The latest on charges against Gov. Rod Blagojevich

In a sad sort of way it's not surprising to learn with the federal arrest today of Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich that the replacement nominee for the President-elect Barack Obama's now-vacant U.S. Senate seat would have been the best that money could buy.

Alas, according to U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald (yes, the same Lewis "Scooter" Libby prosecutor), the money would have gone to the Illinois governor, a former House member who appears to have been, in effect, selling the nomination.

See fresh news video below.

And even threatening to keep the job for himself if not offered enough because a Senate sinecure might enhance his stature for a presidential run in 2016.

He reportedly complained about being in a dead-end as governor.

In a brief comment, Obama  called it a sad day for Illinois, but said he had no recent contact with the governor's office. a claim seemingly contradicted by Obama's chief political strategist last month and then retracted late today (See Update below.).

FBI agents arrested Blagojevich in his home about 6:30 a.m. Central time on the day before his 52nd birthday, apparently catching him by surprise as he ultimately appeared in court wearing sweat pants, an athletic shirt and gym shoes. The governor is in his second term after previously serving in the House from Illinois' 5th District.

To those outside Illinois, the brazenness of the governor's alleged politics for profit plot is stunning, offering to sell the nomination for money or plum jobs for himself and his wife, Patti. Federal authorities called it "a political corruption crime spree."

According to the 76-page indictment, agents using wiretaps on ...

... the governor's home phone and bugs in his campaign office caught the governor talking openly about the opportunity to name Obama's successor, saying such things as, "I've got this thing and its (expletive) golden. And I'm just not giving it up for (expletive) nothing. I'm not gonna do it."

He's also accused of threatening to withhold millions in assistance to a children's hospital without sufficient fundraising for him; with expecting fundraising in return for toll road contracts; and threatening to withhold assistance from the Tribune Co. in the sale of the Chicago Cubs ballfield unless the newspaper fired editorial board employees who'd been critical of the governor. (Tribune also owns the L.A. Times.)

All this wide-open bluster from a politician who's known for three years he's under federal investigation.

There is no indication of any involvement of the president-elect, who did endorse Blagojevich's candidacy twice in the past and served as a campaign advisor in the governor's initial 2002 campaign. Asked about today's developments at a media briefing with former Vice President Al Gore in Chicago, Obama said:

"I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening. And as I said it is a sad day for Illinois. Beyond that I don't think it's appropriate to comment."

However, Jake Tapper of ABC News has reported that in a local Fox News interview on Nov. 23 Obama's chief political strategist and new White House advisor, David Axelrod, said of his boss:

"I know he's talked to the governor and there are a whole range of names many of which have surfaced, and I think he has a fondness for a lot of them."

Obama will no doubt be asked to clarify that apparent contradiction.

(UPDATE: In a statement released late Tuesday, Axelrod, who had declined to work on Blagojevich's campaigns, said he was mistaken when he made that November interview statement and that his boss "did not then or at any time discuss the subject" with the governor.)

As for the actual replacement for Obama, that still resides in the hands of the governor, who is out on bail. Illinois senior senator Dick Durbin called on Balgojevich to resign immediately, saying any appointment by him would not be credible.

Ironically, Blagojevich was elected as a reformer in 2003, promising to clean up the corruption scandals of the previous governor, George Ryan, a Republican now serving six years in prison.

Fitzgerald called the fast-moving case unusual. "We were in the middle of a corruption crime spree," he said. "And we wanted to stop it. The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave."

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Top photo: Illinois Gov. Rob Blagojevich. Credit: M. Spencer Green / Associated Press

Bottom photo:  David Axelrod. Credit: Associated Press

Comments

[Fox Chicago]

You can see the Fox Chicago interview on this website.

David Alexrod is speaking to Fox Chicago political editor Jack Conaty.

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/myfox/MyFox/pages/sidebar_video.jsp?contentId=8036854&version=1&locale=EN-US

[John Ryskamp]

Why Obama’s Next--Comparison of the Indictment and E. Pringle's articles

I. FROM THE BLAGOJEVICH INDICTMENT

35. As described more fully in the following paragraphs, Mercy Hospital, which sought permission from the Planning Board to build a hospital in Illinois, received that permission through Rezko’s exercise of his influence at the Planning Board after Rezko was promised that Mercy Hospital would make a substantial campaign contribution to ROD BLAGOJEVICH. Rezko later told a member of the Planning Board that Mercy Hospital received the permit because ROD BLAGOJEVICH wanted the organization to receive the permit.

