Emanuel Spoke to Ill. Gov's Office on Seat: Report

[elleng]

Source: NYT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama's choice for White House chief of staff spoke to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's office about who the governor should appoint to replace Obama in the Senate, the Chicago Tribune reported on Saturday.

The talks did not suggest that Rahm Emanuel was involved in an alleged deal-making scheme for the Senate seat that has resulted in federal charges against Blagojevich, a 52-year-old Democrat.

The governor and his former chief of staff John Harris are charged with attempting to peddle the Senate seat for campaign cash or lucrative jobs for the governor.

The Tribune, citing sources, reported that contact between Obama's camp and the governor's administration about the Senate seat started days before the Nov 4 election.

Emanuel called Harris with a list of names "acceptable" to Obama to fill the Senate vacancy, in conversations that were captured on court-approved wiretaps, the newspaper said.

Obama officials on Saturday did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The embattled governor is under mounting pressure to resign as state officials attempt to oust him.

On Friday, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan went to the state supreme court to try to get Blagojevich temporarily removed from office.

Separately, the Illinois House and Senate will meet early next week to take up motions to strip Blagojevich of his ability to appoint Obama's replacement.

Friday, Blagojevich reportedly met with lawyers in downtown Chicago for about three hours. He told CNN in a doorstop interview that he would speak "at the appropriate time."

Through his lawyer, Blagojevich has denied any wrongdoing.

Harris resigned his state post on Friday.'



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2008/12/13/washington/politics-us-blagojevich.html

[wyldwolf]

1. wyldwolf spoke to members of DU on seat: report

[Alexander]

35. Small difference - nobody cares about you.

[liberal N proud]

2. It does not prove that Obama is involved in this corruption

Or Emanuel for that matter.

[elleng]

4. Not at all.

.

[quidam56]

21. Right - Fake Noise had a crawl today that said :

THE OBAMA BLAGOJEVICH SCANDAL !!! What a bunch of maroons ! http://www.wisecountyissues.com Hannity's America sure ain't MY AMERICA.

[autorank]

28. It proves Emanuel was doing what anyone would expect him to do

The good news -- when Obama rolls out the stimulus package, this evaporates.

The MSM is dead. They just lack the kcourtesy to fall over and let everyone know.

[Barack_America]

3. So somebody representing the de facto leader of the Democratic party suggested some names...

...for a Democratic Senate seat?

Shocking!

:eyes:

Nice try, MSM.

[Career Prole]

5. Shocked me too!

I always thought vacated Senate seats were filled on the basis of a coin-toss. Who knew? :wow:

[monmouth]

6. Prior to the election! That's all they've got??? Bring it on media...n/t

[ProSense]

7. This is bizarre. Why would Rahm discuss the seat before the election?

From the Tribune:

Obama said Thursday he had never spoken to Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy and was "confident that no representatives" of his had engaged in any dealmaking over the seat with the governor or his team. He also pledged Thursday that in the "next few days" he would explain what contacts his staff may have had with the governor's office about the Senate vacancy.

Emanuel, who has long been close to both Blagojevich and Obama, has refused to respond to questions about any involvement he may have had with the Blagojevich camp over the Senate pick. A spokeswoman for Emanuel also declined to comment Friday.

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

Another source said that contact between the Obama camp and the governor's administration regarding the Senate seat began the Saturday before the Nov. 4 election, when Emanuel made a call to the cell phone of Harris. The conversation took place around the same time press reports surfaced about Emanuel being approached about taking the high-level White House post should Obama win.

Emanuel delivered a list of candidates who would be "acceptable" to Obama, the source said. On the list were Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, the source said. All are Democrats.

Sometime after the election, Emanuel called Harris back to add the name of Democratic Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan to the approved list, the source said.

link

All of this speculation about list delivered or a conversation, but no wrong doing, what's the point?

[LisaL]

8. Oh maybe because Obama had a pretty good shot at winning

so it was clear his seat would become available.

[ProSense]

9. Rahm didn't work for Obama at that point, and I just don't see

Obama making such a move, especially given his statements.

[MannyGoldstein]

10. Because Something Is Fishy Here

Emanuel has been acting like he's been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. My guess is that there's something embarrassing here.

[WriteDown]

12. You are right...

I suspect that Rahm is in some sort of trouble, but I doubt Obama knew.

[marshall]

43. It will be a long time before we see Rahm out without his kids

They make convenient cover to avoid having to answer questions.

[ProSense]

14. I doubt it.

If the conversations are on tape and the US Attorney's statement says Obama has not been implicated, I doubt there is anything beyond a conversation. These reports are still unsubstantiated. Blagojevich mentioned a lot of people, but most of them were mentions, not actual conversations. The only person mentioned in the complaint who has been subpoenaed is the Tribune owner.

Well, maybe a conversation could be embarrassing, but beyond that I fail to see what the speculation is trying to prove: that there was a conversation?




edited typos

[FarCenter]

27. Could be Emanuel isn't embarrased by the content of the conversation

But the "style" of the language used.

[wyldwolf]

11. word had leaked a week before the election Emanuel would be Chief of staff...

...he DID work for Obama then.

