2008

Potential Problems

The Senate is looking to reconvene to pass a bill for a Special Election for US Senator.
But here is the problem, Blagojevich doesn’t have to act on it immediately and in the mean time could make the appointment assuming he can find someone stupid enough to take it.  Let’s assume he can.  This means getting him out of the way is essential and the way to do that would be going to the Supreme Court and get Quinn named as acting Governor because Blagojevich cannot carry out his duties.  During that period we can impeach him and Quinn is likely amenable to a special election given his predisposition towards the people.

Durbin Calls for Special Election

IHT

WASHINGTON: Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois says the state’s legislature should order a special election to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat rather than allow Gov. Rod Blagojevich to pick a new senator.

Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday in connection with allegations he sought favors to influence his choice for Obama’s replacement.

Durbin told reporters in Washington, “No appointment by this governor, under these circumstances, could produce a credible replacement.”

He urged the Illinois legislature to quickly set up a special election.

Just impeach him and then let Quinn choose. Quinn has his issues, but he’s honest.

Governor Quinn

Damn.

Anyway, this throws open the Senate race. I’d imagine it helps Schakowsky, but we’ll have to see what Quinn is thinking.

And we can get this impeachment over with in a day or two if this is done right.  Just get Blagojevich out.  It should have been done months ago, but can we pull the trigger now?

Senate Candidate 4: Louanner Peters

“[Senate Candidate 4]”  in  the Senate “before  I  just give  fucking  [Senate Candidate 1] a
fucking Senate seat and I don’t get anything.”  (Senate Candidate 4 is a Deputy Governor of
the State of Illinois).  ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he needs to find a way to take the
“financial stress” off of his family and that his wife is as qualified or more qualified than
another  specifically named individual to sit on corporate boards.  According to ROD

====104. On November 11, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with JOHN HARRIS
about the Senate seat.  ROD BLAGOJEVICH suggested starting a 501(c)(4) organization (a
non-profit organization that may engage in political activity and lobbying) and getting “his
(believed to be the President-elect’s) friend Warren Buffett or some of those guys to help us
on something like that.” HARRIS asked, “what, for you?”  ROD BLAGOJEVICH replied,
“yeah.”  Later in the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that if he appoints Senate
Candidate 4 to the Senate seat and, thereafter, it appears that ROD BLAGOJEVICH might
get impeached, he could “count on [Senate Candidate 4],  if  things got hot,  to give [the Senate
seat] up  and let me parachute over there.”  HARRIS said, “you can count on [Senate
Candidate 4] to do that.”  Later in the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he knows
that the President-elect wants Senate Candidate 1 for the Senate seat but “they’re not willing
to give me anything except appreciation.  Fuck them.”

He Almost Got McCormick at the Trib

Holy Shit:

82. On November 21, 2008, approximately five  minutes after the previous
conversation with JOHN HARRIS, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke again with HARRIS.  At
the end of this call, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that “the Tribune thing is important, if we
can get that.”  HARRIS replied, “delicate, very delicate.”  ROD BLAGOJEVICH said, “I
know, I know.  Use your judgment, don’t push too hard.  But you know what you got to do,
right.”  HARRIS responded, “Alright, sir.”
83. After hearing that Tribune Financial Advisor had assured HARRIS that the
Tribune would be downsizing or making personnel changes affecting the editorial board,
ROD BLAGOJEVICH had a series of conversations with representatives of the Chicago
Cubs regarding efforts to provide state financing for Wrigley Field.  On November 30, 2008,
ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with Sports Consultant, the president of a Chicago-area sports
consulting firm, whose remarks during the conversation indicated that he was working with
the Cubs on matters involving Wrigley Field.  In that conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH
and Sports Consultant discussed the importance of getting the IFA transaction approved at

the IFA’s December 2008 or January 2009 meeting, because ROD BLAGOJEVICH was

contemplating  leaving office in early January 2009 and ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s IFA
appointees would still be in place  to approve the IFA deal.  On December 3, 2008, ROD
BLAGOJEVICH spoke again with Sports Consultant and explained that ROD
BLAGOJEVICH had control over state funds designated for use in connection with science
and technology, and which could be used to pay for improvements at Wrigley Field.  Later
that same day, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with Cubs Chairman and said that he could
make state science and technology funds available to the Cubs without having to go through
the legislature, and suggested that the Cubs come up with proposals that would allow the use
of such funds.

84. On December 4, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with Spokesman.  On
December 4, 2008, the Chicago Tribune announced it was reducing the size of its workforce
by 11 members.  During the phone conversation, Spokesman informed ROD
BLAGOJEVICH that  the Tribune had  its “cuts” but that Spokesman did not think the “person
we mentioned” was cut.  ROD BLAGOJEVICH asked “McCormick?”  Spokesman
responded “right.”  ROD BLAGOJEVICH instructed Spokesman to “go tell HARRIS that.”
Spokesman stated he had already informed HARRIS of the information.

85. On the morning December 5, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with JOHN
HARRIS.  On the morning of December 5, 2008, the Chicago Tribune ran a front page news
story discussing an ongoing criminal investigation involving ROD BLAGOJEVICH.  During
the phone conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and HARRIS  discussed information

contained in the newspaper article.  ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated “what’s the deal? So, do
McCormick stays at the Tribune, huh?”  HARRIS stated “we haven’t heard that he’s gone,
so.”  ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated “I mean, those layoffs were minor (the December 4, 2008
Tribune layoffs).”  HARRIS stated “well, I know  they  got a lot to do.”  ROD
BLAGOJEVICH asked “there’s still more coming?”  HARRIS responded “yeah, they got a
lot of cuts to make.”  ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated “okay, at some point we should talk to
[Tribune Financial Advisor] again, right?”  HARRIS confirmed they should talk to Tribune
Financial Advisor again.

Senate Candidate 2

Lisa Madigan

On November 6, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Spokesman. ROD
BLAGOJEVICH told Spokesman to leak to a particular columnist for the Chicago Sun-
Times, that Senate Candidate 2 is in the running for the vacant Senate seat. According to
ROD BLAGOJEVICH, by doing this, he wanted “to send a message to the [President-elect’s]
people,” but did not want it known that the message was from ROD BLAGOJEVICH.
Thereafter, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Spokesman discussed specific language that should
be used in the Sun Times column and arguments as to why Senate Candidate 2 made sense
for the vacant Senate seat. A review of this particular Sun Times column on November 7,
2008, indicates references to the specific language and arguments regarding Senate
Candidate 2 as a potential candidate for the Senate seat, as discussed by ROD
BLAGOJEVICH and Spokesman.

Sen. Madigan?

BYLINE: Michael Sneed, The Chicago Sun-Times

SECTION: NEWS; Michael Sneed; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 569 words

TIPSVILLE . . .

The latest from Blagoville: Is Gov. Rod Blagojevich toying with tossing Barack Obama‘s U.S. Senate seat to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who wants Blago’s job?

– It’s his pick . . . and it would get rid of a rival.

– It may endear him to powerful House Speaker Mike Madigan, Lisa’s dad, who is Blago’s political foe.

– It would enable Gov. Blago to choose a new Illinois attorney general.

– Hmmm: Even though this sounds like looneyville . . . stay tuned.