Degree of Madness

Chicago Tribune story fast tracks Blagojevich arrest

Why did U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald decide to arrest Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday, December 9?  Because of a story the Chicago Tribune published on Friday, December 5.  Cam Simpson, reporting for The Wall Street Journal:

At Fitzgerald’s request, the paper had been holding back a story since October detailing how a confidante of Blagojevich was cooperating with his office.

...

But editors decided to publish the story on Friday, Dec. 5, ending the Tribune’s own cooperation deal with the prosecutor.

Which brings up another "why"?  Why did the editors decide to end their cooperation with Fitzgerald?  Thanks to the paper's tipoff, Blagojevich was able to "undo" a meeting he had his brother, “Fundraiser A", set up with an alleged supporter of Jesse Jackson, Jr., "Senate Candidate 5".  December 4:

...Blagojevich allegedly told his brother, a man identified in the affidavit as “Fundraiser A,” that he was “elevating” Mr. Jackson on the list of candidates, because the governor might be able to get something “tangible up front” for the pick.

He told his brother to meet with someone (unidentified by the feds) whom the pair believed to be close to Jackson. He urged his brother to tell this alleged supporter of Jackson that “some of this stuffs gotta start happening now… right now…and we gotta see it. You understand?” He was talking about campaign cash, the feds allege.

Then he allegedly offered his brother one final proviso: “I would do it in person. I would not do it on the phone.”

The next morning, on Friday, Dec. 5, it all came crashing down for the FBI agents underneath the headphones.

Thanks to this blaring headline:

“Feds taped Blagojevich; TRIBUNE EXCLUSIVE: Adviser cooperated with corruption probe, sources say.”

Here is how Fitzgerald addressed the Tribune article at the press conference following Blagojevich's arrest:

QUESTION: Mr. Fitzgerald, would you make clear just something about the timing here? When the Tribune ran its story a few days ago revealing that the governor was being taped, would you explain -- and I think some of this is laid out in the complaint -- did further taping take place or did that essentially terminate your ability to listen in?

MR. FITZGERALD: Well, what I would say is, to back up and to the extent that there have been articles, I'm not confirming or denying the accuracy of the articles. You can compare them against what happened.

I will say this, as you guys know, you guys are in the information business of getting it and publishing it, and we're in the information business of getting it and using it.

About eight weeks ago, before we had the bug installed and before we had the wiretap up, we were contacted by the Tribune to comment or confirm or deny on a story that they were going to run.

Had they ran that story, we thought we'd never have the opportunity to install the bug or place the telephone tap. And we made an urgent request for the Tribune not to publish that story.

That is a very rare thing for us to do and it's an even rarer thing for a newspaper to grant. We thought that the public interest required that the story not run.

It was a difficult conversation to have because we weren't allowed to describe what we doing, and I have to take my hat off that the Tribune withheld that story for a substantial period of time, which otherwise might have compromised the investigation for ever happening. And I think that's something that we should take note of.

And later, at a later point in time that story did run. I believe it ran on Friday morning. And we were recording after the story ran that said feds tape of Blagojevich, and as set forth in the complaint, days before, or even the day before that story ran, Governor Blagojevich was intercepted telling his fund-raiser to have that conversation about wanting to see campaign contributions up front and telling him to talk as if the whole world is listening; be careful, do it in person, not over the telephone.

And then, after the story ran, we got a different conversation the next day, which basically says, undo what you just did.

So it was clear that the reaction to the story was to think that they shouldn't proceed down that road. So to the extent that we had a number of weeks of interception (inaudible) the telephone, I do -- I do think we -- we ought to credit the Chicago Tribune that they agreed to that request.

They didn't agree to all our requests. As you might imagine, they saw it differently than we did. But I appreciate that and respect what they did.

That's curious.  He takes his "hat off" that the Tribune held off so long?  The story broke just before Blagojevich was about to (attempt) to make the deal with "Senate Candidate 5", Jesse Jackson, Jr.  I believe Fitzgerald would have a better case if the governor had been caught in an illegal act rather than conspiring to commit one. 

