Posted on 12/14/2008 8:35:31 PM PST by SSS Two
Barack Obama had begun thinking about his Senate successor even before the presidential election, and dispatched Rahm Emanuel days after the vote to contact aides of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to begin talking up Mr. Obama's preferred candidates, associates of Mr. Emanuel said this weekend.
Mr. Emanuel, a congressman from Chicago, had been approached about being Mr. Obama's White House chief of staff the week before the election, though he hadn't yet officially decided to take the post. Nonetheless, the issue of Mr. Obama's Senate replacement was sensitive enough that senior Obama aides wanted to keep the matter within the circle of Illinois political figures, according to people familiar with campaign deliberations at the time.
Among those in Mr. Obama's inner circle, Mr. Emanuel had one of the closest relationships to Mr. Blagojevich, a Democrat. He had succeeded Mr. Blagojevich in 2002 to the House seat that covered Chicago's near north side.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
So let me get this straight. The “One” who is about to lower the seas and scrub our atmosphere clean of every contaminant never talked to his aides who talked to Blago? He never was involved in the political sewer that is Chicago even though it was they who allowed him to reach great heights? Amazing!!
(Oh, and if you are still swallowing this bilge...err I mean “truth”...I have a bridge you might be interested in buying.)
Ping!
...
Updated:
HT: Flopping Aces for wiretap conversations
http://www.floppingaces.net/2008/12/11/more-questions-about-obama-and-blagojevich/
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.”
??? Rahm approached by 0’s White House staff the week before the election. 0’s senate replacement was sensitive enough that senior Obama aides wanted to keep the matter within the circle of Illinois political figures. Among 0’s inner circle Rahm had closest relationship with Blago. Rahm spoke by phone with aides to the governor.
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.
11/01/08 Source said that contact between the Obama camp and the governor’s administration regarding the Senate seat began the Saturday before the Nov. 4 election, when Emanuel made a call to the cell phone of Harris. The conversation took place around the same time press reports surfaced about Emanuel being approached about taking the high-level White House post should Obama win. Emanuel delivered a list of candidates who would be “acceptable” to Obama, the source said. On the list were Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, the source said. All are Democrats.
11/03/08 Wiretap conversation 1:
*Blagojevich and Deputy Governor A discuss the possibility of an open US Senate seat the day before the Presidential election
* Blagojevich threatens to assume the seat if he is not offered anything
Converstation 2:
* Blagojevich speaks with Advisor A
* Blagojevich tells Advisor A that he is aware of media reports of Senate Candidate 1’s interest in the open US Senate seat; Blagojevich states he will only offer Valerie Jarrett the Senate seat if he gets “something real good;” he reiterates his intention to assume the seat and to drive a “hard bargain”
11/04/08 Conversation 3:
* Deputy Governor A broaches the topic of the Senate seat, and he asks Blagojevich to draft of list of wants for the seat
* Blagojevich notes that nothing can be written down
* Blagojevich states he is interested in an ambassadorship
Conversation 4:
* Blagojevich speaks with John Harris, his Chief of Staff
* Blagojevich mentions the “trick” of conducting negotiations with Obama “indirectly”
* He hypothetically asks Obama what Obama is willing to offer for the seat, and he again reiterates his intention to assume the seat himself
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.)
Conversation 5:
* Blagojevich speaks with Deputy Governor A regarding position he can assume if he were to offer the Senate seat to Obama’s chosen candidate
* Secretary of Health and Human Services and ambassadorships are discussed; also discussed is Secretary of Energy and Blagojevich’s connection to the coal industry
Conversation 6:
* Blagojevich speaks with John Harris
* They discuss federal positions that could be traded for the Senate seat, and Blagojevich mentions the private sector and whether Obama could put something “big” together there
* Harris mentions private foundations, and Blagojevich tells Harris to do “homework” right away on the possibility
* The Red Cross is mentioned, but Harris states that it would have to be a private foundation under the influence of a President Obama
Conversation 7:
* Blagojevich speaks with Harris and with Deputy Governor A
* They discuss potential private foundations heavily dependent on federal aid, as this would place it under the influence of Obama
Conversation 8:
* Blagojevich speaks to Advisor A
* Blagojevich mentions how Obama could remove someone from the Board of a private foundation and appoint Blagojevich
* Blagojevich voices demands for something for the seat, and he reiterates an intention to appoint himself to the seat
??? Sometime after the election, Emanuel called Harris back to add the name of Democratic Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan to the approved list, the source said.
??? One source confirmed that communications between Emanuel and the Blagojevich administration were captured on court-approved wiretaps.
