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Emanuel talked directly to gov: source DEEPER ROLE? | Pushed Jarrett for Senate seat
Chicago Sun-Times ^ | 12/18/08 | NATASHA KORECKI

Posted on 12/18/2008 10:08:01 AM PST by randita

Emanuel talked directly to gov: source DEEPER ROLE? | Pushed Jarrett for Senate seat

December 18, 2008

BY NATASHA KORECKI Federal Courts Reporter nkorecki@suntimes.com

President-elect Barack Obama's incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had a deeper involvement in pressing for a U.S. Senate seat appointment than previously reported, the Sun-Times has learned. Emanuel had direct discussions about the seat with Gov. Blagojevich, who is is accused of trying to auction it to the highest bidder.

Emanuel talked with the governor in the days following the Nov. 4 election and pressed early on for the appointment of Valerie Jarrett to the post, sources with knowledge of the conversations told the Sun-Times. There was no indication from sources that Emanuel brokered a deal, however.

A source with the Obama camp strongly denied Emanuel spoke with the governor directly about the seat, saying Emanuel only spoke with Blagojevich once recently to say he was taking the chief of staff post.

But sources with knowledge of the investigation said Blagojevich told his aides about the calls with Emanuel and sometimes gave them directions afterward. Sources said that early on, Emanuel pushed for the appointment of Jarrett to the governor and his staff and asked that it be done by a certain date.

At least some of the conversations between Emanuel and Blagojevich were likely caught on tape, sources said.

After Jarrett took herself out of the running in mid-November, Emanuel submitted a list of suitable names to the governor's camp that didn't include her name.

Emanuel, who has refused to comment on the issue, is not accused of wrongdoing.

In portions of conversations released in a criminal complaint against Blagojevich, he can be heard complaining that Obama wouldn't give anything in return for a Jarrett appointment.

Contributing: Fran Spielman


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: blago; chicago; emmanuel; obamatruthfile; paytoplay; valeriejarrett
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To: dead

I believe Obama already has hired her, see Sec of State.

Sculimbrene is the one witness whose testimony is backed by unimpeachable documentary evidence, which irrefutably links First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton to the hiring of Filegate’s central character, D. Craig Livingstone, once head of White House Security. Her Livingstone connection ties Mrs. Clinton to one of the worst abuses of presidential power in the history of the republic.

In FBI parlance the key evidence is called an “insert”; a short memo thought to be of no consequence when Sculimbrene wrote it in March 1993 as part of his background investigation into Mr. Livingstone, then a new White House hire. At the time, Agent Sculimbrene was so highly trusted that he was the only member of the FBI’s White House detail with a special SCI security clearance (Secret Compartmentalized Information), which allowed him access to highly classified material.

The highly trusted agent wrote the following, which became part of the then-obscure Livingstone’s own FBI background file:

“BERNARD NUSSBAUM, Counsel to the President, advised that he had known the appointee for the period of time that he has been employed in the new administration. He had come highly recommended to him by HILLARY CLINTON, who has known his mother for a longer period of time....”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/836983/posts


21 posted on 12/18/2008 11:22:49 AM PST by DakoKid ( Conservitve 1st - Republican 2nd)
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To: DakoKid
Thanks for that interesting background, I've not seen it before.

Of course, though, I knew she (or one of her close minions) hired him. I was being facetious.

Some wonderous media we have though, they completely accepted the concept that nobody remembered who hired Livingstone, including even Livingstone himself!

Imagine such a ludicrous lie being accepted from Sarah Palin, George Bush, Dick Cheney, etc.

22 posted on 12/18/2008 11:32:24 AM PST by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: Abathar

After the “money for senate seat” story broke, Obama said they had not negotiated with Blago about filling the seat. Of course they had, as admitted by David Axlerod. There is actually nothing wrong with that (unless $$ was discussed), but...

Obama’s denial (and contradiction of Axlerod’s statement)shows “guilty knowledge.” He and his people knew that Blago was selling the seat, but did not report it as they are ethically obliged to do.

Now they will “tell the truth slowly” (a la Clinton) in hopes that the story gets blown out of proportion for a long time and then the truth becomes a letdown.

It’s merely a story about Obama’s lack of ethics. It’s not a surprise to me (a native Chicagoan). However, he tarnished the image that the MSM and Obamabots have deluded themselves into believing.


23 posted on 12/18/2008 11:54:32 AM PST by neocon1984
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To: neocon1984
Obama’s denial (and contradiction of Axlerod’s statement)shows “guilty knowledge.” He and his people knew that Blago was selling the seat, but did not report it as they are ethically obliged to do.

Bingo. If Obama had come right out and admitted that they had had dozens of contacts with Blago about filling the seat (which would be truthful), then the next questions would be exactly what was said in those conversations, why did you continue to be in contact with Blago about the seat when it was clear he was selling it, and why didn't you go directly to the FBI and report what you knew?

Obama answering truthfully that there many contacts and so what, doesn't close the door on the issue. Instead, it just starts the process of opening more and more doors.

The additional doors will be opened in time, but Obama is not going to do ANYTHING to help things along. At this point, a slow drip, drip, still harmful, is much preferable to a deluge. You can build a levee high enough over time, but you can't build one overnight.

24 posted on 12/18/2008 12:36:50 PM PST by randita
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To: Abathar

The important thing is for Obama to get a win early over the media. That sets the tone for the next few years. If he can prove he is Teflon, the media won’t press him too much.

Reporters don’t want to be called into the editor’s office for asking too many questions. You don’t want to waste a lot of time on a story that will have to be spiked.


25 posted on 12/18/2008 12:42:06 PM PST by AppyPappy (If you aren't part of the solution, there is good money to be made prolonging the problem.)
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To: dead
Some wonderous media we have though, they completely accepted the concept that nobody remembered who hired Livingstone, including even Livingstone himself!

Recall during the House Gov. Ops hearings, Livingstone going round and round with an answer to the direct question, "WHO hired you?" It was stupefying!

In the end, it was, with little credibility, laid at the feet of the "breathy" Cheryl Mills, though as pointed out, the only valid testimony was the documented evidence of the FBI agent.

26 posted on 12/18/2008 12:51:21 PM PST by MozarkDawg
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To: penelopesire; BulletBobCo; seekthetruth; Kevmo; gunnyg; television is just wrong; browardchad; ...

~~PING!


27 posted on 12/18/2008 8:41:13 PM PST by STARWISE ((They (Dims) think of this WOT as Bush's war, not America's war-RichardMiniter, respected OBL author)
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To: STARWISE

The leaking spin from both sides is starting to make me dizzy...lol.


28 posted on 12/18/2008 8:53:26 PM PST by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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To: penelopesire

Yeah .. me, too. I’m wondering how they’re getting
all this inside info, allegedly.


29 posted on 12/18/2008 8:56:20 PM PST by STARWISE ((They (Dims) think of this WOT as Bush's war, not America's war-RichardMiniter, respected OBL author)
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