On Tuesday, when the news of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s arrest broke, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald declared that it was “a sad day for Illinois government” and that Blagojevich had “taken us to a truly new low.” But, was it really? From the New York Times transcript of the press conference, Fitgerald said:
Governor Blagojevich has been arrested in the middle of what we can only describe as a political corruption crime spree. We acted to stop that crime spree.
The most appalling conduct Governor Blagojevich engaged in, according to the complaint filed today or unsealed today, is that he attempted to sell a Senate seat, the Senate seat he had the sole right to under Illinois to appoint to replace President-elect Obama.
Attempting to sell a Senate seat, an attempt that was thwarted by Fitzgerald, by the way, constitutes a “crime spree” that would make “Lincoln turn over in his grave?” Fitzgerald’s justification makes no sense at all. If Blago had indeed appointed someone to Obama’s seat in a “pay for play” scheme, Fitz would have netted 2 big fish dead to rights, since the payee/selectee would be guilty as sin, too. Nope, there’s more to this story than meets the eye.
What we also know is that some of these schemes went pretty far and some did not go far at all. But they had discussions about what they would do, who they would approach and how they would phrase it.
And we need to do the investigation, now that the investigation is overt, to find out from other people what happened, what they were told, how explicitly, what they understood, and what happened.
Was that a warning to all those people who now seem so hellbent on making Blago seem crazy? Those people who now deny any contact with him, even when such contact would be perfectly normal? Those people who now say they misspoke about who said what, when? The ones whose mutually shared friend just had his sentencing delayed so Fitz could corroborate his stories?
“I should make clear, the complaint makes no allegations about the president-elect whatsoever,” Fitzgerald said. “We make no allegations that he’s aware of anything, and that’s as simply as I can put it. . . .
“There’s no reference in the complaint to any conversations involving the president-elect or indicating that the president-elect was aware of it. And that’s all I can say.”
Note he said “complaint,” not “investigation.” And, that’s all I can say.
Honora, some are saying Fitzy jumped the gun to protect Obama, but, Blago’s bail is low. That makes me think Blago may have been flipped, and that was the point. We still don’t know who decided Obie was the guy for president, not Blago. I remember reading that there was a time when Rod was the guy. Maybe Rezko knows what made Obie so attractive and Hot Rod can back him up.
http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2005/05/08/news/illiana/a63bd22ee705c66f86256ffa0082304b.txt
http://divisionstreet.wordpress.com/2008/04/16/president-blagojevich/
In addition, that Joseph Cari, Jr., the former finance chairman of the Democratic National Committee testified Blagojevich was at one time trying to form a national fundraising presence in order to run for president, the governor tellilng him that “contracts, legal work and investment banking work” would be awarded to “people who helped”…that the former head of the Illinois Finance Authority, Ali Ata, became the first person to accuse Blagojevich of personally offering a position in his administration in return for campaign contributions…that having met Rezko several times regarding fund-raising efforts for Blagojevich’s campaign and discussing a job with a state agency in return for contributions,” Ata subsequently being appointed to the IFA post…that a federal judge confirmed Blagojevich was indeed “Official A”…that a “$25,000 Club” has been probed in which 75% of businesses, unions and individuals that give $25,000 donations to the Blagojevich campaign fund received benefits from the state, including state contracts and appointments to state boards…that “Friends of Blagojevich” received a $10,000 campaign from an elevator constructors PAC in the same month that three union officers received appointments to the Illinois Elevator Safety Board.
http://www.cdobs.com/archive/our-columns/the-agnew-solution-to-rod-blagojevich,1190/
Yeah, looks like there’s more here than is allowed to meet our putatively innocent/ignorant eyes. I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Paddy Fitzgerald, I’ll admit, but still: I can’t help wondering just what’s going on here, and behind the scenes especially.
[...] Original post [...]
I should make clear, the complaint makes no allegations about the president-elect whatsoever,” Fitzgerald said. “We make no allegations that he’s aware of anything, and that’s as simply as I can put it. . . .