Free Blago! Innocent Until Proven Guilty

We just find this funny. Kudos to directorblue.blogspot.com!

We Heart Blago!

Blagojevich Senate Appointment Fallout; Even Obama Says Burris Should Not Be Seated

Even Barack Obama opposes the move!

“Roland Burris is a good man and a fine public servant, but the Senate Democrats made it clear weeks ago they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat.”

Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid and other Senate Democrats say they won't seat Burris.

Article I Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution says: "Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member."

That means the Senate can vote not to seat former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, argues Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Asked to explain how the Senate could expel an appointed senator who qualifies to sit in the chamber, Reid's office issued a statement Tuesday saying the judgment will be based on whether Blagojevich is qualified, not Burris.

"We are not making a judgment about qualifications of (the) appointee, but about whether (the) appointment itself is tainted by fraud. ... This is like judging the integrity of an election, free from fraud or corruption. It's the process that led to the appointment, not the appointee's fitness," Reid's office said in the statement.

Can someone please tell me what's going on? And why do Liberals like Alan Colmes continue to espouse the "innocent until proven guilty" argument!? Trying to claim that so long as Blago is technically governor he can continue to act as governor and appoint Obama's replacement.

Let's also keep in mind Rep. Bobby Rush adding the race card to the mess for no apparent reason during yesterday's press conference.

"I would ask you the not hang or lynch the appointee as you castigate the appointer and separate the appointee from the appointer," said Rush. "Roland Burris is worthy and he is the only one who can stand in the gap during this time and gather the confidence, re-establishing confidence of the people of the state of Illinois."

Rush then challenged Senate to not seat Burris. "There are no African-Americans in the Senate, and I don't think that anyone, any U.S. Senator who is sitting right now would want to go on record to deny one African-American from being seated in the U.S. Senate. I don't think they want to go on record doing that."
Rush promised to take his case to the Congressional Black Caucus, and he said he intended to lobby Senators as well -- including his Illinois colleague, Dick Durbin. "Let me remind you that the state of Illinois and the people of the state of Illinois in their collective wisdom have sent two African-Americans to the U.S. Senate," Rush said. "That makes a difference. This is not just a state of Illinois matter ... but indeed, by this decision, it has tremendous national importance."

But it was Rush who said in early December:

"I believe that the acts that are alleged to have been committed by the Governor are so heinous that he has forfeited his right to appoint someone to fill the seat of President-Elect Barack Obama. My bottom line is that the Governor should not be the one to make the appointment to this important office."

Blago simply does not care about the people of Illinios or America and he is still connected to Obama and Rahm. Just saying. What a mess.

Blago Strikes Again! Illinois Governor to Name Former Ill. Attorney General Roland Burris

The Chicago Sun Times is reporting that Gov. Blago will name Roland Burris to replace Barack Obama in the US Senate.

WASHINGTON---I've learned that Gov. Blagojevich is poised to name former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to replace President elect Barack Obama in the Senate on Tuesday afternoon. The embattled Blagojevich is fighting impeachment charges in the Illinois House for, among other reasons, trying to auction off the Senate seat held by President elect Barack Obama. Blagojevich called a press conference for 2 p.m. Chicago time at the Thompson State of Illinois Center.

Burris was the first African American to win statewide office in Illinois when he was elected comptroller, serving from 1983 to 1991. He served as Illinois Attorney General from 1991 to 1995. Burris previously ran and lost bids for the U.S. senate and governor. Senate Leader Harry Reid (D-Nv.) had said he would ask the Senate not to seat any Blagojevich appointee, in order to make sure the seat is free of taint.

Burris has a long political history in Illinois, mostly on the losing side of elections. (Lost to Paul Simon in 1984 Senate race, lost 1994 run for Governor, lost in 1995 bid for Mayor of Chicago, was yet again unsuccessful to get Democratic nomination in the 2002 Governor race, where he lost to, that's right, Blago!)

So a corrupt Governor who is currently facing impeachment hearings nominates a lifetime loser.

Is anyone else getting the feeling that Blago is completely insane?

Fitzgerald May Release Blagojevich Tapes to Illinois Impeachment Panel

Breitbart.com /Associated Press reports:

CHICAGO (AP) - U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald wants lawmakers to hear what Gov. Rod Blagojevich said on wiretapped phone calls. Fitzgerald filed paperwork Monday to release conversations caught on wiretaps to the Illinois House panel considering impeachment proceedings. Federal prosecutors have asked a judge for permission to disclose a limited number of the intercepted conversations in a redacted form.

