Barack Obama insists that he and his staff were not involved in the alleged schemes Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich cooked up to sell off the president-elect’s vacant Senate seat.
But the timeline of activity outlined in the FBI’s 76-page complaint against Blagojevich suggests Obama’s team was aware that his home-state governor was playing political hardball in the weeks before his arrest.
That’s because shortly after Blagojevich allegedly told his advisers, in an expletive-laced conference call, that he would not appoint Obama’s pick to the Senate absent huge favors in return, Obama’s apparent pick promptly dropped out of the running for the Senate and joined the new White House staff.
“Reading between the lines … clearly somebody from (Obama’s) operation did have a conversation with Blagojevich,” Democratic strategist Bob Beckel told FOX News. He added that Obama’s representative evidently wasn’t trying to cut a deal since Blagojevich indicated he was “getting nothing out of the Obama people.”
FOX News has confirmed that Valerie Jarrett, a senior Obama adviser, is the individual identified in the Blagojevich affidavit as Senate Candidate 1.
The affidavit states that Senate Candidate 1 was likely to be supported by Obama for the seat, and that the Illinois governor was mulling a variety of ways to capitalize on such an appointment. Blagojevich allegedly wanted a corporate board appointment for his wife or millions in donations to a non-profit organization for his benefit, or even an appointment as secretary of health and human services, in exchange for appointing Senate Candidate 1. (Obama nominated former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle for the Cabinet post Blagojevich wanted on Thursday.)
But in the series of wiretapped conversations detailed in the complaint, Blagojevich and his advisers made clear that Obama was not willing to trade anything for the appointment of Senate Candidate 1.
An apparently disappointed Blagojevich discussed the post on a two-hour conference call Nov. 10 with his wife, his general counsel, his chief of staff John Harris (who also was arrested), and “various Washington, D.C., advisers.”
“F— him. For nothing? F— him,” Blagojevich said in response to advice that he wouldn’t get anything out of Obama, according to the court document. Blagojevich said he would not pick Senate Candidate 1 without some kind of reward.
The next day, the complaint shows Blagojevich spoke with Harris about the seat, and said of Obama, “they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. F— them.”
If Obama and his staff didn’t know anything about these conversations, then Jarrett at least exercised good timing.
By Nov. 12, news reports broke that Jarrett was no longer interested in the Senate seat. The affidavit shows Harris took this as a bluff.
But two days later, reports broke that Jarrett would be named Obama’s senior adviser and assistant for intergovernmental relations in the White House. By Saturday, it was official, and Jarrett was out of the running for Senate.
It’s unclear who, if anybody, could have notified Obama about Blagojevich’s demands. The “various Washington, D.C., advisers” are not named. The affidavit also says Blagojevich met with a Service Employees International Union official, whom Blagojevich understood to be “an emissary” sent to discuss Senate Candidate 1.
This individual also is not named.
Obama, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, said at a press conference Thursday that not only has he never engaged the governor on the topic of his Senate seat, but “I am confident that no representative of mine would have any part in any deals related to this seat.”
He said he has asked his team to compile any information they might have about any contact with the Illinois governor’s office regarding his Senate seat, so that he can share that information with the public. But he said he is “absolutely certain” his aides were not involved in any alleged dealmaking.
The affair, nevertheless, has caused headaches for the popular president-elect, who faces accusations from Republicans that he’s not being completely honest about who knew what when.
“There’s still a lot of questions out there,” said Michael Steele, former Maryland lieutenant governor who is running for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee. “I think the president-elect did try his best to sort of isolate himself from this. Now the staff and the folks who are representing him, that’s a different issue.”
RNC Chairman Mike Duncan released a written statement Thursday accusing Obama of providing “less than forthcoming answers to simple questions” about Blagojevich.
“While it is encouraging that the President-elect has stated his office will disclose contacts with the scandal-ridden governor, it remains disappointing that his actions are in response to political pressure,” he said.
FOX News’ Major Garrett contributed to this report.
This is such a fantastic blog revealing the truth of this very dubious president at a time when the mass media for what ever dark and unknown reason has chosen to protect and lie for him like no other president in the history of America.
He reminds me of Nelson Mandela that old communist white hater who has been elevated to messiah status by the media but the truth of the 3000 murders of white farmers done on his command by his Intelligence agency (NIA) have never been revealed you have to go to blogs like (www.zasucks.com) to find out the truth about the white hating hell hole that South Africa has become, where whites are abused and murdered everyday and over one million four hundred thousand have fled their home land for other countries to escape persecution by his black government the ANC.
I believe the blogs are now the true press of the people, the mass media is just a weapon and a tool of politicians to herd the sheep.
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Let’s see if we have this right…
Rezko gives campaign contributions to both Obama and Blag.
Blag’s wife makes 700k in commission off real estate deals with Rezko
Obama helps get money approved for Rezko to build and maintain affordable housing…
In Obama’s district and much of the housing is uninhabitible due to substandard work. People freeze in the winter, plumbing leaks, and a 3 year old boy was crushed to death last summer by shoddy construction.