The Tribune does have an interest in this case, other than just breaking the story:

In addition to the pay-to-play allegations, which are described in greater detail in the complaint, we also were surprised to learn of an extortionate attempt against the Chicago Tribune newspaper.

The Chicago Tribune had not been kind to Governor Blagojevich, had written editorials that called for his impeachment. And Governor Blagojevich and defendant Jonathan -- John Harris, his chief of staff, schemed to send a message to the Chicago Tribune that if the Tribune Company wanted to sell its ballfield, Wrigley Field, in order to complete a business venture, the price of doing so was to fire certain editors, including one editor by name.

In the governor words -- governor's words, quote, "Fire all those bleeping people. Get them the bleep out of there. And get us some editorial support," close quote. And the bleeps are not really bleeps.

The defendant Harris tried to frame the message more subtly to get the point across to the Tribune that firing the editorial board members would be a good thing in terms of getting financing to allow the sale to go forward.

Maybe the editors were just interested in payback and not interested in seeing Jesse Jackson, Jr., among other prominent political figures, possibly leading to Barack Obama, implicated. The timing is suspicious, to say the least. 

And it's not the only suggestion of  suspicious timing in this sordid mess.

Barack Obama, saddened and unaware

Once again the septic tank that is Chicago politics has stopped up and the sewage is overflowing.  And once again Barack Obama is saddened - and blissfully unaware of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's "maneuvering".  Barack Obama is going to be the leader of the free world, in fact he's going to change the world!  If his time in Illinois is any indication, the world is in a heap of trouble.  Apparently he went from a Chicago community organizer, to the Illinois State Senate, to the United States Senate with one eye closed and a banana in his ear.  Or maybe he just didn't want to know.

Obama's reaction to his friend and financial supporter Tony Rezko's conviction on multiple corruption charges:

“I’m saddened by today’s verdict,” Obama said Wednesday. “This isn’t the Tony Rezko I knew, but now he has been convicted by a jury on multiple charges that once again shine a spotlight on the need for reform. I encourage the General Assembly to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent these kinds of abuses in the future.”

Obama's response to comments made by his (former) preacher, Jeremiah Wright:

"I am outraged by the comments that were made, and saddened over the spectacle that we saw yesterday," Obama said.

"The person I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago. His comments were not only divisive and destructive, but I believe they ended up giving comfort to those who prey on hate," he said.

Obama was deeply disappointed in his friend and supporter Father Michael Pgleger:

“As I have traveled this country, I've been impressed not by what divides us, but by all that that unites us. That is why I am deeply disappointed in Father Pfleger's divisive, backward-looking rhetoric, which doesn't reflect the country I see or the desire of people across America to come together in common cause," Obama said in a statement.

Obam's reply to questions about domestic terrorist William Ayers:

STEPHANOPOULOS: A gentleman named William Ayers, he was part of the Weather Underground in the 1970s. They bombed the Pentagon, the Capitol and other buildings. He's never apologized for that.

And, in fact, on 9/11 he was quoted in The New York Times saying, "I don't regret setting bombs; I feel we didn't do enough." An early organizing meeting for your State Senate campaign was held at his house and your campaign has said you are "friendly."

Can you explain that relationship for the voters and explain to Democrats why it won't be a problem?

OBAMA: George, but this is an example of what I'm talking about. This is a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who's a professor of English in Chicago who I know and who I have not received some official endorsement from. He's not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis.

And the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8 years old, somehow reflects on me and my values doesn't make much sense, George.

Along comes Governor Blagojevich.  Obama is saddened again, he didn't know:

"Like the rest of the people of Illinois I am saddened and sobered by the news that came out of the U.S. attorney's office today. But as this is an ongoing investigation involving the governor, I don't think it would be appropriate for me to comment on the issue at this time," Obama said — and then he said he wasn't aware of Blagojevich's maneuvering.

He wasn't aware.  All those years in Chicago he wasn't aware. 