[ProSense]

16. That's speculation, but this isn't

Obama's original statement:

I have never spoken to the governor on this subject. I’m confident that no representatives of mine would have any part of any deals related to this seat. I think the materials released by the U.S. attorney reflect that fact.

I’ve asked my team to gather the facts of any contacts with the governor’s office about this vacancy so that we can share them with you over the next few days. <…>

link

Yesterday:

WASHINGTON (AP) — People who have been briefed on the Illinois governor corruption investigation say Barack Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is not a target of the probe. Emanuel, a Chicago congressman who would have been a likely contact between the Obama transition office and Gov. Rod Blagojevich, has been a focus of media attention since Obama said Thursday he has asked for an internal review of contacts between his staff and Blagojevich. Emanuel has been refusing to answer questions about whether he's the "president-elect adviser" referred to in the criminal complaint that accuses Blagojevich of putting Obama's Senate seat up for sale. The complaint does not say that Blagojevich ever spoke to the unidentified Obama adviser about the Senate seat.

link

[Name removed]

19. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[elleng]

13. Point would have been to move things along; lots to do.

List of those 'acceptable' to O, those he could welcome happily into his seat.

Point is now to air that there was/were meetings, seat was discussed, no deals discussed.

[dysfunctional press]

15. it's just one more thing to get done- why not get the process started when you can?

:shrug:

it would be different if rahm came with a list of candidates names, and how much each one was "worth" to obama and what would be offered in each of their names as far as paying for the seat- but that didn't happen.

[jwirr]

18. I think if there was any thing against Emanuel he would already be

arrested. But this does make it more likely that he was the whistle blower.

[Lugnut]

22. That makes sense to me.

I can see Rahm submitting a list and Blago asking what's in it for him. Fitzgerald's quotes from the tapes finish that scenario.


On edit: spelling

[Blaq Dem]

39. Remember, no money exchanged hands n/t

[Julien Benda]

26. Right, no wrong doing

This amounts to nothing, or next to nothing. Any politician would do the same, and it's not illegal.

[madrchsod]

17. blago fucked up and we have to deal with the outcome.

i`m pissed because he tainted everyone involved and he does`t have the balls to resign. worse, it`s going to a special election that neither party and the state can afford.

[ksimons]

20. When a skunk sprays, the stink sticks to anyone in the general area

and this Blagojevich spray-up is a stinker - gonna stick to a lot of people

[nashville_brook]

33. great metaphor.

i might have to borrow that.

[Tarheel_Dem]

23. I still haven't heard any evidence of "pay to play". Is the media going

to destroy anyone who ever spoke to the governor of the state of Illinois? If the wiretaps picked up any wrongdoing on the part of Emanuel, wouldn't we have heard that by now? And would it be a crime for Obama to make his preferences known, for his vacant seat? Let the "Hunting of the President" begin.

My biggest fear is that this once safe seat could now be in danger.

[stillcool]

24. I've been wondering about that myself..

I didn't campaign contributions getting results..at least not as far as the hospital, the Tribune, or the Senate seat.

[McCamy Taylor]

25. Indeed. I think the corporate media wants that, too. The GOP is selling their filibuster power

to the highest bidder. In showing that they were willing to face the universal scorn of voters over the auto bailout in order to bust unions, they bought the favor of all the owners of the big news corporations who despise unions as much as any business owner. So now the parent companies of ABC, CBS and the others will be rooting for the special election option in hopes that an improved Senate GOP majority will spell the death of unions--and more bailouts and perks for them.

[earth mom]

29. Are we going to be able to hear the tapes? That's what I want to know. nt

[truthisfreedom]

30. Probably. Everything Democratic tends to be fully exposed.

But don't expect to hear anything from bushcoland where they fucked America every which way including sideways.

[elleng]

31. Probably not.

Check this out:

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/a-readers-guide-to-the-blagojevich-complaint/?hp

[elleng]

32. dupe

[bvar22]

34. Rahm....

The Backroom PowerBroker/Enforcer for the DLC from Chicago had absolutely nothing to do with any deals with the Governor from Chicago.

Yeah, I believe that. :eyes:

I would love to see the list of names Rahm "gave" to Blago.

[LeFleur1]

36. The list is available.

Anyone who thinks Democrats would not discuss who might be appointed that would help the Democrats change this country is loony. There is no crime in it. It's a responsibility.

Talking to the Governor of the State was not and is not a crime. Bribing him is. Fitzgerald said there was no evidence that there was wrong doing by Obama in this mess. You can bet that would include those who work for him and do things at his direction.

I just hope they don't dump Rahm because of a bunch of lazy reporters and the crooks at the RNC, and those Republican jackals in our government.

[bvar22]

37. I would rejoice and perform rituals of gratitude if Rahm was dumped.

A DLC Enforcer controlling access to The President is not something that makes me happy.


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone

[fascisthunter]

38. wow... what a quote!

"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone

[earth mom]

40. That's why I want to hear those tapes.

O8)

[elleng]

41. Saw it today:

Barrett, Skavsky, Duckworth, 2 more.

[Behind the Aegis]

42. The reactions here are so funny and predictable.

"Innocent until proved guilty," is not just a myth of the right, but of the "hated" of the far-left. It is so fucking scary that Bush's statement: "you are with us, or with them" is as true about the right as it is the far left.