Breaking news: Blagojevich arrested
UPDATE, 12-12, 2p: So Lisa did make her move this morning, requesting the IL Supreme Court grant a temporary restraining order against Blagojevich from functioning as governor.
Meanwhile, we may be closer to knowing why Rahm Emanuel has been so strangely silent. Before becoming Obama’s chief of staff, Emanuel was a congressman. He took Blagojevich’s place, in case you didn’t know. Bed partners. And they may have been caught on tape kibbitzing last month…
I don’t know why people find it hard to believe Obama is a part of this corruption. It will come as a surprise if he’s not.
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UPDATE, 12-12, 9:15a: Rich Miller of Capitol Fax is most well-placed to hear the latest chatter on the Blagojevich saga. Miller reported this morning…
Attorney General Lisa Madigan may file a motion with the IL Supreme Court as early as today to have Gov. Rod Blagojevich declared unfit for office and at least temporarily forced out. The motion is unprecedented in IL history.
It is also rumored Blagojevich may imminently resign rather than be the first IL governor in history to be impeached.
Miller also reported some Democrats, including Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, are backtracking on earlier support to hold a special election. Quinn says now he wants to appoint Obama’s replacement…
The idea of a special election was first floated by US Sen. Dick Durbin and was originally met with approval by people like Senate President Emil Jones. Since then, quite a few Democrats have turned against the idea, at least partly over the worry that a moderate Republican might win Obama’s seat, which could provide a huge shot in the arm for the struggling GOP both nationally and locally.
I already heard “concern” on last night’s news of the expense of a special election, as if that ever mattered to IL Democrats about anything in the past.
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UPDATE, 12-12, 5:30a: I’ve been saying since this story broke I’m confident there’s a pay to play connection between Rod Blagojevich and Planned Parenthood of Chicago and/or its CEO Steve Trombley. Bearing in mind Blagojevich apparently didn’t do anything without getting his skids greased, recall this story…
Then I read this 2 days ago on Capitol Fax:
Blagojevich allegedly tried to use the prospect of an Illinois Finance Authority purchase of Wrigley Field to entice owner Sam Zell into firing John McCormick from the edit board.
(Or in the immortal words of Patti Blagojevich, “Hold up that f***ing Cubs sh**. F*** them.”).
By this we know Blagojevich held the strings of his IL Finance Authority puppet.
Then recall PP only last May got a $10 million nonprofit bond rating from the IL Finance Authority to build the Aurora mega-mill – being built as a for-profit venture by PP’s false front Gemini Office Development corporation…
My concern has been US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald would have many bigger fish to fry than PP. Will he pursue any possible pay to play connection between Blagojevich and PP?
I spoke with Tom Brejcha of the Thomas More Society yesterday, and he’s on it. Since TMS is not only suing PP/Trombley for libel but also for zoning violations, he can and will do his own fishing by filing for discovery and requesting depositions with the IL Finance Authority. Stay tuned.
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UPDATE, 12/10, 12p: Word is Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., is “Senate Candidate No. 5” named in the indictment against Blagojevich. If true, he’s going down, too.
He also is a rabid pro-abort who was 1 of only 15 congresspersons to vote against Born Alive in 2000. From ABC News:
Chicago Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-IL, is the anonymous “Senate Candidate No. 5” whose emissaries IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich reportedly offered up to $1 million to name him to the U.S. Senate, federal law enforcement sources tell ABC News.
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UPDATE, 12/10, 5:45a: Am delving into a little inside baseball now, but this is interesting because Lisa Madigan (the daughter of Michael Madigan, speaker of the IL House, the 1st or 2nd most powerful person in IL, competing with Mayor Daley) has been setting up to run for governor against Blago in 2010. Chicago Sun-Times, this morning:
If Gov. Blagojevich refuses to relinquish power and avoids impeachment, Attorney General Lisa Madigan is prepared to force his hand, aides said Tuesday.
