President-elect Barack Obama said Monday a review by his own lawyer shows he had no direct contact with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich about the appointment of a Senate replacement, and transition aides did nothing inappropriate.-- CHICAGO (AP)Is that right Obama conducted his own investigation? You can’t make this kind of stuff up! Conducting his own investigation on himself President elect Barack Obama found that not he or any of his staff did anything wrong. Hmm, Okay!
So you there, just move along there is nothing here for you to see there was no criminal activity committed by the Obama transaction team. So move on. (see story)
However it is interesting that Chicago AP reported that Obama, fielding questions at a news conference, sidestepped when asked whether his Chief of Staff to be, Rahm Emanuel had spoken with aides to the governor about potential Senate appointees.
Then according to the Chicagotribune.com one source confirmed that communications between Emanuel and the Blagojevich administration were captured on court-approved wiretaps. The Chicagotribune reports that Obama Chief of staff Emanuel did in fact have multiple talks with Gov. Blagojevich. (see story)
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. The conversation took place around the same time press reports surfaced about Emanuel being approached about taking the high-level White House post should Obama win. (see 1:56min video)
Emanuel delivered a list of candidates who would be "acceptable" to Obama, the source said. On the list were Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, the source said. All are Democrats.
Sometime after the election, Emanuel called Harris back to add the name of Democratic Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan to the approved list, the source said.
Among other things, a government affidavit filed with the charges claimed that Blagojevich had kicked around the idea of using his Senate selection to leverage an appointment to an ambassadorship or Cabinet post in the Obama administration.
We need to know how much of this was broached with the Obama team.
Unlike Obama Emanuel who is now working full-time on Obama's transition, has yet to resign his congressional seat. Illinois law has a different process for filling vacant House seats than Senate seats. But remember Vice President elect Joe Biden hasn’t resigned his Senate seat either only Obama has. When Emanuel resigns, a special election will be held for his replacement.
One alleged scheme outlined in the charges against Blagojevich involves the special election for Emanuel's seat when it becomes vacant. The government affidavit said Blagojevich and others were recorded talking about an unnamed "president-elect adviser" concerned about the election for Emanuel's congressional seat who might help the governor land a new job at a non-profit organization. If this is true we have the conspiracy to sell Obama's Senate seat and also a conspiracy around Emanuel's Congressional seat as well.
But just disregard anything that you might hear that might incriminate Obama, his Chief of Staff or his transaction team, Obama has done a thorough job investigation himself and his personal attorney says that neither Barack Obama nor his transaction team were involved in the play for pay scheme to sell the Senate seat that Obama resigned early to allow Gov. Blagojevich to “fill.”
Finally, in the follow video radio talk show host Michael Savage gives background on Rahm Emanuel and the corruption that has come out of Chicago and is now released into the world of American politics. (see 5:33min video)
Yeah Obama came out of the cesspool of Chicago politics but we are to believe that he is completely pristine and untouched from the corruption which is Chicago politics.