Scared Monkeys Radio Daily Commentary – Wednesday, December 10, 2008 – Rod Blagojevich And John Harris Busted For Corruption

• Dana cries a river over the latest politicians making the news for alleged corruption

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Why do I think that this is just the tip of the corrupt iceberg and there are many more legs to this story. Now it only depends on whether the media will actually do their job.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich arrested on federal charges

Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested Tuesday by FBI agents for what U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald called a “staggering” level of corruption involving pay-to-play politics in Illinois’ top office.

Who knew that senate seats were available to to purchased on Ebay?  Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich tries to sell Barack Obama’s senate seat to the person that would benefit him the most. Blago also tried to silence the critical media.

Chicago Politics: Change You can believe in

Governor Accused in Scheme to Sell Obama’s Senate Seat

In recorded conversations with advisers, the governor, Rod R. Blagojevich, seemed alternately boastful, flip and spiteful about the Senate choice, which he crassly likened at one point to that of a sports agent shopping around a free agent for the steepest price, a federal affidavit showed. At times, he even weighed aloud appointing himself to the job, the prosecutors said.

“I’ve got this thing,” Mr. Blagojevich said on one recording, according to the affidavit, “and it’s [expletive] golden. And I’m just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing. I’m not going to do it. And I can always use it. I can parachute me there.”

Obama Says He Had No Contact With Blagojevich on Senate Seat … hmm

Blagojevich Arrest Puts Obama Ties in the Spotlight

The case will keep the public spotlight on some episodes Obama thought he had put behind him, including his ties to Antoin Rezko, a convicted Chicago real-estate developer who was accused in a Federal Bureau of Investigation affidavit Tuesday of scheming with Blagojevich. Rezko raised campaign funds for both men, and was one of Obama’s earliest supporters as he was climbing the political ladder in Illinois.

The matter also highlights ties between the disgraced Democratic governor and some members of Obama’s inner circle. His top campaign strategist, David Axelrod — who will move to the White House for a senior adviser’s job — lists Blagojevich on his firm’s Web site as one of his clients, when the politician was a candidate for Congress.

And because Blagojevich stands accused of trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the president-elect, Obama’s name will be forever linked to the case, even though he isn’t accused of wrongdoing.

What is the real question that everyone wants to know … Questions Arise About the Obama/Blagojevich Relationship.

“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.”

From the blogs:

• Flopping Aces: Appoint a Special Prosecutor in Blagojevitch-Obama Corruption Probe

• Hot Air: Obama: I never talked to Blagojevich about the Senate seat; Axelrod: Yes, he did; Update: Axelrod misspoke, says Obama camp

• News Busters: Will Media Cover Obama/Rod Blagojevich Connection?

• The Jawa Report: Axelrod: Obama Had Talked To Blago About Replacement

• The Gateway Pundit: “Blagojevich Arrest Shakes Obama Presidency to Its Core”