Obama, Rezko, Jones, and Blagojevich:

Obama's circle of major Illinois political allies and supporters is largely separate from Blagojevich's, with two major exceptions. Both Obama and Blagojevich got extensive money and support from Chicago businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who is now under federal indictment. And Obama is close to Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, who has been the governor's staunchest legislative ally.

Maybe Obama didn't hang with Blagojevich but he does have a "long-term" association with him:

Obama Advised Blagojevich On His Victorious Gubernatorial Run. “That year, [Obama] gained his first high-level experience in a statewide campaign when he advised the victorious gubernatorial candidate Rod Blagojevich, another politician with a funny name and a message of reform.” (Ryan Lizza, “Making It,” The New Yorker, 7/21/08)

* Obama: “If the governor asks me to work on his behalf, I’ll be happy to do it.” (John Patterson, “Senator Says He’s Still Willing To Help Blagojevich Despite Hiring Concerns,” Chicago Daily Herald, 7/27/06)

Obama Endorsed Blagojevich For A Second Term. “Obama, who endorsed Blagojevich for a second term nearly 18 months ago, said he’s ready to help Illinois democrats in the upcoming elections.” (John Patterson, “Senator Says He’s Still Willing To Help Blagojevich Despite Hiring Concerns,” Chicago Daily Herald, 7/27/06)

* Obama: “We’ve got a governor in Rod Blagojevich who has delivered consistently on behalf of the people of Illinois.” (Deanna Bellandi, “Illinois Democrats Talk Unity But Don’t Show It,” The Associated Press, 8/16/06)

And that pesky Tony Rezko just keeps popping up.  Rezko had "strong ties" with Blagojevich just as he had strong ties with Barack Obama.

Obama's relationship with Emil Jones is especially revealing:

Long before Barack Obama launched his campaign for the White House, when he was considering a run for the US Senate in 2003, he paid an intriguing visit to a former Chicago sewers inspector who had risen to become one of the most influential African-American politicians in Illinois.

“You have the power to elect a US senator,” Obama told Emil Jones, Democratic leader of the Illinois state senate. Jones looked at the ambitious young man smiling before him and asked, teasingly: “Do you know anybody I could make a US senator?”

According to Jones, Obama replied: “Me.” It was his first, audacious step in a spectacular rise from the murky political backwaters of Springfield, the Illinois capital.

The exchange also sealed an intimate personal and political relationship that is likely to attract intense scrutiny amid the furore over Obama’s links to some of Chicago’s most controversial political and religious power brokers.

Obama has often described Jones as a key political mentor whose patronage was crucial to his early success in a state long dominated by near-feudal party political machines. Jones, 71, describes himself as Obama’s “godfather” and once said: “He feels like a son to me.”

...

For almost a year Jones has used his position as leader of the state senate to block anticorruption legislation passed unanimously by the state’s lower house. He has also become embroiled in ethical controversies concerning his wife’s job and his stepson’s business.

...

At one point during Obama’s 2003 Senate campaign, Jones set out to woo two African-American politicians miffed by Obama’s presumption and ambition. One of them, Rickey “Hollywood” Hendon, a state senator, had scoffed that Obama was so ambitious he would run for “king of the world” if the position were vacant.

When Jones secured the two men’s support, Obama asked his mentor how he had pulled it off. “I made them an offer,” Jones said in mock-mafioso style. “And you don’t want to know.”

Jones is now at the centre of a long row over his attempt to block proposed laws cracking down on his state’s “pay-to-play” tradition – whereby companies hoping to win government contracts have to contribute to the campaign funds of officials.

Jones’s staff say he blocked the bill because he intends to produce something tougher. No proposals have appeared.

"You don't want to know".

Obama's chief of staff Rahm Emanuel & Blagojevich scandal

This scandal is getting mighty close to Barack Obama.

The Telegraph (UK):

Sources close to the investigation said Rahm Emanuel, the new chief of staff, had conversations about the issue with Rod Blagojevich and John Harris, the governor's chief aide who is also facing corruption charges.

