The re-trial of ousted Illinois Governor has for the most part, been a rather ponderous exercise. The prosecution didn't play those entertaining recordings of Rod Blagojevich this time around and the media has basically ignored the proceedings. By the time Blago's defense started, the trial had the wrong kind of media inertia going. The longer the trial garnered no interest, the more difficult it would be to to generate. Even taking the stand himself created virtually no interest.
There may be faint signs of life after Blago's fifth day of testimony, during which he said that one of the reasons he considered appointing himself to Obama's Senate seat was so he could get Osama bin Laden:
Rod Blagojevich tells jurors he discussed the possibility of appointing himself to the U.S. Senate in 2008 so he could hunt down then-al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
If Blago has any chance of getting the media to take notice, he's going to have to start delivering more nuggets like that.
Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich took the stand during his re-trial and it went virtually unnoticed by media outlets. A day earlier, Rahm Emanuel and Jesse Jackson, Jr. testified and that too was practically ignored. Blago's decision to testify was likely rooted in desperation as the prosecution greatly scaled back the circus atmosphere of the first trial. As for his testimony, reports suggest that Blago did his best to play the sympathy card; at this point, it's really all he's got left. Based on the reports, it appears that the gravity of what the former Governor is facing is starting to set in.
With all eyes on him, Rod Blagojevich stood up, buttoned his suit-coat, pecked his wife on the cheek, then made the walk across a federal courtroom.
After years of false promises and of making statements only in front of television cameras, the former governor of Illinois on Thursday raised his right hand and took an oath before sitting in the witness chair.
“I’m Rod Blagojevich,” he said to jurors with a hint of nervousness. “I used to be your governor, and I’m here today to tell you the truth.”
And over the next few hours he told them quite a bit.
He admitted his salty language on secret FBI tapes made him “an effin’ jerk,” confessed to having “a man crush” on Alexander Hamilton, then showed a video of himself and Jesse Jackson Jr. hugging it out.
Rod Blagojevich even choked up when talking about meeting his wife.
In the first trial, the prosecution's tactics almost seemed to benefit Blago while embarrassing the Obama administration. The second trial appears to be doing the exact opposite. Again, perhaps the biggest mistake Blago made was deciding not to put up a defense in the first trial. He might have been able to capitalize on the local media frenzy and gotten the trial even more attention. He didn't and the second trial has garnered virtually ZERO interest, even with his testimony.
The entertaining circus that was the first Rod Blagojevich trial is certainly missing from the second trial, despite both Rahm Emanuel and Jesse Jackson, Jr. both taking the stand. The big difference so far is that in the first trial, the prosecution played a lot of tapes which actually served to ingratiate Blago with the public. They humanized him and were often quite funny, cuss words notwithstanding. The prosecution didn't do any of that this time around and Blago has garnered little to no attention as a result.
In the first trial, Blago's lawyers were effective at playing up the possibility that Emanuel, Jackson, Jarrett, and a host of other high profile people would be called to the stand, including Blago himself. It had an air of, 'if you think the prosecution's arguments were entertaining, you just wait.' What ensued was an anti-climax, the likes of which haven't been seen since Geraldo opened Capone's vault. No one was called. In hindsight, that may have been Blago's biggest mistake. He had an opportunity to capitalize on the inertia of the very dynamic circus atmosphere.
The second trial is proving to have the opposite kind of inertia. The prosecution induced yawn's and virtually no attention. When it became Blagojevich's turn, the decision to call Emanuel and Jackson to the stand didn't even get the ball rolling. Their testimony was a virtual non-event.
In their cross-examination of U.S. Rep Jesse Jackson Jr., prosecutors asked him about an unrelated incident, previously reported by the AP. Jackson confirmed Blagojevich had once considered Jackson's wife for a position as head of the Illinois lottery. Jackson said his wife didn't get the promised appointment after Jackson refused to give Blagojevich a $25,000 campaign donation.
Jackson claimed Blagojevich later apologized the appointment didn't pan out but made it clear the donation was part of the reason.
"He snapped both fingers and said, 'You should have given me that $25,000,'" Jackson testified, pantomiming a pose from the governor's idol, Elvis Presley.
Another high-profile witness to take the stand Wednesday was Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Emanuel testified that, in his former job as chief of staff to President Barack Obama, he knew of no deal in which Blagojevich had asked for a top job in exchange for appointing Obama's preferred candidate to the president-elect's vacant U.S. Senate seat in 2008.
This may all come down to whether Blago decides to throw a Hail Mary pass and testify at his own trial. It may be all he has left. If the testimony of Jackson and Emanuel isn't drawing the much needed attention Blago's team wants, there really aren't any more options.
