Thread: Obama Aides Won't Discuss Illinois Governor Probe

Dec 12, 6:39 PM (ET)

By NEDRA PICKLER

(AP) President-elect Barack Obama speaks about Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008,...
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WASHINGTON (AP) - President-elect Barack Obama is refusing to answer any questions about the internal review he has ordered into Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's alleged efforts to sell his former Senate seat, saying he will do so when the examination is finished.

Obama's staff has declined to respond to even basic questions, like who is conducting the probe, how long it will take, what issues are being explored and whether they are working with federal investigators. Obama has promised transparency throughout his service and to divulge contacts his staff has had with Blagojevich's office in the coming days. But his staff has locked down on inquiries in the meantime.

The Obama transition team's refusal to talk has contributed to a maelstrom around Obama's incoming White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, a Chicago congressman likely to have been in contact with the governor, who was arrested this week in a corruption scandal. But Emanuel is not a target of the probe, according to people who have been briefed on the investigation.

The two people spoke on a condition of anonymity because the criminal investigation is ongoing. One is a person close to Emanuel, who said he has been told by investigators that he's not a subject of their probe.


(AP) In this image from video Illinoins Gov. Rod Blagojevich waves at his home Friday, Dec. 12, 2008, in...
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Asked if any conversations between Emanuel and Blagojevich were captured on government wiretaps, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said, "I honestly don't know." Other transition officials refused to respond to inquiries.

There are no suggestions that Obama or his aides were involved in the alleged sale of his seat. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said prosecutors were making no allegations that Obama was aware of any scheming. And Blagojevich himself, in taped conversations cited by prosecutors, suggested that Obama wouldn't be helpful to him and called him a vulgar term. Even if the governor was to appoint a candidate favored by the Obama team, Blagojevich said, "they're not willing to give me anything except appreciation."

Obama told reporters Thursday that he never personally spoke to Blagojevich about who would fill the seat he resigned to take over the presidency next month.

"What I want to do is to gather all the facts about any staff contacts that may have taken place between the transition office and the governor's office," Obama said. "And we'll have those in the next few days, and we'll present them. But what I'm absolutely certain about is that our office had no involvement in any dealmaking around my Senate seat. That I'm absolutely certain of."

Another question that Obama's staff didn't answer is how he knows that his office had no involvement if he had yet to gather all the facts about conversations they had with Blagojevich's office. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, transition officials said they do not want to release any information on the internal review until it is completed.


(AP) President-elect Barack Obama pauses before answering a question about the federal investigation...
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Republicans are using Obama's silence over the contacts his aides may have had with the governor to criticize him.

"While it is encouraging that the president-elect has stated his office will disclose contacts with the scandal-ridden governor, it remains disappointing that his actions are in response to political pressure," Republican National Committee Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan said. "Americans expect the highest degree of transparency from their elected leaders, rather than promises of openness on the campaign trail."

The normally press-friendly Emanuel has shut down reporters who've been trailing his every move trying to confirm if he's the "president-elect adviser" referred to in the criminal complaint against Blagojevich. Emanuel grew testy with a Chicago Sun Times reporter who approached him at his children's recital and an ABC News cameraman who had been staking out the Emanuel home for hours and was allowed to come in and use the bathroom.

Emanuel told the cameraman he's angry at the networks who have put his home address on national television.

"I'm getting regular death threats," Emanuel said, according to an ABC report. "You've intruded too much."

The Sun-Times reported that Emanuel pushed aside the reporter's recorder and said he wouldn't talk. "I'm not going to say a word to you. I'm going to do this with my children," he said.

The limelight has fallen on Emanuel because conversations secretly recorded by federal investigators suggest Blagojevich wanted to raised large charitable donations in exchange for a favor involving the Illinois 5th District congressional seat that Emanuel plans to vacate to work in the White House.

The complaint says that a week after Obama chose Emanuel as his chief of staff, Blagojevich told an aide that he wanted the unnamed "president-elect advisor" to be told of the governor's interest in creating a nonprofit group, and "can you guys help him . . . raise 10, 15 million"?

Quoting Blagojevich talking about the adviser, it continues: "When 'he asks me for the Fifth CD thing I want it to be in his head.'" The complaint says Blagojevich was trying to determine whether he had the power to appoint an interim replacement until a special election for Emanuel's seat could be held.

But Blagojevich was wrong if he thought he might have that power. By law, House vacancies can be filled only by elections.

The complaint does not say that a conversation with the Obama adviser took place, nor does it suggest that the Obama team took any action regarding Blagojevich's idea for a nonprofit.