36. Levine’s criminal activities included his abuse of his position on the Planning Board to enrich both himself and Friends of Blagojevich. The Planning Board was a commission of the State of Illinois, established by statute, whose members were appointed by the Governor of the State of Illinois. At the relevant time period, the Planning Board consisted of nine individuals. State law required an entity seeking to build a hospital, medical office building, or other medical facility in Illinois to obtain a permit, known as a "Certificate of Need" ("CON"), from the Planning Board prior to beginning construction.

37. Levine, as well as Planning Board members Thomas Beck and Imad Almanaseer, testified under oath at the Rezko Trial.9 Beck testified that he asked Rezko to reappoint him to the Planning Board and that Beck thereafter followed Rezko’s directions regarding which CON applications Rezko wanted approved. Beck testified that it was his job to communicate Rezko’s interest in particular CONs to other members of the Planning Board, including Almanaseer, who were loyal to Rezko. Beck testified that he understood that Rezko spoke for the Blagojevich administration when Rezko spoke to Beck about particular CONs. Almanaseer testified that Beck instructed him that Rezko wanted Almanaseer to vote a particular way and that Almanaseer should follow Levine’s lead in voting on CONs. Almanaseer testified that before certain Planning Board meetings, he received notecards from Beck indicating how to vote on certain CON applications. Beck testified he provided these notecards to Almanaseer and certain other members of the Planning Board to communicate Rezko’s directions about certain CON applications.

38. During his testimony, Levine described a plan to manipulate the Planning Board to enrich himself and Friends of Blagojevich. The plan centered on an entity commonly known as Mercy Hospital ("Mercy") that was attempting to obtain a CON to build a new hospital in Illinois. Levine knew the contractor hired to help build the hospital. In approximately November 2003, on behalf of the contractor, Levine checked with Rezko to determine whether Rezko wanted Mercy to obtain its CON. Rezko informed Levine that Mercy was not going to receive its CON. According to Levine, he asked Rezko whether it would matter to Rezko if Mercy’s construction contractor paid a bribe to Rezko and Levine and, in addition, made a contribution to ROD BLAGOJEVICH. Levine testified that Rezko indicated that such an arrangement would change his view on the Mercy CON.

39. Levine’s testimony regarding Rezko’s actions to change the Planning Board decision concerning Mercy’s application for a CON based on contributions for ROD BLAGOJEVICH is confirmed by attorney Steven Loren. Loren testified at Rezko’s criminal

trial and, before that, in the grand jury.11 According to Loren, in approximately December 2003, Levine informed Loren that Rezko was against the Mercy CON. According to Loren, Levine relayed to Loren a conversation between Rezko and Levine during which Levine asked Rezko whether a political contribution to ROD BLAGOJEVICH would make a difference for Mercy’s CON, and Rezko responded to Levine that such a contribution might

make a difference.

40. Thereafter, and confirmed by the testimony of Levine, Beck, and Almanaseer, as well as recorded conversations, Rezko switched his directions to Beck and informed Beck that Mercy was to receive its CON. According to Almanaseer, although he previously had been told by Beck that Rezko did not want Mercy to receive its CON, he was later told that there had been a change and that Rezko now wanted Mercy to receive its CON.

41. Mercy received its CON as a result of a controversial and irregular vote at a public Planning Board meeting.12 The vote brought significant publicity to the Planning Board and ultimately led to the disbanding of the Planning Board. Almanaseer testified under oath in the grand jury that not long after the Planning Board vote on Mercy’s CON he saw Rezko at a fundraiser. According to Almanaseer, he was still embarrassed about what had occurred at the Planning Board vote on Mercy’s CON and Rezko’s role in the vote. Almanaseer testified that he asked Rezko why Rezko had switched the vote on the Mercy CON. According to Almanaseer, Rezko stated: "The Governor wanted it to pass."

II. FROM EVELYN PRINGLE’S "CURTAIN TIME" ONLINE ARTICLES

Tony Rezko is a private citizen. Therefore, the evidence presented in the trial focused on his influence over officials in getting members appointed to the Boards. Prosecutors did not discuss how the legislation got passed that enabled the Planning Board to be set up in a way that allowed for the appointment of members to rig the votes to begin with.