It is claimed that at one point he even gave them a list of acceptable candidates to take over the vacant seat.

Suspicion has grown that Mr Emanuel is the unnamed "Washington based adviser" mentioned in the 76-page prosecutors' affidavit that Mr Blagojevich ordered his chief of staff to contact.

Obama-Blagojevich meeting. Proof goes Poof!

What happened to the article at Connect Tristates, KHQA, I linked to in this post?  The one that reported Barack Obama's meeting with Governor Blagojevich?  It was there when I posted it this morning.  Down the memory hole it went.  Fortunately there exists a screen shot.  Via JammieWearingFool:

A cover-up even more amateurish than all those blog posts that disappeared from Obama's website.

Only now we have the media complicit in the whitewash.

Change!

Just imagine the howls if a media outlet published a story potentially damaging to George W. Bush and a month later it disappeared.

Update: By the way, since a reader asked, KHQA is a CBS affiliate based in Hannibal, Missouri. You can email them at khqa@khqa.com.

JWF is exactly right.  Amateurish.  The article was available this morning.  When it became obvious someone in the Obama camp was lying (actually two someones, Obama and Axelrod), and this article proved it, POOF, it was gone.  But not forgotten.  JWF links to Gateway Pundit who had the screen shot.  But wait...that's not the only article that went POOF at KHQA.  As JWF notes, another article went missing. 

(It keeps getting better.  Or worse depending on how you look at it).  Doug Ross has an interesting update:

Update: Like David Axelrod, television station KHQA just retracted both of its stories that mentioned the Obama-Blago meeting (one written before and one written after).

KHQA TV wishes to offer clarification regarding a story that appeared last month on our website ConnectTristates.com. The story, which discussed the appointment of a replacement for President Elect Obama in the U.S. Senate, became the subject of much discussion on talk radio and on blog sites Wednesday. The story housed in our website archive was on the morning of November 5, 2008. It suggested that a meeting was scheduled later that day between President Elect Obama and Illinois Governor Blagojevich. KHQA has no knowledge that any meeting ever took place. Governor Blagojevich did appear at a news conference in Chicago on that date

That doesn't explain the second story which reported -- post facto -- that the meeting had taken place.

Screen shot of the second article:

Doug Ross continues:

The second article was written by a different author than the first, which would imply that independent confirmation of the meeting may have taken place.

The American Digest has the who, what, when, where and why that KHQA seems a little unsure about:

Let's review what Ms. Sowers original story on November 5 tells us:
Who: Obama and the Governor
What: A meeting is is to be held.
Where: In Chicago.
When: The afternoon of November 5.
Why: To discuss the Senate replacement for President-Elect Obama.

Let's review what Ms. Hunt's original story on November 8 tells us:
Who: President-Elect Obama and the Governor
What: Had a meeting
Where: In Illinois.
When: "Earlier in the week"
Why: To discuss filling Obama's seat in the Senate.

Let's review what today's "clairification" tells us:
Who: No person, just an amorphous thing called "KHQA" which "wishes to offer."
What: A story "which discussed the appointment of a replacement for..."
Where: Somewhere "on our website."
When: Sometime "last month."
Why: "KHQA has no knowledge that any meeting ever took place." But perhaps this KHQA could ask Ms. Sowers who does (or did)...

Now recall the statement in today's "Clarification" that says, "KHQA has no knowledge that any meeting ever took place."

Well, if it KHQA had read itself on the 8th it would have that knowledge. But since the KHQA story from the 8th has now been erased from the KHQA story database I guess you cold say "KHQA has no knowledge that any meeting ever took place." But it would be more correct to say "KHQA no longer has any knowledge that any meeting ever took place. We did have that knowledge in our knowledge base but we dumped it."

And the lies just keep on coming.

Senate Candidate No. 5 is.....

Democrat Jesse Jackson, Jr., according to ABC News:

Chicago Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., is the anonymous "Senate Candidate No. 5" whose emissaries Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich reportedly offered up to $1 million to name him to the U.S. Senate, federal law enforcement sources tell ABC News.