The state’s chief law enforcement officer is prepared to invoke an obscure IL Supreme Court rule under which the state’s seven justices could vote to oust a sitting governor deemed unfit for office.
Lisa is as pro-abortion as Obama, also opposing Born Alive when she was state senator. Michael claims to be pro-life but is frankly a liar. I’ve had unpleasant experiences with him over Born Alive and Choose Life license plates legislation.
Meanwhile, according to IL Review today:
House Speaker Mike Madigan (and chairman of the IL Democratic Party) has summoned House members to Springfield next Monday to reportedly discuss legislation to strip away U.S. Senate vacancy-filling powers.
The Trib’s DC correspondent Lynn Sweet told Greta Van Susteran U. S. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid has said the Senate will not accept any appointments Blagojevich could possibly make.
There was also this in the Sun-Times:
[Lisa] Madigan, House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), a longtime Blagojevich friend and colleague, called Tuesday for his impeachment.
Cross, a pro-abort, was friends with Blagojevich, too, incredibly standing on the podium with him to support public funding of human embryo experimentation.
All of this begins to show why I got out of IL pro-life politics. At the political top, it doesn’t matter if one has a D or R behind one’s name. They work together for the power and $$. There are no morals or beliefs. I suspect any of Blagojevich’s turncoat friends like Cross or Schakowsky are distancing themselves for personal welfare. I reiterate I highly suspect Planned Parenthood, the IL ACLU, IL NOW and others in the abortion industry of making deals with Blagojevich – pay to play. I’ve saved the Crain’s article from June 2002 when Chicago PP exec Steve Trombley promised to spend $1 million to help Blagojevich beat Jim Ryan.
But the other reason I got out of IL pro-life politics is because the pro-lifers in charge play along with the political game. They know who I’m talking about. And they fight more than most. Look at National Right to Life’s affiliate chart. IL is the only 1 without an NRLC affiliate. Why? Two groups are fighting for power of the IL Federation for the Right to Life. In court now, despicably. NRLC got involved when it shouldn’t have.
But I digress. This is about Blagojevich, isn’t it.
No, I don’t digress. Perhaps the Blagojevich fall will shake up IL pro-life politics and cause some of its old guard pay to players to crash and burn, too. They’ve been tools, and it’s well past time they go.
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UPDATE, 12/9, 11:20a: Again, given what I’m hearing as to the breadth of Blagojevich’s alleged corruption, I would bet Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry have schemed with Blagojevich at some point(s). I just hope, given the magnitude of these alleged crimes, PP et al aren’t too small fish. Fitzgerald is calling this a “political corruption crime spree.”
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UPDATE, 12/9, 11:15a: I’m truly shocked by the charges I’m hearing by US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. Blagojevich apparently didn’t do anything without pay to play. He’s crazy. And here’s more from the Associated Press:
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. He noted becoming a U.S. senator might remake his image for a possible presidential run in 2016, according to the affidavit….
The affidavit said Blagojevich expressed frustration at being “stuck” as governor and that he would have access to greater resources if he were indicted while in the U.S. Senate than while sitting as governor.
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UPDATE, 12/9, 9:15a: Apparently Blagojevich’s shady plans to pick Obama’s successor were prominent in bringing him down. This guy has a lot of nerve. He knew he was already under investigation. A Reuter’s update…
… Blagojevich was charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement.
The 51-year-old Democrat was charged along with John Harris, his chief-of-staff, on the charges related to Blagojevich’s role in picking a U.S. Senate successor for President-elect Barack Obama and obtaining campaign contributions in exchange for official actions, the statement said….
The Chicago Tribune on Friday had reported that Blagojevich’s conversations had been recorded as part of the investigation.
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UPDATE, 12/9, 9:10a: Note the name Tony Rezko in the AP article. Recall his ties to President-elect Obama – fundraising and helping Obama get a sweetheart property deal.
With that in mind, consider Obama will be charged with appointing the US Attorney for Chicago. Will he reappoint Fitzgerald or replace him?
