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Rahm Source: Story That He Tipped Off Feds To Blago Is False
A source close to Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is denying reports that Rahm tipped off the Feds to Blagojevich's alleged efforts to sell Obama's Senate seat.
The rumors to this effect have been flying all afternoon, kicked off by a local Fox reporter in Chicago who claimed that he'd received a "tip" that Blago had reached out to Rahm to "leverage" filling Obama's Senate seat.
"It may have been Rahm Emanuel who tipped the scale and made this move as quickly as it did," the reporter said.
But a source close to Rahm emails us that "it's not true," adding that the story is the "result of some overzealous reporting."
It was a fun one, though.
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Wish he had. Did anyone else tip off the Feds?
December 9, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Feds have been investigating the governor for many years and applied to the court for wire tapping authority before the election.
If you will look into the matter, for instance in this Chicago Tribune report, you will learn that:
December 9, 2008 5:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for that link. What'd you think of this statement?
“No, I consider him a friend and I don't consider him as anything but a friend. And to someone who, as I've known him, always has been an honest person who's conducted himself in an honest way,” Blagojevich said of Wyma. “That's the John Wyma I know and it's the John Wyma that Rahm Emanuel knows and a lot of other people know."
Why include Emmanuel's name?
December 9, 2008 5:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have no explanation as to why Blag would say such a thing. But, then again, I have no explanation as to why the guy would continue to use the telephone to engage in apparent criminal conspiracies when he knew he was under federal investigation.
The guy is obviously just incredibly stupid, so I see no point in trying to attach any rational explanation to anything he might have to say.
December 9, 2008 6:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason for the leak. Of course Rahm wouldn't want to be involved, but planting the impression that the Obama team not only said "No thanks," but actively fought corruption makes good PR sense. Coming from Fox the "news" is even more impressive.
Of course every story about the seat sale includes a photo of Barack and Blago together. Just having his name associated with Blagojevich is damaging to Obama's image. It would be a brilliant piece of political judo if the Obamites leaked the story to Fox. It feeds our national need for conspiracy theories, thus it has legs.
December 10, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
That is too bad. I had these images of Blago trying to shake down team Obama and they returned the favor by knee-capping him instead.
Oh well.
As a Chicagoan, this is a national embarassment. Our last Governor just reported to jail in the last year or so. So sick of all the wheeling & dealing in our gov;t but it has been like this for as long as I can remember. I will just need to hold onto the fact that we have Obama & Rahm to keep our IL image out of the crapper.
December 9, 2008 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
O/T: what the heck is your avatar?
(I think it's really cute, but I can't tell what I'm actually looking at, if that makes any sense...)
December 9, 2008 5:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think it's a stuffed puppy.
December 9, 2008 5:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think you're right. Or a sock puppet. (The real kind, not the internet kind...)
December 9, 2008 5:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is a really up close shot of a Newfoundland dog.
December 9, 2008 8:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
The most shocking about this, to me, was the fact that there is a governor as dumb as (or even dumber than) Palin, and that dumb governor is a goddamn Democrat.
Ultimately, I am not worried about Obama. Whacks will say whatever they want, but this "guilt by association" thing is already old. But it sure feels like having the wind taken out of our sail, which makes me mad.
December 9, 2008 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
That was my first thought, geo. And I would say dumber than Palin. Blogo is one for the books.
December 9, 2008 7:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hah. Where's that HurlMeCaca, er Trollmemore, um, ok, I know I can get it right -- tellmemore?
*crickets*
December 9, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, it was a result of Fox News, never trust it, even local :P
December 9, 2008 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Darn, that was a good storyline. Well, off to delete my own post on the matter....
December 9, 2008 5:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
However Blagojevich reaching out to Rahm had negative connotations for Rahm in that Blago thought he could do business with him, and one could then infer that Blago thinks this way because of past dealings.
The Obama camp knows more than they're admitting to because "Jarrett to the Senate" was squashed right quickly.
I can't believe they'd run away from that idea but not tip off Fitzgerald about their reasons why.
I just think the Obama camp wants to keep their distance from this mess, and admitting they played a part in the tip-off would draw them in when they want to be focused on the transition.
December 9, 2008 5:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Blago may have reached out to Rahm, not because past history suggested it would work, but because Rahm is the person closest to the next President, and Blago seems a bit delusional about reality, so it's not surprising that he might reach out to Rahm. Past history might be the reason, but there's alternative explanations.
