The Sun-Times has updated its story on Reid’s calls to Rod Blagojevich with this statement from Harry Reid:
Gov. Blagojevich appears to be trying to distract attention from his daunting legal problems and damaged credibility by distorting information about private phone calls between himself and other public officials. It is regrettable and reprehensible.Gov. Blagojevich’s efforts to try to tarnish others while the cloud of suspicion continues to grow over him are shameful, as are his efforts to further betray the public trust and sow seeds of division. As each day passes it becomes increasingly clear that Gov. Blagojevich is not fit to lead, and he should resign.
I will not allow his corruption charges or his antics to distract me from leading the Senate, to drive a wedge in our party or to obscure the facts.I’m fascinated not only by Reid’s decision to respond to what he apparently believes is a Blago leak, but by his accusation that Blago is lying. That’s because there are now three different versions about whether or not Jesse Jackson Jr. was acceptable to Obama and Reid.
Yesterday, the Chicago Sun Times said that Harry Reid had called the Governor [Blagojevich] opposing Jesse Jackson Jr., Danny Davis, and Emil Jones [all three African-Americans] as replacements for Obama’s Senate seat. Apparently Harry didn’t like that report very much, though his statement doesn’t give many specifics. Likewise, the Chicago Tribune had reported Rahm Emmanual’s purported list:
Recall that, several weeks ago, someone leaked to the Trib details of Rahm’s discussions with Blago about "acceptable" candidates for the Senate seat. That list rather notably did not include JJJ.
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.In fact, except for Jarrett, that list did not include any African-American candidates.
Then there’s version 2:
But that’s not who Rahm says was on the list.Between the time that Mr. Emanuel decided to accept the position of Chief of Staff in the White House and December 8, 2008, Mr. Emanuel had about four telephone conversations with John Harris, Chief of Staff to the Governor, on the subject of the Senate seat. In these conversations, Mr. Emanuel and Mr. Harris discussed the merits of potential candidates and the strategic benefit that each candidate would bring to the Senate seat. After Ms. Jarrett removed herself from consideration, Mr. Emanuel – with the authorization of the President-Elect – gave Mr. Harris the names of four individuals whom the President-Elect considered to be highly qualified: Dan Hynes, Tammy Duckworth, Congresswoman Schakowsky, and Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. In later telephone conversations, Mr. Emanuel – also with the President-Elect’s approval – presented other names of qualified candidates to Mr. Harris including Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and Ms. Cheryle Jackson.
The Trib’s sources say JJJ and Cheryle Jackson were not on the list, Rahm says they were…
emptywheel goes on to parse the indictment and the various stories about who had which person on what list when, and then explain the possible motives each person might have had for releasing this-or-that whatever-whenever. That brings me to what I think about all of this:
-
Governor Blagojevich is a crook. It’s in the transcript. He was trying to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder.
-
Everybody else was wheeling and dealing like politicians do.
-
I don’t think that Harry Ried, Rahm Emmanual, or Barack Obama are crooks or racists.
-
Harry Ried took the bait and engaged with Rod Blagojevich, breaking my cardinal rule for living, "Never accept an invitation to go crazy."
-
I’ve decided not to launch my political career in Chicago Illinois.
This story has way outlived its news cycle by a long shot. It was fine to sift through every story with a fine tooth comb when it was the Bush Administration because of their track record. I’m not thinking that this story needs any more reporting unless you think that it might land Rod Blagojevich a spot on "Dancing with the Stars." I’m hoping that the State of Illinois impeaches Blagojevich before January 20th, 2009. In that vein I was pleased to read:Roland Burris will be invited to testify before the Illinois state House impeachment panel Wednesday about his Senate appointment.
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is speeding up the effort to eject Democratic Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich from office, telling lawmakers to be prepared to vote on the governor’s impeachment as soon as next week.
Leaders in Springfield and Washington are pursuing the same goal: denying a U.S. Senate seat to former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris, Blagojevich’s choice to fill the seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama. The governor faces federal corruption charges, including that he tried to sell Obama’s Senate seat.
Even as Senate leaders try to delay Burris’ seating, state lawmakers are accelerating the pace of impeachment proceedings against Blagojevich with the idea that the succeeding governor, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, could appoint a senator too. That would allow the Senate to decide which appointee to seat…
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.