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Associated Press writer Lara Jakes Jordan contributed to this report.


http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081212/D951FE0.html

Obama has promised transparency throughout his service




And this would be the same obama who refuses to so much as prove his eligibility for the office? The same one who has sealed every record he possibly could to try and avoid being found out? The same obama who has been caught in one lie after another about his associations with known criminals, terrorists, etc?

So much for transparency..........

I don't mind giving Obana a little time to investigate this before he responds. I suspect someone, had some type of contact with the Gov. This someone may even hesitate to be fully trueful.

Although we need an answer soon. It's better to get the facts and report them to us, even if they are ugly, than to immediately reply by "shooting from the hip".

This is an important matter and for OBAMA to NOT fully investigate. We may need to fire a few people. We should give him a little time. A liar would have simply told us, "There was absolutely no involvement" and refused all questions. Perhaps even stone walling any further investigation. I can wait for a few days.

I would have fully expected that Obama would have had contact with the Governor so as to discuss possible replacements for his Senate seat. There is nothing illegal or wrong with that! The fact that Obama claims there was No contact strikes me as odd!

I can SEE THE CHANGE A COMIN!

Originally Posted by magyart

I don't mind giving Obana a little time to investigate this before he responds. I suspect someone, had some type of contact with the Gov. This someone may even hesitate to be fully trueful.

Although we need an answer soon. It's better to get the facts and report them to us, even if they are ugly, than to immediately reply by "shooting from the hip".

This is an important matter and for OBAMA to NOT fully investigate. We may need to fire a few people. We should give him a little time. A liar would have simply told us, "There was absolutely no involvement" and refused all questions. Perhaps even stone walling any further investigation. I can wait for a few days.

In case you missed it....that was EXACTLY the first response from obama on the issue.

Looks like the liar shot from the hip BEFORE changing course and deciding to "investigate"

Originally Posted by azwreath

Originally Posted by magyart

I don't mind giving Obana a little time to investigate this before he responds. I suspect someone, had some type of contact with the Gov. This someone may even hesitate to be fully trueful.

Although we need an answer soon. It's better to get the facts and report them to us, even if they are ugly, than to immediately reply by "shooting from the hip".

This is an important matter and for OBAMA to NOT fully investigate. We may need to fire a few people. We should give him a little time. A liar would have simply told us, "There was absolutely no involvement" and refused all questions. Perhaps even stone walling any further investigation. I can wait for a few days.

In case you missed it....that was EXACTLY the first response from obama on the issue.

Looks like the liar shot from the hip BEFORE changing course and deciding to "investigate"

Yea...how much you want to bet that Obama's "investigation" reveals that someone on his staff actually did speak to the Governor regarding Obama's vacated Senate seat.

Originally Posted by azwreath

Originally Posted by magyart

I don't mind giving Obana a little time to investigate this before he responds. I suspect someone, had some type of contact with the Gov. This someone may even hesitate to be fully trueful.

Although we need an answer soon. It's better to get the facts and report them to us, even if they are ugly, than to immediately reply by "shooting from the hip".

This is an important matter and for OBAMA to NOT fully investigate. We may need to fire a few people. We should give him a little time. A liar would have simply told us, "There was absolutely no involvement" and refused all questions. Perhaps even stone walling any further investigation. I can wait for a few days.

In case you missed it....that was EXACTLY the first response from obama on the issue.

Looks like the liar shot from the hip BEFORE changing course and deciding to "investigate"

You are correct ! His initial answer was that of a politician. We will soon find out if he's a "leader" that will change Washington or just another "political hack". I'm hoping for the best. We need change. I feel a BIG economic change coming to this country. I'm hoping for leadership which will help, not make it worse.

If I were obama I would review all I could about this. That way when I found my name or one of my staff, I could burn those papers.

The other day I was reading a pretty long article about obama's ties to this guy. It gave all the dates and everything else when obama helped him get elected, and every other thing where the two were connected.
I didn't save the page and now I can't remember where the heck I found it!!!!!!!!!!!

Has anyone else read this article? And if you have, can you direct me in its direction? Please? Pretty please?

Questions Arise About the Obama/Blagojevich Relationship

December 09, 2008 3:37 PM

"Obviously like the rest of the people of Illinois I am saddened and sobered by the news that came out of the US attorney's office today," said President-elect Obama this afternoon in Chicago, speaking of the criminal complaint against Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich for corruption. "But as this is a ongoing investigation involving the governor I don't think it would be appropriate for me to comment on the issue at this time."

Asked what contact he'd had with the governor's office about his replacement in the Senate, President-elect Obama today said "I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening."

But on November 23, 2008, his senior adviser David Axelrod appeared on Fox News Chicago and said something quite different.

While insisting that the President-elect had not expressed a favorite to replace him, and his inclination was to avoid being a "kingmaker," Axelrod said, "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."

