Ouch:
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on charges of conspiring to get financial benefits through his authority to appoint a U.S. senator to fill the vacancy left by Barack Obama's election as president.
According to a federal criminal complaint, Blagojevich also was charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co., the owner of the Chicago Tribune, in the sale of Wrigley Field. In return for state assistance, Blagojevich allegedly wanted members of the paper's editorial board who had been critical of him fired.
A 76-page FBI affidavit said the 51-year-old Democratic governor was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps over the last month [Hmmm....] conspiring to sell or trade the vacant Senate seat for personal benefits for himself and his wife, Patti.
The affidavit said Blagojevich discussed getting a substantial salary for himself at a nonprofit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions.
It said Blagojevich also talked about getting his wife placed on corporate boards where she might get $150,000 a year in director's fees.
He also allegedly discussed getting campaign funds for himself or possibly a post in the president's cabinet or an ambassadorship once he left the governor's office.
"I want to make money," the affidavit quotes him as saying in one conversation.
U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald [our hero] said in a statement that "the breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering."
"They allege that Blagojevich put a for sale sign on the naming of a United States senator," Fitzgerald said."
Among those being considered for the post include U.S. Reps. Danny Davis and Jesse Jackson Jr.
Blagojevich also was charged with using his authority as governor in an attempt to squeeze out campaign contributions.
His chief of staff, John Harris, also was arrested.
Corruption in the Blagojevich administration has been the focus of a federal investigation involving an alleged $7 million scheme aimed at squeezing kickbacks out of companies seeking business from the state. Federal prosecutors have acknowledged they're also investigating "serious allegations of endemic hiring fraud" under Blagojevich.
Political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko who raised money for the campaigns of both Blagojevich and Obama is awaiting sentencing after being convicted of fraud and other charges. Blagojevich's chief fundraiser, Christopher G. Kelly, is due to stand trial early next year on charges of obstructing the Internal Revenue Service.
According to Tuesday's complaint, Blagojevich schemed with Rezko, millionaire-fundraiser turned federal witness Stuart Levine and others to get financial benefits for himself and his campaign committee.
Federal prosecutors said Blagojevich and the chairman of his campaign committee have been speeding up corrupt fundraising activities in the last month to get as much money as possible before the end of the year when a new law would curtail his ability to raise contributions from companies with state contracts worth more than $50,000.
According to the affidavit, agents learned Blagojevich was seeking $2.5 million in campaign contributions by the end of the year, with a large part allegedly to come from companies and individuals who have gotten state contracts or appointments.
Blagojevich took the chief executive's office in 2003 as a reformer promising to clean up former Gov. George Ryan's mess.
Dear me.
You know, I'd hate to think that the "toddling town" coming to the defense of the Republic Window workers was just a PR stunt to buff the Illinois political establishment before the coming indictments.
NOTE And who wants to bet that Fitzgerald's work goes no higher than Blagojevich? Just as his work went no higher than Libby? Just saying that a cynic, or a realist, might expect things to play out that way.
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Thanks for demonstrating
that dems can be just as corrupt, Rod.
Nice start to "We going to change the way politics works,", n'est-ce pas?
You know, I'd hate to think that the "toddling town" coming to the defense of the Republic Window workers was just a PR stunt to buff the Illinois political establishment before the coming indictments. CYNIC!
Will he still get to pick the replacement
for Obama? How do Jesse Jackson Jr's chances look now?
I think JJ is one of the "candidates"...
mentioned in the indictment. Not looking really good for Junior.
And another one bites the dust
Well, I guess we'll get to finance his retirement just like the rest of our governors in Illinois.
Should be interesting...
blago fallout
- i sincerely hope andy stern isn't mixed up in this. he's a friend to the blogosphere.
-altho the investigation predates it, it's worth noting Blago was just about to suspend business with BoA, re the chicago factory strike.
- jesse jr would've been a good pick for obama's seat. it's natural that he supported obama from the start and i don't hold it against him, and he's been a true progressive for a while (despite whatever corruption he may be guilty of, as all IL pols are) he calls his father "too conservative." i hope this doesn't take him out of the running
-the worrisome part is over at atrios' place: blago was trying to finagle this into a "cabinet post or ambassador position." that means he was bargining with...whom, exactly?
-i agree with lambert that it likely won't go any higher, but then again Obama *is* a democrat. so who knows? if he's mixed up in this somehow, the law applies to him, and fitz is a republican, after all. i'm not going to say that i think obama is mixed up in this,otoh having lived in IL, i don't believe any IL pol is truly "clean."
off to read some email...i'll see if there are any juicy details.
