Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

**Sinco01** · 12-09-2008, 03:34 PM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tuff Gong</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
LOL the guy is a piece of work....remind me more of OJ than Mayor Daley! </div></div>

ok .. my opinion ..

Blago's confrontational style has not earned many "friends" in any govt .. state - local or federal ..

Daley is quite dictatorial ..
most of his staff could attest to that ..
but at least he is not in the "pay-to-play" as openly as Blago

**Tuff Gong** · 12-09-2008, 03:38 PM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sinco01</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tuff Gong</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
LOL the guy is a piece of work....remind me more of OJ than Mayor Daley! </div></div>

ok .. my opinion ..

Blago's confrontational style has not earned many "friends" in any govt .. state - local or federal ..

Daley is quite dictatorial ..
most of his staff could attest to that ..
but at least he is not in the "pay-to-play" as openly as Blago </div></div>The Daley's (father and son) knew/knows how to use muscle they epitomizes Chicago Style Politics.... Blogo is just a two-bit hustler.

**Sinco01** · 12-09-2008, 03:44 PM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Daley's (father and son) knew/knows how to use muscle they epitomizes Chicago Style Politics.... <span style="font-weight: bold">Blogo is just a two-bit hustler</span></div></div>.

no holds barred .. eeh ..
dat's yuh name Tuff ..

**Tuff Gong** · 12-09-2008, 03:48 PM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

<span style="font-style: italic">Sam Stein [email protected]
| HuffPost Reporting From DC
December 9, 2008 12:12 PM </span>

The arrest this morning of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has sparked intense discussion in the political universe over how great a taint his ethical follies will have both on the next Illinois Senator and Barack Obama.

The governor, accused of seeking cash for the political appointment of Obama's Senate replacement, is not a close associate of the President-elect. Indeed, in the affidavit, Blagojevich called Obama a "[censored]" for wanting him to appoint an official that the governor either did not like or wouldn't receive money from. Local news reports, meanwhile, suggest that it was Obama chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel who blew the whistle on the governor.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">But the fact that Blagojevich put, in essence, a for-sale sign on Obama's Senate seat -- and some of the lengths he went to in order to extract financial benefit from the process -- could create for long-term damage for the Democratic Party and, by extension the President-elect.</span>

This is "a new low," said U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, discussing the arrest on Tuesday. "The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave."

Take, for example, the part of the affidavit that deals with Blagojevich's attempts to forge a three-way deal involving Obama and the SEIU, wherein he would be appointed the head of the union's affiliate -- Change to Win -- Obama would help the SEIU advance its political objectives, and the group and the President-elect would have a favorable official appointed into the vacant seat.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">"JOHN HARRIS [Blagojevich's chief of staff] 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 President-elect'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."
There is absolutely nothing in the affidavit to suggest that the SEIU (who did not immediately return request for comment) or Obama were aware of this scheming. But the taint -- or at least the potential of taint -- is very real</span>.
<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">

The Republican National Committee, gleefully, sent out an a memo only moments after the arrest was made painting Obama and Blagojevich as political allies.</span> And every single political observer and Democratic operative I talked to this morning noted that Obama's Senate replacement will have a monumental ethics curve weighed against him or her.

"Unfortunately, whoever takes that seat now will have this legacy," said Robert Rich, Director of the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">As such, multiple officials (including Democrats) who spoke to the Huffington Post said that the Democratic Party should be pleased that Blagojevich was being arrested now, as opposed to after the Senate appointment was made. The timing will help the party and Obama avoid accusations of insider trading, although Blagojevich may not step down and still seems likely to name Obama's replacement.</span>

"As for the quid pro quos... I think people are cynical enough so that they know there are interest groups with their goals and deals, so I don't think it is a huge problem," said Stu Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report. "I think the bigger problem is if there are more dots that are connected. We do know that [Minority Leader John] Boehner has already talked about running against William Jefferson, Blagojevich, and you have Charlie Rangel... These problems build up. And the Republican Party's brand was damaged when these problems built up."

Rod Blagojevich Arrested: The Damage He Could Do

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/09/rod-blagojevich-indictmen_n_149608.html

Rod Blagojevich Arrested: The Damage He Could Do

**Sinco01** · 12-09-2008, 04:00 PM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">And every single political observer and Democratic operative I talked to this morning noted that <span style="font-weight: bold">Obama's Senate replacement will have a monumental ethics curve weighed against him or her.
</span>
"<span style="font-weight: bold">Unfortunately, whoever takes that seat now will have this legacy</span>," said Robert Rich, Director of the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs.</div></div>

i was thinking about this earlier ..
who would want that seat now ..
would they accept an appointment from Blago .. ?
it is tainted ..
but still a very valuable commodity ..

someone has serve out the term ..
politricks is a mess ..

