Question for IL DUers: Will Blagojevich Roll Over, and If So, On Who?

[friendly_iconoclast]

As always in such cases, one must ask: Cui Bono? (Who benefits?)

I am from Massachusetts, so I'm quite familiar with dirty pols...

[onenote]

1. I think at this point, he's rolled over on himself.

He's the big fish.

[redstate_democrat]

2. No, they really want Obama.

I remember when the FBI tried to get Reszko to lie on Obama. That shit smells funny to me. Everyone knows Blagojevich is dirty, but why string it along this long and then why unseal the indictment the day after Blagojevich starts making demands of BoA? The indictment also underhandedly tries to smear Obama and his associates. How many times were the words "President-Elect" in that indictment?

[Median Democrat]

3. Wrong - The Indictment Does Not Smear Obama - Obama is Exonerated

Show me one quote that smears Obama. Here are all the references to the President-elect:

Here are the quotes from complaint regarding Senate Candidate 1, Valerie Jarrett and Obama:

* * *

90. Later on November 3, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with Advisor A.
By this time, media reports indicated that Senate Candidate 1, an advisor to the Presidentelect,
was interested in the Senate seat if it became vacant, and was likely to be supported by
the President-elect. 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 fucking valuable
thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.”

* * *

98. On November 7, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Advisor A about
the Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he is willing to “trade” the Senate seat to
Open source information indicates that 22 Change to Win is an organization affiliated
with seven unions, including SEIU, and appears to be focused on having the affiliated unions
work together on matters of common interest. SEIU Official is affiliated with SEIU. Senate Candidate 1 in exchange for the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services
in the President-elect’s cabinet.

* * *

99. Later on November 7, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH discussed the open Senate
seat in a three-way call with JOHN HARRIS and Advisor B, a Washington D.C.-based
consultant. ROD BLAGOJEVICH indicated in the call that if he was appointed as Secretary
of Health and Human Services by the President-elect, then ROD BLAGOJEVICH would
appoint Senate Candidate 1 to the open Senate seat. HARRIS stated “we wanted our ask to
be reasonable and rather than. . .make it look like some sort of selfish grab for a quid pro
quo.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he needs to consider his family and that he is
“financially” hurting. HARRIS said that they are considering what will help the “financial
security” of the Blagojevich family and what will keep ROD BLAGOJEVICH “politically
viable.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated, “I want to make money.” During the call, ROD
BLAGOJEVICH, HARRIS, and Advisor B discussed the prospect of working a three-way
deal for the open Senate seat. HARRIS noted that ROD BLAGOJEVICH is interested in
taking a high-paying position with an organization called “Change to Win,” which is
connected to Service Employees International Union (“SEIU”).22 HARRIS suggested that
SEIU Official make ROD BLAGOJEVICH the head of Change to Win and, in exchange, the
President-elect could help Change to Win with its legislative agenda on a national level.
Advisor B asked why SEIU Official cannot just give the job to ROD BLAGOJEVICH.
HARRIS responded that it would be just a big “give away” for SEIU Official and Change
to Win since there are already individuals on the Change to Win payroll doing the functions
of the position that would be created for ROD BLAGOJEVICH. HARRIS said that Change
to Win will want to trade the job for ROD BLAGOJEVICH for something from the
President-elect. HARRIS suggested a “three-way deal,” and explained that a three-way deal
like the one discussed would give the President-elect a “buffer so there is no obvious quid
pro quo for Senate Candidate 1.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that for him to give up the
governorship for the Change to Win position, the Change to Win position must pay a lot
more than he is getting paid right now. Advisor B said that he liked the idea of the three-way
deal. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he is interested in making $250,000 to $300,000 and
being on some organization boards. Advisor B said they should leverage the Presidentelect’s
desire to have Senate Candidate 1 appointed to the Senate seat in order to get a head
position with Change to Win and a salary. Advisor B agreed that the three-way deal would
be a better plan than ROD BLAGOJEVICH appointing Senate Candidate 2 to the Senate seat
and getting more done as Governor.

* * *

c. ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that the consultants (Advisor B and another
consultant are believed to be on the call at that time) are telling him that he has to “suck it
up” for two years and do nothing and give this “motherfucker his
senator. Fuck him. For nothing? Fuck him.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH states that he will put
“Senate Candidate 4” in the Senate “before I just give fucking Senate Candidate 1 a
fucking Senate seat and I don’t get anything.” (Senate Candidate 4 is a Deputy Governor of
the State of Illinois). ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he needs to find a way to take the
“financial stress” off of his family and that his wife is as qualified or more qualified than
another specifically named individual to sit on corporate boards. According to ROD
BLAGOJEVICH, “the immediate challenge is how do we take some of the financial
pressure off of our family.” Later in the phone call, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that absent
getting something back, ROD BLAGOJEVICH will not pick Senate Candidate 1. HARRIS
re-stated ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s thoughts that they should ask the President-elect for
something for ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s financial security as well as maintain his political
viability. HARRIS said they could work out a three-way deal with SEIU and the Presidentelect
where SEIU could help the President-elect with ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s appointment
of Senate Candidate 1 to the vacant Senate seat, ROD BLAGOJEVICH would obtain a
position as the National Director of the Change to Win campaign, and SEIU would get
something favorable from the President-elect in the future.