It's almost hard to believe that Rod Blagojevich's retrial is less than three weeks away. It looks like Blago's going to make another attempt to get the judge to release the minutes of a lengthy meeting Obama had with the Feds shortly after Blagojevich was arrested on December 9, 2009. For those who followed the first trial, there seemed to be plenty of testimony that indicated Obama's involvement may have been more than what we were told.
CHICAGO (AP) -- Rod Blagojevich asked a judge Monday to order the government to hand over notes of any FBI interviews with President Barack Obama about the ousted Illinois governor's corruption case, a request that comes less than three weeks before Blagojevich's retrial is set to begin.
The request for the notes related to Obama, who has never been accused of any wrongdoing in the matter, came in a motion filed with the U.S. District Court in Chicago. Presiding Judge James Zagel rejected a similar request before Blagojevich's first trial last year.
Blagojevich, 54, faces 20 charges, including allegations that sought to sell or trade an appointment to Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat for a top job or campaign cash. Jurors at his first trial deadlocked on all but one count, convicting him on a lone count of lying to the FBI. His retrial is scheduled to start on April 20.
In the motion, the defense says the notes could "go directly to the heart of testimony of several government witnesses," particularly that of Chicago-based union leader and longtime Obama ally Tom Balanoff. He told jurors during the first trial that he talked to Obama about the Senate seat on the eve of the 2008 president election.
In addition to the testimony that raised eyebrows about Obama's level of involvement, Blago's motion to subpoena Obama was heavily redacted during the first trial. A software glitch, however, allowed the entire document to be read on the internet. The redacted portions also seemed to indicate Obama was more aware of what was going on than has been portrayed.
Jesse Jackson Jr. wants it to be the law of the land that every kid can have an 'iPod' and a 'laptop.' He also wants to fix unemployment by changing the Constitution. The words that came out of Jesse's head hole known as mouth only come from one of two kinds of minds. Either: an uneducated child or a wicked man who wants to see the consequences of such destructive ideas being implemented. Jackson's logic is that if everyone has access to health care, it will drive demand for doctors up. If everyone has the right to a home, it will drive up demand for contractors.
Small problem, Jesse. Where does the money come from? Also completely lost on this corruptocrat is that the Community Reinvestment Act allowed minorities who couldn't afford homes to get them. The CRA(P), more than anything else, helped to put the U.S. economy in the dire straits its in.
This guy better have to testify in the next Rod Blagojevich trial. The first go round implicated JJJ as potentially being the most corrupt of all those involved in Blago's pay to play scandal.
The anonymous blogger known as Ulsterman is reporting that he has again heard from the alleged 'White House Insider' (WHI) regarding the Obama administration's panic level. Of particular note is the Washington Post Op-Ed written by two Democrats - Doug Schoen and Pat Caddell. The two men are calling for Obama to publicly announce he will not run for re-election in 2012. This is a huge development and WHI says it is a sign that Hillary is indeed going for the nomination.
Here is the alleged email via Ulsterman's latest at Newsflavor:
Hello again. Assume you noted all of the incoming by Democrats against Pres? Of particular note is that of Doug S. Doug has been acting as Hillary’s gadfly for some time now. Very connected. Very insightful. Very good. One to be feared. I like Doug. His and Pat’s open declaration against President is clear signal Hillary camp fully engaged. Developing. And gotta love Pat. He’s back in it now! I strongly suspect they know of Obama’s coming scandal(s). Foundation being set in place for all out offensive going into 2012. The DC diaper is full up and in need of a change…
As for particulars on Obama, much info received this past week. All pointing to Obama as very upset/angry at treatment by world leaders and media RE trip. Behind scenes mood “dejected and confused”. Later noted as “emotionally debilitated”. Reported outburst between President and First Lady. What makes this account unique is that “…President stood his ground.” WH staff involved in serious protective plan for President regarding incoming scandal. Very fearful of Issa. Told WH reps have already visited Issa office several times since election. Promises made? Issa is bright and loves attention. Could prove formidable vs White House. Staff sent to Chicago this past week and DA is heading there on more permanent basis in coming weeks. Why? Why indeed. PAY ATTENTION.
Lastly RE question on “missile” off CA. I have no -expletive- clue what that was. Go ahead and file that question with your birther question from last time. Any more of these and you’ll be waiting another month or two or ten before we have next sit down.
If you haven't read the piece by Schoen and Caddell yet, click HERE.
