Earthquake: Illinois Gov. Arrested; Charged With Selling Obama's Senate Seat
From MSNBC:
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested by FBI agents Tuesday morning on federal corruption charges, officials said.
His chief of staff John Harris was also charged, the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed in a statement. Blagojevich, 51, and Harris, 46, both of Chicago, were each charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery. A 76-page FBI affidavit alleges that Blagojevich was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps during the last month conspiring to sell or trade for personal gain the state's U.S. Senate seat, which is being vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.
Just when you think that the Global Financial Meltdown is the worst of our problems. Bam!
UPDATE: It's even worse than that. The U.S. Attorney says that Blagojevich threatened "to withold substantial state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members sharply critical of Blagojevich." Wow. Read the complaint and press release here. No need to guess who prosecutor is. It's the man who convicted Scooter Libby, sent Judith Miller to jail, and even created some turmoil here at TIME magazine. Patrick J. Fitzgerald.
ANOTHER UPDATE: This is one of those scandals that will just get bigger. According to DOJ Press release, Blagojevich claimed he was approached by an associate of "Senate Candidate 5." Said the governor: "We were approached 'pay to play.' That, you know, he'd raise 500 grand. An emmisary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator." No word yet on the identity of Senate Candidate 5.
MORE: The code name of the joint anti-corruption investigation by DOJ, IRS, US Postal and the US Dept. of Labor: "Operation Board Games." Quick question: Will anyone in Obamaland, including even the president-elect himself, have to testify? Possible answer, from the press release: "Blagojevich said he knew that the President-elect wanted Senate Candidate 1 for the open seat but 'they're not willing to give me anything except appreciation. [Expletive] them.' "
EVEN MORE: From the Dept. of Not Gonna Happen: "Throughout the intercepted conversations, Blagojevich also allegedly spent significant time weighing the option of appointing himself to the open Senate seat and expressed a variety of reasons for doing so, including: frustration at being 'stuck' as governor; a belief that he will be able to obtain greater resources if he is indicted as a sitting Senator as opposed to a sitting governor; a desire to remake his image in consideration of a possible run for President in 2016; avoiding impeachment by the Illinois legislature; making corporate contacts that would be of value to him after leaving public office; facilitating his wife's employment as a lobbyist; and generating speaking fees should he decide to leave public office. . . . He added later that the seat 'is a [expletive] valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing.' "
MORE: The Horsetrade Idea: "Over the next couple of days – Election Day and the day after – Blagojevich was captured discussing with Deputy Governor A whether he could obtain a cabinet position, such as Secretary of Health and Human Services or the Department of Energy or various ambassadorships. . . . The day after the election, Harris allegedly suggested to Blagojevich that the President-elect could make him the head of a private foundation. . . . [I]n a three-way call with Harris and Advisor B, a consultant in Washington, Blagojevich and the others allegedly discussed the prospect of a three-way deal for the Senate appointment involving an organization called 'Change to Win,' which is affiliated with various unions including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)."
QUOTE OF THE YEAR: The good Gov. Blagojevich on Monday: "I don't believe there's any cloud that hangs over me. I think there's nothing but sunshine hanging over me," he said. "I don't care whether you tape me privately or publicly. I can tell you that whatever I say is always lawful." Oy.
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1
You can put the criminal in the governor's office, but its hard to take the criminal part out.
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2
Oh geez...stupid is as stupid does!
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3
Is everything happening in Chicago? Between Obama's transition, appointments and press conferences, the Republic Factory workers sit in and Blago getting arrested - I'd say Chicago is good place for a reporter to be camped out at right now.
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4
A 76-page FBI affidavit alleges that Blagojevich was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps during the last month conspiring to sell or trade Illinois' U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama for financial and other personal benefits for himself and his wife. At various times, in exchange for the Senate appointment, Blagojevich discussed obtaining:
< a substantial salary for himself at a either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions;
< placing his wife on paid corporate boards where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year;
< promises of campaign funds – including cash up front; and
< a cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.
Just last week, on December 4, Blagojevich allegedly told an advisor that he might “get some (money) up front, maybe” from Senate Candidate 5, if he named Senate Candidate 5 to the Senate seat, to insure that Senate Candidate 5 kept a promise about raising money for Blagojevich if he ran for re-election. In a recorded conversation on October 31, Blagojevich claimed he was approached by an associate of Senate Candidate 5 as follows: “We were approached ‘pay to play.' That, you know, he'd raise 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator.”