* * *

102. Later on November 10, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Advisor A discussed
the open Senate seat. Among other things, ROD BLAGOJEVICH raised the issue of
whether the President-elect could help get ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s wife on “paid corporate
boards right now.” Advisor A responded that he “thinks they could” and that a “President-elect
. . . can do almost anything he sets his mind to.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH states that he
will appoint “Senate Candidate 1 . . . but if they feel like they can do this and not fucking
give me anything . . . then I’ll fucking go Senate Candidate 5.” (Senate Candidate 5 is
publicly reported to be interested in the open Senate seat). ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated
that if his wife could get on some corporate boards and “picks up another 150 grand a year
or whatever” it would help ROD BLAGOJEVICH get through the next several years as
Governor.

* * *

103. Later on November 10, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Advisor A again
discussed the open Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Advisor A discussed leaking to
the same particular Chicago Sun-Times columnist that ROD BLAGOJEVICH is seriously
considering Senate Candidate 5 for the open Senate seat, in order to send a message to the
President-elect that there are options for the Senate seat beyond Senate Candidate 1. At the
end of the conversation Advisor A agreed to call the Sun Times columnist to leak the story
(believed, based on other intercepted conversations, to be untrue), that ROD BLAGOJEVICH had a “long, productive discussion” with Senate Candidate 5 regarding the
open Senate seat.

* * *
104. On November 11, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with JOHN HARRIS
about the Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH suggested starting a 501(c)(4) organization (a
non-profit organization that may engage in political activity and lobbying) and getting “his
(believed to be the President-elect’s) friend Warren Buffett or some of those guys to help us
on something like that.” HARRIS asked, “what, for you?” ROD BLAGOJEVICH replied,
“yeah.” Later in the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that if he appoints Senate
Candidate 4 to the Senate seat and, thereafter, it appears that ROD BLAGOJEVICH might
get impeached, he could “count on Senate Candidate 4, if things got hot, to give seat] up and let me parachute over there.” HARRIS said, “you can count on Candidate 4] to do that.” Later in the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he knows
that the President-elect wants Senate Candidate 1 for the Senate seat but “they’re not willing
to give me anything except appreciation. Fuck them.”

* * *

105. Later on November 11, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Advisor A.
Advisor A indicated that he will stay “on top” of getting the Senate Candidate 5 information
leaked to the particular Sun Times columnist. ROD BLAGOJEVICH again raised the idea
of the 501(c)(4) organization and asked whether “they” (believed be the President-elect and
his associates) can get Warren Buffett and others to put $10, $12, or $15 million into the
organization. Advisor A responded that “they” should be able to find a way to fund the
organization. Later in the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH returned to the issue of the
501(c)(4) organization and noted that he is looking for “$10, $15, $20 million in an
organization like that.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that when he is “no longer Governor”
he could go over to the organization. ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that “Senate Candidate
6” (Senate Candidate 6, based on other intercepted conversations, is believed to be a wealthy
person from Illinois) “could raise me money like that for a Senate seat.” ROD
BLAGOJEVICH asked, “if I get to do something like that, is it worth
giving him the Senate seat?” Advisor A responded that it would be hard to put Senate
Candidate 6 in the Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that it would be better than
putting Senate Candidate 1 in the Senate and not getting anything back. Later in the
conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Advisor A again discussed the possibility of a
501(c)(4) organization, and ROD BLAGOJEVICH again noted that “Senate Candidate 6”
could “do it.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Advisor A discussed who might be close to Senate
Candidate 6 to talk with him about the issue, because ROD BLAGOJEVICH did not “want
to be the one to ask something like that.” Advisor A agreed to find out who is close to
Senate Candidate 6.