Note that WHI is continuing to point to Chicago as a flashpoint for the alleged scandal that is expected to reach the administration's highest levels. Ulsterman gives further indication about what it might be by publishing another article on the same day he published the aforementioned email from WHI. One has to conclude that WHI would almost necessarily be the source of this article if these communications between an anonymous blogger and an unnamed source are legitimate.
The scandal has to do with the Giannoulias family bank that was shut down last April. Via Ulsterman:
On April 23rd of 2010, Federal regulators shut down the Giannoulias family run Broadway Bank in Chicago. At that time, Alexi Giannoulias, former Broadway Bank Vice President and chief loan officer, was embroiled in a tough Senate campaign against Republican rival Mark Kirk. Normally the FDIC would issue a findings report on a failed lending institution within six months of its closing. On October 22nd, Feds declared no report would be forthcoming until after the November 2nd elections. Now some three weeks later, still no report has been issued.
The Obama White House has close ties to the Giannoulias family, dating back to whenBarack Obama was just beginning his political career as an Illinois State Senator. According to a New York Times report in 2007, Obama and Alexi Giannoulias met in the late 1990s at the upscale East Bank Club in Chicago. The Giannoulias family was a well known political fundraising power for Illinois Democrats, and Alexi was at the forefront of the family’s political ambitions when he and Barack Obama became friends. As Obama worked his way up the Illinois political ladder, Giannoulias expanded his role and responsibilities within Broadway Bank. The two men were so aligned politically and professionally that Obama kept much of his senatorial campaign funds with Broadway Bank.
Incoming chairman of the House Oversight Committee on Government Reform, Darrell Issa is said to be looking at this development very closely.
There are some extremely disturbing reports coming out about the lone juror in the Blagojevich trial who prevented the former Illinois governor from being convicted on all but 1 of 24 counts. If you thought something stunk about this trial before, just wait. Some of the facts / claims / unanswered questions about that lone juror - her name is Jo Ann Chiakulas - make U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald look pathetic, regardless of virtually any way you look at it.
One fact about Chiakulas is that she used to be a counselor with the Chicago Urban League. That's potentially important because one of the people reportedly offered by Team Obama to Blagojevich as a possible candidate for the Senate seat was Cheryle Jackson, according to the previously redacted portion of Blagojevich's motion to subpoena Obama - a motion Judge Zagel denied. Spefically, item #19 in the motion points to a conversation between Rahm Emanuel and Barack Obama in the president-elect's car on December 7th, 2008 in which Emanuel said he suggested Cheryle Jackson as candidate E.
[President’s Chief of Staff] suggested they might need an expanded list to possibly include names of African Americans that came out of the business world. [President’s Chief of Staff] thought he suggested Senate Candidate E who was the head of the Urban League and with President’s Chief of Staff’s suggestion." (President’s Chief of Staff, 302, 12-20-08).
Both Jackson and Chiakulas worked at the Chicago Urban League, though Chiakulas left before Jackson got there. Did they know each other? If so, how well? HERE is a link to the audio / transcript of a call between Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff John Harris on December 4th, 2008 (Sessions 1334 & 1335) in which Blago makes clear his feelings about Cheryle Jackson, who also used to be his Communications Director.
Ace of Spades has done a lot of work on this one, posting a link to Juror Profiles that appeared on ABC News 7's website. HERE is Chiakulas's - also known as 'Juror 106' - profile.
Something else that should be cleared up, and fast. Big Hat Tip to Beachwood Reporter for this one. On June 4th, the Chicago News Cooperative reported that 'Juror 106' was not going to make the jury because of her having worked for the wife of Jesse Jackson Jr. at one time:
Jurors No. 106 and No. 126 won’t make the cut. No. 106 said she worked as a precinct captain to Sandi Jackson, the wife of Democratic Representative Jesse Jackson Jr., who has been subpoenaed by the defense. The woman brought out the heartiest chuckle from the courtroom crowd yesterday when Zagel asked if she had recalled seeing either Rod or Patti Blagojevich on television and she said that she had seen Patti on a reality show, “something about bugs.” The juror was referring to Patti’s appearance on NBC’s “I’m a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here.”
Incidentally, no one came off looking worse in this trial than Jesse Jackson Jr.
However, Blago-Report identified Juror #102 as the one who worked for Sandi Jackson. That said, take note of what they had to say about Juror #106 (Chiakulas) and Blagojevich's reaction to her during the selection process:
Juror #102 seemed rather eager to be on the jury and emphasized what a fair person she could be. Blagojevich was vigorously nodding while she was talking, and watching intently (as opposed to his usual head bowed, taking notes posture he adopted during most of the interviews). Her eagerness might make her a volatile juror for both sides, and the positive things that Blagojevich liked might make her a candidate for a peremptory challenge by the prosecution. Blagojevich also seemed to like juror #106—who did community work—and she could be another candidate for a prosecution dismissal.