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Via Atrios. Here is the link to the PDF of Pat Fitzgerald's charging document.
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http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2008/pr1209_01.pdf -
5
Would he really be so stupid as to try to "sell" Obama's seat when he knew the law was breathing down his neck? Color me amazed.
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6
$150k in corporate boards for his wife? What a twerp. So, he would be Ambassador to a former Yugoslavian Republic or something, and she would supplement his income with some board graft.
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He needs to go to jail for a very long time. -
7
First George Ryan, now Blagojevich. At least Illinois got it right with Obama.
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8
During the call, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated, "unless I get something real good for [Senate Candidate 1], shit, I'll just send myself, you know what I'm saying." ROD BLAGOJEVICH later stated, "I'm going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain. You hear what I'm saying. And if I don't get what I want and I'm not satisfied with it, then I'll just take the Senate seat myself." Later, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that the Senate seat "is a f-ing valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing."
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Jeebuz. -
9
In a further conversation on November 21, Harris told Blagojevich that he had singled out to Tribune Financial Advisor the Tribune's deputy editorial page editor, John McCormick, “as somebody who was the most biased and unfair.” After hearing that Tribune Financial Advisor had assured Harris that the Tribune would be making changes affecting the editorial board,Blagojevich allegedly had a series of conversations with Chicago Cubs representatives regarding efforts to provide state financing for Wrigley Field.
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10
I think Blagojevich just topped Gary Hart and Elliot Spitzer in the stupid politician who knew people were out to get him but wouldn't stop anyways category.
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He really is that stupid. -
11
I know I should be outraged (and I am) but there is something so breathtaking about the level of his stupidity that I find myself amused more than anything else.
Have a nice life in jail, pal.
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12
Wow. I didn't know the Bush Administration had a Dept. of Labor.
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13
I think it is instructive that the progressive blogosphere immediately jumps on this and says: "dump the guy." If this clown was a republican, the Repug side would be blaming the messenger.
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Just sayin. -
14
from the charging document: "In a conversation with Harris on November 11, the charges state, Blagojevich said he knew that the President-elect wanted Senate Candidate 1 for the open seat but “they're not willing to give me anything except appreciation. [Expletive] them.”"
...
Hurrah, Obama. Sigh of relief. -
15
Blagojevich also allegedly spent significant time weighing the option of appointing himself to the open Senate seat
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Wow. I think we dodged a bullet here. -
16
MS:
" .. Will anyone in Obamaland, including even the president-elect himself, have to testify? .. "
Just when you thought it is over, BAM! Michael gets a new lease on life!
He is in heaven! Hog heaven. -
17
Perhaps the good governor was trying to take down dirty Feds. Kinda like this gem from Balloon Juice today:
Bad Boys, Bad Boys
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As JOhn says: "On a scale of one to ten for awesome, this rates an eleven." -
18
I think this proves that Obama was born in Kenya.
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19
I think stupid is too kind of a word here. I think a new word has to be invented to describe this level of criminal.
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20
Wow. It's weird, because I was just wondering why I hadn't heard more speculation about Obama's Senate seat. I guess I know why now.
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I'm hoping Jesse Jackson Jr. is not Candidate 1. He can't be. Obama's better than that. I'm still disappointed Valerie Jarrett was not interested in the Senate. -
21
Hey, gunny, KT is down your way. You should get together.
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22
Targetted.
How many federal departments were involved here?
Another case of political-cum-DOJ shenanigans from Bush's skunk works? -
23
cf, no, in this case it's Fitzgerald's shop.
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24
I don't want to defend Blagojevich here. But this is just another example of how law and ethics in politics is a non-bipartisan affair.
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This is the third governor that Bush's DOJ has taken down. Seligman, Spitzer and Blagojevich.
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It's not that Spitzer wasn't sleazy, hypocritical, and breaking the law. And the same for Blagojevich (Seligman was railroaded). It's that the Democrats only allow investigations by the DOJ into Democratic wrongdoing and make absolutely no effort to condemn similar actions by the GOP.
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"Pay-To-Play"? Trying to “monetize” relationships made to make money after leaving office? Thank goodness Democrats strongly attacked that when the GOP launched Operation K Street. -
25
wvng Says:
" .. Hey, gunny, KT is down your way. You should get together. .. "
Aha! I suspected who this "wvng" really is - the welcome wagon from the matchmaker agency.
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