Posted on 12/15/2008 1:00:09 PM PST by Red Steel
President-elect Obama's office announced Monday afternoon that he is deferring his report about contacts with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich until next week, at the request of federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald.
In a statement, Transition Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said the review confirms that Obama had no contact with Blagojevich or his staff and that Obama's staff had no "inappropriate discussions" with the governor or his aides on selecting Obama's successor in the U.S. Senate.
Obama had said Thursday: "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."
But his staff now says the review will be "deferred until the week of December 22" at the request of the U.S. attorney's office "in order not to impede their investigation of the governor."
Democrats outside the transition said they worry that the delay will continue to distract from Obama's message as he makes a final round of appointments before leaving this weekend for more than a week of Christmas vacation in Hawaii.
Here is the statement from Pfeiffer:
"At the direction of the President-elect, a review of Transition staff contacts with Governor Blagojevich and his office has been conducted and completed and is ready for release. That review affirmed the public statements of the President-elect that he had no contact with the governor or his staff, and that the President-elect's staff was not involved in inappropriate discussions with the governor or his staff over the selection of his successor as US Senator.
"Also at the President-elect's direction, Gregory Craig, counsel to the Transition, has kept the US Attorney's office informed of this fact-gathering process in order to ensure our full cooperation with the investigation.
"In the course of those discussions, the US Attorney's office requested the public release of the Transition review be deferred until the week of December 22, in order not to impede their investigation of the governor. The Transition has agreed to this revised timetable for release."
How convenient.
Christmas document dump.
Yep.
Just in time for the media bigwigs to go on vacation for about 2 weeks.
this whole deal is so shady!
So, Obamah lied when he said last week that neither he nor his staff had any contact with the Gov. regarding the senate seat.
Obama will be in Hawaii for Christmas...taking care of business.
Then we’ll start hearing Craig citing “executive privilege”.
Yes, Obama lied twice on consecutive days before the press.
Post electoral college vote bump.
BLAH BLAH BLAH!....Obama, you stink!
“...this weekend for more than a week of Christmas vacation in Hawaii...”
He’s going to Hawaii, AGAIN??? I have nothing against going to Hawaii (I’ve been there myself——it’s a wonderful place!!), but shouldn’t “The One” be setting an example for the country, as many are struggling this Christmas? I mean, the man has the nerve to go to Hawaii on vacation when many Americans can’t even pay their bills! Shameful!
fitz must protect Obama and absolve him of ANY wrong doing. Still think Fitz is fair?
Maybe he is finally going to have a funeral for his “typical white” Grandmother. Not.
My I hope AlGore is not going to meet with him in Hawaii ... those folks have never seen "Black Ice"!
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers doesn’t celebrate Christmas, he has got to get out of dodge before someone wakes up and remembers that fact.
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