'Zactly.
i'm not going to say that i think obama is mixed up in this,otoh having lived in IL, i don't believe any IL pol is truly "clean."
I don't know if Obama is mixed up in this or other stuff or not, but it's amusing to read the comments of those who apparently believe he's as pure as the driven snow. Dangerous assumption, that.
Oh, yes, the next four years are gonna be fun.
Roses grow best in shit
So, if I had to bet how Obama's going to end up smelling, I'm betting "like a rose." The press won't want to take him down, at this critical moment in the nation's history et cetera, even if there is fire under the smoke, to mix metaphors. And the Republicans are quite happy to wound and not kill -- they weren't even trying, as I kept saying, during the election.
First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. -- Mahatma Gandhi
It's his "moral fiber"
that helped Obama avoid the cesspool that is Chicago politics. At least according to David Mendell on the Brian Lehrer Show this morning.
The segment's a little nauseating when they start discussing Obama's relation to any of this (Lehrer's opening question "So we can assume Obama came through this environment unscathed?" Ah, journalists and their assumptions -- I don't think that will have any affect on how this story is covered at all!), but if you're interested, it starts about 8.25 minutes into the last segment on the page.
JJJr=Blech
"- jesse jr would've been a good pick for obama's seat. it's natural that he supported obama from the start and i don't hold it against him, and he's been a true progressive for a while (despite whatever corruption he may be guilty of, as all IL pols are) he calls his father "too conservative." i hope this doesn't take him out of the running"
Sorry to disagree with ya CD, but JJJr.'s behavior during the primaries (most notably the "she didn't cry for Katrina" bs) earns the guy a place in the Democratic Hall o' Shame for me. Democrats are supposed to be better than this.
I told you
This is some straight up "G" shit - that's Rahm. Obama is now a Don. America, welcome to Chicago.
you should see some of the chatter by loyalists right now, pie
can you say "PANIC!!!1!"
what it reminds me is that it's true: there are two parties in this country. not "democrats" and "republicans," but rather "i'm in this game for the money, gimme some" and "i want to make the world different." notice i didn't say "a better place," for there are true believer republicans who want to convert the world to jeebus and don't do it (just) for the money. but i'm laughing really hard, *most especially* at oborg loyalists who have been salivating at their upcoming chance to be Playahs in the party of "gimme some." sorry, hacks and amateurs, the rethugs are soooooooooo much better at this than you'll ever be. just when you think you're going somewhere, BAM! "fitzmas."
the fallout over this is going to be huge, and it's going to cause some interesting realignments. you know, our own Xenophon took a lot of shit, here and elsewhere, for suggesting that IL politics are corrupt and there are *no* clean players. i guess some people are going to owe him an apology, really soon.
In which Xenophon apologizes...
... for being prematurely correct.
First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. -- Mahatma Gandhi
there you are, Xeno! /waves/ now git busy
and tell us some Tales. we want all the dirty stuff that you've been holding back. now is your chance to shine (and take a giant shit on your detractors) go for it.
+100
Spill, Xeno! (Excellent call on the public/private partnership thingMR SUBLIMINAL Spew!)
First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. -- Mahatma Gandhi
Totally diggin' this thread. Patrick Fitzgerald '10.
Has there ever been a better candidate for public office than Patrick Fitzgerald, crime fighter? Nah.
By the way, I hear that during Obama's "historic" campaign there was an inclination to "let go" the volunteers/workers that weren't meeting their daily quotas. Certainly not a crime but an indication of a mindset that is being overlooked - winning at any cost.
I love this job!
We are the ones we've been waiting for.
n/t
I love this job!
Wow. The mere fact that Fitz got this far is amazing.
I'm shocked that Mr. Fitzgerald hasn't been cut off at the knees for getting this close to President-elect Obama's meal ticket. This makes for fascinating viewing.
I love this job!
ok, important point from the chatter:
Rahm is the one who 'turned him in,' in a certain sense, thereby setting up a firewall of "see, we're not corrupt!" for obama, in the media narrative and in defense of republican criticism.
Rahm is a backstabber of Olde.
Once a Chicago pol, always a Chicago pol. They're all the same.
n/t
I love this job!
That explains a lot
and puts the timing on Republic Window totally in context. Smelling like a rose...
