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Candidate for RNC Chair Calls for PEBO to Release Blago Records
December 09, 2008 1:37 PM
South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson -- who, not incidentally, is running for chair of the Republican National Committee -- today issued a statement saying that “President-elect Obama’s presidential transition team has said the American people should have a ‘seat at the table’ and pledged to expand transparency in decision-making. If President-elect Obama is serious, he should immediately release all records of discussions about the appointment of Obama’s successor that he and his transition team may have had with Governor Blagojevich or Governor Blagojevich’s office. The American people expect and deserve nothing less. When politicians like Governor Rod Blagojevich exploit the power of elected office for personal gain, they demonstrate a disregard for standards of integrity and ethical conduct. Governor Blagojevich’s actions are breathtaking in their callousness and arrogance.”
The criminal complaint against Blago and his chief of staff alleges no wrong-doing by President-elect Obama or anyone close to him.
But it does raise some questions.
The (allegedly) corrupt Governor was sure that PEBO would NOT participate in Blago's alleged sale of PEBO's Senate seat by providing something of worth to Blago in exchange for his naming PEBO's presumably first choice for the seat, friend and adviser Valerie Jarrett.
How did he know that? With whom on the Obama Team was Blago talking? How was the refusal to "pay or play" conveyed? Did that person then report Blago to the authorities?
Curious.
-- jpt
December 9, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (60)
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PEBO is gathering information about what occurred, and he'll be getting back to us. TRANSLATION: We are getting our story straight and deciding who to throw under the bus next. Oh, I can hardly wait to find out what Rezko and Blago will be singing about Obama. You people who think that he could thrive in Illinois politics the way he did without dipping his toes in the water are just plain stupid. After my deep depression after Hillary was robbed of the nomination by Obama's illegal donation machine, voter fraud, etc., I can finally smile again....waiting for a lazy press (Jake excepted) to finally vet Obama. Oh, and ask him if he is a citizen while you are at it.
Posted by: jo chgo | Dec 11, 2008 8:07:41 PM
This article has been chosen as Best Opinion at THEWEEK - Great piece!
Posted by: Harold | Dec 11, 2008 4:02:33 PM
"Did the Democrats get Involed with senator Stevens BS NO, Did the democrats get Involed with Sara Palins BS, NO Stay out of it pathetic gop."
Wow! What a short memory! Several Senate Democrats DID call for Sen. Stevens to resign. And the state Democrats along with a few upset Republicans tried to tarnish Gov. Palin over Troopergate. Their report acknowledged that she had legitimate reasons to fire her Public Safety Commissioner. But then it subjectively added that Gov. Palin gave too much weight to the fact that he did not fire the trooper in question. It's interesting that they apparently knew exactly how much it influenced her decision when she didn't even speak to their investigators.
Posted by: James Danley | Dec 10, 2008 12:51:08 PM
bill-tb, fred, Ron Hesselbacher, R. Daniels, jimbo, Ryan C, Bamaluvernot, obusha 09, Good Lt, RM, radical right-wing racists like you are one of the big reasons the Republican party is going down in flames. All but a tiny handful of Americans are sick to death of the divisive hate and fear mongering you people project.
Keep it up, you'll just be shooting yerself in the....foot. ;)
Posted by: sweetwater | Dec 10, 2008 12:20:49 PM
What I find fascinating is the media thinks Bush is dumb and can't talk.
My guess is a grand jury will sort out who is lying. There are enough flippers in the mix to straighten it all out.
Of course Barry Blago-Rezko-Obama wasn't involved, and we will be on Venus next week.
Posted by: bill-tb | Dec 10, 2008 7:41:39 AM
Maybe it was conveyed without a direct conversation. For me in business and general dealings with people I would have an opinion that I was 99% sure of know before I ever asked. And given that Obama is the president elect, I would myself be 99% sure not to even ask Obama for this kind of deal, and sure to make a statement like that made by Blago. This is a weak reach at best.
