I think Fitzgerald was a little ticked off after Blago's boasting the day before about taping him and knowing this goof was about to pick a Senator. I have watched many of these press anouncments by the US Attorney and they always do their little editorials. People can say all they want about Fitz and Co's conduct. I think they are winning the hearts and minds war.
Cowgirl
· 1 year ago
Fitzgerald may have violated the canons of ethics when he began his grandstanding about this case. I agree with every word in that "biased" column that you posted. Vigorous prosecution does not allow for inflammatory grandstanding.
Rich Miller
· 1 year ago
===that “biased†column that you posted===
I didn't say the column was biased, just the columnist. Big dif.
IrishPirate
· 1 year ago
Jan Schakowsky was on the "approved" Obama list?
Given her hubby's criminal troubles she needs to be kept far away from the Senate.
Interesting that Madigan and Jackson weren't on the list. No love for daddy Madigan I imagine and recognize that JJJ might not be able to hold the seat.
Bill Baar
· 1 year ago
Let's not forget Holder had a 300k contract with the State to decide if a company could build a casino in Rosemont. Knowing the Gov expects more than appreciation on deals, folks out to be asking Holder a bit more about this deal.
Bill Baar
· 1 year ago
The more I think about Emanuel, he looks more and more a bumbler than guilty of much.
He couldn't get Obama's Senate pic out of the Guv.
He dragged the Guv into the muck talking to a Guv knowing he was under investigation.
And all around losing move.
Knowing how these guys talk, the tapes can be nothing but utter embarrasment... worse the a crime.. really dumb and crude I bet.
I must say, the rest of the country has grasped what kind of a person our Blago is a lot quicker than we Illinoians did. I know they had Fitzgerald's help, but there is complete venom out there. Maybe we really are to used to corruption. Saturday Night Live is sure to wreck tonight.
tinman
· 1 year ago
Rich, amen on Fitz, his smart a#$ comments are not called for.
wordslinger
· 1 year ago
The WSJ column was excellent. I wasn't aware that the Justice Department had such guidelines. It's not just Fitz; every USATT that I can remember has felt the need to include those hackneyed groaners. Like Sgt. Friday said, just the facts, Fitz.
I doubt if Harris was a buffer. I don't think he had the history with Daley to qualify.
I have to disagree with you on Emanuel and the news value, Rich. A prominent public official getting caught on fed wiretaps in a criminal investigation, no matter how innocent or innocuous the conversation, is news.
As I posted elsewhere, I think the whole pre-election conversation between Harris and Emanuel is newsworthy for a number of reasons, none of them very complimentary to Emanuel. He's a buffer who needs his own buffer.
--"The family was big on buffers, Senator." Willie Cicci, GFII.
Amy
· 1 year ago
wow, i would have thought the column was written by a bunch of sore former City Hall 4th floor occupants, not Victoria Toensing. the whining about Fitzgerald and what ethics he violated is most amusing. and we hear it from the locals all the time.
these people are more worked up about Fitzgerald than the actions of the corrupt.
wordslinger
· 1 year ago
Adding, Holder should recuse himself and everybody in the Obama administration should stay as far away from the Illinois criminal investigations as possible.
Let Fitz take the ball and run. There is no upside for Obama here.
The crisis will come when Fitz decides he wants to leave and Obama has to appoint a replacement. When that time comes, he should publicly ask for, and then appoint, Fitz's recommendation.
Obama, get out of Illinois politics! Please!
Ahem
· 1 year ago
Obama should appoint someone after weighing the recommendations of both Fitzgeralds, Patrick and Peter. Peter didn't do too shabby appointing Patrick.
scoot
· 1 year ago
Then why did Obama stand firm and say that no-one from my transition team has had any contact w/ the Guv? Did he mispeak...like Axelrod?
plutocrat03
· 1 year ago
So far this early test of the administration is not going well. By hiding Emanuel and Axlerod who have their own strong ties to the political web of Illinois the administration is furthering the rumor mill that there is something wrong.
If they want this to go away they simply have to clearly state that there was no pay to play for either the Senate Seat (darn, there goes my Christmas present) OR Rahm's Congressional seat. If either of these two fellows are one tape offering or being asked for favors, they will have to be cut loose ASAP.
Where does the line of quid pro quo get drawn? Is asking to have someone pay your campaign debts before you join their administration crossing the line?
Rich Miller
· 1 year ago
scoot, Obama said there was no deal-making. Handing over a list is not deal-making.
Greg
· 1 year ago
"And while this column is from a totally biased source, it makes some very good points…"
Who isn't biased? Asserting that the source is biased is a biased statement.
I don't mean to offend you or anything but from my perspective (there even more bias!) it was a kind of a gratuitous slap. If you believe her argument has merit why the need to label her?
Rich Miller
· 1 year ago
Greg, there's a big difference between "biased" and "totally biased."
IrishPirate
· 1 year ago
I suggest one google the name of the author of the "biased" column. You will see why she has a bias. Can you say "high profile attorney"? I knew you could. By the way we are all biased in one way or another.
hisgirlfriday
· 1 year ago
Rich, if that's what your sources tell you then I am more inclined to believe this is nothing and Rahm is in the clear but just based on him not being a "target" of Fitz really means squat to me.