So Chiakulas was identified as a candidate likely to get the boot way back in early June, huh? It should have been rather obvious then - and beyond obvious now - that she shouldn't have been on that jury.
One last thing.
Blagojevich told ABC's Brian Ross that the Feds were squeezing him for information about bigger fish, seeming to imply that Fitzgerald was looking for dirt on Obama. Why should we believe Blago about that when the one charge he was convicted of was lying to the Feds? In any case, if that's true, it doesn't line up with how the trial played out.
If Fitzgerald wanted to get to Obama, why didn't they call Tony Rezko to the stand? I've said it before and I'll say it again. Something really stinks about this trial and when it comes to Obama and his administration, EVERYTHING fell their way. Now ask yourself if Blago is being honest here.
UPDATE: Upon seeing the conflict between the account of Daniel Libit at the Chicago News Cooperative - that Juror #106 once worked for Sandi Jackson - and Blago-Report's claim that it was Juror #102 that worked for Jackson, I emailed Libit asking him if he is standing by his claim. Here is a copy of his response:
Ben -
I am led to believe that those other accounts are correct. Will be correcting the blog item ASAP.
Thanks,
Daniel
On Aug 22, 2010, at 1:14 PM, Ben Barrack wrote:
On June 4th, you wrote that Juror #106 worked for Sandi Jackson, wife of Jesse Jackson Jr. That juror - Jo Ann Chiakulas - is the one who held out and got Blago off of all but one charge.
Do you stand by that? Other accounts say that distinction belonged to Juror #102 and that Chiakulas never worked for Sandi Jackson.
When listening to today's broadcast from my show archives, please keep this development in mind.
The decision by Barack Obama to actually fly to Chicago and stump for Alexi Giannoulias while the jurors in the Rod Blagojevich trial deliberate the former Illinois Governor's fate is curious indeed. Obama does so at precisely the time that the Democrat candidate for the seat he once held, is tied to Tony Rezko. Both testimony and evidence in the trial forced Giannoulias to change his stories, making him look more than a little sleazy.
Another theme that developed during the presentation of the prosecution's case was Blagojevich's belief that Obama wanted to be as far away from Chicago politics as possible and that the reason he wouldn't bring Blago to Washington, D.C. was because of Rezko. During one conversation with his Chief of Staff, John Harris, Blagojevich stated that it was "galling" of Obama to push Rezko off on him (Blago) when Obama was "more Tony'd up," according to Blagojevich.
Obama's behavior seems to be flying in the face of that assertion on the part of Blagojevich.
President Barack Obama, who left Chicago promising hope and change, appears in his adopted hometown today to raise money for a U.S. Senate candidate amid reminders of the difficulty of getting away from the tarnish of a place renowned for its political corruption.
Obama’s speech at a downtown hotel for Alexi Giannoulias, the Democrat seeking the seat he once held, will be two blocks from the federal courthouse where jurors are weighing the fate of Rod Blagojevich. The former Illinois governor stands accused of trying to sell the Senate post to the highest bidder.
On its face, Obama's willingness to stump for Giannoulias almost seems, in part, to be an attempt to completely discredit Blago's claims that Obama wants nothing to do with Chicago politics. Blagojevich is absolutely aware that Obama is two blocks away. He's also aware that Giannoulias has been exposed as having been "Tony'd up". If Obama is more "Tony'd up" than Blagojevich - the reason given to Harris by Blagojevich for why Obama wouldn't deal - why is Obama campaigning in Chicago during Blago's trial, for another "Tony'd up" politician?
Obama’s fifth trip to Chicago since his inauguration in January 2009 comes as Broadway Bank, the now-defunct institution Giannoulias’s family operated, was in the headlines again this week because of a newly reported 2006 loan to convicted Illinois influence peddler Antoin “Tony” Rezko.
Republicans, along with spotlighting the bank issue, have tried to tie Obama and Giannoulias to Blagojevich, who became the state’s most recent mascot for political corruption.
On a side note, reports are that there was vehement disagreement between Blagojevich's defense attorneys (Sam Adam and his son) about whether he should testify. The senior Adam won the argument not to pursue that course. The White House received an extremely fortuitous bounce as a consequence of that. If Blago is convicted, there will be a lot of second-guessing with Obama and his staff benefitting greatly.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has released an ad that hones in on the Democratic candidate for Obama's former Senate seat, Alexi Giannoulias's ties to Tony Rezko and Chicago Way politics. Giannoulias's bank got shut down by the Feds and extended a big loan to Tony Rezko after the convicted slum lord fell behind on another one. That's not stopping Obama from appearing in Chicago to help fundraise for Giannoulias as the jurors in the Blagojevich trial are in the process of deciding on a verdict.