According to the FBI affidavit in the case, Blagojevich "stated he might be able to cut a deal with Senate Candidate 5 that provided Rod Blagojevich" with something "tangible up front."

Jackson said this morning he was contacted Tuesday by federal prosecutors in Chicago whom he said "asked me to come in and share with them my insights and thoughts about the selection process."

Jackson said, "I don't know" when asked whether he was Candidate No. 5, but said he was told "I am not a target of this investigation."

Senate Candidate No. 5 figures prominently in the complaint against Blagojevich:

"Senate Candidate No. 5" played a key role in the governor's efforts to obtain something of value in exchange for the Senate appointment, according to the FBI affidavit.

According to the affidavit, Blagojevich threatened to appoint Senate Candidate No. 5 if President-elect Obama refused to help get his wife on "paid corporate boards right now."

"If they feel like they can do this and not f-- give me anything then I'll f-- go [Senate Candidate 5]."

The FBI says that during an Oct. 31 conversation, Blagojevich described an approach from an associate of Senate Candidate 5: "We were approached 'pay to play.' That, you know, he'd raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him [Senate Candidate 5] a senator."

On Thursday, the FBI says Blagojevich "was giving Senate Candidate 5 greater consideration for the Senate seat" because he might "get some [money] up front, maybe."

If what's alleged in the complaint is true, Jackson will be a target soon enough.  Time to make a deal?

Barack Obama Did Meet With Blagojevich

Connect Tristates, November 5, 2008: (Update 11:37PM...what happened to this link?  It went poof.  Wonder why?)

CHICAGO, ILL. -- Now that Barack Obama will be moving to the White House, his seat in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois will have to be filled.

That's one of Obama's first priorities today.

He's meeting with Governor Rod Blagojevich this afternoon in Chicago to discuss it.

Here is a screen shot from Blagojevich's website, dated November 5 (can't seem to access that website at the moment.  hmmm):

 

Guess Axelrod wasn't mistaken after all.

Seems our president-elect has some explaining to do.  As a reminder:

"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.)

(UPDATE #2:  Axelrod this evening issued a statement saying. "I was mistaken when I told an interviewer last month that the President-elect has spoken directly to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. They did not then or at any time discuss the subject.")

Via:  Gateway Pundit:

Obviously, Barack Obama is not being honest about his contact with Blagojevich

David Axelrod: I was mistaken

Does anyone really believe this:

A senior adviser to President-elect Obama said Tuesday night that he was "mistaken" when he told an interviewer last month that Obama had talked with troubled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich about filling his empty Senate seat.

...

Obama said Tuesday afternoon that he has had "no contact" with the governor, who was arrested Tuesday morning by federal authorities for an array of corruption charges including allegedly trying to trade pay for the president-elect's Senate seat. 

Flashback to  November 23.  "I know he's talked to the governor":

Let's just call it like it is. Someone's lying. Good grief, they take us all for fools.  A little Obama/Blagojevich history, via JammieWearingFool:

Obama Advised Blagojevich On His Victorious Gubernatorial Run. “That year, [Obama] gained his first high-level experience in a statewide campaign when he advised the victorious gubernatorial candidate Rod Blagojevich, another politician with a funny name and a message of reform.” (Ryan Lizza, “Making It,” The New Yorker, 7/21/08)

Obama: “If the governor asks me to work on his behalf, I’ll be happy to do it.” (John Patterson, “Senator Says He’s Still Willing To Help Blagojevich Despite Hiring Concerns,” Chicago Daily Herald, 7/27/06)

Obama Endorsed Blagojevich For A Second Term. “Obama, who endorsed Blagojevich for a second term nearly 18 months ago, said he’s ready to help Illinois democrats in the upcoming elections.” (John Patterson, “Senator Says He’s Still Willing To Help Blagojevich Despite Hiring Concerns,” Chicago Daily Herald, 7/27/06)

Obama: “We’ve got a governor in Rod Blagojevich who has delivered consistently on behalf of the people of Illinois.” (Deanna Bellandi, “Illinois Democrats Talk Unity But Don’t Show It,” The Associated Press, 8/16/06)

Seems only natural that Obama would talk with the governor, right?