There’s also this, from WBBM this morning:
The federal corruption investigation of pay-to-play politics in Gov. Blagojevich’s administration reportedly is being expanded.
The Tribune says the investigation will include the governor’s impending selection of who will fill President-elect Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat.
Sources tell the Tribune federal authorities got approval from a judge before the November general election to secretly record the governor.
The paper says officials were concerned the selection process to replace Obama might be tainted.
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UPDATE, 12/9, 9a: Blagojevich issued two anti-life executive orders during his tenure: one to force human embryo experimentation on taxpayers and another to force pharmacists to dispense the morning-after pill. Both should be made part of US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s investigation. After his embryo research executive order, Blagojevich refused to make public how and who he was funding. And his ties to the abortion industry, specifically Planned Parenthood, are well known, the entity pushing his MAP exec order.
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IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich has just been arrested. According to the Associated Press, within the half hour:
Authorities in Chicago have arrested IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich on federal charges.
U.S. Attorney’s office spokesman Randall Samborn says both Blagojevich and his chief-of-staff John Harris were arrested Tuesday. Authorities aren’t yet releasing details about those charges.
Federal prosecutors have investigated Blagojevich’s administration for at least three years. They’ve been looking at everything from how he hired people for state jobs to the actions of friends and contributors.
Blagojevich fundraiser Tony Rezko awaits sentencing on a federal corruption conviction in which he was charged with shaking down businesses wanting to do state work for campaign contributions.
The governor has repeatedly denied any wrong-doing.
[HT: Fran at IL Review]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
We get the elected officials we deserve.
Rank corruption in the ranks of proabort politicians? Say it ain’t so, Jill!
Although I feel very sorry for his two daughters my husband and I turned on the TV this morning to this news and just had to laugh. For him to do this while already under investigation is incomprehensible! As they say, stupid is as stupid does.
Woo hoo!!! It’s about time. I think that today is a day that both pro-choice and pro-life Illinoisans can celebrate.
I can’t wait to see the back of this guy.
If he leaves, who replaces him? Anyone good?
No, IL pro-aborts are NOT celebrating today. Blago was definitely one of their important go-to guys. And I’m hoping some of their major players are implicated along with him.
I like how Democrat is bolded. Like that’s why he got arrested, like it’s to be expected because he’s a democrat not just a democrat.
Well, except that I’m an Illinois resident who is pro-choice, and I’m celebrating. I must just be that one exception, huh? Except for all my friends who are pro-choice…and all my business associates…
Josephine, I believe Jill bold’s certain words in order to better tell the story if someone is just glancing at the article.
Josephine, I believe Jill bold’s certain words in order to better tell the story if someone is just glancing at the article.
Jill,
Do live in chicago? Doesn’t the odor of Rezco, Obama, Pfleger, Wright, Jackson, blagojevich, Ayers, Dohrn, zell overwhelm the old stockyards smell? We have a little cell of ethics violaters coming appart.
xppc, I live in a southwest suburb of Chicago. This guy is such bad news, particularly on the life issue. Always displayed such chutspah.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/acrobat/2008-12/43789434.pdf
Read the case. This is for the most part, years of trouble. It almost reads like the Senate appointee will get on lucrative boards like Michelle got on lucrative board positions.
These arrogant pro-abort Democrats think they can get away with anything.
let’s see if the MSM mentions the word-Democrat…usually they only mention party name if it’s a republican.
This guy is no friend of Obama’s.
Obama: “If the governor asks me to work on his behalf, I’ll be happy to do it.” (John Patterson, “Senator Says He’s Still Willing To Help Blagojevich Despite Hiring Concerns,” Chicago Daily Herald, 7/27/06)
Obama: “We’ve got a governor in Rod Blagojevich who has delivered consistently on behalf of the people of Illinois.” (Deanna Bellandi, “Illinois Democrats Talk Unity But Don’t Show It,” The Associated Press, 8/16/06)http://www.barackbook.com/Profiles/GovernorRodBlagojevich.htm
They run in the same gang hal.
