Top Items:
Huma Khan / Political Punch:
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 …
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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.
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.
Discussion:
Emptywheel, CNN, Gawker, Don Surber, Minnesota Independent, TPM Election Central and Wonkette
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 …
Discussion:
TalkLeft, The Capitol Fax Blog, The New Republic, DownWithTyranny!, ArchPundit and Eunomia
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.
WBBM-TV:
Details Of Complaint Against Blagojevich — CHICAGO (CBS) ― Full release from U.S. Attorney's Office: — Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents on federal corruption charges alleging that they and others are engaging …
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.
Discussion:
The Field on the Narcosphere, The Moderate Voice, Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Heretik and The Caucus
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 …
Chicago Breaking News:
Lt. Gov. Quinn urges Blagojevich to ‘step aside’ — Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn today called on Gov. Rod Blagojevich to step aside, at least temporarily, because the governor is “seriously impeded from carrying out his oath of office.” — “I think that should certainly be considered by the governor today.
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Source: ‘SEIU official’ was Stern — A Democratic source confirms that SEIU President Andy Stern is the “SEIU official” referred to in the federal complaint against Rod Blagojevich. — There's no allegation that the SEIU official did anything wrong, and what appears to be a wiretap transcript …
Chicago Tribune:
Statement from Gerould Kern, editor of the Chicago Tribune — Gov. Rod Blagojevich arrives at the Tribune Tower on Monday for an interview at CNN's Chicago office. (Tribune photo by Nancy Stone / December 8, 2008) — The Chicago Tribune investigated allegations of misconduct involving Illinois …
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
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 …
Carol E. Lee / Reuters:
Attorney: Blagojevich has no plans of resigning — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — CHICAGO— The attorney for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said the governor will be vindicated and he has no plans to resign. — “He didn't do anything wrong,” …
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.
Adam Serwer / American Prospect:A GUIDE TO THE CANDIDATES. — There are six candidates named …
Discussion:
TPMMuckraker, Chicago Sun Times, TalkLeft, The Opinionator, ATTACKERMAN and The Volokh Conspiracy
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:AMAZING — Even setting aside the primordial level of corruption …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
Marist Poll:
Voters Weigh In: Cuomo and Kennedy Deadlocked for Clinton Seat — High Hopes for Secretary of State Clinton — This Marist Poll reports: — · Cuomo and Kennedy Tie...More Than a Quarter of Voters Unsure About Clinton's Replacement: While much of the buzz …
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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.
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Scarecrow / Firedoglake:
Who Needs Republic's Window Manufacturing Workers? The Whole Country. — Update Dec 9 4pm eastern: Bank of America has announced “a limited amount of additional loans” to Republic Windows. -eg — Siun has been reporting on the drama unfolding in the Illinois factory of Republic Windows and Doors …
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Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
A tip from Rahm? — Jack Connaty, of Chicago's Fox affiliate, reported this morning: — We did receive a tip this morning that perhaps all of this came together so quickly because the Governor may have reached out to Rahm Emanuel, the president-elect's chief of staff, in attempting to leverage filling the Senate seat.
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 …
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