**Tuff Gong** · 12-09-2008, 05:18 PM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sinco01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">but still a very valuable commodity</div></div>

...you got that right:

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'"> OBAMA'S ILLINOIS SENATE SEAT FOR SALE
Limited Time Only! </span>

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/OBAMAS-ILLINOIS-SENATE-SEAT-FOR-SALE_W0QQitemZ160303950570QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_De faultDomain_0?hash=item160303950570&_trksid=p3 286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3 A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C29 4%3A50" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: bold">Following Blagojevich Arrest, Obama Senate Seat Put On eBay</span>
December 9, 2008 01:51 PM

Various elements of the Rod Blagojevich arrest today are unavoidably humorous -- whether it is his completely cynical approach to politics, the idea that he was even considering a possible run for President in 2016, his wife's disdain for the Chicago Cubs, or the fact that he and his aides contemplated shaking down Warren Buffett for cash (allegedly, of course).

In fact, when authorities rang Blagojevich this morning to let him know that they were coming to arrest him, he responded: "Is this a joke?"

There was an almost cartoonish-aspect to the corruption exhibited by the Illinois Governor. And now, that buffoonery has rubbed off on all aspects surrounding the case. On eBay, a poster from Illinois has put up a listing for the United States Senate Seat, a nod to the auction that Blagojevich was apparently hoping to host from within the confines of his own office</a>

Following Blagojevich Arrest, Obama Senate Seat Put On eBay

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/09/following-blagojevich-arr_n_149639.html

Following Blagojevich Arrest, Obama Senate Seat Put On eBay

**Tuff Gong** · 12-09-2008, 05:21 PM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

More:

Illinois Senate Seat

Illinois Senate Seat. Slightly Used. Great potential!

**Sinco01** · 12-10-2008, 10:01 AM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

link ..

<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 17pt"><span style="color: #CC0000">Illinois governor charged in 'coruption crime spree</span>'</span></span>

Published: Wednesday | December 10, 2008

CHICAGO (AP)

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested yesterday on charges he brazenly conspired to sell or trade the United States Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama to the highest bidder in what a federal prosecutor called a "corruption crime spree".

However, a federal judge in Chicago ordered Blagojevich released from jail after the Democrat was hit with federal corruption charges.

He was released on a signature bond that specifies that he'll forfeit $4,500 bond if he does not appear in court. Blagojevich was also ordered to relinquish his passport and his firearm owner's identification card.

US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald told a news conference prosecutors make "no allegations" Obama was aware of any alleged scheming.

Blagojevich also was charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Company, the owner of the Chicago Tribune, in the sale of Wrigley Field, according to a federal criminal complaint. In return for state assistance, Blagojevich allegedly wanted members of the paper's editorial board who had been critical of him fired.

New low

"We were in the middle of a corruption crime spree and we wanted to stop it," Fitzgerald said yesterday, calling the corruption charges against Blagojevich "a truly new low".

Blagojevich's arrest was the latest example of corruption in a state with a political history of nepotism and patronage. In Chicago, the state's largest city, the tradition of corruption goes back past the days of celebrated 1920s gang boss Al Capone to the 1890s, when the so-called Gray Wolves of the City Council stuffed their pockets with bribes.

Federal investigators bugged the governor's campaign offices and placed a tap on his home phone. Chicago FBI chief Robert Grant said even seasoned investigators were "stunned" by what they heard on the tapes.

Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero said the governor's office did not have immediate comment on the charges, but issued a statement saying the "allegations do nothing to impact the services, duties or function of the State".

A 76-page FBI affidavit said the 51-year-old Democratic governor was intercepted on court-authorised wiretaps over the last month conspiring to sell or trade the vacant Senate seat for personal benefits for himself and his wife, Patti.

Otherwise, Blagojevich con-sidered appointing himself. The affidavit said that as late as November 3, he told his deputy governor that if "they're not going to offer me anything of value I might as well take it".

"I'm going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain," Blagojevich allegedly said later that day, according to the affidavit, which also quoted him as saying in a remark punctuated by profanity that the seat was "a valuable thing you just don't give it away for nothing".

**rufian** · 12-10-2008, 11:28 AM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate se

sure make it looks as if Obama bought that seat, especially because them put the loop on him 3yrs ago.

**Gen** · 12-10-2008, 12:37 PM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

they are not going to take anyone blockhead appoints, as anyone he appoints gwine be viewed as suspect. it is being reported that the senate collectively will make the decision.

him mussie think a russia him deh

**Tuff Gong** · 12-10-2008, 02:22 PM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/09/senate-candidate-5-in-bla_n_149682.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">
<span style="font-weight: bold">Senate Candidate 5 In Blagojevich Indictment: Who Is It?</span>
<span style="font-style: italic">Huffington Post | Nicholas Sabloff | December 9, 2008 03:37 PM</span>

***UPDATE*** 12/10

ABC News' Brian Ross is reporting that Jesse Jackson, Jr. is "Senate Candidate #5" in the Blagojevich indictment:

Chicago Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) is the anonymous "Senate Candidate #5" whose emissaries Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich reportedly claimed offered up to a million dollars to name him to the U.S. Senate, federal law enforcement sources tell ABC News. [...]

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.

