Rod Blagojevich (D)

[classicman]

The Service Employees International Union has long boasted that it is on the cutting edge of the labor movement. But the union found itself badly embarrassed this week when it was named in the federal criminal complaint charging Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois with maneuvering to secure financial gain from the appointment of the state’s next senator.

The complaint said Mr. Blagojevich’s chief of staff, John Harris, had suggested to a service employees official that the union should help make the governor the president of Change to Win, a federation of seven unions that broke away from the A.F.L.-C.I.O. The complaint said Mr. Blagojevich, a Democrat, was seeking a position that paid $250,000 to $300,000 a year.

In exchange, the complaint suggested, Mr. Blagojevich had expected the service employees union and Change to Win to seek to persuade him to name President-elect Barack Obama’s first choice, Valerie Jarrett, to succeed Mr. Obama in the Senate. The union would also receive help from the Obama administration, presumably for its legislative agenda.

Damning information to say the least.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

And UT, is Bosnia really there yet? Up from genocide/harrumph/ethnic cleansing isn't all the way to liberal democracy, is it?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

I never write anything in here, other than jokes, that is anything less than truth as I've been given to understand it.

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

My problem is the leadership of the Democrats just isn't very wise, and has had zero success in advancing democracy around the globe since Truman. Truman left office in 1954.

I stand corrected, you don't lie, you're just uneducated.

[ZenGum]

Apparently ... what?

[TheMercenary]

Apparently.

[melidasaur]

The local media in Central Illinois is basically refusing to recognize him as the governor. The citizens of Illinois that did not elect him to office (everyone outside of Chicago) have stopped recognizing him as governor a long time ago. Everything that he has done in the past few months - closing state historical sites and parks, closing a major state prison, etc. is going to be reversed. If he doesn't willingly resign, the Illinois Supreme Court is going to rule that he is unfit to serve as governor, thus welcoming Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn as the new governor of IL. Quinn and Blowfish have not spoken to each other in years. Most people that are elected to higher offices in IL government have very bad relationships with the ol' Blow. Some are even democrats. He's not a popular guy.

[classicman]

Rahm Emanuel talked with governor's office about who should fill Obama's Senate seat

Rahm Emanuel, President-elect Barack Obama's pick to be White House chief of staff, had conversations with Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration about who would replace Obama in the U.S. Senate, the Tribune has learned.

The revelation does not suggest Obama's new gatekeeper was involved in any talk of dealmaking involving the seat. But it does help fill in the gaps surrounding a question that Obama was unable or unwilling to answer this week: Did anyone on his staff have contact with Blagojevich about his choice for the Senate seat?

Schakowsky said it was natural for Obama to take an interest in the selection process for his Senate seat. "It makes perfect sense for the president-elect or his people to have some interaction about filling the seat he was vacating," she said.

One source confirmed that communications between Emanuel and the Blagojevich administration were captured on court-approved wiretaps.

[classicman]

Emanuel: I'm Getting Death Threats Over Blagojevich Scandal

Questions remain, however, over his contacts with Blagojevich and his staff, and Emanuel has still not said whether or not he's been contacted by the FBI for questioning.

Back at his home, Emanuel appeared "beet-red," according to an ABC News cameraman who was invited inside by Emanuel to use his bathroom this morning.

"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, " Emanuel said, according to the cameraman.

Better get real used to it. This is just the beginning.

An aide for Emanuel said late Friday afternoon that Emanuel did not make any remarks about receiving death threats. "While we appreciate this camera man's active imagination, this report is inaccurate," said Sarah Feinberg. Responding to Emanuel's comments, ABC News went back and double-checked with the camera man and we stand by the story.

Emanuel has refused to comment as to whether he is the un-named presidential adviser cited in the FBI affidavit filed in the Blagojevich case.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald says there is "nothing in the complaint" that implicates President-elect Obama but the affidavit suggests someone from the Obama camp was in touch with Blagojevich or his aides, if only to tell the Governor that Obama would not offer anything but "appreciation" in exchange for the Senate appointment.

That's good to hear. But I still think that Obama, or any president would want to be intimately involved with the appointment of his replacement. He will have to work with him for the next 4 years and certainly would want to pick/approve/suggest someone with whom is is familiar or has worked with in the past. That's only normal....isn't it?

[classicman]

Obama aides won't discuss Ill. governor probe

WASHINGTON (AP) - President-elect Barack Obama is refusing to answer any questions about the internal review he has ordered into Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's alleged efforts to sell his former Senate seat, saying he will do so when the examination is finished.

Obama's staff has declined to respond to even basic questions, like who is conducting the probe, how long it will take, what issues are being explored and whether they are working with federal investigators. Obama has promised transparency throughout his service and to divulge contacts his staff has had with Blagojevich's office in the coming days. But his staff has locked down on inquiries in the meantime.

[classicman]

When the initial reports came out they didn't highlight the fact that he was a D. As time went on he was listed as such in a more prominent way as the impending "better story" was coming to light.

If he had been an R, then that fact would have commanded more of the headline initially as the media would have taken a more "here's another one" stance. I think that is what Merc's point was.

I guess it really comes down to which outlet you got your info from and when. I do remember having to look carefully at one of the first article I saw because I wasn't familiar with him and really didn't know. The info was there, it just wasn't at the beginning of the article.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by classicman

When the initial reports came out they didn't highlight the fact that he was a D. As time went on he was listed as such in a more prominent way as the impending "better story" was coming to light.

If he had been an R, then that fact would have commanded more of the headline initially as the media would have taken a more "here's another one" stance. I think that is what Merc's point was.

I guess it really comes down to which outlet you got your info from and when. I do remember having to look carefully at one of the first article I saw because I wasn't familiar with him and really didn't know. The info was there, it just wasn't at the beginning of the article.

Correct. Same for the last 2 years of Demoncratic scandles. Hardly a mention of political affiliations until 24 or 48 hours out. And only when attention is drawn to that fact.

[Shawnee123]

Hey everybody...let's learn to multi-quote! It's fun, easy, and saves the reader 16 one-word posts in a row to annoy them.

[classicman]

I think its a fair assessment that the first information that some people got had the political affiliation clearly noted. So in a sense you are both right or all right ... whatever.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Poo, I'm right and your wrong, neener neener neener.

The Philly paper said Obama had checked on (audited) his staff and they didn't do anything wrong, but would not go into further detail until the official investigation of the Gov was done.

One of the first stories I read, said Obama made a recommendation to the Gov for a replacement. I can believe that.

[Undertoad]

You won't find the political affiliation of the Portland mayor in this story.