Interestingly, Giannoulias's name came up quite a bit during the prosecution's case in the Blago trial and none of it was good. It revealed lies, inconsistencies, and a staunch dislike for Alexi on the part of Blagojevich. More on that HERE and HERE. Now, because practically every Democrat running for office this November is telling Obama to stay away, Giannoulias is apparently taking advantage of the opportunity and Obama is obliging.
President Barack Obama, who left Chicago promising hope and change, appears in his adopted hometown today to raise money for a U.S. Senate candidate amid reminders of the difficulty of getting away from the tarnish of a place renowned for its political corruption.
Obama’s speech at a downtown hotel for Alexi Giannoulias, the Democrat seeking the seat he once held, will be two blocks from the federal courthouse where jurors are weighing the fate of Rod Blagojevich. The former Illinois governor stands accused of trying to sell the Senate post to the highest bidder.
As for the ad, it starts right off the bat with another lie from Obama - "Bankers don't need another vote in the United States Senate." I guess it might be splitting hairs to say Giannoulias is a banker. As mentioned previously, the Feds shut his bank down.
We have yet another in a long line of people it would have been more than just a little interesting to see testify in the Rod Blagojevich trial. His name is Alexi Giannoulias and he is the Democrat candidate for Senate this year. Instead, the Blagojevich defense team didn't call any witnesses, including Giannoulias, who was caught in several conflicting statements and claims courtesy of audio recordings presented by the prosecution and witness testimony.
Another interesting aspect to the trial came courtesy of a recording that was played of a conversation between Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff John Harris on November 12th, 2008. Also known as Session 545, you can HEAR Blago tell Harris that "This guy (Obama) is more Tony'd up than I am." The former Illinois governor was referring to his belief that the reason Obama wasn't willing to make a deal with Blago for his Senate seat replacement was because of Blago's ties to Rezko.
Now we have Alexi Giannoulias, who appears to be a little "Tony'd up" himself according to the Chicago Sun-Times:
By February 2006, businessman and political fixer Tony Rezko was already politically radioactive, caught up in a federal investigation that would see him criminally charged by the end of that year.
News reports had linked Rezko, a key adviser and campaign fund-raiser for then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, to shady deals involving state pension funds -- among the crimes that ultimately would send him to prison.
This was the Tony Rezko who, looking for millions of dollars for a massive South Loop development, turned to Broadway Bank, owned by the family of Alexi Giannoulias. Giannoulias, the Democrat now running for U.S. Senate, had left his post as a senior loan officer at the Chicago bank in late 2005 to mount a successful campaign for Illinois state treasurer, though he still held an ownership stake in the bank.
Rezko's company asked. And Broadway Bank came through.
On Feb. 14, 2006, newly obtained records show, the bank made a $22.75 million loan to a company called Riverside District Development LLC, whose owners, it turns out, included Rezko.
The outcome of the corruption trial of Blagojevich was almost inexplicably fortuitous for the Obama administration, which was at great risk of political catastrophe averted when the defense failed to call even one witness, Giannoulias among those subpoenaed.
However, there were very important things revealed in the trial. Notably, in private conversations, it became apparent that Obama didn't want Blagojevich joining them in Washington, D.C. That also very likely included not wanting him to appoint himself to Obama's old Senate seat. Now that Giannoulias appears to be at least as "Tony'd up" as Blagojevich was - perhaps more - the White House has got to be looking at these findings with a bit of anxiety.
Great news for Obama. Not only has Blagojevich decided not to testify in his trial - going back on what he has been saying ever since he was arrested - but his attorneys have decided to rest their case little more than two days into their defense. Individuals who will not take the stand include Tony Rezko, Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett, and Blagojevich himself. All along, Blago has maintained his innocence and insisted he would take the stand.
Well, rack up another ruling in the corruption trial of Rod Blagojevich that looks conspicuously like an overt attempt by Judge James Zagel to protect Barack Obama and his administration. After the prosecution rested its case on July 13th, Team Blago went to work on the 14th, presenting 38 taped recordings it wanted to be played for jurors.
Zagel ruled on 20 of the tapes and he approved only two of them.
U.S. District Judge James Zagel at times seemed to search for new ways to call the recordings irrelevant to Blagojevich's corruption trial.
"Excluded on the grounds of uselessness," he said of one transcript.