During a wiretapped November 10 call, a frustrated and financially strapped Blagojevich referred to Obama as a “motherf**ker” and said that he would not appoint an ally of the President-elect to the Senate vacancy if “I don’t get anything.” Referring to Obama, Blagojevich exclaimed, “F**k him. For nothing? F**k him.” In a November 11 conversation, Blagojevich remarked that he knew Obama wanted Valerie Jarrett, a longtime confidante, to succeed him, “but they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. F**k them.”
Good for Obama, not willing to bribe the Governor.
let’s see if the MSM mentions the word-Democrat…usually they only mention party name if it’s a republican
Well, CNN knows that Ted Stevens is a Republican.
And what’s Blagojevich? Somehow they forgot.
Hal,
No friend of Obama’s? Of course, Obama only befriends such saintly souls as Tony Rezko, who was under federal investigation when Obama arranged a real estate deal with him. I know, Obama was blissfully ignorant of this aspect of Rezko’s otherwise sterling character and real estate agents in Illinois were on strike. Just as Obama was totally clueless of Ayers’ history not to mention what his mentor and pastor, Rev.Wright was saying for 20 years, even though he sat in the guy’s church.
I think Obama is throwing this man under the bus. Obama got his Illinois senate seat using the chicago Machine. Now today he doesn’t need the machine. The Machine worked weell in getting Michelle these board slotts at University of Chicago. Obama used the same money train to get Rezco housing money. Today is a bad day for Obama. He is huddling behind closed doors with Algore. If Obama was smart, he would have not set up camp in Chicago. The sky is falling there. Obviously this uinvestigation is not new and it leaves out other money trails.
Obama looks like the hero in this story.
Looks like it was Obama chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel who blew the whistle on the governor.
Hal,
In what way is Obama a hero?
To be fair to CNN, they did manage to identify Eliot Spitzer’s party affiliation when he was named in the prostitution scandal.
Of course, it was in the 34th (of 36) paragraphs.
And it was this paragraph:
The Republican Governors Association called on Spitzer, a Democrat, to resign to “allow the people of New York to pursue honest leadership.”
In other words, to show how the whole thing was just nasty partisan Republican politics.
It’s about time we began tagging media outlets with party affiliations every time they’re mentioned — “The New York Times (D. NY) today criticized President-Elect Obama for being to modest about his awesomeness . . . ”
Mary, Obama and his chief of staff refused to play ball with this scumbag. They offered nothing but their appreciation if he followed their advice.
They said Rezco would sing before sentencing. This case was of course a lot of investigation that goes back months and years. I suspect Obama portion was left out and will come up in hearings. then the gove will sing on Obama before his sentencing.
Does Obama not know how to make friends with no crooks?
In 1993, she became Executive Director for the Chicago office of Public Allies, a non-profit organization encouraging young people to work on social issues in nonprofit groups and government agencies.[12] She worked there nearly four years and set fundraising records for the organization that still stood a dozen years after she left.[10]
wiki
We set fundraising records by learning on whom to put pressure. Pay to play.
Hal,
Which scumbag? Rezko or the governor?
Michelle Obama’s salary at UC Hospitals when her husband won the US Senate seat was $121,000. Within weeks of his swearing in, the salary went to over $320,000. She’s now VP for Community Affairs.
So did the taxpayers end up paying for Michelle’s pay raise for Barack’s six year term?
The same promise Gove in the court documents to the wife of his selection for replacement. Remember Obama got the Hospital 1 million dollars and they gave 300,000 to Michelle. She was paid like a lobbyist on a contingency basis? It will get exposed. How difficult for Obama. Abortion covers rape like the liberals cover graft and bribery.
xppc,
Wasn’t there also an issue about Michelle’s hospital sending non paying patients to other hospitals?