Rezko is caught bribing politicians including on hospital construction work including hospital where Obama’s wife is given a fat job doing
virtually nothing but collect a check of $312,000/year.
Rezko is convicted and is due for sentencing to long prison term.
Obama and Emanuel are the two key people who manage Blag’s run for governor and again his reelection.
When Blag vacates his House of Rep seat, Emanuel gets it.
Rezko buys the lot next to Obama home on the same day as Obama buys the house. The house is sold 300k under price while Rezko pays full
price for the empty lot. Then Rezko sells a 10 ft strip of his property to Obama making his remaining portion of the lot unbuildable
because it is too small. Both Obama and Blag pay less property taxes than their neighbors because their real estate is magically assessed at 1/3rd the comparables.
Blag’s wife was a partner of Rezko’s on many land deals that appear to be pay for play vehicles for political deals.
Blag’s wife was involved in the deal with the Rezko’s and Obama to buy the house/lot.
Blag is caught trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat.
Obama endorsed “Hot Rod” Blag, Blag endorsed Obama…
And I could go on and on with details of these people working together for years.
Slime begets slime.
They say the coverup is what brings ‘em down, they’re clever on the frontside and ridiculous and panicked on the defense. “I never had sex with that woman” “I am not a crook” and now we have Obama, “I never had any communication about this issue.”
And Obama looks horrible too. His right eye twitches more and more, his skin looks gray, he looks like a deer in headlights. He takes too long to answer a single question so he can’t be asked more. The character built from developing judgment under fire, he lacks totally. He is not used to hard work, he doesn’t know how to run a show and make the trains arrive on time. He will have to depend on Rhambo for that, who has the total goods on Obama, he owns his private parts.
With Rezko singing along with Blag and Obama’s lame denials, it will be a beautiful chorus.
Aint Affirmative Action a wonderful thing?
Good Evening, Obambi.com
http://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2008/12/11/obama-indictment-blagojevich-arrest-patrick-fitzgerald-December-11-2008-rezko-trialobama-rezko-levine-blagojevich-health-planning-board-pay-for-play-il-senate-obama-arrest-and-indictment/
Obama indictment, Blagojevich arrest, Patrick Fitzgerald, December 11, 2008, Rezko trial,Obama, Rezko, Levine, Blagojevich, Health Planning Board, Pay for Play, IL Senate, Obama arrest and indictment by USDOJ, US Department of Justice
“Michelle’s Hospital job and salary increase was your typical Chicago Machine KICKBACK ! No No Obama is clean he did not play the Chicago way .
He is transparent and the LIGHT WORKER ”
-George ,
now see article below which explains the Obama’s Kickbacks
Michelle was subsequently hired by the University of Chicago, ultimately ending up as the University of Chicago Hospital’s Vice President for External Affairs. Barack was chair of the Illinois Senate’s powerful Health and Human Services Committee, the position tied by some to the Rezko scandal.
If you don’t get the picture, you are definitely not from Chicago.
http://www.israpundit.com/2008/?p=3566
Rezko, Obama, and Chicago Combine October 6th 2008
Corruption We Can Believe In
Abraham H. Miller
If Tony Rezko were young, blonde and disappeared on a Caribbean Island, Greta Van Sustern would have been all over the Rezko trial. And that very particular Chicago definition of ‘clout’ would have been ingrained in everyone’s lexicon.
But Tony (Antoin) Rezko is simply another middle-aged, bald, Chicago developer who was involved in an influence peddling and kick-back scheme that was connected to a number of politicians, a couple of pension funds, an Iraqi businessman (prepared to upfront millions for bail) and, oh yes, Senator Barack Obama. A jury hit Tony with a conviction on sixteen felony counts out of twenty four in the indictment.
Corruption, at least corruption old-fashioned Chicago style, is par for the city’s political culture. Unlike corruption in other cities, Chicago corruption usually trickled down to the little guy. The myth is that everyone benefited. Of course, some people benefited a lot more than others.
And Chicago corruption was always underscored by a nice dose of reality. When one prominent politician was asked about directing the city’s insurance business to his relatives, he gave a resoundingly uncomplicated answer: Why would anyone bother to go into politics, if he couldn’t throw a little business to his loved ones.
We Chicagoans can resonate to the crisp truthfulness of the response.
Unlike academia where the corruption is so intense, the stakes are so small, and the justifications truly Kafkaesque, the guy on the right side of the take in Chicago could, well, like Tony Rezko, buy a great mansion in fashionable Wilmette, or like Barack Obama get a real discount on a mansion in trendy and liberal Hyde Park-Kenwood.
No further rationale would be required.
Since 1972, on average two Chicago politicians per year have been convicted of felonies. In 1991, when not one Chicago Alderman was convicted or even indicted, the Sun-Times ran that deviant event as a front-page story.
Michelle Obama spent just three years at the Chicago Law Firm of Sidley Austin, far less than a typical associate on the career path to be partner. In a move incongruous with the alleged iconic credentials that are a mainstay of the Michelle hagiography, she took a job with the Democratic machine.