11/06/08 Rahn named chief of staff.
Conversation 9:
* Blagojevich speaks with Spokesman
* Blagojevich instructs Spokesman to leak information to the Chicago Sun-Times about Senate Candidate 2, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and Blagojevich’s interest in Senate Candidate 2, which the Chicago Sun-Times published
* Blagojevich instructed Spokesman to leak such information, as he desired to communicate dissatisfaction to the Obama campaign about Valerie Jarrett and what he thought they were offering for her appointment
??? AFTER being name chief of staff, Rahm has multiple conversations with Blago, giving him a list of names acceptable to 0.
??? Schakowsky also spoke of a conversation she had with Emanuel shortly after he was named chief of staff. She said she called Emanuel him “to get some intelligence” on whether Obama might approve of her selection as senator. “He indicated that the president-elect would be fine with certain people and I was one of them,” Schakowsky said.
11/07/08 Blago sends second message to team 0 via Sneed, “Sen. Madigan?”
Conversation 10:
* Blagojevich speaks with Advisor A
* Blagojevich tells Advisor A he will offer the seat to Jarrett if he is appointed Secretary of Health and Human Services
Conversation 11:
* Blagojevich speaks with Harris and Advisor B, a Washington, DC, consultant
* Blagojevich indicates that he will offer Jarrett the Senate seat if he is appointed Secretary of Health and Human Services, but Harris notes that any deal cannot appear to be a quid pro quo
* Blagojevich notes his financial situation, and Harris states that “they” are considering it
* Blagojevich, Advisor B and Harris then discuss the possibility of a three way deal involving Blagojevich, Obama and “Change to Win,” an organization tied to SEIU (Service Employees International Union)
* Harris mentions how such a deal would conceal a quid pro quo
* Advisor B, who is in DC, is pleased with the notion of a three way deal, and he states that Obama should be leveraged with this deal, as it is better than Madigan as Senator and Blagojevich continuing as Governor
11/08/08 Conversation 12:
* Blagojevich and Harris speak
* Discussed is the potential of a financial benefit for Blagojevich’s wife, who he believes can work in New York or DC with her Series 7 license
* An interim position at Change to Win for Blagojevich’s wife is also discussed
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.”
Conversation 13:
* Blagojevich, his wife, Harris, Governor General Counsel and various Washington, DC, advisors, including Advisor B, speak on a conference call
* Blagojevich mentions his connections in Obama’s teams, and he asks how that can be parlayed into financial and political benefits for him and his wife
* Blagojevich mentions how he can assume the Senate seat in order to avoid impeachment in Illinois, and he agrees that Obama will not appoint him to a Cabinet position, as he is too controversial
* Blagojevich asks what he can obtain for the Senate seat, and he mentions that Governor General Counsel believes Blagojevich can be appointed to a private sector Board in exchange for appointing Jarrett to the Senate, but it would have to be a Board not directly connected to Obama
* Blagojevich’s wife also mentions her desire to be appointed to a Board, and Blagojevich mentions his wife’s experience and Series 7 license
* Blagojevich mentions that he does not want to be Governor anymore
* Blagojevich complains that the advisors on the phone are telling him that he must “suck it up” for another two years
* Blagojevich complains that he will receive nothing in return for appointing Jarrett, and he threatens to appoint Senate Candidate 4, one of the three Deputy Governors of Illinois, in retaliation
* Blagojevich mentions how his wife is more qualified to sit on corporate boards than a “specifically named individual,” who is most probably Michelle Obama
* Harris and Blagojevich remind advisors of the problem of Blagojevich’s financial security, and Blagojevich indicates that without something in return he will not appoint Jarrett
* Harris broaches the three way deal with Obama, Blagojevich and the SEIU involving “Change to Win;” such a deal will occur in two years
* A Blagojevich advisor admonishes Blagojevich to be “leery” of promises for events to occur to two years from now
* Blagojevich then discusses other manners whereby he can earn money
Conversation 14:
* Blagojevich and Advisor A discuss the open Senate seat
* Blagojevich asks if Obama could appoint his wife to a Board
* If Obama cannot or will not appoint Blagojevich’s wife to a corporate Board, then Blagojevich will appoint Jesse Jackson, Jr. to the Senate seat
Conversation 15:
* Blagojevich and Advisor A discuss the open Senate seat again
* Blagojevich asks Advisor A to leak to the Chicago Sun-Times that he is seriously considering Jesse Jackson, Jr., for the open Senate seat
* Blagojevich considers this to be another threat to the Obama campaign, who still desires Jarrett