(UPDATE: An Obama Transition Team aide says that Axelrod misspoke on Fox News Chicago.) See video at website cited below.

There are no allegations that President-elect Obama or anyone close to him had anything to do with any of the crimes Gov. Blagojevich is accused of having committed.

In fact, there are indications that Mr. Obama and his team refused to go along with the "pay to play" way Blagojevich is accused of operating, offering only "gratitude" if the governor appointed his friend Valerie Jarrett to take his U.S. Senate seat, much to the governor's chagrin.

But there remain questions about how Blagojevich knew that Mr. Obama was not willing to give him anything in exchange for the Senate seat -- with whom was Blagojevich speaking? Did that person report the governor to the authorities?

And, it should be pointed out, Mr. Obama has a relationship with Mr. Blagojevich, having not only endorsed Blagojevich in 2002 and 2006, but having served as a top adviser to the Illinois governor in his first 2002 run for the state house.

In the Democratic gubernatorial primary that year, then-state sen. Obama endorsed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris. But after Blagojevich won, Obama came around enthusiastically. At the same time, meanwhile, Axelrod had such serious concerns about whether Blagojevich was ready for governing he refused to work for his one-time client.

According to Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., Mr. Obama's incoming White House chief of staff, Emanuel, then-state senator Obama, a third Blagojevich aide, and Blagojevich's campaign co-chair, David Wilhelm, were the top strategists of Blagojevich's 2002 gubernatorial victory.

Emanuel told the New Yorker earlier this year that he and Obama "participated in a small group that met weekly when Rod was running for governor. We basically laid out the general election, Barack and I and these two."

Wilhelm said that Emanuel had overstated Obama's role. "There was an advisory council that was inclusive of Rahm and Barack but not limited to them," Wilhelm said, and he disputed the notion that Obama was "an architect or one of the principal strategists."

(An Obama Transition Team aide emails to note that Emanuel later changed his recollection of this story to Rich Miller's "CAPITOL FAX," saying, "David [Wilhelm] and I have worked together on campaigns for decades. Like always, he's right and I'm wrong.")

Either way, others now around Obama were less enthusiastic about Blagojevich at the time, namely David Axelrod, Obama's senior campaign adviser who will soon be a senior adviser at the White House.

Axelrod had worked for Blagojevich in his past races for the House, but he declined to work on his gubernatorial run.

"He had been my client and I had a very good relationship with him, but I didn't sign on to the governor's race," Axelrod told the New Yorker. "Obviously he won, but I had concerns about it...I was concerned about whether he was ready for that. Not so much for the race but for governing. I was concerned about some of the folks -- I was concerned about how the race was being approached."

On the Chicago TV show "Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz" on June 27, 2002, state Sen. Obama said, "Right now, my main focus is to make sure that we elect Rod Blagojevich as Governor, we..."

"You working hard for Rod?" interrupted Berkowitz.

"You betcha," said Obama.

"Hot Rod?" asked the host.

"That's exactly right," Obama said.

In 2004, then-Gov. Blagojevich enthusiastically endorsed Obama for the Senate seat after he won the nomination, and Obama endorsed Blagojevich for his 2006 re-election race in early 2005.

In the Summer of 2006, then-U.S. Sen. Obama backed Blagojevich even though there were serious questions at the time about Blago's hiring practices.

At the time, numerous state agencies had had records subpoenaed, with U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald telling authorities he was looking into "very serious allegations of endemic hiring fraud" with a "number of credible witnesses."

In an interview with the Chicago Daily Herald in July 2006, then-Sen. Obama said, "I have not followed closely enough what's been taking place in these investigations to comment on them. Obviously I'm concerned about reports that hiring practices at the state weren't, at times, following appropriate procedures. How high up that went, the degree at which the governor was involved, is not something I'm going to speculate on.

"If I received information that made me believe that any Democrat had not been acting in the public interest, I'd be concerned," Obama said.

That said, Mr. Obama said, "If the governor asks me to work on his behalf, I'll be happy to do it."

Apparently the governor did. At the Illinois State Fair in August 2006, Obama spoke on Blagojevich's behalf.

"We've got a governor in Rod Blagojevich who has delivered consistently on behalf of the people of Illinois," Obama told the crowd.

In January 2007, Blagojevich's office reserved the Old State Capitol for Mr. Obama's presidential announcement at Obama's request.

Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch told reporters that "Representatives for Sen. Obama contacted the governor's office regarding use of the Old State Capitol. We contacted the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and reserved the Old State Capitol for the Senator on February 10th."

The Old State Capitol is where President Abraham Lincoln delivered his "House Divided" speech in 1858.

Fitzgerald today said that the charges the government was making about Blagojevich "would make Lincoln turn over in his grave."



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