Senate candidate 1:
In a conversation with Harris [Blago's chief of staff] on November 11, the charges state, Blagojevich said he knew that President-elect Obama wanted Senate Candidate 1 for the open seat but “they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. [Expletive] them.” The complaint does not mention her name, but the description makes clear that Blagojevich is referring to Valerie Jarrett.
Senate Candidate 2 appears to be Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
From the charging document on TPM:
On November 6, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Spokesman. ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Spokesman to leak to a particular columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, that Senate Candidate 2 is in the running for the vacant Senate seat. According to ROD BLAGOJEVICH, by doing this, he wanted "to send a message to the [President-elect's] people," but did not want it known that the message was from ROD BLAGOJEVICH.
Thereafter, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Spokesman discussed specific language that should be used in the Sun Times column and arguments as to why Senate Candidate 2 made sense for the vacant Senate seat. A review of this particular Sun Times column on November 7, 2008, indicates references to the specific language and arguments regarding Senate Candidate 2 as a potential candidate for the Senate seat, as discussed by ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Spokesman.
So let's look at that November 7 item. Written by Michael Sneed and headlined: "Tipsville", it reads (via Nexis):
The latest from Blagoville: Is Gov. Rod Blagojevich toying with tossing Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who wants Blago's job?- It's his pick . . . and it would get rid of a rival.- It may endear him to powerful House Speaker Mike Madigan, Lisa's dad, who is Blago's political foe.- It would enable Gov. Blago to choose a new Illinois attorney general.- Hmmm: Even though this sounds like looneyville . . . stay tuned.
Senate candidate 5: Possibly Jesse Jackson Jr. or Emil Jones, an Illinois state legislator
TPM:
The unnamed candidate appears to be a man. From the charging documents:
Rod Blagojevich told Fundraiser A to tell Individual D that Rod Blagojevich had a problem with Senate Candidate 5 just promising to help Rod Blagojevich because Rod Blagojevich had a prior bad experience with Senate Candidate 5 not keeping his word. (our itals)
Senate candidate 4: : Deputy Gov. Louanner Peters or possible deputy governors Dean Martinez and Bob Greenlee.
Page 63:
ROD BLAGOJEVICH states that he will put “[Senate Candidate 4]” in the Senate “before I just give fucking [Senate Candidate 1] a fucking Senate seat and I don’t get anything.” (Senate Candidate 4 is a Deputy Governor of the State of Illinois).
Page 68:
104. On November 11, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with JOHN HARRIS
about the Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH suggested starting a 501(c)(4) organization (a
non-profit organization that may engage in political activity and lobbying) and getting “his
(believed to be the President-elect’s) friend Warren Buffett or some of those guys to help us
on something like that.” HARRIS asked, “what, for you?” ROD BLAGOJEVICH replied,
“yeah.” Later in the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that if he appoints Senate
Candidate 4 to the Senate seat and, thereafter, it appears that ROD BLAGOJEVICH might
get impeached, he could “count on [Senate Candidate 4], if things got hot, to give [the Senate
seat] up and let me parachute over there.” HARRIS said, “you can count on [Senate
Candidate 4] to do that.” Later in the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he knows
that the President-elect wants Senate Candidate 1 for the Senate seat but “they’re not willing
to give me anything except appreciation. Fuck them.”
Finally, who is Individual C?
page 38:
ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked about speaking with “[Individual C],” (Individual C is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives who is believed to be attempting to assist ROD BLAGOJEVICH in passing a capital bill worth billions of dollars that would benefit Highway Contractor 1 and the trade association with which he is affiliated) and began, in the context of asking Highway Contractor 1 to do fund raising, to discuss fund raising rule changes that will take effect onJanuary 1, 2009.
Update: According to the Illinois constitution, the Lt. Governor is first in line to take over as Governor, "[i]f the Governor is unable to serve because of death, conviction on impeachment, failure to qualify, resignation or other disability." Should Blagojevich be subject to any of these conditions in the near future, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn would assume power and be responsible for appointing Obama’s successor.
