Tom Balanoff’s testimony regarding the Senate Seat:
Blagojevich responded that he was in “active discussions” with the Madigans about appointing Lisa Madigan and was holding out for a legislative package with the House speaker.
“I said that could be months. He said, ‘Yeah’. I said Valerie Jarrett, I don’t believe she has that kind of time,” Balanoff testified.
Blago then turned the conversation to a cabinet position, Balanoff said.
“He said, ‘You know, I love being governor, but my real passion is health care,'” and then he asked about the Health and Human Services cabinet post.
“I told him that’s not going to happen,” Balanoff said. “He said, “Is that because of all the investigations around me?”
The next day, Balanoff said he reported back about the meeting to Valerie Jarrett and Alexi Giannoulis
“Is that because of all the investigations around me?”
Well, that and, you know, you are an idiot.
On a related note, let’s recall that David Hoffman attacked Alexi for ‘being connected’ to SEIU and all the bad stuff they were involved with Blagojevich over. That was bullshit then and it’s bullshit now. Hoffman defamed Balanoff and SEIU who were guilty of nothing other than some poor judgment in sticking with Blagojevich in 2006. Attacking your base and allies is no way to win an election. Worse in this case, it was dishonest.