"It's basically professional politician's chatter," he said of another.
As Zagel invents ways to rule against any attempt by Blago to suck Obama, Emanuel, and Jarrett into this scandal, it reminded me of the NFL Referee that invented a new penalty.
On the day the prosecution in the Blagojevich trial rested its case, one of its last witnesses took the stand. That witness is John Wyma. We now have one of those black and white moments courtesy of Wyma's testimony. Either Wyma, who was a longtime friend of Blagojevich, lied under oath or Obama lied at a press conference he held with Joe Biden and Al Gore at his side on the day of Blagojevich's arrest on December 9th, 2008. Wyma testified that Rahm Emanuel was sent to him on behalf of Obama in November of 2008 with a message for Blagojevich.
Wyma also testified that he got a November 2008 phone call from Emanuel, an emissary for Barack Obama, who had a message for the governor about the president-elect's U.S. Senate seat: "He said the president-elect would value and appreciate Valerie Jarrett in the Senate seat," Wyma said.
To be clear, Wyma's claim does not in any way implicate Obama in the commission of a crime but it does call into question the public statements made by then president-elect Obama at the aforementioned press conference.
At this press conference, Obama issued a carefully worded statement and then dismissed the press. At that point, Obama decided to answer one of the reporters' questions about whether he knew "what was going on (with his) Senate seat".
Fast forward to the 3:10 mark and see how Obama answered that question.
As further indication that Wyma is the one telling the truth, consider why he started cooperating with the feds prior to the Blagojevich arrest. Also via the Sun-Times:
Wyma said he sat in on a meeting in which Blagojevich discussed "getting Magoon for 50" -- a reference to demanding $50,000 from the hospital CEO in exchange for boosting the reimbursement rates.
"It made me uncomfortable," Wyma said, eventually prompting him to withdraw from the governor's fund-raising team.
Wyma testified that in 2008 Blagojevich was floating fund-raising plans that had Wyma growing "increasingly alarmed."
If Wyma went to the Feds because he was "uncomfortable" with what his longtime friend was doing, why would he come all this way to lie under oath? To hear the phone call on which Blagojevich learned that Wyma had been cooperating with the Feds, click HERE.
Obama Lied. Period.
Is this another case of the cover-up being worse than the act itself?
This trial is a spectacle in many ways but a pattern that has been developing and continues is the Judge's propensity for rulings that favor the Barack Obama administration. Now we have another one. The circumstances surrounding it are rather noteworthy as well. The prosecution is wrapping up, the defense is apparently caught flat-footed, and the judge is refusing to grant a delay in the trial.
With a lightning-fast prosecution team resting more than a month ahead of schedule, lawyers for Rod Blagojevich are scrambling to call their first witnesses in the ex-governor's federal corruption trial.
With just a day or two until showtime -- and with vacation schedules and Secret Service logistics to contend with for big-name witnesses such as Rahm Emanuel and Valerie Jarrett -- the defense said Monday they could be "out of luck."
It's certainly possible that the Defense should have been better prepared for such a scenario but again, when you look at the totality of Zagel's rulings, they continue to benefit Obama.
More on this Judge's rulings that have been fortuitous for the Obama administration HERE and HERE.
CORRECTION: At the time of this original post, I mistakenly posted that the judge had decided not to grant a delay to the defense. Judge Zagel has NOT ruled on that request and the Sun-Times is now reporting that Zagel may in fact grant the delay.
Until Jesse Jackson inserted himself into the LeBron James story I intentionally stayed away from it because in light of all that's going on in the world - and in this country - lately, it's about as consequential as a fly problem in someone else's yard. It's sophomoric, ponderous, and insipid compared to something like, I don't know, the corruption trial of Rod Blagojevich? Perhaps not so coincidentally, Jesse's son, Jesse Jackson Jr. has probably been implicated more than anyone else at that very trial in recent days - it has become painfully obvious that Jr.'s attempt to denounce "pay to play politics" was a big fat lie based on the recorded phone conversations played thus far.
It's almost as if a distraction was needed. Is the elder Jesse running interference for his son by publicly saying that Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has a "slave master mentality" with respect to James, who Jackson says Gilbert views as a "runaway slave". Eugene Kane at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sees Jackson's assertion as ill-advised:
Raising his voice in support of James by evoking slavery seems like a foolish move.
James has been paid millions in salary and endorsements since joining the NBA seven years ago. During his free agent excursion, he had the owners of several professional teams courting him for his services.
Sorry, Jesse; this guy is no slave.
