Illinois

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Blago Hangs On to Job as Bargaining Chip
 Blago Hangs 
 On to Job as 
 Bargaining Chip

ANALYSIS
Dec 16, 2008 11:55 AM CST

Blago Hangs On to Job as Bargaining Chip

Blagojevich holding onto job as bargaining chip

(Newser) - For Rod Blagojevich, everything is a shakedown. For now, writes Carrie Budoff Brown in Politico, he’s staying in office because it gives him some leverage over his own fate. Though he’s facing near-certain impeachment, that’s a long process. In the meantime, he could trade his resignation for...

Blago's Impeachment Begins
 Blago's Impeachment Begins 
Dec 16, 2008 8:17 AM CST

Blago's Impeachment Begins

Governor no stranger to this, lawyer says

(Newser) - The Illinois House voted 113-0 yesterday to authorize a committee to look into Rod Blagojevich’s misdeeds, the first step towards impeaching the disgraced governor, the Chicago Tribune reports, in an unprecedented Democratic-led attempt to oust Illinois’ first Democratic governor in a quarter-century. But Democrats brushed off calls to strip...

What Crime Did He Actually Commit?

Despite phone taps, evidence against Blago may not secure conviction

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich's foul-mouthed conversations about Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat may have been "appalling," as Patrick Fitzgerald said last week. But were they actually illegal? With no appointment made and no evidence that the governor received anything, prosecutors may have a difficult case if and when Blagojevich...

Ill. House Speaker Launches Blago Impeachment

Madigan asks feds to help make case against governor

(Newser) - The speaker of the Illinois House is starting impeachment proceedings against Rod Blagojevich, the Chicago Tribune reports. “We plan to proceed without delay,” said Mike Madigan, a longtime foe of the disgraced governor. Madigan has been considering proceedings against Blagojevich since before his recent corruption arrest, and says...

Obama's Halo Undimmed by Blago: Poll

Voters want more info about prez-elect's involvement in scandal

(Newser) - The Rod Blagojevich scandal has done little to dent Barack Obama’s approval ratings, according to ABC’s polling guru: More than three-quarters of those surveyed give his handling of the transition a thumbs-up. But just 51% say Obama has done enough to explain his team’s discussions with the...

Special Election Gains Ground With Blago

Guv unlikely to quit, but would give up naming Obama successor

(Newser) - Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, under indictment for trying to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat, would likely now approve a bill authorizing a special election to fill the post, sources tell the Chicago Sun-Times. Blagojevich—who insiders now say has decided not to resign—wants the measure to apply to...

All-Smiles Governor Was Sinking Fast

Colleagues describe Blagojevich as panicked, delusional

(Newser) - In public, Rod Blagojevich appeared a political natural, charming voters and reeling off anecdotes. In private, colleagues tell the New York Times, the Illinois governor is another man: petulant, foul-mouthed, and prone to bouts of fury if an aide misplaces his beloved hairbrush. As Blagojevich clings to office, insiders say...

Tribune Story Forced Feds to Arrest Blago Early

Story broke up meeting

(Newser) - US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald must have been grinding his teeth as he arrested Rod Blagojevich Tuesday morning, reports the Wall Street Journal. Fitzgerald’s team had been salivating over the prospect of catching the sale of Barack Obama’s Senate seat on tape, but those hopes were dashed when the...

GOP Video Spotlights Obama-Blago Ties

(Newser) - Republicans posted a video today that questions Barack Obama’s old links to Rod Blagojevich, Politico reports. Titled "Questions Remain," it urges Obama to reveal contacts between his team and the scandal-plagued governor. The video shows that Obama advised Blago in his 2002 campaign, and endorsed Blago's...

Blago the Only Rat Paying the Piper

'Chicago punk,' sure, but ever heard of Bush, Rumsfeld, Lay, Rubin?

(Newser) - Poor Rod Blagojevich: He merely tried to auction off the president-elect’s Senate seat and could be imprisoned for it. But the men who bungled Iraq and crashed our economy can anticipate vacations and White House jobs, Frank Rich writes in the New York Times. Luckily for us, Blagojevich “...