Update 2: Illinois Rep. Tim Hare (D) says the allegations are serious enough that Blagojevich should resign if they are true:
Today is a sad day for the state of Illinois. It is important that we let the justice system run its course and remember that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. But if these allegations are even remotely true, they would represent a shameful breach of the public trust and be cause for the Governor’s immediate resignation.
Update 3: Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) has called for a special election: "The General Assembly should enact a law as quickly as possible calling for a special election to fill the Senate vacancy of Barack Obama. No appointment by this Governor could produce a credible replacement," he said.
Update 4:Lt. Gov. Quinn says Blagojevich should step down.
Update 5: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.
Recap:
Who are these Senate Candidates:
Senate Candidate 1: Obama-Biden Transition Adviser Valerie Jarrett
Senate Candidate 2: Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan
Senate Candidate 3: UNKNOWN; Update: U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill), is reportedly Senate Candidate #3.
Senate Candidate 4: Deputy Gov. Louanner Peters or possible deputy governors Dean Martinez and Bob Greenlee.
Senate Candidate 5: Possibly, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. Or Emil Jones, an Illinois state legislator according to Smoking Gun website.
Senate Candidate 6: A wealthy Chicago businessman in Illinois. Gawker speculates it's J.B. Pritzker, the brother of Obama finance advisor Penny Pritzker.
On a side note: blogger Kittybowtie thinks that Individual C is former Rep. Dennis Hastert. Interesting observation since Hastert was named in the Rezko-Blago scheme to oust Fitzgerald as the USA. Click here to read my posting in April from the Justice League.
7 comments:
Many many rumors have it Gov Rod Blagojevich's wife will be indicted.
Seems Patty Blago was the first to be involved with Rezko, and she is a spoiled child of Politico, long term Alderman Dick Mell. Seems Patty got involved with a lot of things first, and people first.
You just have to feel sorry for their two young daughters.
She could be the first "First Lady of Illinois" to be indicted.
Also Dick Durbin is calling for a special election for the Senate seat now, with ....well all that has gone on around the opening.
Individual C is probably Hastert????
Oh, had Lisa Lisa gotten the Senate seat, not only would the wolf stop breathing down Baloneybitch's neck, that also takes out the contender for the next gov's race, which he thought he was running for again.
Remember, Lisa Lisa started her own investigation and she turned it over to Fitz about two years back, I believe.
That's not so loony after all.
I don't believe Candidate #5 is Jackson, he is not that stupid.
I was listening to all the newsradio etc. And Pat Quinn (now Lt Gov) was on WGN Radio, he was talking about how it would take 3 days to get the Illinois Congress together to take the Senate appointment away from the Gov and then it goes to the Gov who could sit on it before he vetos it.
Pat Quinn kept saying well I hope he thinks about this and does the right thing (resigning) Carol Marin (political newsperson NBC5, Chicago Tonight, and Suntimes) was saying that Blago just loves a fight and she does not see him resigning at all.
It looks like according to the biggest Illinois News Radar (Capital Fax) that impeachment proceedings will start lead by Madigan (Dad, Mike)
I'm not surprised that impeachment talks for Blago. After all, impeachment talks was for former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer. If Harris squeals to Fitzgerald with evidence, Blago may bail.
As far as Senate candidate #5, Jackson's name is speculuation. But, this is a learning lesson that we simply don't know from political parties who is crooked or a honest lawmaker.
Justice will be served if C is Dennie the thief. I wouldn't trust Lisa Lisa or her slick Father with a cookie money. She might have given the investigation to Fitz I still feel she and her Dad would do anything to get power. Yes Lisa Lisa isn't beyond even using Fitz to get what she wants. As for Dennie the thief with the money he stole from Iraq should finally get his come upins.
Yep. Lisa Lisa and Daddy Warbucks shouldn't be trusted.
Hastert worked on trying to get the legislature in Springfield to work together to pass a capital project/highway fix it thing, whatever the official title is.
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