If Jackson was truly concerned about racism, why isn't he speaking out against Rod Blagojevich, who is heard countless times on recorded phone conversations, played at his corruption trial, referring to Jesse Jackson Jr. as an "uber African-American"? The answer to that one is rather obvious if you've been following the trial. Jesse Jackson Jr., despite his indignant and adamant declarations to the contrary shortly after Blagojevich's arrest on December 9th, 2008 is revealed in recorded phone conversations to have offered money to Blagojevich in return for being appointed to Barack Obama's then soon-to-be vacant Senate seat.
The timing of Jackson Sr.'s ludicrous claims is indeed curious. Even more ludicrous are his comments during an appearance on the Ed Schultz program. Listen as Jesse tells Ed that if Gilbert's claim that James often "quit" during games is a serious charge and would amount to a "scandal". The real scandal is going on in a Chicago courtroom and Jesse Jackson Jr. is in the middle of it. Then Jesse Sr. lectures Ed's audience about integrity and cheating before wrapping up with a reference to child rearing.
Jesse Sr. is 3 for 3 on that one - scandal, integrity, and offspring. He just has the wrong controversy and it's by design.
If ever there was a politician in danger of being at the center of a perfect storm he created for himself, it might just be Illinois Senate candidate and current Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D). In April, Giannoulias lost millions of dollars when his family's bank closed; his state is facing a $12 Billion deficit and failing to pay day to day bills; he's been subpoenaed as a witness in the Blagojevich trial; and he's made multiple conflicting statements about his dealings with Blagojevich over Obama's Senate seat.
MONEY WOES
h/t to Red State. Check out Giannoulias' website. Take note of what's right up front and center:
Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias serves as the state’s banker. His primary responsibility is to protect and wisely invest taxpayers’ money.
State lawmakers budget almost all of the tax dollars collected each year, but that money is not spent all at once. At any given time, the State Treasurer manages about $17 billion in state and local funds.
Let that sink in for a minute. As Treasurer, Giannoulias is responsible for managing $17 billion, right? So why is his state failing to pay its daily bills while operating under a $12 billion budget deficit? A better question would be how someone who is failing at his job as miserably as Giannoulias is, coming anywhere close to sniffing a run at a U.S. Senate seat? There's nothing quite like promoting incompetence. In the private sector, such a move would be on par with promoting a Regional Manager who has run his business into the ground, to an executive position. When making money is a priority, that doesn't happen. However, in politics, spending money - other people's money - is the priority and it happens quite a bit.
VIa the New York Times, Alexi has a bit of a problem with his state's finances:
CHICAGO - Even by the standards of this deficit-ridden state, Illinois's comptroller, Daniel W. Hynes, faces an ugly balance sheet. Precisely how ugly becomes clear when he beckons you into his office to examine his daily briefing memo.
He picks the papers off his desk and points to a figure in red: $5.01 billion.
"This is what the state owes right now to schools, rehabilitation centers, child care, the state university - and it's getting worse every single day," he says in his downtown office.
Mr. Hynes shakes his head. "This is not some esoteric budget issue; we are not paying bills for absolutely essential services," he says. "That is obscene."
For more on the bank closure that lost Giannoulias millions, click HERE.
THE BLAGOJEVICH TRIAL
Like Giannoulias, Hynes had aspirations for Barack Obama's Senate seat in 2008 - the one Blagojevich gave to Roland Burris. In fact, on one of the tapes presented at trial, Blagojevich makes reference to four candidates Obama viewed as acceptable. Hynes was on that list along with Tammy Duckworth, Jan Schakowsky, perhaps best known for this rant, and Jesse Jackson Jr.
Speaking of the Blagojevich trial, Giannoulias has made statements publicly that indicate he was being sought out by Blagojevich regarding the Senate seat vacancy that was to be left by Obama in 2008. However, quite curiously, a recorded phone conversation between Blagojevich and his then Chief of Staff John Harris on November 7th, 2008 - three days after the election - reveal that Blagojevich didn't even want Harris to talk to Giannoulias. What's more is that in testimony on June 30th, SEIU official Tom Balanoff testified that Giannoulias expressed interest in the Senate seat when it became apparent Jarret would not be a candidate. Now, here we are in 2010 and Giannoulias is running for that same seat. There is a long line of inconsistencies when it comes to Giannoulias. A partial list can be found at Blago Files.
In listening to the many released tapes of Blagojevich, it became obvious that Chicago politics were eating him up and he wanted out. In light of the recent developments there relative to that $12 billion budget deficit, it would seem Giannoulias has similar motives.