First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. -- Mahatma Gandhi
And Thereby Hoping to Skip Over
any discussion of why Blag thought he could get a cabinet or other position from Obama and Emanuel. Of course, to be fair to Obama and Emanuel, Blag does appear to be supremely stupid (arrogance is a form of stupidity). It's no secret the feds have been investigating him and yet he doesn't seem to have been even a little subtle or careful. Of course, I lived in Chicago during Operation Greylord so I tend to believe all politicians from there are corrupt. You can't get anywhere if you aren't.
I still can't believe McCain went with Ayers instead of Rezko. You can do a damned fine negative ad about Obama and Rezko and you don't even have to lie. Because only a kindergartner (and maybe not even one of them) would believe a guy like Rezko would pony up hundreds of thousands of dollars to help a politician buy a house and NOT expect anything in return. And Obama asked him for the help even as he was under investigation. So Obama is either dumber and/or more naive than a kindergartner or knew there would be a price to pay eventually (whether it ever got paid or not is another matter).
All of which just shows how important it is to co-opt the media. The same media who still won't say Whitewater was bullshit, didn't care that Obama's story on Rezko makes little sense (unless you think he's stupid, see above) and that he repeatedly stiffed them for documents related to the transactions (not to mention any documents from his time in the State Senate).
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right -- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't. " - Eleanor Roosevelt
Again...
... they weren't even trying. That's why Ayers.
First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. -- Mahatma Gandhi
Yep, lambert
And also McCain is a terrible candidate who runs inept campaigns. He didn't so much win the nomination as simply outlast a bunch of other people who split the party in weird ways making it difficult for them to win the nomination. McCain united the party in that none of its wings particularly liked him, but at least his nomination wasn't a sign they had lost to the other wing. They could all be equally unhappy and pretend the party doesn't have major schisms happening.
Also, I presume the real GOP players decided it was more important to keep their powder dry for a GOP comeback than waste it on behalf of McCain.
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right -- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't. " - Eleanor Roosevelt
Arrogance is right
But is it stupid if you never suffer the consequences? Obama sure doesn't. Wright, Rezko, having the backing of the corrupt Chicago machine, caucus corruption, RBC vote theft and fraud...all of which were never allowed to damage him (Quite the opposite actually: he was glorified as a saint while critics were vilified). No wonder he was caught flat-footed with Wright and was honestly floored when Russert, of all people, called him out on that South Carolina memo: he never thought anyone would ever pull back the curtain, even once. When you have that kind of cover, you do whatever the fuck you want. Hell, you flaunt it.
Now that he's won, it'll, of course, only get worse and I fear there's not much we can do to stop it. Obama is the Democratic Party since he has co-opted operations into his Chicago machine and we voters won't have anywhere to go because the GOP will most likely remain batshit when it comes to the economy in '12, offering no legitimate challenge.
All of which just shows how important it is to co-opt the media.
and its mindset. The Obama Team was also helped tremendously by misogyny, of course, which acted like a virus that felt as if it infected almost the entire web (When you can't even read TV show forums without reading Clinton hate, you know it's bad). So many people wanted to believe the hate.
I would add: and the mainstream blogs, the ones who are run by those desperate to be the next Russert, Matthews, or Olbermann (e.g, TPM, Daily Kos, Huffington Post, etc.). The best check on the media that the supposed left had were blogs and now they've lost all credibility, only serving to entrench The Village
I hope the governor and his allies
aren't revengeful types.
Do we know why Obama picked Chicago as his political home? n/t
n/t
I love this job!
Why do I feel like Republicans won again?
JAYsus Keerist. After Eliott Spitzer, you'd think that Blogo would be more careful. Or is it that the corruption is so pervasive and open that he figured Obama's win would give him carte blanche to do what he wanted to do? Will Paterson be next?
For all their supposed brilliance, could it be possible that Obama's campaign got too cocky and did the corruption thing because the Republicans convinced them that that was the only way to win? How mucha wanna bet that Karl Rove and co. have all of the goods and have followed the money because they were the ones who put a tracer on it themselves?
And all they have to do is dribble the whole corrupt thing out little by little to make Obama look like the biggest crook since, well, George W, Bush. If you can win, ruin it for the party who can. Perfect.
Bastards.
Has Obama come out with his "The Governor Blago in this indictment is not the same man I knew and trusted. yadayadayada."
Come together at The Confluence
Obama never comments until at....
least a week has gone by on any topic.
But you can be sure "The Governor Blago in this indictment is not the same man I knew and trusted." will be put out by Friday, after 5 PM.
Fitzgerald for POTUS!
Anyone know what party he belongs to?
Go Fitz!!!!