The Congressman, a son of the famed civil rights leader, denied that anyone had been authorized to make payments or promises to the Governor on his behalf.</a>

**Tuff Gong** · 12-11-2008, 06:02 AM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nylah</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tuff Gong</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nylah</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-weight: bold">they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation.</span>

gotta love humanity </div></div>....maybe that is why one day Valerie Bowman Jarrett was considered a contender then the day after her name surfaced she denied it and was appointed by Barack to White House Senior Advisor. </div></div>

aye sah </div></div>

Boy did I mail this one:

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"><span style="font-style: italic">December 10, 2008, 7:44 pm</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">Blagojevich’s Big Conference Call and Valerie Jarrett’s Clean Break
Cam Simpson reports on Rod Blagojevich </span>

Among the hundreds of hours of conversations involving Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich secretly recorded by the FBI since Oct. 22, one phone call is drawing particular scrutiny among politicos, journalists and others in Washington. It was a marathon conference call on Monday, Nov. 10.

The call lasted about two hours. On the phone were Mr. Blagojevich, his wife, his general counsel, an unnamed adviser, and John Harris, the governor’s chief of staff and his co-defendant in this week’s case.

But what’s drawing the most interest is who was on the line from Washington, and the sequence of political events that followed that same night and in the ensuing days regarding Barack Obama’s close friend and adviser, Valerie Jarrett.

According to the FBI, there were “various Washington, D.C., based advisers” on the call with Mr. Blagojevich & Co., although the Washington callers are not named. The FBI also said participants popped on and off the line throughout the conversation.

During the call, Mr. Blagojevich and those closest to him allegedly detailed virtually every one of their ideas for turning Mr. Obama’s open Senate seat into something valuable. Specifically, the governor asked “what he can get from the President-elect for the Senate seat,” the FBI alleged, adding later that callers talked about how to “monetize” Mr. Blagojevich’s connections.

Mr. Blagojevich also bemoaned what he called his financial struggles, although his post reportedly pays about $177,000 per year. “The immediate challenge,” the governor allegedly said, “[is] how do we take some of the financial pressure off of our family.”

Callers discussed the possibility of ambassadorships, which are made by the president. They talked about an appointment for Mr. Blagojevich as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, also made by the president. They explored the idea of getting Mr. Obama to use his clout to put the governor’s wife on corporate boards. And they discussed a deal involving the Service Employee International Union, which would be asked to install Mr. Blagojevich over one of its top political groups in exchange for the union getting to tell Mr. Obama that it was delivering the open U.S. Senate seat to his favorite candidate.

That candidate, Mr. Blagojevich believed, was Valerie Jarrett, according to sources familiar with this part of the probe.

There is no inference that Mr. Obama knew about or encouraged any of this alleged scheming, and he has explicitly denied it. But the big question today is this: Were any members of his transition team among the “Washington advisers” on the line during this marathon conference call, or did one of the participants fill them in about these wild ideas?

<span style="font-weight: bold">Mr. Obama’s people are not commenting on details about the case. But the reason that question is on so many minds today is because of what happened that very same Monday night.

At 7:56 p.m. Eastern Time, CNN reported that “two Democratic sources close to President-elect Barack Obama tell CNN that top adviser Valerie Jarrett will not be appointed to replace him in the U.S. Senate.”

That was an abrupt turnaround. While we can’t vouch for CNN’s reportage, the network had reported that same weekend that Ms. Jarrett was Mr. Obama’s top choice. (Ms. Jarrett herself confirmed that she was out of contention two days after it was reported by CNN, and two days after the marathon conference call. She told the PBS show The Newshour with Jim Lehrer, “Well, you know what? I`m actually not interested in the Senate position.”)</span>

At a bare minimum, the timing of Team Obama’s decision to remove Ms. Jarrett’s name from contention, or at least to remove her name from the public speculation about the post, seems extraordinarily lucky. It came on the very same day the FBI secretly recorded Mr. Blagojevich telling a huge conference call loaded with politicos, in Illinois and Washington, that he wasn’t about to give the Senate spot away for nothing.

It’s also the same recorded conversation in which Mr. Blagojevich uses an obscenity to refer to Mr. Obama, before the governor makes clear he won’t give the president-elect the seat for free. “F— him. For nothing? F— him.”

Look for everyone to continue focusing on this call, and who from Washington was on the line.
</span>
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/12/10...break/?mod=blog

**Sinco01** · 12-11-2008, 06:16 AM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate se

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sukuna</div><div class="ubbcode-body">sure make it looks as if <span style="font-weight: bold">Obama bought that seat</span>, especially because them put the loop on him 3yrs ago. </div></div>

u got to be kidding ..

**rufian** · 12-11-2008, 08:03 AM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate se

how so? is not as if he was monitored before obama got there, he was monitored after obama began running.

I said "make it looks as if Obama bought that seat"

**blugiant** · 12-11-2008, 10:26 AM

Re: Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate se

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sukuna</div><div class="ubbcode-body">how so? is not as if he was monitored before obama got there, he was monitored after obama began running.

I said "make it looks as if Obama bought that seat" </div></div>

seeeth deh

mzungu tryinn fe campromise de blakk man

peeps a gawn like diss natt narmall politrixx tings

Caught on tape trying to sell Barak Obama open Senate seat

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