* It is clear that Blagojevich has not intention of selection Jackson; he simply hopes to apply pressure to the Obama campaign
11/11/08 Conversation: 16
* Blagojevich and John Harris discuss the open Senate seat
* Blagojevich suggests the creations of a 501(c)(4) he could run that would be funded by Warren Buffett or other wealthy Obama allies
* Blagojevich also mentions that he could appoint Senate Candidate 4, Illinois Deputy Governor Louanner Peters, who will vacate it if Blagojevich is impeached and in need of a political office
* Blagojevich knows Obama will not offer him what he wants in exchange for appointing Jarrett
Conversation 17:
* Blagojevich and Advisor A discuss the open Senate seat
* Advisor A mentions how he is attempting to leak the story about Jesse Jackson, Jr., to the Chicago Sun-Times, and Blagojevich asks about the viability of the creation of a 501(c)(4) to be bankrolled by wealthy Obama allies
* Blagojevich mentions how he could run such an organization, and he mentions how Senate Candidate 6, an Illinois millionaire who may be Blair Hull, can bankroll the organization, but Advisor A explains how it would be difficult for Blagojevich to appoint Senate Candidate 6 to the open seat
* Blagojevich explains how Senate Candidate 6 is better than receiving nothing for selecting Valerie Jarrett, and he asks Advisor A to locate someone who could broach the possibility of bankrolling a 501(c)(4) with Senate Candidate 6
11/12/08 Durbin announces his intent to speak about his senate candidates with Blago.
Conversation 18:
* Blagojevich speaks with John Harris
* Blagojevich and Harris learn through CNN that Jarrett has withdrawn her name from consideration for the US Senate seat
* Harris interprets it as a tactic of the Obama team
* Blagojevich broaches the topic of a 501(c)(4) again, and he mentions how Obama and allies can fund it while he is still Governor and Jarrett is Senator; Blagojevich also mentions that Senate Candidate 6 can help bankroll the issues advocacy group to be led by Blagojevich
* They agree this is easier for Obama than for Obama to appoint Blagojevich to a position
Conversation 19:
* Blagojevich discusses the open Senate seat with Advisor B
* Blagojevich discusses the option of a 501(c)(4) with Advisor B, who says the “Change for Win” option is better, for from Obama’s perspective, there would be fewer “fingerprints” of Obama’s involvement
* Advisor B mentions that “Change for Win” is a better option, as there will not be stories in four years of how Obama bought Blagojevich off
* Blagojevich mentions how a 501(c)(4) will exist in two years, while “Change to Win” may not
Conversation 20:
* Blagojevich speaks with a different DC advisor about the open Senate seat
* Blagojevich mentions the 501(c)(4), but the advisor in DC reiterates the reason why “Change to Win” is more desirable: it is one step removed from the President-elect
Conversation 21:
* Blagojevich speaks with an SEIU official, SEIU President Andy Stern, who was in DC, about the open Senate seat
* SEIU official met with Blagojevich the previous week, and Blagojevich understood Stern was an emissary of Jarrett
* Blagojevich tells Stern he heard Obama was considering candidates other than Jarrett for the open seat, and Stern states he would discuss this with Jarrett
* Blagojevich mentions the 501(c)(4) advocacy group option to Stern, and he mentions how that advocacy group could assist Jarrett
* Stern says he will “put that flag up and see where it goes”
Conversation 22:
* Blagojevich and Advisor B discuss the open Senate seat
* Blagojevich tells Advisor B that he asked Stern to broach the topic of a 501(c)(4) with Jarrett, Co-Chair of the Obama Transition Team
Conversation 23:
* Blagojevich and Harris discuss the open Senate seat
* Blagojevich mentions how he will decide how he will select a candidate for the Senate seat, and he mentions his legal situation as the most important variable
* Harris reminds him that his legal situation is the hardest one to satisfy, and Blagojevich claims it can be satisfied if he appoints himself to the seat
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.”
Conversation 24:
* Blagojevich and Harris discuss the open Senate seat
* Blagojevich tells Harris he wants to speak directly to “President-elect Advisor” about the 501(c)(4) option and how it could be bankrolled
* Blagojevich says he wants “President-elect Advisor” to receive word of the 501(c)(4) option on that day, for when “President-elect Advisor” asks about the open fifth Congressional district Seat, it will be in the advisor’s mind
* Blagojevich may have the power to appoint a Representative to Illinois’s fifth Congressional district seat, which was previously occupied by Rahm Emanuel
Conversation 25:
* Blagojevich and Advisor A discuss open Senate seat
* Blagojevich mentions how he hopes the 501(c)(4) is in the head of the “President-elect Advisor,” but he hopes it is implanted in that person’s mind in a manner in which it is not connected to the open Senate seat or the open House seat
* When asked by Advisor A if it is, Blagojevich responds, “it’s unsaid. It’s unsaid.”