Fitzgerald says disclosing four calls wouldn't interfere with the ongoing criminal investigation. Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal corruption charges. The governor is accused of trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, but he has denied any wrongdoing.

We can't wait to hear this stuff! And Rahm officially resigned today to Blagojevich. Insert your own "had no contact" joke here!

Blago: "Wrong Place, Wrong Planet" If I Did Anything Wrong

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is back at it!

In an interview with Chicago TV station WLS-TV, Blago the Barbarian states that if he did anything that would be considered an impeachable offense, then he must be living on the "wrong planet" and in the "wrong place."

Blago continues to defy US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and everyone from the Illinois State House to The White House.

And all this as Blago's attorney Ed Genson has asked the Illinois Congress' impeachment committee to subpoena the likes of Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarret and Jesse Jackson, Jr -- all mentioned in the Federal Complaint against Blago.

The Governor added it "was all about trying to end up with the right decision that could do the most things for the people of Illinois."

Corruption, bribery, pay-to-play -- sounds like a lot of Illinois people were to benefit from Blago's actions, specifically him and his wife and his close aides.

And the President-Elect is golfing in Hawaii!

Blagojevich:"I Will Fight Until I Take My Last Breath"

"I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing," he said, adding "that I intend to stay on the job, and I will fight this thing every step of the way. I will fight. I will fight. I will fight until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong, and I'm not going to quit a job the people hired me to do because of false accusations and a political lynch mob."

"Let me tell you what I'm not going to do," he said. "I'm not going to do what my accusers and political enemies have been doing and that's talk about this case in 30-second soundbites on 'Meet the Press' or on the TV news. Now, I'm dying to answer these charges. I am dying to show you how innocent I am. And I want to assure everyone who's here and everyone who's listening that I intend to answer every allegation that comes my way. However, I intend to answer them in the appropriate forum in a court of law. And when I do, I am absolutely certain that I will be vindicated."

Then, for no particular reason, Blagojevich recited Rudyard Kipling's "If":

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on
you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you and make allowance for
their doubting, too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, or being
lied about,
Don't deal in lies, or being hated,
Don't give way to hating

.
He added: "Now, I know there are some powerful forces allied against me. it's kind of lonely right now. But I have on my side the most powerful ally. And it's the truth. And besides I have the personal knowledge that I have not done anything wrong."

"To the people of Illinois, I ask that they wait and be patient, sit back and take a deep breath and please reserve judgment," he said. "Afford me the same rights that you and your children have. Presumption of innocence. The right to defend yourself. The right to your day in court. The same rights that people would expect for yourselves."

Blago thanked his supporters and wished the viewers "Merry Christmas. Happy holidays." At least he hasn't let a little corruption scandal dampen his Christmas Spirit!

We're just curious who those supporters are? The guy has a 4% approval rating! He makes President Bush look as popular as The Beatles!

The good news is that Blago has ensured that this will drag on for weeks and months and well into Obama's First 100 Days!

And we'll be here to keep you posted on all things Blago-riffic!

We Love Blago!

Former Blagojevich Aide to Please Guilty in Plea Deal. Is More Singing on the Horizon?

The Chicago Sun Times is reporting that Christopher Kelly, a former campaign adviser and close confidante of Gov. Blagojevich, will plead guilty to Federal tax evasion charges in January.

For more on his relationship with the Governor, check out an article from last years Chicago Tribune.

In addition, we've also found an interview that the Daily Southtown conducted with Blago in October, 2006, the same week that Tony Rezko was indicted for taking kickbacks from firms seeking state business.

• Q: Are you confident that Chris Kelly is not going to be indicted?
• A: Yeah. Yes. They're two different people, by the way, and it's a different relationship. Chris and I are much closer. Chris is the head of my political campaign. That's someone I talk to a lot more frequently. I'm confident, yes.
• Q: What happened five months ago that you had this final, last conversation with Tony Rezko? What was the last conversation and why was it the last one?
• A: It was four or five months ago; could have been at an event somewhere that I saw him. It was fine.
• Q: Were you starting to distance yourself from him at that point?
• A: Not all. I think I need to explain the extent of the relationship. He's not an exclusive friend of mine. He was a supporter of mine. He doesn't have a formal position in our campaign. He never did. He made some recommendations during the transition and during the first year we were building an administration, but for the most part, that's it. I think some of the talk that he's this big adviser is frankly overblown.It's different with Chris. I'd be shocked. I'm very confident in Chris.