The names of two individuals from Chicago who now work in the White house - Valerie Jarrett and Rahm Emanuel - are heard being referenced repeatedly in recorded phone conversations being played for jurors in the Rod Blagojevich corruption trial. If you're following the trial, it becomes quite apparent when listening to the phone conversations, that both Jarrett and Emanuel were active and aware of what was going on.
Now, two senior members of Obama’s administration, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett have been subpoenaed to testify in the trial against Blagojevich. The outsted governor’s attorneys have also filed a motion to subpoena the President himself.
Obama has stated that he has not been involved in talks regarding his Senate seat, but according to the 10-page motion filed by lawyers for Blagojevich, another witness in the case has evidence to the contrary.
One of the interesting things to come out of those conversations was a discussion between Blagojevich and SEIU official Tom Balanoff. Blago can be heard telling Balanoff that Emanuel was pushing for Jarrett hard because he wanted her out of the White House. CLICK HERE for the audio.
The Verum Serum blog is raising a very interesting question about this photo. In essence, when was it taken? In light of the Blagojevich corruption trial and all of the phone conversations that have been recorded, Obama's involvement in and knowledge of what was going on with the attempt to sell his Senate seat is becoming clearer; it's more than he led the public to believe.
Verum Serum brings up the origin of this photo and raises some good questions using some very sound premises.
The photo first appeared in a newsletter dated November 12, 2008 - a full eight days after the election. Based on the recorded phone conversations, we do know that SEIU official Tom Balanoff was sent by Obama to see Blagojevich the day after the election. We also know that Blago floated the HHS gig in return for appointing Jarrett. That wasn't going to happen according to Balanoff.
Blagojevich, as VS points out, was not part of the election campaign so it's unlikely this photo was taken on the campaign trail.
It’s possible of course that the photo was taken prior to the election. But given that Blagojevich had no role in the Obama campaign, and that victory in Illinois was a given, I’m hard pressed to think of anything (else) important enough to warrant such a serious face to face meeting between the two.
Is it possible that after Balanoff returned to Obama with Blago's demands that Obama thought he might attempt some face-to-face persuasion? Obama returned to Chicago after the election to celebrate so the two men were in the same city in the days after Obama sent Balanoff to meet with Blagojevich.
Interestingly, the newsletter in which this photo appeared was pulled from the internet shortly after VS posted it on December 15th, 2008 but you can view an archived version of it by CLICKING HERE.
The news of this Blagojevich trial being presented to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs yielded a response very reminiscent to the responses Gibbs gave when asked about alleged offers made by the White House to Joe Sestak and Andrew Romanoff. Gibbs, once again, pleads ignorance and says he won't comment on the trial. When reporter Ann Compton reminds Gibbs that he said something in direct opposition to the testimony of SEIU official Tom Balanoff, who under oath testified that he was sent to Blagojevich by Obama, he stonewalls.......again.
This Blagojevich trial is really starting to give off some serious Chicago political stink. In the latest example, the one man that ties both Barack Obama and Blagojevich together - Tony Rezko - may end up not testifying. Presiding judge James Zagel is stating that he doesn't think Rezko would be a good witness for either side. Obama emissary and SEIU emissary to Blagojevich, Tom Balanoff's testimony is expected to have some influence on whether Rezko ends up becoming a witness. I find it rather peculiar though, that a judge would strongly recommend that an individual so involved with the details of a corruption trial not be called as a witness.
Rezko was convicted on 16 of 24 felony charges involving fraud and kickback schemes.
It’s still not certain whether Rezko will testify, but at a hearing before testimony resumed today, U.S. District Judge James Zagel strongly suggested that Rezko would make a lousy government witness.
Zagel said there was a word to describe witnesses like Rezko who damage whatever side calls them to testify. That, said Zagel, “generally explains why they’re not called.” Zagel refrained from actually saying what the word was, leaving the suggestion it was less than polite.
At issue is a letter written to Blagojevich by Rezko while the latter was in jail. The letter allegedly states federal officials were pressuring Rezko to make up stories against Blagojevich.
It is at minimum very curious that Zagel would recommend that prosecutors not call Rezko in light of one of the phone conversations between Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff, John Harris earlier in the trial. In that recording, Blagojevich said the following - found on page 17 of 49 on lines 32-34:
32 ...compared to 33 even Obama, you know, I believe I'm more 34 pristine on Rezko than him.
It strikes me that if the prosecution were not concerned about protecting Obama but in convicting Blagojevich, they would want Rezko's testimony based on those statements. When Blago said he's more "pristine on Rezko", it inherently meant that he was at least somewhat dirty when it came to Rezko. Is the prosecution contemplating avoiding Rezko not because he couldn't help them get a conviction of Blago but because he could expose Obama's level of involvement.