Illinois AG: Let Voters Pick New Senator
Illinois AG: Let Voters Pick
New Senator
TALK SHOW ROUNDUP
Dec 14, 2008 11:21 AM CST

Illinois AG: Let Voters Pick New Senator

McCain scolds GOP for Blago flap; Granholm, Romney clash on autos

(Newser) - Blago and bailouts were the talk of today's talk shows. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan told Meet the Press that voters should elect Barack Obama’s Senate replacement in a special election, while the state’s lieutenant governor said legislation would allow him to appoint a caretaker until a special...

FBI Circled Around Blago's Wife for a Year

She dropped real estate work amid questions about clients paying for influence

(Newser) - She's known for ranting on an FBI tape—but that wasn’t the first time Patricia Blagojevich’s name has surfaced in the corruption probe of her governor husband, the Chicago Tribune reports. A federal investigation that began a year ago prompted Mrs. Blago to quit real estate work amid...

Blago's Real Crime: His Blackmail of BoA
 Blago's Real Crime:
His Blackmail of BoA
opinion
Dec 13, 2008 11:19 AM CST

Blago's Real Crime: His Blackmail of BoA

Government shouldn't just step into commercial affairs

(Newser) - Emperor Nero killed a lot of people, but most people just remember the fiddling incident, notes Joe Queenan in the Washington Post. Something similar is happening with Rod Blagojevich, whose most flamboyant offense, trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat, is obscuring his real crime: Forcing Bank of America to...

Emanuel Talked Senate Seat With Blago Aide

No sign Chief of Staff pick tried to wheel and/or deal

(Newser) - Rahm Emanuel, Barack Obama’s pick for White House chief of staff, had multiple conversations with Rod Blagojevich's chief of staff about Obama’s Senate seat, the Chicago Tribune is reporting. There’s no evidence that Emanuel engaged in any dealmaking for the seat, or that he knew of Blagojevich’...

Death Threats, Blago Rumors Plague Emanuel

(Newser) - Fuming over rumors he was the Obama adviser who spoke with Rod Blagojevich about the president-elect’s Senate seat, Rahm Emanuel told ABC News today he's received death threats and the media have "intruded too much." Emanuel is not a target of prosecutors, sources told the AP late...

Media Gets 'Silly' Over Obama Ties to Blago
Media Gets 'Silly' Over
Obama Ties to Blago  
OPINION
Dec 12, 2008 2:05 PM CST

Media Gets 'Silly' Over Obama Ties to Blago

There's little evidence of ties as questions pour from press

(Newser) - The media is aflutter with questions over Barack Obama’s connection to Rod Blagojevich, and although it’s fair for the press to probe, things are getting “silly,” Joan Walsh writes on Salon. The only tie we’ve seen is Blagojevich caught on tape ranting obscenely that Obama...

Blago to Ministers: I'm Innocent

Guv says he'll be vindicated

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich prayed with several ministers before heading to his office today, telling them he is innocent and will be vindicated "when you hear each chapter completely written," said a pastor. He added that the governor discussed trying to get a legal and political consultation team in place...

AG Asks Court to Oust Blago
 AG Asks Court to Oust Blago 
UPDATED
Dec 12, 2008 11:24 AM CST

AG Asks Court to Oust Blago

Declare him 'unfit to serve,' she asks

(Newser) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan today asked the state’s Supreme Court to declare Rod Blagojevich unfit to serve as governor, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. "We think it is very clear he is incapable of serving," said Madigan. She wants to prevent the scandal-plagued governor from appointing Barack...

Forget Blago: Rangel Plagues Obama
 Forget 
 Blago: 
 Rangel 
 Plagues Obama 
analysis
Dec 12, 2008 11:12 AM CST

Forget Blago: Rangel Plagues Obama

Key congressman's probe could hurt Obama's agenda

(Newser) - The Blagojevich mess may appear more damaging, but the bigger concern for Barack Obama is the scandal surrounding Charles Rangel, who is under scrutiny for a number of questionable dealings, writes Gerald Seib in the Wall Street Journal. Blago may soon be out of Obama’s hair, but Rangel's status...

Jackson's Senate Chances Now Slim to None

But if cleared, he could still have a shot

(Newser) - Former frontrunner Jesse Jackson Jr. is unlikely to get Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat because of his ties to Rod Blagojevich’s pay-to-play scandal, the Hill notes. The so-called "Candidate No. 5" has denied wrongdoing, but that may not matter. "Like anybody who's ever been named in...

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