Way to take one for the boss, Axelrod, sure hope he's paying you well.  He's making you look a little foolish here.

Who is Senate Candidate 5?

Inquiring minds want to know.  Washington Wire:

–Blagojevich told an adviser he might “get some (money) up front, maybe” from an unnamed “Senate Candidate 5” if he named that candidate to the Senate. The candidate allegedly pledged to raise money for the governor’s re-election.

–An associate of “Senate Candidate 5” approached Blagojevich. “We were approached ‘pay to play.’ That, you know, he’d raise 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a senator,” Blagojevich said in a taped recording.

Senate Candidate Number 1 is (most likely) Valerie Jarrett, one of Obama's close associates - and friend - from Chicago:

llinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was captured on tape saying that unless he received “something real good” for the appointment of a top adviser to Barack Obama to fill the president-elect’s Senate seat he would appoint himself, according to the criminal complaint.

“Unless I get something real good [for Senate candidate 1], s***, I’ll just send myself, you know what I’m saying,” Blagojevich was taped saying on November 3rd, the day before Election Day.

Blagojevich, a Democrat, added that the Senate seat “is a f***ing valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.”

The complaint does not mention her name, but the description makes clear that Blagojevich is referring to Valerie Jarrett, a senior campaign adviser to Obama who has been tapped as a top White House aide.

No word on Senate Candidates 2, 3, and 4.  One of them could be related to this: (Update.  Maybe not.  See below)

Blagojevich also tried to shake down a union in exchange for appointing a senator who was favorable to the union, prosecutors allege.

Talk about a tangled web, Blagojevich is one brazen dude.  Or maybe just a big dummy.  Allahpundit:

A belated thought: Is this the single dumbest racket ever attempted by a major politician? He knew the U.S. Attorney was investigating him, he knew he couldn’t trust his cronies — and yet he was still willing to talk openly about selling a seat in the United States Senate?

***UPDATE***

Inquiring minds also might be interested in the identity of the union official.  Michelle Malkin:

If there’s a Chicago political corruption scandal, there’s a union official involved somewhere. Naturally, we discover on page 69 of the Blago criminal complaint, the appearance of “SEIU official,” discussing the vacant Senate seat with the Democrat governor. “Senate Candidate 1″ is rumored to be Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett. Inquiring minds want to know: Who is “SEIU official?”:

Page 69 also indidcates the preferred union candidate was Senate Candidate 1:

On November 12, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with SEIU Official, who was in Washington, D.C. Prior intercepted phone conversations indicate that approximately a week before this call, ROD BLAGOJEVICH met with SEIU Official to discuss the vacant Senate seat, and ROD BLAGOJEVICH understood that SEIU Official was an emissary to discuss Senate Candidate 1’s interest in the Senate seat. During the conversation with SEIU Official on November 12, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH informed SEIU Official that he had heard the President-elect wanted persons other than Senate Candidate 1 to be considered for the Senate seat.

SEIU Official stated that he would find out if Senate Candidate 1 wanted SEIU Official to keep pushing her for Senator with ROD BLAGOJEVICH. ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that “one thing I’d be interested in” is a 501(c)(4) organization. ROD BLAGOJEVICH explained the 501(c)(4) idea to SEIU Official and said that the 501(c)(4) could help “our new Senator [Senate Candidate 1].” SEIU Official agreed to “put that flag up and see where it goes.”

110. On November 12, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Advisor B. ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Advisor B that he told SEIU Official, “I said go back to [Senate Candidate 1], and, and say hey, look, if you still want to be a Senator don’t rule this out and then broach the idea of this 501(c)(4) with her.”

Complete and total corruption. 

***UPDATE 2***

Interesting timing.  On November 12:

Valerie Jarrett, a close friend and adviser to President-elect Barack Obama, today took herself out of the running to replace him in the U.S. Senate.

