PM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion.....The Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience)
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To: jimbo123

Fitz...a set up.....to stop the crime from actually being committed...political hack...Fitz


5 posted on 12/14/2008 5:58:52 PM PST by shield (A wise man's heart is at his RIGHT hand;but a fool's heart at his LEFT. Ecc 10:2)
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To: jimbo123

I think we know why they wanted the investigation to come to a dead end.


6 posted on 12/14/2008 5:59:21 PM PST by nobama08
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To: the invisib1e hand
"The timing issue did seem ... bizarre and anticlimatic"

It'll be funny if Blago walks because of the timing. The melodrama of the a.m., at home, arrest was too much.

7 posted on 12/14/2008 6:00:27 PM PST by Paladin2 (No, pundits strongly believe that the proper solution is more dilution.)
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To: jimbo123
Hey, Tribune......you'll get yours, my pretty, and your little cubbies, too.

(.....well, the former, not the latter, as I'm a Cub fan living in Florida).

Leni

8 posted on 12/14/2008 6:00:55 PM PST by MinuteGal
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To: jimbo123

Explains why Fitz hit the Trib with a subpoena last week.


9 posted on 12/14/2008 6:02:05 PM PST by Shady Ray
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To: RummyChick

In the context of Ci-cago, it looks like they thought if they did the One a favor he could, in office, steer some bailout funds their way, or at least a cut on some funds going to Ci-cago.


10 posted on 12/14/2008 6:02:43 PM PST by AmericanVictory
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To: shield

Did you read the article

It was the tribune that forced Fitzgerald to move early


11 posted on 12/14/2008 6:03:12 PM PST by Chet 99
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To: shield

does seem that way, at this point at least.


12 posted on 12/14/2008 6:03:24 PM PST by the invisib1e hand (appeasement is collaboration.)
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To: jimbo123

I love the comments. It’s a big F U to the mainstream media. In the end, Obama and the Mainstream Media will go down in flames over all of this process...otherwise America will.


13 posted on 12/14/2008 6:03:32 PM PST by johnnycap
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To: Shady Ray

Maybe they were protecting JJ,Jr. To publicize this right as the deal is about to go down is highly suspicious


14 posted on 12/14/2008 6:05:25 PM PST by RummyChick
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To: jimbo123

Barbara Streisand!

They’re covering for Fitz’s covering for 0bama.


15 posted on 12/14/2008 6:05:33 PM PST by papasmurf (Impeach the illegal bastard!)
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; george76; ...
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald ordered the FBI to arrest Rod Blagojevich... Members of Fitzgerald's team are livid the scheme didn't advance, at least for a little longer, according to some people close to Fitzgerald's office. Why? Because had the plot unfolded, they might have had an opportunity most feds can only dream of: A chance to catch the sale of a Senate seat on tape, including the sellers and the buyers. The precise timing of Tuesday's dramatic, pre-dawn arrest was not dictated by Fitzgerald, nor was it dictated by the pace of Blagojevich's alleged "crime spree." It was dictated by the Chicago Tribune... At Fitzgerald's request, the paper had been holding back a story since October detailing how a confidante of Blagojevich was cooperating with his office. Gerould Kern, the Tribune's editor, said in a statement last week that these requests are granted in what he called isolated instances. "In each case, we strive to make the right decision as reporters and as citizens," he said. But editors decided to publish the story on Friday, Dec. 5, ending the Tribune's own cooperation deal with the prosecutor.
Subpeona the phone records of everyone involved in this at the Trib -- smokin' gun is probably in there.
16 posted on 12/14/2008 6:06:05 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile finally updated Saturday, December 6, 2008 !!!)
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To: johnnycap

By the way, I think the Tribune was in communication with Obama and his cohorts and they timed the whole thing to let Jackson get caught up in the net and then shut down the whole operation before it got too close to Obama, and since Obama knew from the beginning of course he only was willing to give “appreciation”. Obama worked the whole thing. Hopefully, the prosecutors are angry enough now that somebody might be more careful in setting a snare in front of Obama next time.


17 posted on 12/14/2008 6:06:23 PM PST by johnnycap
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To: jimbo123

This might have been interesting for the country to know before the election . Hearing dates in June also . Just think if Palin had a hint of this crap going on ...


18 posted on 12/14/2008 6:07:20 PM PST by Deetes (God Bless the Troops)
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To: jimbo123

How did the Tribune become aware of the investigation? Fitz, did you leak it?


19 posted on 12/14/2008 6:09:03 PM PST by Ahithophel (Padron@Anniversario)
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To: jimbo123

May the Chicago Tribune and the rest of the Zell empire, go down in flames.

Screw the Cubs. Screw Chicago. Screw Zell.


20 posted on 12/14/2008 6:09:17 PM PST by ConservativeMind (What's "Price Gouging"? Should government force us to sell to the 15th highest bidder on eBay?)
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