Feds taped Blagojevich

[WeDidIt]

TRIBUNE EXCLUSIVE
Feds taped Blagojevich
Adviser cooperated with corruption probe, sources say
By Jeff Coen, John Chase and David Kidwell | Tribune reporters
December 5, 2008

Federal investigators recently made covert tape recordings of Gov. Rod Blagojevich in the most dramatic step yet in their corruption investigation of him and his administration, the Tribune has learned.

As part of this undercover effort, one of the governor's closest confidants and former aides cooperated with investigators, and that assistance helped lead to recordings of the governor and others, sources said.

The cooperation of John Wyma, 42, one of the state's most influential lobbyists, is the most stunning evidence yet that Blagojevich's once-tight inner circle appears to be collapsing under the pressure of myriad pay-to-play inquiries.

Wyma, Blagojevich's chief of staff when he was in Congress, has long been one of the few advisers trusted by Blagojevich and kept in the loop on matters of policy and politics. As the federal probe intensified, Wyma met privately with the governor and his former chief of staff at the governor's campaign headquarters on the North Side for 90 minutes on Oct. 22.

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Link To Chicago Tribune Article

Blagojevich is going down, and good riddance. The good thing is the Illinois GOP is too divided in order to take advantage of it and the Illinois Democratic PArty has distanced itself from Blagojevich very effectively over the past two years.

[Oceansaway]

1. another 'free Ryan' supporter like

Dickhead Durbin....Blago needs to go...trust me, he wont get re-elected...

[davsand]

2. Welcome to Illinois politics.

Blag may manage to break with tradition and get indicted before that magic ten year mark. You have to hand it to him--that is a big accomplishment because even George Ryan managed to skate the ten years before they got the goods on him.

Something else I find amazing in that article is the link to Provena Health. They are a Catholic Hospital chain and that article leads the reader to think that maybe the feds think Provena and their agents were maybe "paying to play."

Only in Illinois.



Laura

[global1]

3. So How Could We Let This Guy Pick Obama's Senate Replacement?......

If he is as corrupt as they are saying - what impact does that have on his senate replacement pick - if any?

[WeDidIt]

4. He's going to try and give himself cover with the pick

One way would be to pick Lisa MAdigan as he has never had a good relationship with the Madigans. Another would be to pick Tammy Duckworth.

Hell, I only had two reasons to vote for Blagojevich over Baar-Topinka.

1) IT was a tossup as to which of the two would be indicted more quickly.

2) Given 1), I'd rather have a Democrat in place to replace Obama after he won the presidency (I was certain Obama would run and win when I made this decision in 2006).

[Paulie]

5. Just think how it would have been

to have Paul Vallas in office instead. Maybe we'll see him again. Pat Quinn takes over the remaining term, right?

I undervoted that year, I couldn't vote for Rod or Judy, so I left it blank. And yes, the optical scanner said I voted correctly and sucked in the ballot.

[davsand]

6. Vallas had some good people working for him in that Primary.

I only met him once, but I met his campaign people several times and they seemed like they had their shit in one sock. I know there were a few in Chicago that did not care for Vallas, and that may have been the problem--I dunno--but I was pretty bummed that Vallas didn't do better in that Primary.

On a personal note, during that Primary, there was a vote before congress regarding airport screening and security. Blago pretty much screwed the pooch with his vote on that and I was seriously pissed off (not that anyone cared, mind you...) Blag was wanting a campaign contribution from SEIU for his Primary race and SEIU wanted no part of that particular Congressional bill because it would have prevented THEM from organizing the airport screeners at O'Hare. Blag voted how they wanted him to, and he got the contribution and endorsement he wanted.

I had been getting emails and mailed requests for support and help from Blag's campaign and I had pretty much been tossing it all in the trash up to that point. Right after that vote in Congress, I got an email solicitation from Blag's campaign, and I actually responded to it by sending it to his Campaign Manager along with the comment that monkeys would fly out my ass before I'd support anyone that would whore our national safety in the interest of an endorsement and contribution.

Needless to say, I was less than thrilled to see Blag win that Primary, and I have not had happy relations with the Governor or his staff since he's been in office.



Laura