Illinois Governor Arrested on Corruption Charges »
Posted By HOUSEMD 11 months ago in News
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris were arrested Tuesday morning in Chicago on two counts each of federal corruption charges stemming from allegations Blagojevich was trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat to the highest bidder.
The arrest is part of a three-year probe of "pay-to-play politics" in the governor's administration. The criminal complaint by the FBI says each man was arrested on two charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery.
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HOUSEMD
Everybody lies.
“You don’t think non-answers tell me anything?”
“You’re right about me being wrong and wrong about you being right.”
I like ...
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HOUSEMD11 months ago
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HOUSEMD11 months ago
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The charges also relate to allegations that Blagojevich and Harris schemed with previously convicted defendants and Obama associates Antoin 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.
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hyperbola11 months ago
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As you read this, keep in mind that GW Bush received more from Rezko than Obama did. Also keep in mind that those indicted with Rezko contributed freely to GOP politicians. Time to clean out the ocrruption in BOTH parties.
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.... Here is the rundown on his fellow defendants, from FEC data via www.opensecrets.org, in descending order by amounts donated:
Stuart Levine: 210 donations for federal candidates, totaling $255,350, mostly to Republicans. Biggest contributions to Illinois Republican Party and to National PAC. One $5000 donation to the Illinois Democratic Party. Most individual donations to GOP candidates from GWBush on down....
.... P. Nicholas Hurtgen, former Bear Stearns manager in Chicago: 48 federal contributions from Hurtgen and his wife in recent years, totaling $47,787, almost entirely to GOP candidates--$5000+ to the Republican National Committee, $4000 to GWBush, most of the rest to other Republicans. The Hurtgens also donated $2000 to Rahm Emanuel.
.... Jacob Kiferbaum: Kiferbaum and close relatives have donated $27,000 since 2001, mostly to Republicans. Kiferbaum’s largest individual donation was $10,000 to Maria Pappas, another Democratic primary contender for the Senate seat won by Obama. Kiferbaum has also given $4000 to GWBush, $4000 to Joe Lieberman, $2000 to Jack Ryan—Obama’s GOP opponent for Senate, until he had to withdraw—and $3000 to Republican Congressman Mark Kirk of Illinois 10th District. Kirk has returned $2000 of the Kiferbaum donation. ...
http://www.margieburns.com/blog/_archives/2008/2/2... -
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DropkickaLib11 months ago
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BigBadJohn666Comment removed: Spam
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BigBadJohn666Comment removed: Spam
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sinophil4911 months ago
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BBJohn - Oh boo hoo hoo. How could it be? The FBI spokesman on Nightline tonight said that Obama refused to agree to Blagojevich's demand, in return for appointing Obama's choice for senator, to give the guv a cabinet position or some other high paying job. The governor called Obama a motherf**ker.
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Gasp!! Obama is innocent???What is the world coming to?
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DaneL11 months ago
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BigBadJohn66611 months ago
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pc2511 months ago
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seems REZKO'S pre sentencing cooperation with the FEDS has already netted one Illinois politician.........I WONDER WHO'S NEXT?...........also the the US Atorney who is in charge of this case and who handled todays news conference iss none other than Patrick Fitzgerald. The news that has been coming out of Chicago is that Fitzgerald is looking at possible RICO charges against ACORN for their involvement in the 2008 elections and also their direct tie to the BHO campaign.
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KEEP SINGING TONY!!!!!!!! -
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mesodude11 months ago
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"Fitzgerald went on to say during the press conference that "people should not cast aspersions on people who are discussed on wiretap or bugged tapes or conduct when other people are scheming to figure out how to approach them for different things." Fitzgerald continued: "We hope you'll bear that in mind and not cast aspersions on people for being named or being discussed or if you learn they're being interviewed."
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http://mediamatters.org/items/200812090012?f=h_top
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nostalgia11 months ago
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Woflie
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FTA:
FBI Special Agent-in-Charge in Chicago Robert Grant said he was asked by reporters when he first started the investigation "whether or not Illinois is the most corrupt state in the United States."
"And I didn't answer that question, yes or no, and I can't answer that question today. I don't have 49 other states to compare it with.But I can tell you one thing: If it isn't the most corrupt state in the United States, its certainly one hell of a competitor," he said
Seems to rank near the top along with New Jersey and Louisiana
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TweekerchickQC11 months ago
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Harbeas11 months ago
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tadair91911 months ago
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After Eliot Spitzer's ousting earlier this year, this marks at least 2 politicians this year that the powerful bankers have politically assassinated.
