Posted on 12/10/2008 2:15:24 AM PST by Man50D
The corruption arrest of Gov. Rod Blagojevich is raising questions about what Sen. Barack Obama knew of the Illinois Democrat's alleged activities, including his apparent offer to appoint Obama's preferred candidate to serve in the U.S. Senate in return for "private sector" help from Obama.
"This is a burgeoning crisis for Obama that should shake his presidency to its core," said Tom Fitton, chief of the Judicial Watch organization today.
"The criminal complaint filed today indicates that Obama and his team knew about Blagojevich's efforts to sell Obama's Senate seat," he said.
"Did Obama report Blagojevich to investigators about any efforts to sell his Senate seat?" Fitton asked.
ABC's Jake Tapper also expressed concern over the same issue.
On his blog, he wrote that while appearances seem to indicate Obama "refused to go along with the 'pay to play'" Blagojevich plan, there were significant questions.
For example, he wondered "how Blagojevich knew that Mr. Obama was not willing to give him anything in exchange for the Senate seat – with whom was Blagojevich speaking? Did that person report the governor to the authorities?"
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
Ill. governor meeting with Obama today
By Carol Sowers
Wednesday, November 05, 2008 at 10:39 a.m.
CHICAGO, ILL. — Now that Barack Obama will be moving to the White House, his seat in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois will have to be filled.
That’s one of Obama’s first priorities today.
He’s meeting with Governor Rod Blagojevich this afternoon in Chicago to discuss it.
——Carol Sowers is news director of a Quincy TV station...this is found at “triconnect” I lost the link. (self-confessed Computer Incompetent)
Hey Chrissy, tell us when that leg of yours stops tingling.
” how can we support the Commander-in-Chief and at the same time relentlessly go after his corruption, ties to terrorists, etc?”
If my commander is known to be a corrupt lieing cheating bastard, how can I possibly maintain my honor and respect myself while executing his orders?
Good question ... why didn’t Fitz go for the sting? Did he pull the trigger to prevent Blago from the senate appointment? He can still make that appointment at this point in time, correct?
This is the tip of the iceberg, I’m afraid.
“Did he pull the trigger to prevent Blago from the senate appointment?”
I don’t think so. The FBI is not charged with seeing to it that no ‘criminals’ are elected or appointed to the Congress or that no corrupt individuals appoint them.
Where is the FBI ‘standing’ for such a move when no money has changed hands?
No..something else is going on here.
Do you remember the Carter video about how great he was. They sure fooled America that time.
“No..something else is going on here.”
I’m looking at the timeline for some clues. Do you know when the Feds but the wiretaps in place?
If Obama or for that matter Clinton was ever actually looked at fairly by the press neither would have ever gotten near the white house. The right wing NEEDN'T lie to damn the democrats even if, as a group, they tended toward lying. The idea that there is some even remote equivalence in this matter between the right and left in this nation is pernicious crap. Also: there is a difference between lying and a lack of proof, try to learn it. There is also a place for proof and a method of discovering it, if asnd when it enters into the question at all.
The indictment does not make that as clear as others have thought, because the investigation into Blago goes back to 2003 and we might be foolish to assume that the only wiretaps done on Blago started in 2008.
However the indictment mentions that on Oct. 21,2008 an 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.
On Nov. 19, the same judge issued another 30 day interception order for the same.
There was another authorization to wiretap Blago’s landline at home on Oct. 29 and another given on Nov. 26 for a second 30 day period.
The indictment makes it clear that everything they know and have info on is not contained in the Blago indictment....nor does it leave the impression that these were the only wiretaps involved in this case.
Hope this helps.
kinda like eBAY!
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.”
11/05/08 Blago meets with 0 regarding senate appointment process? http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2146114/posts
11/07/08 Blago sends second message to team 0 via Sneed, “Sen. Madigan?”
11/12/08 Durbin announces his intent to speak about his senate candidates with Blago.
Rahn appointed chief of staff.
11/13/08 Durbin asks Blago for a meeting, voices Duckworth as a favorite.
Jarrett pulls name from senate appointment list, opts for 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. 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.”
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.”
These events are not happenstance, IMO.
11/13/08 ...
Jarrett pulls name from senate appointment list, opts for 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. Resignation meant to ratchet up the pressure on Gov. Rod Blagojevich “to name a successor more quickly than planned.”
Because they are the only ones that can STOMACH the political war that is necessary to win an election.
Why do people run for office?
Because Government is sooo BIG and offers so much $$ to office holders and their “friends.”
Only solution: Drastically cut the SIZE of government, so there is not so much to fight over.
Term Limits is a good start.
Check out the timeline ... interesting how the wiretaps in the complaint stopped at the same time 0 resigned his senate seat to put pressure on Blago to name a successor and Jarrett pulls her name from the list of candidates.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
Yep, term limits and actually doing it.
Thanks! I knew I wasn’t alone. Not by a long shot,it appears.
Veeeeery interesting, indeed.
Cops, when observing a mugger pointing a gun at someone, don’t wait for the trigger to be pulled before taking the mugger down.
Likewise, methinks the investigators should not wait for the actual corruption of a Senate appointment before moving. Intent was made absolutely clear - shut it down now before any more damage is done.
I see your point, but this is not a ‘violent’ crime and Blago was not ‘pointing a gun’ at anyone’s head. Fitz could have ensnared others. Either he knew the press had already blown his wiretaps to the players or he was protecting someone or something.
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