Conversation 26:
* Blagojevich and Advisor A discuss open Senate seat
* Blagojevich asks Advisor A to contact Individual A and ask Individual A to contact “President-elect Advisor” about the 501(c)(4)
* Advisor A asks if it should be mentioned outside of the open Senate and House seats, and Blagojevich says yes
* Advisor A asks if Blagojevich wants Individual A to contact “President-elect Advisor” as Blagojevich thinks there is still “life” in Valerie Jarrett
* Blagojevich thinks there is still life in Jarrett, but he also thinks there are other options
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).”
12/06/08 Blago fundraiser Saturday in Elmhurst, co-sponsored by Nayak and attended by JJJ’s brother, Jonathan, as well as Blago.
The “Nayak” co-sponsor mentioned is Naghu Rayak, an Oak Brook doctor and president of Rogers Park Surgery. Nayak is a generous political contributor and has contributed to Blagojevich and numerous other statewide office holders, namely Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn as indicated on the ISBE website
12/08/08 Blago and JJJ met to discuss the Senate seat on Monday, one day before federal prosecutors arrested Blago.
12/09/08 Blago arrested, is accused of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, as well as soliciting bribes.
“President-elect Obama was scheduled to travel this morning to the Chicago FBI briefing before his mid-day meeting with former Vice President Al Gore,” wrote the Wall Street Journal’s Jonathan Weisman in the morning’s first pool report. “But it has been announced that he will instead be going straight to his transition office.”
12/10/08 0 and Durbin call for Blago’s resignation.
12/12/08 Rahm won’t go to the Chicago Presidential transition offices in order to avoid reporters. “I’m getting regular death threats. You’ve put my home address on national television. I’m pissed at the networks. You’ve intruded too much.”
Madigan asked the state’s highest court Friday to strip scandal-plagued Blago of his powers. The filing says he is “unable to serve as governor due to disability and should not rightfully continue to hold that office.”
Republicans always "take advantage" politically in situations where Republicans are caught red-handed. On the other hand, Democrats never seem to be portrayed as political opportunists - ever. Funny how that happens in the MSM.
maggief, there may be some new information in this WSJ article, but since I think it was sourced by the Obama team (just my opinion), it will be their slant on things.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2148799/posts
I strongly disagree. When someone solicits a bribe from you, it is not only "improper", it is illegal to not report that to authorities. This is especially important when you are Chief of Staff to the "Office of the President-Elect".
It is truly amazing to me how the MSM goes out of its way to report how "limited" the contacts between the Obama organization and the known crooks are. How come no such limits were found about, say, Tom Delay, or President Bush and Ken Lay? I wonder if such limits will now be found about contacts among Democrat operatives and Maddow?
Ha! Except for a few conservative editorials, the WSJ has turned into another leftwing outlet. It is why I recently canceled it following my 15 year subscription. For 6 months before the election they had a pro-Obama story - with picture - on the front page nearly every single day. It was too much. I'm out.
Obviously it should have read "...where Democrats are caught...".
Too early in the a.m.
This sentence is the tip off and is not consistent with what Obama has said:
Obama advisers also said they assumed that some of Mr. Emanuel's conversations with Blagojevich aides were caught on tape, since it was widely known Mr. Blagojevich was under federal investigation and that likely meant his communications were being monitored.
Thanks, I’ll take a look.
That is the BIG question.
Thanks for the ping! Great work maggie. I am trying to catch up with the story this morning and it looks like things are heating up for Don Rahm. The other article in the WSJ Sunday is pretty telling too. Here it is if you haven’t seen it yet:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2148799/posts
I think Blago is uses “sources” to spill some beans, JMO.
The big question is how did the Trib get wind of the story back in October?
Another observation ... if a Kennedy (Chris) winds up with 0’s seat it could mean the swimmer trumped Blago and 0 ... again, MOO.
“The big question is how did the Trib get wind of the story back in October?”
Lisa Madigan or someone in her office is looking more and more like the possible person that tipped off the O team and the Trib imho.
Rahm, "I never had sex with, er, talked to the Illinois Governor. Hell, Obama and I don't even know him."
Chicago Team Obama
Hey Zer0, How are you hanging in there with the big boys? How's your smoking and facial tics coming along? Enjoy your ride. The fun is just beginning.
No doubt! Just as soon as Fitzgerald gives another clue as to where he's going with this investigation.
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