“I am not interested in the Senate seat,” Jarrett told the Tribune in an e-mail this afternoon.

Jarrett’s name was high on the list of potential successors to Obama immediately after he won the Nov. 4 presidential election. Under state law, Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich gets to name Obama’s successor through the next general election in 2010.

Jarrett said she was in meetings with the president-elect in Chicago as part of the White House transition and declined further comment.

Ben Smith:

The transition hasn't yet responded to questions about Rod Blagojevich's indictment, but the key question is whether the transition was talking to prosecutors, whether Obama and Valerie Jarrett knew that Blagojevich had offered her the Senate seat in exchange for a labor job, and how she, the transition, or SEIU handled the solicitation of a bribe.

One piece of speculation: Jarrett's abrupt withdrawal from consideration for the Senate seat suggests Obama's circle aware of the investigation.

***UPDATE 3***

The Hill: Clues to identity of candidates #1-6

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich arrested

The Chicago Tribune:

Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested by FBI agents on federal corruption charges Tuesday morning.

Blagojevich and Harris were arrested simultaneously at their homes at about 6:15 a.m., according to Frank Bochte of the FBI. Both were awakened in their residences and transported to FBI headquarters in Chicago.

Here is the link to the Justice Department release.  The criminal complaint is here.

Among other things, Blagojevich was trying to sell Obama's senate seat:

A 76-page FBI affidavit alleges that Blagojevich was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps during the last month conspiring to sell or trade Illinois' U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama for financial and other personal benefits for himself and his wife. At various times, in exchange for the Senate appointment, Blagojevich discussed obtaining:

A substantial salary for himself at a either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions;

Placing his wife on paid corporate boards where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year;

Promises of campaign funds – including cash up front; and

A cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.

And there is possible union involvement:

Later on November 5, Blagojevich said to Advisor A, "I've got this thing and it's [expletive] golden, and, uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing. I'm not gonna do it. And, and I can always use it. I can parachute me there," the affidavit states.

Two days later, in a three-way call with Harris and Advisor B, a consultant in Washington, Blagojevich and the others allegedly discussed the prospect of a three-way deal for the Senate appointment involving an organization called "Change to Win," which is affiliated with various unions including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

On November 10, Blagojevich, his wife, Harris, Governor General Counsel, Advisor B and other Washington-based advisors participated at different times in a two-hour phone call in which they allegedly discussed, among other things, a deal involving the SEIU. Harris said they could work out a deal with the union and the President-elect where SEIU could help the President-elect with Blagojevich's appointment of Senate Candidate 1, while Blagojevich would obtain a position as the National Director of the Change to Win campaign and SEIU would get something favorable from the President-elect in the future. Also during that call, Blagojevich agreed it was unlikely that the President-elect would name him Secretary of Health and Human Services or give him an ambassadorship because of all of the negative publicity surrounding him.

It's the Chicago way:

You want your Chicago-style politics? They don’t come much more Chicago-style than this: Democratic Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was just arrested, along with his chief of staff, by FBI agents. How many corrupt things can one Governor do before a new ethics law takes effect at the beginning of next year? Blagojevich was apparently trying to set some sort of record. And Rezko’s involved! And Tribune Co! Let’s start with Rod’s charming decision to sell the Senate seat vacated by squeaky clean president-elect Barack Obama!

Former Illinois Governor George Ryan is already in jail:

Patrick Fitzgerald, the federal prosecutor, noted: "Mr. Ryan steered contracts worth millions of dollars to friends and took payments and vacations in return. When he was a sitting governor, he lied to the F.B.I. about this conduct and then he went out and did it again." He charged that one of the most egregious aspects of the corruption was Ryan's action after learning that bribes were being paid for licenses. Instead of ending the practice he tried to end the investigation that had uncovered it, Fitzgerald said, calling the moment "a low-water mark for public service."

I guess Blagojevich is trying out-low-water-mark Ryan.  It's apparently a badge of honor in Illinois politics.