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 ...
Oh, please, this would not be remotely like letting a terrorist bomb explode.
The US Constitution authorizes the US Senate to determine qualifications of members to serve. I don’t see any reason that a person who “bought” a seat could not be blocked from serving. It was a leak to the Chicago Tribune which ended the investigation in order that “someone” could stop the investigation before it went any further. WHY?
The owner of the Tribune needed Blago’s help to stave off bankruptcy.
Uhhh...this could take a while/
He needs the help of just about anyone. I’m in Chicago and the Tribune published one negative article/column about Blaggo after the next.
December 11, 2008
CHICAGO Federal authorities subpoenaed documents from Tribune Co. related to charges that Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff conspired to pressure the media company to fire certain Chicago Tribune editorial board members, the newspaper reported on its Web site Thursday.
Oh please after the railroading of Libby by Fitz...I have very little faith in what he does...he proved to be a political hack back then and his colors haven’t changed.
Had to protect their messiah
The LA Times also helped Obama along with practically every newspaper in Ameria.
Downstate Illinois.
And if this is the case, it doesn’t explain Fitz’s convoluted explanation of the timing of the arrest of RoBlo.
Why would he cover for the Trib if they blew their cover?
Oh ok that’s understandble then! I understand there’s a lot of resentment to Chicago’s influence in IL affairs isn’t there?
But you don’t need that - seeking a bribe (and, in the case of “Senate Candidate #5,” apparently offering a bribe) is a crime in itself. What good would have come from waiting until there was an offer & acceptance?
"The Chicago Tribune and Blogo were not on good terms at all. Blogo wanted the leadership of the Tribune fired in exchange for helping with the sale of the stadium.
Then why would the Tribune help Blogo? There must have been some overriding pressure."
Uh.....maybe there's somebody ELSE besides Blago in this? Like maybe the guy who secretly sent Emanuel to talk to Blago. SIX times. At least it they tried to keep it secret until contrary info arrived via Mr. Fitz.
The Tribune is ON RECORD as being officially partial to Mr. Obama.
Fitzgerald handled the Plame investigation rather poorly, yes. But, he is no liberal/dem hack. He’s gone after politicians of all stripes throughout his career, and was appointed by a Republican president on the advice of a Republican Senator. Within the legal community, he is widely known as a non-partisan straight shooter.
That is a great comment...Not really a question that needs an answer, because we already know what the answer is...
The question you do need to think about is this...
Why did this not come out in the campaign??? Before the election...
Once again, it is proof that the media and the Obama campaign wanteed a few of the things that wouldn’t necessarily torpedo the Obama express...
And that this would have put an anchor in the water and slowed them down when they needed the very momentum they presented to be nurtured by the mindless masses of the intellectually lazy, to stay focused on getting the election won, no matter what the cost...
If Hillary or even John McCain had won the election...Would anything like this even come up on the radar???
Think about it...
Who is playing whom, indeed.
In Chicago, nothing is as it seems.
The Trib pulled the trigger on Fitzboy, and one must ask the age-old question:
Que bono?
Who benefits?
In the multilevel labyrinth that is Chicago politics, it is too soon to know what is really going down or who is going down in this investigation.
One thing I do know--no one swims in that swamp and comes out of it without a stench.
And that includes the Anointed One.
*excellent*
thanks kcvl.
Thanks! Check out kcvl’s post as well:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2148799/posts?page=65#65
The answers to those questions would certainly illustrate how far and wide this ALL goes...
“When in the course of human events it becomes necessary...”
We have two years to get things ready to flush the toilet in this case...Every single occupied seat needs to go...Every incumbent, every elected official that believes they are above recourse...Done, get out of Dodge...
When we put folks in there willing to take care of what is Constotutionally chartered for our government to do, and remove the nonsense...I’m sure it will be extremely painful for some, but better for all in the long run...
And at the end of the day when the sun sets...Guess what...
The sun WILL come up the next morning...
Chicago is not the only corrupt game in town...
Then you absolutely have and probably carry a multi-generational entitlement to your thoughts on the windy .
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