Posted by: Rhonda | Dec 10, 2008 4:19:33 AM
"...we did not, uh, I did not..." Are you kidding me? That's the best the smartest guy to ever run for higher office can come up with? Seems like ALL of the Clintons are returning to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Posted by: fred | Dec 9, 2008 11:40:55 PM
Wow, you mean G.W.Bush is not being blamed for this? I guess obama is getting a taste of his owm medicine. How doe it feel obama?
Posted by: Ron Hesselbacher | Dec 9, 2008 7:17:21 PM
Give it up - just another corrupt IL governor. Last one was a Repub. - this one will be sitting next to him in the slammer. YAWN....
Posted by: thinkresults | Dec 9, 2008 7:06:08 PM
Ryan C you got that right about the repubs and hypocrisy.I am an independent and even I can see that Just like Palin and her rants about Ayers when her husband was for several years a member of an american hate Party
Posted by: maryjane | Dec 9, 2008 6:59:47 PM
The obots know PEBO is from Chicago corrupt politics but they don't care.
Obama said he had no contact with Blago.
Axelrod said he did. one of them has to be lying.
Posted by: CC | Dec 9, 2008 6:29:10 PM
obusha:
The original news headline reads "Grand Jury subpoenas issued for Rezko records"
"Obama" not included.
I think that Drudge was the first one to alter the original headline. Figures.
Posted by: JudiNV | Dec 9, 2008 6:02:54 PM
RNC is about to elect another idiot again after that dumb.
Posted by: Cole | Dec 9, 2008 5:54:45 PM
R daniels, I'm sad that Obama has an off-again on-again ciggie habit, but something that trivial would never affect MY vote. just sayin'...
Posted by: JudiNV | Dec 9, 2008 5:53:27 PM
I read the snarky, nasty anti-Obama comments and I smile. Why? because these right wing radicals are dragging what's left of the Republican party deeper into the gutter with every word they type. The anti-Obama coalitions that are feverishly trying to defame and disqualify our President-elect are actually doing more damage to their party than they are to Obama. That's fine with me, I like seeing the Republican party go down in flames.
But what if the RNC gets smart, and, [after watching the Dems win by a landslide this year]realizes that the rapidly dwindling radical right wing faction can no longer win them elections. The RNC will, of course, drop the rad righties like a hot potato and look elsewhere for votes. Support for hate talk radio and TV programs will disappear. Race hate crimes and threats will be soundly punished. Religious issues will be steered to a more centrist position. Republican politicians will no longer pander to the extreme views of the extreme right, but will ignore them instead. "Um, do I know you?" Poor little fellers. Nobody loves you any more.
Posted by: sweetwater | Dec 9, 2008 5:49:40 PM
"It is quite tranparen(sic) that he received financial aid as a college student and his records will SHOW THAT". And what? Millions of us received student loans because we came from families who were too poor to finance a college education for us. I worked my way through college and law school and paid back my student loans. Whatever Tom in Alabama is implying with his crack, it's out of order. In fact, if Obama did receive student loans, good. That puts him in an excellant position to understand what poor students face.
Posted by: Sanfrass | Dec 9, 2008 5:46:30 PM
Why are the media jumping on this issue of transparancy now when they didn't require it during the election? I just read today that PEBO hasn't even quit smoking. All of this should have been vetted during the primary season, that's what it's for (and it went on for two years)! That would have been plenty of time to discuss this and determine how important it is in deciding for whom to vote.
Posted by: R. Daniels | Dec 9, 2008 5:28:02 PM
Obama is as transparent as a lead box. Even Superman can't see what's inside.
Posted by: Colony14Author | Dec 9, 2008 5:17:53 PM
Don't relieve anything said by Katon Dawson, South Carolina Republican Party Chairman, for he is a partisian hack trying to score points bashing Obama. The Republican sleaze machine began with South Carolinian Lee Atwater (RIP) a former RNC chairman and architect of the Willie Horton racist ad run by the first president Bush. Filthy politics runs deep in SC, just ask John McCain.
Posted by: Tom in Alabama | Dec 9, 2008 5:13:25 PM
Obama talking about the need for transparency ??? What A JOKE when he has his medical and school records sealed !!! It is quite tranparen that he received financial aid as a college student and his records will SHOW THAT.
Posted by: jimbo | Dec 9, 2008 4:52:07 PM
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