So, here's what we know. Both Chris Kelly and Tony Rezko raised money and were advisers to Rod Blagojevich. Tony Rezko raised money for Barack Obama. Rezko, Obama and Rahm Emanual supported Blagojevich during his gubernatorial run. Emanual gave Blagojevich a list of Senate candidates to replace Obama. Emanual and Blagojevich served the same congressional district. Emanuam is Obama's Chief of Staff. Blagojevich was arrested for corruption charges.

And Obama once again knows nothing. Right. We're just not buying it.

Oh, and Patti Blagojevich had suspicious real estate dealings with Tony Rezko. And we all know Rezko and Obama's tale.

Just saying.

Blagojevich Attorney Says Case is "Significantly Exaggerated" As Impeachment Hearings Begin in Illinois

ABC News is reporting that Ed Genson, attorney for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, told reporters as he arrived at work Monday morning, "I think the case, the case that I've seen so far is significantly exaggerated. It's just, it's not what people think it is."


He later added "If I'm trying the case, it's going to be a fight."


"He hasn't done anything wrong," the attorney also said Monday night.


All this these bold statements in the wake of Impeachment Hearings beginning in the Illinois Statehouse.


It seems clear that the Governor has no intention of stepping down amidst controversy, despite calls from nearly everyone from Chicago to Washington, DC.


In addition, Tony Rezko's sentencing was postponed indefinitely today, adding fuel to speculation that he is "singing" in jail over the Governor controversy.


Blago's arrogance has no equal and he is not going quietly. Stay tuned!

Obama: No "Inappropriate" Contact With Blagojevich/Probe to Be Released Just Days Before Christmas

All I want for Christmas is some answers...



According to Barack Obama and his spokesman Dan Pfeiffer, the Transition Office will not release details of its internal review until the week of Dec. 22 at the request of prosecutors "in order not to impede their investigation of the governor."



At the risk of sounding skeptical, isn't it odd that the President-Elect would wait until Christmas to announce the details of such a high profile investigation?

More Information on The Connection Between Valerie Jarrett Barack Obama Rod Blagojevich and Tony Rezko

Jarrett's involvement in Rezko "slum-lord"/real estate Scandal from Judicialwatch.org

• Valerie Jarrett served as a board member for several organizations that provided funding and support for Chicago housing projects operated by real estate developers and Obama financial backers Rezko and Allison Davis.
  
• Housing projects operated by Davis and Rezko have been substandard and beset with code violations.
  
• As Chief Executive Officer of the Habitat Company Jarrett also managed a controversial housing project located in Obama's former state senate district called Grove Parc Plaza. According to the Boston Globe the housing complex was considered "uninhabitable by unfixed problems, such as collapsed roofs and fire damage...In 2006, federal inspectors graded the condition of the complex an 11 on a 100-point scale -- a score so bad the buildings now face demolition."
  

Obama/Rezko Finance Connections from Chicago Sun Times.

• A brief history of the relationship between Barack Obama and Tony Rezko dating back to the early 1990s.

Obama/Rezko/Blagojevich Ties from Newsmax.com

• In June 2003, Rezko held a ritzy fundraiser for Obama at his tony Wilmette mansion. Obama later said, “Rezko was not my largest fundraiser but a significant fundraiser.” According to Reuters, Obama said Rezko raised as much as $250,000.
• Rezko’s June 2008 trial on corruption strongly implicated Blagojevich. Blagojevich allegedly discussed a state job for a donor, after that donor wrote a $25,000 check for his campaign. In all, prosecutors said, Rezko squeezed various companies for some $7 million in kickbacks.

More From threalbarackobama.wordpress.com

• Republican U.S. Senate candidate Andy Martin in April 30, 2007: “In a large urban area such as Chicago state senate districts are not very large. They encompass several compact and contiguous neighborhoods. If you walked the district (Obama's then State Senate District) even occasionally you would know, you should know, almost every large building in the district.”
  


