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Chicago Tribune: Rahm and Blagojevich Staff Talked
December 13, 2008 4:20 PM
ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports:
As the silence from the Obama camp continues regarding contact between transition officials and the Illinois governor's office, the Chicago Tribune reports that incoming White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has been captured on tape discussing Obama's Senate successor with the staff of Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
While no one in the U.S. attorney's office is alleging the Obama team had any involvement in any deal-making, it is unknown who on the Obama transition team had communicated to the governor's office that they wouldn’t engage in any “pay to play” scheme to pick the Senate replacement.
The Tribune reported that there had been conversations between Emanuel and Blagojevich’s chief of staff, John Harris, who resigned last week in the scandal.
According to the Tribune, “One source confirmed that communications between Emanuel and the Blagojevich administration were captured on court-approved wiretaps. Another source said that contact between the Obama camp and the governor's administration regarding the Senate seat began the Saturday before the Nov. 4 election, when Emanuel made a call to the cell phone of Harris.”
During conversations, Emanuel passed on to Blagojevich President-elect Obama’s list of whom he would like to see fill his Illinois Senate seat: Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hyner, Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky, and Democratic Attorney Gen. Lisa Madigan.
On Thursday, the President-elect made assurances that he did not have contact with the governor’s office but was less forthcoming about his staffers’ conversations. He did express that he is certain that no one on his staff had any involvement in any deal-making with the governors office.
“I had no contact with the governor's office,” Obama said at a press conference in Chicago. “I did not speak to the governor about these issues. That I know for certain. What I want to do is to gather all the facts about any staff contacts that I might -- may have -- that may have taken place between the transition office and the governor's office. And we'll have those in the next few days, and we'll present them.”
This does not mean that Emanuel - Obama’s pick for White House chief of Staff – had attempted to make any deals with Blagojevich about the vacant Senate seat.
But it does open up another question – among many that have been unanswered.
On Emanuel’s list for the Senate seat appointment is Valerie Jarrett – Obama’s long time friend and aide.
Referred to as “Senate candidate #1” in the court’s report – Jarrett is still facing questions on why she withdrew her name from consideration for the seat. Shortly after doing so she appointed as a senior aide in the Obama administration.
The Obama transition team has said that Jarrett wanted to continue to work in close-proximity with Obama in the White House – and that her withdrawal from the running did not signal that she or anyone else on the Obama Transition team was aware of any “pay for play scheme.”
The revelation that Emanuel had Jarrett on the Obama’s approved short list raises questions about what Obama aide David Axelrod said at a forum at Harvard University Thursday night.
“Valerie Jarrett is a longtime friend, adviser, very able person, and his preference was always that she serve in the White House, and ultimately he expressed that to her,” Axelrod said. "That’s why she made the decision. No one in their wildest imagination could have imagined the situation that ensued."
Why would Jarrett appear on an Obama-approved list of successors if it was his preference all along that she work at the White House?
--Sunlen Miller
December 13, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (201)
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How much are we going to allow to be justified with BS America?
How many more media lies will we believe.
When will the political officials be held accountable for their Lies and be removed by US the voters?
Will "We The People" ever take control of our country back from the corruption that now controls it?
Are we to remain passified for ever?
Obama LIED BEFORE IN
OFFICE
Bush LOST IT
Clinton LIED MULTIPLE TIMES
AND
DESTROYED THE MORALITY AND CREDIBILITY FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
What is next?
By the way you auto works making $75.00/hr
be careful in the re distribution of wealth your jobs do not get move to MS,LA or AK where they can hire 3 people to replace you. This will create jobs, 3 to 1. This will re distribute the wealth, your considered rich by the dem's you make more then $120,000.00 a year. If your Magic Obama does this you just may have voted yourself out of a job. He will live up to his commtments and look like a Dem hero.
Posted by: SFGA | Jan 1, 2009 11:52:38 AM
I think that the Obama/Emanuel team are trying to discredit Blago in the public's eye by using the press to disseminate false info and misleading stories, because he wouldn't confirm their candidate Valerie Jarrett. Now they want him to quit before he goes public in court about their misbehavior.
Posted by: stevonovitch | Dec 27, 2008 11:34:41 AM
I told you so months ago but you erased my post.
You really can't take a punch !!!!
Posted by: John | Dec 17, 2008 1:16:28 PM
Yeah Mickey! Let's go off subject, only a good lib like yourself could take a story exhonerating Obama and turn it into a Bush is Bad story. Keep on defending those union automakers making $75 an hour, over 1000 of which get that for not even showing up to work. As for this union worker the IBEW only gets me $37.14 an hour.
Posted by: Quagmire | Dec 17, 2008 9:09:45 AM
Who cares? Do republicans really think this is the start of their comeback? Not after the way they treated auto industry working people trying to keep their jobs.What a bunch of bottom feeders.
Posted by: Mickey | Dec 16, 2008 5:51:04 PM
All you kool aid drinkers will be huddling in the corner sucking your thumbs by the time you figure out what and who you just elected to lead our country into the pit of hell.