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The Illinois Gov suspended all business with Bank of America and was about to obtain a Retaining Order from a Federal Judge against BOA in the defense of workers' rights.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2RHhmIHJ444 -
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Beau789011 months ago
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Yes. Blagojevich contacted Obama's close adviser Valerie Jarrett to offer her the Senate seat and attempt to extract some sort of quid pro quo, maybe an ambassadorship.
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That was shot down, however, as neither Obama nor Jarrett wanted to be associated with Blagojevich. -
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nostalgia11 months ago
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The feds arrested Blagojevich today on corruption charges including allegations that he put a "for sale" sign on the former Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama. The criminal complaint prosecutors filed today, based heavily on taped conversations between the governor and his aides, lists several potential price tags floated by Blagojevich and co. It includes a cabinet appointment, up to $1 million in campaign contributions and lucrative employment for the governor and his wife.
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http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/20... -
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k9kssr11 months ago
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GehlLady11 months ago
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I watched the presser on CNN and got the impression there will be more charges against more people. It was said that they are using wiretaps from 2004 to the present in this investigation. Fitzgerald said repeatedly there were no allegations of Obamas involvement or knowledge. My natural skepticism finds no knowledge hard to believe if this is as widespread as implied, but I have to believe if there was any proof it would have been outed by now.
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memestryker11 months ago
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I think that Obama is a very gullible and naive person in many respects. I think he really didn't "get" what an extremist Wright was, or see the issues with his corrupt and terrorist associates--he was focused on the business at hand. Notice that he had no platform during the primaries--he just beat his "change" drum, and later adopted Clinton's as a departure point. As he learned about the issues, he moved to support some key Bush policy.
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Judging by his websites over time, including the current iteration of change.gov, he continues to be a pawn of Soros and Bloomberg--but I don't think it's evil--I think he looks up to these guys and doesn't see their smelly underbellies.
His selection of Lawrence Summers is certainly a slap in the face to NOW, who lobbied for him and sold him to their members. His other selections are a combination of the old boys' club (including some old girls) and some I think are wise, such as Gates. Gates is popular with subordinates, and thus quite effective, whatever people may think about him. Keeping him will help Obama when he needs things to turn on a dime.
The only pre-election promise I see Obama tends to plan to keep is to undercut the second amendment in as many ways as possible, via bans and release of private information to those who should not have access (Bloomberg and his vigilantes, for example).
But I don't think Obama is dirty, and I don't think he'll get caught up in this.
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jordan1111 months ago
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pc25Comment removed: Spam
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pc25Comment removed: Spam
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nostalgia11 months ago
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"You didn't like the link that shows factual corruption in the republican party"
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Pointing to other corrupt behavior excuses the governor's corrupt behavior???
When are you going to understand that the majority of politicians are corrupt - even Democrats
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TweekerchickQC11 months ago
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Hey. Everyone has to be good at something, apparently, corruption is our "thing".
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Being a Chicago-an, I haven't seen anyone here look even the LEAST bit surprised. The only thing that even gives any of us pause is the amount of arrogance it took to do something like this.
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tadair91911 months ago
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This is why they took him down:
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http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2RHhmIHJ444
Same reason as Eliot Spitzer.-
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nostalgia11 months ago
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The governor just made that statement yesterday about the BofA
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The Feds have been investigating him for 3 years according to the article:
The arrest is part of a three-year probe into the governor's administration
Are you telling me the Feds are clairvoyant and knew what he was going to say about the BofA??
They were afraid he was going to decide to accept an offer for the Senate seat. Then what do you do with a Senator who bribed a governor to get the seat??
Can you even imagine the mess?
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Progressive11 months ago
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Here's Obama's statement:
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http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/20... -
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JoseMadreComment removed: Hard Banned
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cushi11 months ago
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Meanwhile, continue to languish of that prison of your own making...narrow, confined walls... locked away from the real world...with nothing for company but a bunch of malevolent thinking creatures like yourself!
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Beware of wishing ill on others. It may very well creep back and bite you where it really smarts!
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Progressive11 months ago
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Here's a copy of the U.S. attorney's statement:
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http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2008/pr12...-
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GehlLady11 months ago
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Progressive, I don't understand (or care) the neg, but are we truly supposed to believe a man that moved in those circles, that rose out of those circles of influence, really didn't know the governor was corrupt? smithichie comment above leaves open the possibility it was known. It says to me that the possibility is good that Obama wasn't a part of it, and as I said, if there was any proof, it would have come out by now. To be blunt, a man so naive and out of touch enough not to have known what was happening isn't bright enough to be President. It can't be both ways.............
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