Obama’s Intervention for Ethics Bill Indirectly Led to Case Against Governor

NY Times ^ | December 10, 2008 | MIKE McINTIRE and JEFF ZELENY

[neverdem]

In a sequence of events that neatly captures the contradictions of Barack Obama’s rise through Illinois politics, a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall of a fellow Democrat he twice supported, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich.

Mr. Obama placed the call to his political mentor, Emil Jones Jr., president of the Illinois Senate. Mr. Jones was a critic of the legislation, which sought to curb the influence of money in politics, as was Mr. Blagojevich, who had vetoed it. But after the call from Mr. Obama, the Senate overrode the veto, prompting the governor to press state contractors for campaign contributions before the law’s restrictions could take effect on Jan. 1, prosecutors say.

Tipped off to Mr. Blagojevich’s efforts, federal agents obtained wiretaps for his phones and eventually overheard what they say was scheming by the governor to profit from his appointment of a successor to the United States Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Obama. One official whose name has long been mentioned in Chicago political circles as a potential successor is Mr. Jones, a machine...

--snip--

“If I don’t get what I want and I’m not satisfied with it, then I’ll just take the Senate seat myself,” the governor said, according to the criminal complaint. Later, he said the Senate seat was a “valuable thing — you just don’t give it away for nothing.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Blagojevich was busily trying to shake loose up to $2.5 million in campaign donations, much of it from contributors with business before the state, according to federal prosecutors. The governor’s goal was to bring in the money before the end of the year, the complaint said, “before a new state ethics law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2009.”

[neverdem]

Something tells me that a lot of American fools will get burned by Obama.

[SMCC1]

Obama’s a HERO!!

[AliVeritas]

BTW, that’s the ethics bill he kept claiming he passed when in Chicago... while on the campaign trail.

I trust you’ve read Operation Board Games?

http://therealbarackobama.wordpress.com

[Kickass Conservative]

“Obama’s a HERO!!”

That's the spin alright. Already heard it on the local John and Ken show (Los Angeles) today.

Better go out and get some of those Presidential Coins.

[teletech]

Something tells me that a lot of American fools will get burned by Obama.

I doubt Blago has anything useful on Obama but if he does, I hope he spills his guts before he goes to jail.

[blackbart.223]

"Something tells me that a lot of American fools will get burned by Obama."

And they still won't figure it out when they do.

[FrankR]

"In a sequence of events that neatly captures the contradictions of Barack Obama’s rise through Illinois politics, a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall of a fellow Democrat he twice supported, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich. "

Dear Governor Blagojevich,

Sorry to hear you're receiving some negative feedback for some of your recent decisions.

I sincerely hope that you won't let recent rumors about me visiting your home while you were out of town, or my recent conversations with Mr. Jones, have any influence on information you may, or may not, give the FBI, or the Grand Jury, during their investigation of this matter and those who are involved.

I'm sure that before you're convicted and impeached you will see your way clear to appoint my choice to my vacant senate seat. I'd like to remind you that after I take office on January 20th, 2009, I will then have the power of "pardons".

Thanks for your help, I know I can count on your discretion.

Sincerely,
Office of the President Elect




/satire

[unspun]

I don’t see what the connection is between whatever Obama did and what the FBI and federal prosecutors did. This was a state law, anyway.

Can anyone inform me, or has the NYT gone that delusional?

[Does so]

"...a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall of a fellow Democrat he twice supported, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich..."

The New York Times knows of "a phone call"?

[SolidWood]

Mike McIntern-me and Jeff Celebral-Hemorrhage try to spin Obama into a hero? The NYT isn't fit to wipe my dog's rear.

[smokingfrog]

Trying to clean-up with some cash and goodies before the new ethics law kicks in, but got caught raiding the cookie jar.

[jrooney]

The ole corrupt Gov. will turn the tables on Obama and Rham Emanuel. Take that to the bank. Any high ranking IL politician, i.e., Emanuel, Obama and others in Congress now had better hope ole Gov. and chief of staff have bad memories and/or little dirt to spill on them. If I was a betting man, I would say their memories will be crystal clear, they will have a dust buster full of dirt and they will squeal like Ned Beatty did in deliverance to lessen their criminal sentences.

[neverdem]

I don’t see what the connection is between whatever Obama did and what the FBI and federal prosecutors did. This was a state law, anyway. Can anyone inform me, or has the NYT gone that delusional?

"The federal corruption investigation that eventually led to Mr. Rezko’s indictment, and Tuesday’s charges against Mr. Blagojevich, had already begun to taint the governor’s administration. And by 2006, Mr. Obama had eclipsed the governor as a plausible national candidate, dashing his presidential aspirations."

Taps from Rezko made the feds act, IMHO.

[tallyhoe]

I knew that! It was all Obama. He will part the Sea and walk on the water! Jan 21, 2009 economic problem will be solved!

[nathanbedford]

I agree with you, I see no connection either.

The Obama staff undoubtedly leaked the call to the New York Times hoping that they would build a positive story around it. The surprise in the story is that it does not fail to recount Obama's cynicism and cozying up to the Chicago machine.

[neverdem]

Mike McIntern-me and Jeff Celebral-Hemorrhage try to spin Obama into a hero?

I guess some might have that impression. I look at it more like the American fools he'll leave in his wake.

[Chet 99]

Obama supposedly pushed for a law that passed. The governor then set out to break this law, which led to wiretaps, which caught him on an entirely unrelated crime.

A stretch to be sure. I could see some blogger pushing this craptastic line of reasoning? The NY Times? My how the mighty have fallen.

[Dianna]

Trying to clean-up with some cash and goodies before the new ethics law kicks in, but got caught raiding the cookie jar.

Being Chicago, I have to ask... was this activity legal before the new law kicked in? I doubt it. I'd guess the new law just planned to make it easier to catch them? Stupid excuse.

[skimask]

Are we to believe that the chosen one walks out of the corrupt Chicago machine untouched by it, clean as the driven snow? Some might believe it but the chosen one is definitely not who he claims to be.

[ksm1]

I think Federal Witness Protection might be in order. I’m serious.