God help us...nothing good can be found in Chicago politics. Its a corrupt and power hungry bunch who disregard everything and everyone...they are cut throat and we have only seen the tip of the iceberg!
Posted by: AZNativeGrandma | Dec 15, 2008 11:33:16 PM
Google "Another Chance at Compensation" That is something to talk about!
Posted by: Seth | Dec 15, 2008 5:40:38 PM
This is just taking us away from the real issues... and even though Obama came from this political slime machine he obviously wasn't involved... and you're racist for asking questions... and Fox News is bad... and Bush is the worst president ever... and conservatives are stupid... and, and Carl Rove... and did I mention Haliburton? HOPE and CHANGE!
Posted by: Phil McKraken | Dec 15, 2008 5:12:25 PM
Chicago has a long record of producing sleazebag, corrupt politicians.
Axelrod told the nation a few weeks ago that Obama had, in fact, spoke with Blago. Suddenly, Axelrod does a 180, saying Obama didn't talk to Blago.
Bottom line? Obama rose to power by playing ball with Chicago politicians. Those who don't pay in Chicago don't play in Chicago.
The only CHANGE we're going to see out of the Obama camp is America more quickly spiraling down the tubes.
Posted by: steve | Dec 15, 2008 2:38:58 PM
The true colors of the liar Obama are coming out into the open albeit a little too late.
Yet, the duped who voted for this sly snakeoil salesman will defend him even as he brings down America and we all have to live under a totalitarian Socialist government.
Posted by: Elaine | Dec 15, 2008 2:30:47 PM
The answer to these questions is simple: Baloney. Republicans will manufacture reasons to criticize Obama.
Posted by: Burdock | Dec 15, 2008 1:41:47 PM
The answer to all of these questions is simple. Corruption!
Obama is corrupt as a $3 Bill!
Posted by: BigBingo | Dec 15, 2008 1:28:58 PM
Obama is supposedly a lawyer and speaks lawyer lingo. "I never...." Doesn't mean one of his staff didn't talk to the governor about the senate seat with Obama's full knowledge. Anyone who believes these Chicago crooked politicians need to take their head out of the toilet....Chicago politics at its best. corruption after corruption.
Posted by: American | Dec 15, 2008 12:18:14 PM
WHAT A SHOCK *NOT*
Of course there were talks! Don't you think opinions would be shared between the two? DUH!
Posted by: Dave | Dec 15, 2008 12:10:23 PM
Belle Star...Because Obama would not and did not trade anything with Gov. Rod."
How could Rod knows this if he never had contact with Obama and/or his people?
buh-bye, Rahm.............
And you really believe every word that proceedieth out of his lying mouth. His ah words ah tell ah you ah that he is making it up as he goes for fear he will be found out. You people are so gullible. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
Posted by: beeta | Dec 15, 2008 11:25:31 AM
BElle Star....Bush is not involved in the Chicago Thugs! Get it straight that is Obama's stomping grounds. Don't try to involve Our President in your Bo back street dealing. can't stand to face the fact that we are now stuck with a thug for president with all the underworld connections. It is well known by people from Ilinois that their local gov. is ran by thugs and Obama is in the middle of it all.
Posted by: venita morgan | Dec 15, 2008 11:16:00 AM
Just how much payoff did blago get from the anti-smoking lobby to rush threw the illinois smoking ban........and destroyed the livelihoods and reduced state revenues by this draconian law based upon fradulent science.READ osha on the second hand smoke issue,they claim it harms nobody.....but yet big pharam and robert wood johnson foundation make money off the state selling cessation drugs. they do it in every state that passes a statewide ban.
Posted by: harleyrider1978 | Dec 15, 2008 10:56:12 AM
What did Emil Jones have to pay for Obama's senate seat? Must take quite a bit to "make" a senator if the candidate is basically unknown?
Posted by: confused | Dec 15, 2008 9:33:19 AM
“I did not speak to the governor about these issues. That I know for certain."
Isn't this just the strangest sentence "That I know for certain" to use after a declarative sentence. It is as if he is very concerned about us (or him) believing him. I mean its weird. Who talks like that?
Lets have Blago, Stevens, Franks, Cunningham, and Dodd kllled for treason and be about our business. I am disgusted with politicians. They betray us at every turn.
Obama seems to have quite an interesting cast of characters to associate with. I sure hope he isn't one of those apples who doesn't fall far from the tree.
INfidel>
INFIDEL>
Posted by: Infidel | Dec 15, 2008 4:27:11 AM
Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been deemed deranged for talking in expletives on tape. Rahm was deemed as colorful when he was using the language to get democrats elected. It will be interesting if he will be labeled as deranged if he mirrors Blagojevich's demeanor on the tapes. The press has painted the new chief of staff into a corner. Let the spin begin. I bet Blagojevich serves his term!
Posted by: Amazed | Dec 14, 2008 9:50:22 PM
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