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4:10 PM ET, December 9, 2008

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Chicago Breaking News:
Blagojevich arrested on federal charges  —  Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested today 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.
RELATED:
Chicago Tribune:
Blagojevich's Senate selection process investigated  —  Federal probe widens to Obama's vacant seat  —  UPDATE: Source: Feds take Gov. Blagojevich into custody  —  A source said today that Gov. Rod Blagojevich was taken into federal custody at his North Side home this morning.
Marc Ambinder:
Blago Indictment: Who Is Senate Candidate 5?  —  Gov. Blagojevich's own words make it clear that he did not believe that Barack Obama wanted a person called “Senate Candidate 5” to be appointed to the Senate. … In other words — if Blago doesn't get what he wanted, then he'd stiff the PEOTUS …
New York Times:
Illinois Governor in Corruption Scandal  —  CHICAGO — Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois was arrested by federal authorities on Tuesday morning on corruption charges, including an allegation that he conspired to effectively sell President-elect Barack Obama's seat in the United States Senate to the highest bidder.
Faiz Shakir / Think Progress:
Chicago reporter suggests Rahm Emanuel may have ‘tipped’ off federal investigators about Blagojevich.»  —  Marcy Wheeler catches local Chicago press reporting that Rahm Emanuel may have tipped off federal investigators that Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) was engaging in corrupt acts.
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Blago calls Obama “motherf—er”  —  The tapes reveal a two-term governor who no longer wants his job, badly wants cash and is determined to leverage a financial benefit out of his appointment powers.  —  He also appears to think little of the president-elect, whom he calls a “motherf***er” at one point.
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
What the transition knew  —  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 …
Chicago Tribune:
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich arrested  —  Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris were arrested today by FBI agents on federal corruption charges.  —  Tribune staff report  —  Gov. Rod Blagojevich arrives at the Tribune Tower for an interview with CNN in Chicago.
Associated Press:
Illinois gov. released on own recognizance  —  CHICAGO - A federal judge in Chicago has ordered Governor Rod Blagojevich released on his own recognizance after the Democrat was hit with federal corruption charges.  —  The governor was arrested at his home Tuesday on charges he conspired …
Discussion: The Politico and Big Brass Blog
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
AMAZING  —  Even setting aside the primordial level of corruption of trying to sell the senate seat of the President-elect of the United States, I never fail to be amazed at the brazenness and stupidity of some political crooks.  I mean, I think everyone involved in politics or interested …
Discussion: Washington Monthly
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
‘Senate Candidate 5’  —  Capitol Fax's Rich Miller updates the state of the speculation on the identity of “Senate Candidate 5,” the public official who — from the complaint — appears to be in the most jeopardy, aside from Blagojevich and Harris.  “Senate Candidate 5.”
Discussion: Reuters
CNN:
Durbin wants special election to replace Obama  —  (CNN) — Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said Tuesday he wants a special election called to fill President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat.  —  At a press conference with reporters on Capitol Hill, Durbin said he wants the Illinois legislature …
Jonathan Martin / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Blago wanted to shake down Warren Buffett  —  Blagojevich and his inner circle were expansive in pondering just how they could leverage the Senate appointment for financial gain, and at one point the governor floated the notion that legendary financier and Obama supporter Warren Buffett could somehow be brought into the deal.
Discussion: Donklephant
The Smoking Gun:
Obama Senate Seat For Sale?  —  Feds: Blagojevich saw Obama's vacated job as a “valuable thing”  —  The criminal complaint filed today against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich contains a remarkable section detailing the Democratic politician's alleged attempt to cash in on his ability …
Discussion: The Volokh Conspiracy and Gawker
Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:
I Need Help On The Latest Rezko-Obama Story
Discussion: Gawker and The Capitol Fax Blog
Chicago Sun Times:   Charges: Illinois Governor Blagojevich shook down the Chicago Tribune
Marc Ambinder:
Blago Indictment And The Obama Team
Discussion: The RBC
Associated Press:   US Atty: Not alleging Obama knew of Ill. gov. plan
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Blagojevich Criminal Complaint: The Best of the Best
Brad Plumer / The New Republic:
Blago On Obama: “F*** Him.”
Discussion: Democracy in America
CNN:   Feds: Governor on ‘political corruption crime spree’
Emptywheel:
Press Conference of Fitz Blago Liveblog
Discussion: Firedoglake
Zachary Roth / TPMMuckraker:   Blagojevich Charged With Selling Obama's Senate Seat, Plotting To Purge Trib
CNN:
Court: Craig can't withdraw sex-sting plea  —  (CNN) — The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected U.S. Sen. Larry Craig's effort to withdraw his guilty plea to a misdemeanor offense of disorderly conduct in connection with a sex-sting operation.  —  “Because we see no abuse …
Discussion: Washington Monthly and TalkLeft
RELATED:
Steve Karnowski / Associated Press:   Sen. Craig loses appeal in airport sex sting case
Jonathan Stein / MoJoBlog:
So.  Who Will Appoint the Next Illinois Senator?  —  Looks like it is Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn, the man on the right.  He better have zero uncovered corruption scandals in his past, because the entire national media is going to turn its eyes to him as soon as it's done digesting Fitzgerald's complaint.
RELATED:
Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:
Blago Can Still Make The Appointment
Matthew Lee / Associated Press:
Cracks appear in Obama foreign policy team … WASHINGTON (AP) - The first sign of cracks in President-elect Barack Obama's foreign policy team of rivals emerged on Monday as his choices for secretary of state and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations visited the State Department.
Discussion: Hot Air and Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ross Douthat:
The Case For Caroline?  —  After allowing that her head tells her to “recoil from political dynasties,” Ruth Marcus lets her heart make the case for Senator Kennedy of New York: … I don't know about Jesse Ventura, but I find Schwarzenegger and Sonny Bono's pre-political careers as self …
RELATED:
Nicholas Confessore / City Room:
Senator Kennedy Denies Politicking for Niece
 
 
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Andy Barr / The Politico:
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Discussion: Donklephant
Bloomberg:
Illinois Threat to Bank of America Is Dangerous, Critics Say
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