That part of the scheme will likely be detailed in future indictments, probably starting with Blagojevich. Blagojevich signed the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act with an effective date of June 27, 2003. However, before he could sign the act, a bill had to be passed by the Illinois House and Senate. As discussed fully in Curtain Time Part II, Obama was the inside guy in the senate who pushed through the legislation that resulted in the Act.

Obama was appointed chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. The minute the bill was introduced, it was referred to his committee for review. The sponsors of the bill also served on this committee with Obama. Within a month, Chairman Obama sent word to the full senate that the legislation should be passed.

On May 31, 2003, Senate Bill 1332 passed and specified that the "Board shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate." The legislation reduced the number of members from 15 to 9, paving the way for the appointment of a five-bloc majority to rig the votes.

The corrupt members appointed included three doctors who contributed to Obama. Michel Malek gave Obama $10,000 on June 30, 2003 and donated $25,000 to Blagojevich on July 25, 2003. Malek also gave Obama another $500 in September 2003.

Fortunee Massuda donated $25,000 to Blagojevich on July 25, 2003, and gave a total of $2,000 to Obama on different dates. After he was appointed, Dr Imad Almanaseer contributed a total of $3,000 to Obama. Almanaseer did not give money to Blagojevich.

When the first pay-to-play scheme was put in play, and the application for approval of a new hospital was submitted, the Department of Human Services, along with four other Illinois agencies, sent recommendations that the project should be approved even though experts said the hospital was not needed.

During the trial, Rezko’s attorney presented an email exchange to the jury that hinted at Obama's role in setting up the scheme. The exchange showed that Obama and seven other top Illinois politicians consulted on the legislation passed in 2003 and were involved in recommending the members for the board.

Matthew Pickering wrote the memo to Blagojevich’s general counsel, Susan Lichtenstein, on behalf of David Wilhelm, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, who headed Blagojevich's 2002 campaign for governor.

Pickering said he and Wilhelm had "worked closely" over six months with state legislators. The memo recommended the appointees listed above and stated, "our attached recommendations reflect that involvement" with the political leaders.

The persons appointed to rig the votes, including those who contributed to Blagojevich and Obama, are cooperating in exchange for immunity or lighter prison sentences.

Feds shut down pay-to-play schemes

Only two pay-to-play schemes succeeded before the Feds swooped in and shut them all down. Blagojevich did not receive the $1.5 million from the Planning Board deal because the hospital was never built.

But Obama received $20,000 from the first kickback paid in the pension fund scheme and the straw donors used to funnel the $10,000 payments, Elie Maloof and Joseph Aramanda, also made $1,000 contributions to Obama's failed run for Congress in 2000.

In addition, Aramanda gave $500 to Obama's senate campaign on June 30, 2003. In the summer of 2005, Aramanda's son landed an intern position in Obama's Washington office.

Obama also received contributions for his senate campaign from the two persons appointed to rig the vote on the pension fund board. On June 30, 2003, Jack Carriglio contributed $1,000, and the other appointee, Anthony Abboud, donated $500 on June 30, 2003, $250 on March 5, 2004, and $1,000 on June 25, 2004.

The person chosen to funnel the kickback in a future scheme, Michael Winter, donated $3,000 to Obama on June 30, 2003.

All these people are also cooperating in exchange for immunity or lesser prison sentences but prosecutors pointed out during closing arguments that people who entered into agreements with the government are required to tell the truth or all deals are off.

[Haitiana4Obama]

This says it all, President-Elect Obama was not interested in playing those games...the following quote was taken from an actual conversation Blago had which was tapped:

Nothing in the criminal complaint suggests that Obama ever discussed any deal with Blagojevich. And in some places, Blagojevich is quoted by prosecutors as being frustrated with Obama's transition team.

"Blagojevich said he knows that the President-elect wants Senate Candidate 1 for the Senate seat," the complaint states, "but 'they're not willing to give me anything except appreciation. [Expletive] them.' "

[Harvey Schneider]

Senator Obama needs to be impeached based on information given in the articles of indictment of Blagojevich.

[Low Daniels Jr.]

my question is what are the actual charges levied against Blagojevich? Allegedly saying this and that is one thing, but what is he on bond for??