Tag: Rod Blagojevich (page 8)

Jesse Jackson, Sr. today denied he was the "emmissary" named in the Blagojevich complaint.

He flew to Chicago today and is expected to be interviewed by the FBI tomorrow or Saturday. The critical conversation: [More...]

The Judge overseeing the Tony Rezko case has granted his request for a quick sentencing date. He'll be sentenced January 6. As I wrote the other day, this says to me Rezko didn't get what he was hoping for from Fitzgerald for his cooperation. Fitz went out of his way in the Blagojevich complaint to mention numerous times that Rezko's information differed in key respects from that of other witnesses. That makes him less valuable as a witness.

The Chicago Tribune reports today that it's unclear whether the Government will call Rezko as a witness against Blagojevich. [More..]

Brian Ross of ABC News reports law enforcement sources have told him Jesse Jackson, Jr. is Senate Candidate # 5 in the Rod Blagojevich complaint.

Candidate 5 is significant to the story because the complaint alleges Blagojevich was taped saying #5's emissaries were willing to pay to play for the Senate Seat. What does Jackson, Jr. say? According to ABC,

Jackson Jr. said this morning he was contacted yesterday by federal prosecutors in Chicago who he said "asked me to come in and share with them my insights and thoughts about the selection process."

Jackson Jr. said "I don't know" when asked if he was Candidate #5, but said he was told "I am not a target of this investigation." Jackson Jr. said he agreed to talk with federal investigators "as quickly as possible" after he consults with a lawyer..... [He] denied that anyone had been authorized to make payments or promises to the Governor on his behalf.

Former Time Magazine Washington Bureau Chief Matt Cooper remembers his adventures with Patrick Fitzgerald in the Scooter Libby-Valerie Plame-Judith Miller case and has some advice for Gov. Blagojevich.

Shorter version: Suck it up, take a deal for under 7 years and go to a camp. Even though federal prison camps are no longer Club Feds, they beat the socks off being behind the walls at a real federal prison, which is what could happen if you go to trial and lose.

Cooper also has some (but not overdone) praise for Fitzgerald and a fairly good take on how it works. His funniest line:

And even if it was inclined to show any mercy, do you think Rahm would sit idly by? He took your seat in the House and you know him well. I don't have to tell you that you're better off dealing with the Crips and Bloods than with a pissed off Rahm.

My only nitpick: Matt takes a slam at drug dealers: [More...]

If you are just getting home from work, the transcript of Patrick Fitzgerald's press conference is available here.

The complaint (pdf) says the latest phase of the Blagojevich investigation began in early October, 2008 with information from "Individual A." The wires and bugs were in by October 21, 2008. The wiretap of Blagojevich's home phone went up on October 29. The details of the fruits of the wires and bugs and information received from Individual A begins on page 28.

The Complaint says Individual A is a subject but not a target, someone hoping for immunity and is associated with the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board. Individual A gave information about Fundraiser A, who is the chairman of Friends of Blagojevich.

Is Individual A John Wyma? I suspect so, because his lawyer says Wyma didn't wear a wire talking to Blagojevich and Fitz says in the complaint Individual A refused to have his conversations recorded. More indications this may be correct here.

Anyone else have any ideas on who the other little people are -- the fundraisers, advisors, etc? (We ran down the Senate Candidates here.)As for Rezko, his deal with Fitz may have fizzled. [More...]

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald stays true to form in the Complaint (pdf) against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. It's filled with references to other individuals identified by status with a letter designation.

There's fundraisers, advisers and hopeful Senate candidates. Here's a likely who's who, which will be updated with corrections and additions. From the Washington Post:

• Senate Candidate 1: Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett
• Senate Candidate 2: Ill. Attorney General Lisa Madigan
• Senate Candidate 4: A deputy governor of Illinois, which could be Dean Martinez, Bob Greenlee and Louanner Peters.
• Senate Candidate 6: a wealthy person from Illinois. Gawker speculates it's J.B. Pritzker, Penny's brother.

Marc Ambinder says Senate Candidate 5 is likely Jesse Jackson, Jr or Emil Jones. Politico agrees.

Question: Where's Rep. Danny Davis in all this, he was referenced by Blagojevich as a possible Senate replacement.

“We spent part of Thanksgiving Day together, and he made some comments to the press that he thought I’d make an excellent senator, then he said ‘Well let me stop, I don’t want to prejudice anything,’ but yes, we are in conversation with the governor,” Davis said.

MSNBC just read a statement from President Elect Barack Obama on today's arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Obama said he's saddened and sobered by the charges.

No mention of being "shocked." Interesting.

Random note: Blagojevich may be the most cumbersome name to type since Schwarzenegger. Anyone have a shorthand way of remembering how to spell it?

Update: Obama says he was not aware of Blagojevich's attempt to sell his Senate seat, a point, as we wrote earlier, was also made by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald this morning.

Check out page 63 of the 78 page complaint (pdf)against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagovich where the Governor and aides and consultants are discussing whether to appoint Obama's preference, referred to as Senate Candidate 1, for his senate replacement:

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 “motherf*cker [the President-elect] his senator. F*ck him. For nothing? F*ck him.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH states that he will put “[Senate Candidate 4]” in the Senate “before I just give f*cking [Senate Candidate 1] a f*cking Senate seat and I don’t get anything.” (Senate Candidate 4 is a Deputy Governor of the State of Illinois).

[More....]

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and FBI Agent Robert Grant are giving a press conference on CNN about the arrest of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Fitz reminds me more and more of Eliot Ness.

Fitz says "there's politics and there's crime" and sometimes people "blur the lines."

There were others involved. FBI Agent Grant said he called the Governor at 6:00 am and told him there was a warrant for his arrest and the FBI was outside. He asked him to come quietly. The Governor said, "Is this a joke?" and Grant said "No." He went quietly, was handcuffed, and as he was leaving, his wife and kids were "beginning to stir."

The press release is here (pdf) and the 78 page complaint is here (pdf.) In addition to wiretaps, including one on Blagojevich's home phone, Blagojevich's personal office and a conference room were bugged.

[More....]

To balance the budget, Illiniois Governor Rod Blagojevich has vetoed funds earmarked to prevent and correct wrongful convictions:

In a state known for sending innocent people to prison, Gov. Rod Blagojevich has angered prosecutors and defense attorneys alike by vetoing millions of dollars lawmakers set aside to fight wrongful convictions and support sweeping death penalty reforms.

One budget cut eliminated first-time funding for a Downstate advocacy group with several key court victories on behalf of convicted defendants. Another veto blocked funds for videotaping interrogations in murder cases under a law championed by Barack Obama when he was a state lawmaker.

More than $5.5 million approved by lawmakers to prevent or correct wrongful convictions was among the $1.4 billion Blagojevich vetoed this month to bring the state budget in line, according to interviews and a review of budget documents. The vetoes included money to support the reforms he signed five years ago to ensure the integrity of the state's capital punishment process.

I can't help but wonder had Obama, who worked so hard for some of the reforms, been attending to his day job as well as campaigning, whether he might have talked some sense into Blagojevich. These cuts should have been something, even as a Senator no longer in state politics, he fought the Governor tooth and nail on.