Probably some people think you leave a high- powered, prestigious law firm like Sidley Austin to take a job with the Chicago machine to save the world. But no one who knows how Chicago works is going to buy that!
Michelle was subsequently hired by the University of Chicago, ultimately ending up as the University of Chicago Hospital’s Vice President for External Affairs. Barack was chair of the Illinois Senate’s powerful Health and Human Services Committee, the position tied by some to the Rezko scandal.
If you don’t get the picture, you are definitely not from Chicago.
In 2007 the not-for-profit University of Chicago hospital turned out a profit of 143 million, and is up 118 million for 2008. The hospital is scheduled to receive a 30 million infusion from Medicaid, and will be turning some of its Medicaid patients to another hospital to free up space for its private insurance paying patients. According to the (London ) Daily Mail (online), in 2006 the hospital turned away an indigent man, who died.
When Michelle exhorts young people to turn down the profit system and do something meaningful with their lives, apparently this is not the example she means to convey.
Now you might ask what does a community relations director at a university do? That’s really a naïve question. The question is who does the community relation’s director know?
The answer became apparent when Barack was elected to the U.S. Senate and Michelle’s salary more than doubled.
Barack and Michelle were a power couple hooked into the Democratic machine. Tony Rezko cultivated them, the Chicago Way. When the Obamas bought their mansion in trendy Hyde Park-Kenwood, Mrs. Rezko bought the lot next door for asking price in a coordinated deal from the same seller. The Obamas got their house at a discount. Mrs. Rezko paid full price. Later, Mrs. Rezko sold part of the lot to the Obamas to expand their back yard.
What Rezko wanted from Obama became apparent later.
To understand the genius of Rezko, you need to understand that for generations, corruption in Chicago was partisan specific. As my mother used to say when she split her ticket, ‘You need some Republicans. Then the machine can’t steal as much.’
But then came the Chicago Combine: bipartisan corruption you could believe in. Rezko established a typical Chicago ‘pay for play’ scheme, but one that crossed party lines. You want to build a hospital, you had to pay Rezko, who paid the appropriate people who could help you play. The problem that Rezko faced was the hospital board had fifteen members and that is a lot of people to bribe and a lot of loose ends. But then Rezko had a friend who chaired the Illinois Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee.
Enter State Senator Barack Obama, who is credited as the moving force behind a piece of bipartisan legislation (Il. Senate Bill 1332) that reduced the hospital board to nine people, to be appointed by Governor Rod Blagojevich (know as Governor ‘Blago’) with advice and consent of the Illinois Senate.
Blago immediately appointed three physicians, Rezko cronies with similar Middle Eastern backgrounds, all of whom were coincidentally big contributors to Barack Obama. As they say downtown, Barack knows how to walk the Chicago Way. Rezko became the guy you saw if you wanted to build a health care facility. He controlled the board’s votes.
The three appointed physicians have been convicted in the Federal probe and are rumored to be about ready to sing.
Rumor also has it that Patricia Blagojevich, the governor’s wife, is next in line for an indictment. The Chicago press is now 24/7 on active ‘Patti Watch.’
For his part, Rezko just sent a ‘I will not rat out my pals letter,’ to United States District Judge Amy St. Eve. Veteran observers of the Chicago crime scene note that the guys who don’t sing, don’t write letters. They just clam up. You write a letter because you want the other guys to be reminded to take care of your wife and kids’college is expensive.
So, what else does Rezko expect, a presidential pardon, ala Bill Clinton and Carlos Vignali, the dope dealer Clinton’s brother-in-law, Hugh Rodham, represented?
So, here’s the deal. If you don’t want a president making it in the alcove near the Oval Office, don’t elect a guy with a history as a rake and a swordsman. If you don’t want a president who can’t negotiate with the majority of his own party, don’t elect a backwoods, Southern governor with a Jesus complex. If you don’t want a president who orders the break in of the opposition, don’t elect a guy whose career was saturated by paranoia.
And if you want to make sure that the White House is not going to be tainted by corruption, don’t elect a president who grew up in the Chicago political system and whose wife thinks that the country owes her some palliative to eliminate her sense of personal shame. Because unlike the stock market, when it comes to human behavior, past performance really is indicative of future results.
Another land deal here:
Raghuveer Nayak, a major Blagojevich donor who also has ties to the Jackson family, then co-sponsored a fund-raiser for the Governor on Saturday attended by Mr Blagojevich and Jesse Jackson Jr’s brother Jonathan, the newspaper said.
Mr Nayak, a leader of Chicago’s Asian community, owns a string of surgery clinics and was once involved in a land deal with Jonathan Jackson.
There sure is alot of land deals that are not on the up and up in Chicago huh!
i’m hoping Blagojevich will inspire Congress to finally grow a pair and start doing what’s best for the people they represent (by putting this guy away for a long time)
I’m hoping Blago sings like a bird to the Feds about everything he knows regarding crimes related to Obama during his career in the Chicago political machine.