The "Jarrett in the Senate" may have been squashed right away because they may have realized that no matter how innocent Obama was, the choice of Jarrett would forever be tainted by Blago. You're making the assumption that they knew nothing about any of this investigation.
December 9, 2008 5:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
>>However Blagojevich reaching out to Rahm had negative connotations for Rahm in that Blago thought he could do business with him, and one could then infer that Blago thinks this way because of past dealings. >>
After reading that complaint against Blagojevich, you think there's some rhyme or reason to his actions? Give me a break! The guy was trying to shake down the Tribune and Children's Hospital, for goodness sake! Does that suggest he'd done business with them before?
He was talking about getting a cabinet appointment from Obama when Obama wouldn't even let him speak at the convention or be on stage at Grant Park. He was talking about running for president in 2016 when everybody knows he's just months away from being indicted. And you think this guy is rational??
December 9, 2008 7:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
My guess? This rumor was a play by the Obama campaign to cloud up the story during the feeding frenzy. Inject a plausible rumor into the mix to protect Obama from any overzealous sharks in the media, until the story is no longer "hot".
Who might be the most overzealous sharks? Why, the Fox corporation. And didn't they get the leak?
Or maybe I'm completely hallucinating, which is entirely possible.
December 9, 2008 6:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Keep in mind this is FAUX News. Their journalistic standards are pretty much just making stuff up. So it's best to completely ignore whatever FOX reports, one way or the other.
December 9, 2008 7:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
But didn't Fox's rumor benefit the Obama camp? If the people believe that Emannuel was a responsible citizen and tipped off Blago, that's a good thing for Obama. Don't you think?
December 9, 2008 7:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think so too. And you know once something is said on FOX, it becomes the truth to many in their audience. Did FOX take back the statement on TV yet?
December 9, 2008 8:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
It would have been alot cooler if he did, ahhh well
December 9, 2008 7:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wondered what Josh Marshall was going to do after the election. Now we know, comedian.
December 9, 2008 8:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
OT: Am I the only one who thinks Clarence Page looks like Jimminy Cricket?
HA!
December 9, 2008 8:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now that you say it....
December 9, 2008 8:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was hoping that the transition would be glitch free. So much for that hope, and I guess the righties get something to chew on for the holidays.
I have read that Tom DeLay called Blagojevich to extend his sympathy, along with his lawyers phone number.
December 10, 2008 12:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Someone ratted him out, maybe even wore a wire.
December 10, 2008 1:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
But a source close to Rahm emails us that "it's not true,"
And (given that the natural instincts, having sunk the shiv, are to cloak its origin) we believe this "source close to Rahm" because why?
December 10, 2008 2:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Let's face it. The O-man is in this up to his neck and is still in the pocket of Rezko and Blago. Fitzy's going to be knocking on the white house door before this is over. Gives a whole new meaning to getting that 3:00 A.M. call in the white house --- from the FBI.
Better start cheering for a Biden Pelosi administration. Unfortunately they are all going to have to wait four years for a pardon.
December 10, 2008 3:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Let's face it, you have no idea what you are talking about and you are lying. Read page 8 of the complaint against Blago, sport. Blago himself said "(Expletive) them" re: Obama. And more important, Fitzgerald said there are no allegations against Obama. What part of "no" do you not understand? Seriously, get a clue.
December 10, 2008 5:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
I guess after over a year of banking all their hopes on their Rezko delusions, they're still not ready to let go. Being flat-out, embarrassingly a billion times before didn't stop them, why should it now?
December 10, 2008 8:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
You're not very good at trolling.
December 10, 2008 8:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yep, Obama is so deep in this, the Feds are saying it was his push to pass Illinois ethics reform over Blago's veto that served as the catalyst for the arrest:
Obama, he's so corrupt, he privately helps push for ethics reform against the efforts of his own party! Does his shameless evil know no bounds?!
December 10, 2008 8:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Has anyone considered that it is Bob Greenlee, the Deputy Governor who resigned yesterday. To me, that would seem the likely source. If Greenlee was a co-conspirator, he'd be in a much stronger position to defend if he was next to Blago. Judging by the transcripts released, even someone as ignorant and arrogant as Blago could do process of elimination and figure out who was in the room with him. I got a feeling he resigned because he knows Blago knows that it was him and he didn't want to spend any additional time at the statehouse once Blago posted bail.
Too bad his name wasn't Fredo...
December 11, 2008 10:02 AM | Reply | Permalink