He's a Republican
... and POTUS? Really? Not Attorney General, or something more suited to his evident talents? (How is he at investigating financial doings, for instance? Seems to me we need to hire some people like that.)
We can't afford not to have single-payer!
actually, i'm leaning towards Obama being fairly clean here
mainly because it's becoming obvious that Blago was really fucking stupid ("listen in to all my calls!") and obama hasn't made too many politically dumb moves like getting on the phone with someone under investigation, but also because if you read the pdf, it's pretty clear that Blago hates him ("motherfucker! fuck him!") for not being willing to play this particular scam. Blago wasn't invited to the Dem Convention either.
it's a totally separate question to ask where *else* fitz's on going investigation may take him. but this little cesspool seems entirely Blago's to enjoy.
Blago's Gary Hart moment
has to rank right up there on the stupid-o-meter. But Obama was involved with Rezko and waited to ditch Wright until he had to. It's not that Obama doesn't do anything stupid, he has done and said a lot of stupid things, it's just that he gets the extraordinary benefit of a journalism world filled with foolish people eager to give him a free pass. For example, on Wright Obama tried to defend indefensible remarks with what the Village
(and the Fungus---the non-Village Village) called the Greatest. Speech. Evah. Then when he ditched Wright, nary a peep from the Mighty Wurlitzer about hypocrisy (because that would have been unkewl).
Obama won't get publicly exposed as having any involvement in this simply because the press doesn't want to see any. If their adoration and tolerance of W is any indicator, it will be about 6 years at the earliest before there is any interest in how high this goes.
Maybe it's not hate
Maybe Blago is feeling his cheerios. He moves mountains for Obama whether up front or behind the scenes. He expects to be compensated. As for not getting an invite to the convention, well, we KNOW Obama is corrupt but putting Blago out there when there was an investigation going on would be like pointing a big red arrow at him. Even the media might have noticed.
...
Nah, the whole sham, fraud and theft was out there for all the world to see. The media knows what Obama is all about but they chose to ignore it. It might be a *teensy* bit harder for them to ignore an indictment about Obama's senate seat. I small a Whitewater.
Come together at The Confluence
No, I don't think we "KNOW" it
I never bought into Ayers, rightly, and the Rezko thing looks a lot more like elite dealing that everyone does than what Blag's involved in. On a showing of the evidence so far, he's no worse than the others and better than many. (This is entirely aside from the primary issues, and the caucuses, especially.)
First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. -- Mahatma Gandhi
Obama Is Clean Here
Or as clean as he can be given he came out of this cesspool. Obama's not stupid enough, IMO, to get involved with Blago selling his Senate seat. And if he learned nothing else from the Rezko stuff, surely he learned not to do deals with guys Fitzgerald is investigating. Now, Obama wouldn't be jackshit in Chicago if he didn't play some of their reindeer games, IMO, but he doesn't need Chicago anymore and I can't imagine him taking any risk whatsoever involving Blago (or even to help someone else get that seat, Obama has never struck me as a guy who spends political capital on anyone other than himself).
And, yes, Blago seems to hate him.
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right -- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't. " - Eleanor Roosevelt
Good point.
Now, Obama wouldn't be jackshit in Chicago if he didn't play some of their reindeer games, IMO, but he doesn't need Chicago anymore and I can't imagine him taking any risk whatsoever involving Blago
Obama has, shall we say, moved on to bigger and better environs.
Pie/BDBlue, agreed. You can't play w/ them w/out getting dirty.
If Obama chose to grow his political career in Chicago, he knew who the players were and how the game is played. By now he's an expert at getting things done w/out getting dirty. You don't do business with people like Rezko, Blagojevich, Axelrod (nasty dirt on him) and not get dirty.
He may not be implicated in anything, but, reappointing Patrick Fitzgerald may not happen. If it does, he'll neuter any chance Fitzgerald has at implicating him.
My guess is he won't reappoint Fitzgerald and the news will never even make page 23 of the paper.
I love this job!
Blago's History
Reading those phone records, Blago sounds like a real scumbag. For you who live in Illinois, is it even possible that you all could have even a half-honest man/woman make it past the Democratic primaries in your gubernatorial elections? I mean, wasn't Blago supposed to be the 'reform' guy? If he was run as the reform guy, I'd hate to have seen the machine guy. I always love hearing outstaters here in Michigan complain about Detroit's Democratic McNamara machine, because as bad as it may be it doesn't have anything on Chicago's political machine as far as I'm concerned.
From where did Blago rise to power, BTW?
But, we've always been at war with Eastasia...