• Obama, now serving as a U.S. Senator, “professed total ignorance about the slum tragedies literally on his own doorstep,” Martin wrote. “How, could a state senator in a poor neighborhood not know about eleven (count ‘em) slum buildings in his own district? … Especially when the state senator’s own law firm represented the slum landlord?”
  

Rahm Emanual Gave "Acceptable" Candidate List to Blagojevich

FOX News Chicago is reporting that President-Elect Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanual had "multiple" conversations with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris. The discussions included a list of "acceptable" candidates to fill Obama's vacated US Senate seat.

Harris resigned on Friday after being named in the same criminal complaint as the Governor.

"Did Rahm Emanuel who took Rod Blagojevich's seat in Congress have contact with Rod Blagojevich? Of course he did," Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell said Friday morning on MSNBC. "They may have thought he was the craziest S.O.B. in the world. But you still have to have contact with him."

Obama has denied that he had any contact with Blago and that no members of his staff were involved in deal making.

What do you think? Add your comment below!

Illinois Attorney General, House Speaker: Father and Daughter Conspiracy

Rahm Emmanual, President-Elect Obama's political confidante and new Chief of Staff, once said never let a good crisis go to waste.

It seems that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and her father, Illinois State House Speaker Michael Madigan, agree with Rahm-Bo!

Today's Chicago Sun Times speculates just that:

But if Blagojevich stays put and his saga drags out, then questions inevitably will grow louder about whether delaying impeachment is a tactic by Madigan not to divert political thunder from his daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

On Friday, she took the unprecedented step of petitioning the state Supreme Court to declare Blagojevich unfit for office and remove him, under an obscure rule never used before against an Illinois governor.

"The speculation is that the speaker is sitting back on this so Lisa can take the lead and get ownership on the issue," said one House member who favors impeachment but requested anonymity.

The attorney general made clear Friday that she backs impeaching Blagojevich and noted her legal maneuver would be another front against the governor while lawmakers go about trying to impeach him.

"Attorney General Madigan's call for the governor's impeachment has been crystal clear since the charges against him were announced Tuesday. [Her] filing in the Supreme Court does not take the place of impeachment. Rather, it seeks to bring immediate relief to the people of Illinois," said Cara Smith, a spokeswoman for Lisa Madigan.

By having a prominent role in ousting Blagojevich, the attorney general and potential 2010 gubernatorial candidate further insulates herself from the same type of do-nothing charges that Blagojevich employed against his 2002 rival, then-Attorney General Jim Ryan.

Nothing like Chicago politics to make a scandal out of investigating and correcting a political scandal.

Obama/Blagojevich Connection: The Myths. The Facts. The Lies

Sweetness-Light.com/Article from KHQA The article was removed from KHQA website on Wednesday December 10th

• QUINCY, IL — Now that Barack Obama will be moving to the White House, his seat in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois will have to be filled. That's one of Obama's first priorities today. He's meeting with Governor Rod Blagojevich this afternoon in Chicago to discuss it.

A November 8th story from KHQA alludes to the same.

• QUINCY, IL -- Now that Barack Obama will be moving to the White House, his seat in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois will have to be filled.
  Obama met with Governor Rod Blagojevich earlier this week to discuss it. Illinois law states that the governor chooses that replacement. There’s already been speculation about his selection…from Congressman Jesse Jackson, Junior to Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth.
  

Retraction of the story from KHQA

• KHQA TV wishes to offer clarification regarding a story that appeared last month on our website ConnectTristates.com. The story, which discussed the appointment of a replacement for President Elect Obama’in the U.S. Senate, became the subject of much discussion on talk radio and on blog sites Wednesday.The story housed in our website archive was on the morning of November 5, 2008. It suggested that a meeting was scheduled later that day between President Elect Obama and Illinois Governor Blagojevich. KHQA has no knowledge that any meeting ever took place. Governor Blagojevich did appear at a news conference in Chicago on that date.

Michelle Obama's Involvement.

Jesse Jackson Jr on the offensive of his defense.

Is the Liberal Elite Media covering for Mr. Obama again? Why is Blago so upset at Obama in the tapes?