* * *
106. On November 12, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with JOHN HARRIS.
ROD BLAGOJEVICH noted that CNN is reporting that Senate Candidate 1 does not want
the open Senate seat. HARRIS said he thought that is just a tactic. ROD BLAGOJEVICH
raised the issue of the 501(c)(4) organization and that contributors and others can put “10 to
15 million in it so I can advocate health care and other issues I care about and help them,
while I stay as Governor, she’s (believed to be Senate Candidate 1) a Senator.” ROD
BLAGOJEVICH noted that the President-elect can ask Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and others
for money for the organization. ROD BLAGOJEVICH states he will ask “6]” to help fund it as well. HARRIS said that funding the 501(c)(4) would be a lot easier for
the President-elect than appointing ROD BLAGOJEVICH to a position. ROD
BLAGOJEVICH said, “They could say ‘hey, we get . Let’s help this
guy have a 501(c)(4) issue advocacy organization. Let’s fund it to the level that he’s asked
for and then we’ll get Senate Candidate 1.’” ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that he will
control the 501(c)(4) organization through a board of directors while he is Governor, and
then a position in the 501(c)(4) would be waiting for him when he was no longer Governor.

* * *

109. On November 12, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with SEIU Official, who
was in Washington, D.C. Prior intercepted phone conversations indicate that approximately
a week before this call, ROD BLAGOJEVICH met with SEIU Official to discuss the vacant
Senate seat, and ROD BLAGOJEVICH understood that SEIU Official was an emissary to
discuss Senate Candidate 1’s interest in the Senate seat. During the conversation with SEIU
Official on November 12, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH informed SEIU Official that he had
heard the President-elect wanted persons other than Senate Candidate 1 to be considered for
the Senate seat. SEIU Official stated that he would find out if Senate Candidate 1 wanted
SEIU Official to keep pushing her for Senator with ROD BLAGOJEVICH. ROD
BLAGOJEVICH said that “one thing I’d be interested in” is a 501(c)(4) organization. ROD
BLAGOJEVICH explained the 501(c)(4) idea to SEIU Official and said that the 501(c)(4) could help “our new Senator Senate Candidate 1.” SEIU Official agreed to “put that flag
up and see where it goes.”

110. On November 12, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Advisor B. ROD
BLAGOJEVICH told Advisor B that he told SEIU Official, “I said go back to Senate
Candidate 1, and, and say hey, look, if you still want to be a Senator don’t rule this out and
then broach the idea of this 501(c)(4) with her.”

* * *

114. Later on November 13, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with Advisor A.
ROD BLAGOJEVICH asked Advisor A to call Individual A and have Individual A pitch the
idea of the 501(c)(4) to “President-elect Advisor.” Advisor A said that, “while it’s not said
this is a play to put in play other things.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH responded, “correct.”
Advisor A asked if this is “because we think there’s still some life in Senate Candidate 1
potentially?” ROD BLAGOJEVICH said, “not so much her, but possibly her. But others.”

[redstate_democrat]

6. I said "underhandedly" try to smear. Yes, it's not OVERT, but there is an underlying implication

there that Repugs have been using all day. I understand Hannity was going on and on about how President-Elect is in the indictment 44 times. This indictment unnecessarily makes Obama's involvement seem like more that what it is. And I'm pointing my suspicion more at the investigators involved rather than Fitzgerald.

[Jennicut]

8. Geez, he was desperate! He tried any and all options to sell the seat.

Blago is a nut. Obama did the right thing in not playing any of his games.

[Yes We Did]

5. Answer: NONE

[onenote]

7. there was no "sealed indictment"

Let's try reviewing the actual facts. There was no "sealed indictment" from a grand jury that was held until Blago raised the BoA issue. There was a criminal complaint that contains references to actions taken by Blago as recently as this past Friday.Not exactly a situation where they strung things along. The fact is that they probably would've liked to have allowed the investigation to continue even longer -- that's the SOP in such cases. But there were extenuating circumstances -- Blago was on the verge of naming a US senator and if the information that the appointment was tainted was held and then released later, there would be hell to pay. Plus he was going to take other actions that could be stopped through the mechanism of an arrest. If they had all the goods on Blago long before now and were really out to embarass Obama, wouldn't they have arrested him a couple months ago while the election was still in the balance? Certainly under your logic they would've.

This arrest doesn't smear Obama. SUre the rw will try to use it that way. But as i posted in another thread, if Blago was taped shooting someone and arrested one minute later with the smoking gun still in his hand, the RW would try to use it to embarass Obama. But it wouldn't make Blago any less guilty or the prosecutors somehow suspect for arresting him.

And the words president-elect were in the indictment a lot because one of the charges was that blago was trying to sell the vacant seat of the president elect.

[rvablue]

9. Oh really, you remember "when the FBI tried to get Rezko to lie on Obama"

mind providing some context or better yet, a link?

[SemiCharmedQuark]

4. Blago was the one they were after. They picked up Rezko first, and Rezko talked

They've got Blago's staffer, and he'll probably talk too. They've been after Blago for a long time. The timing has more to do with the fact that he was getting ready to appoint an (obviously crooked) senator.