Essay From The New Yorker, July 2008

• That year, he gained his first high-level experience in a statewide campaign when he advised the victorious gubernatorial candidate Rod Blagojevich, another politician with a funny name and a message of reform. Rahm Emanuel, a congressman from Chicago and a friend of Obama’s, told me that he, Obama, David Wilhelm, who was Blagojevich’s campaign co-chair, and another Blagojevich aide were the top strategists of Blagojevich’s victory. He and Obama “participated in a small group that met weekly when Rod was running for governor,” Emanuel said. “We basically laid out the general election, Barack and I and these two.” A spokesman for Blagojevich confirmed Emanuel’s account, although David Wilhelm, who now works for Obama, said that Emanuel had overstated Obama’s role. “There was an advisory council that was inclusive of Rahm and Barack but not limited to them,” Wilhelm said, and he disputed the notion that Obama was “an architect or one of the principal strategists.”

America, we beg you, fight for the truth. What did Obama know?

http://change.gov/page/content/openforquestions (A new open forum on the Transition Team website, but questions about Blagojevich are being "labelled inappropiate" and not readily visible.)

Our guess is that he is not personally involved in the corrupt "Pay to Play" Chicago Way but he knows a lot. But, he did come from the Chicago Political Scene.

****Please check this out from Volokh.comThe Blagojevich Timeline: Everything Fits Easily Except Obama's Monday Denial****

Prove us wrong.

Axelrod Endorsed Trading Jobs For Political Favors!

In a 2005 Chicago Tribune op-ed, President-Elect Obama's advisor and "mis-speaker" David Axelrod alluded that Quid Pro Quo politics is acceptable.

• "The democratic process is often messy. Diverse constituencies fight fiercely for their priorities. Their elected representatives use the influence they have to meet those needs, including sometimes the exchange of favors--consideration for jobs being just one."

The op-ed was in response to Fitzgerald's anti-corruption efforts where a number of aides to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley were indicted for conspiracy to give city jobs as political favors.

• Axelrod also wondered if a “system free of political influence … is really desirable.”

From Politico.com

Advisor David Axelrod: "I know he (President-Elect Obama) has talked to the governor."

Did he or didn't he?

Obama Advisor David Axelrod said this on November 23rd:

• "I know he has talked to the governor. There's a whole range of names, many of which have surfaced. And he has a fondness for a lot of them."

President-Elect Obama said this on Tuesday:

• "I had no contact with the governor or his office and so I was not aware of what was happening. But as I said it is a sad day for Illinois. Beyond that I don't think it's appropriate to comment."

Axelrod retracted his statement after the charges were filed yesterday against Governor Blagojevich, saying he "mis-spoke".

Someone is not telling the truth.

President-Elect Obama Governor Blagojevich Valerie Jarrett. What is the Connection?

Read this article on Politico.com. Chicago and Illinois politics have been corrupt for decades.

Corruption, Bribery, Pay to Play is the Chicago Way!

America voted for Barack Obama despite his shady connections. Gov. Blagojevich was counting on a favor from Barack Obama.

The paper trail is dubious. The connections are obvious.

Certainly Barack Obama is not connected to this, right? For the sake of America, we hope the President-Elect has no knowledge of the wrongdoings of Gov. Blagojevich.

Time will tell, you decide. God Bless America.

LATimes: A Brief History of Illinois Corruption

Illinois Governor Arrested: Tried to Sell Barack Obama's Senate Seat

You can't make this stuff up. Another tale from the dark side of Illinois politics.
Governor Rod Blagojevich in FBI custody faces a laundry list of charges.



The allegations include:

• Blagojevich worked with previously convicted defendants and Obama associates Antonin Rezko, Stuart Levine, Ali Ata and others to arrange financial benefits in exchange for appointments to state boards and commissions, state employment, state contracts and access to state funds.
• Blagojevich threatened to withhold state assistance to the Tribune Co. in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field to induce the firing of editorial board members who have been critical of the governor.
• The governor took money from at least one individual in connection with naming a successor for the U.S. Senate seat that was vacated by Obama.
• Blagojevich is charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery.
• In exchange for the Senate appointment, Blagojevich discussed obtaining: A substantial salary for himself at a either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions.
• Placed his wife on paid corporate boards where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year.

Did the President-Elect know about this? Of course he did, but will get swept under the rug by the media like EVERY OTHER OBAMA ASSOCIATION?!?

More information: Read the full report from the Department of Justice. President-Elect Obama is mentioned 44 times in the full report.