I mean JJJ came out and said he was told he was not a target of the investigation and then it came out he was way more caught up in this than originally realized.
This dragging of feet on the part of Obama's team reminds me of the rolling disclosures in the Rezko house deal. Maybe no indictment of Rahm will come out of it and Obama won't have to replace him as chief of staff, but by the way they're acting I won't be surprised at all if there is something very embarrassing to Rahm and thus Obama on the tapes even if there isn't anything regarding a deal on the Senate seat.
no plan B
· 1 year ago
Perhaps the Obama team's problem is trying to spin why they didn't go to the feds when they learned that RB was engaging in pay-to-play with other candidates
Cheswick
· 1 year ago
The biased source's husband and I shared the people mover at the Atlanta airport (I think) many years ago. I almost didn't read the article when I saw the author's name. But I did. Obviously, she wants to go after Fitzgerald in the courtroom.
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal = shilling for business? Maybe.
Bill Baar
· 1 year ago
Gotta admit the FBI guy was a little out of line with the comments on Illinois as the most corrupt state.
There was a lot of emotion at that press conference.
That was unusual I think. I don't think it was wise. Why it occurred is good question.
DuPage Dave
· 1 year ago
The FBI guy was right on- Illinois is a top contender for the "most corrupt state" title. We may not always win the super bowl, but we are in the playoffs every year.
The pension board corruption, the "endemic hiring fraud" problem, the real estate deals and now the selling of a Senate seat- and that's just one Illinois elected official!!
Steve
· 1 year ago
Eric Holder is going to have to answer for 300K and his connection to Blagojevich and the Rosemont Casino deal.Does Eric Holder look good defending a casino with ties to John "No Nose" DiFronzo?
steve schnorf
· 1 year ago
Somehow, I suspect that the Obama-Emanuel haters are not new to the world of conspiracy theory
Emily Booth
· 1 year ago
The Emperor Wears No Clothes. Is that what Victoria Toessing finds so "appalling" about Fitzgerald's opinions? I find it refreshing, appropriate and honest and about 6 years overdue (altho that is not Fitzgerald's fault). But, then, I don't work or live in the Beltway.
Peach
· 1 year ago
Somehow, I suspect that the Obama-Emanuel haters are not new to the world of conspiracy theory
No, they've been watching the Bush/Cheney haters in action for so long they learned a thing or 2.
All Comments
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,...
I didn't say the column was biased, just the columnist. Big dif.
Given her hubby's criminal troubles she needs to be kept far away from the Senate.
Interesting that Madigan and Jackson weren't on the list. No love for daddy Madigan I imagine and recognize that JJJ might not be able to hold the seat.
He couldn't get Obama's Senate pic out of the Guv.
He dragged the Guv into the muck talking to a Guv knowing he was under investigation.
And all around losing move.
Knowing how these guys talk, the tapes can be nothing but utter embarrasment... worse the a crime.. really dumb and crude I bet.
http://www.ktnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9504159
I must say, the rest of the country has grasped what kind of a person our Blago is a lot quicker than we Illinoians did. I know they had Fitzgerald's help, but there is complete venom out there. Maybe we really are to used to corruption.
Saturday Night Live is sure to wreck tonight.
I doubt if Harris was a buffer. I don't think he had the history with Daley to qualify.
I have to disagree with you on Emanuel and the news value, Rich. A prominent public official getting caught on fed wiretaps in a criminal investigation, no matter how innocent or innocuous the conversation, is news.
As I posted elsewhere, I think the whole pre-election conversation between Harris and Emanuel is newsworthy for a number of reasons, none of them very complimentary to Emanuel. He's a buffer who needs his own buffer.
--"The family was big on buffers, Senator." Willie Cicci, GFII.
these people are more worked up about Fitzgerald than the actions of the corrupt.
Let Fitz take the ball and run. There is no upside for Obama here.
The crisis will come when Fitz decides he wants to leave and Obama has to appoint a replacement. When that time comes, he should publicly ask for, and then appoint, Fitz's recommendation.
Obama, get out of Illinois politics! Please!
If they want this to go away they simply have to clearly state that there was no pay to play for either the Senate Seat (darn, there goes my Christmas present) OR Rahm's Congressional seat. If either of these two fellows are one tape offering or being asked for favors, they will have to be cut loose ASAP.
Where does the line of quid pro quo get drawn? Is asking to have someone pay your campaign debts before you join their administration crossing the line?
Who isn't biased? Asserting that the source is biased is a biased statement.
I don't mean to offend you or anything but from my perspective (there even more bias!) it was a kind of a gratuitous slap. If you believe her argument has merit why the need to label her?
I mean JJJ came out and said he was told he was not a target of the investigation and then it came out he was way more caught up in this than originally realized.
This dragging of feet on the part of Obama's team reminds me of the rolling disclosures in the Rezko house deal. Maybe no indictment of Rahm will come out of it and Obama won't have to replace him as chief of staff, but by the way they're acting I won't be surprised at all if there is something very embarrassing to Rahm and thus Obama on the tapes even if there isn't anything regarding a deal on the Senate seat.
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal = shilling for business? Maybe.
There was a lot of emotion at that press conference.
That was unusual I think. I don't think it was wise. Why it occurred is good question.
The pension board corruption, the "endemic hiring fraud" problem, the real estate deals and now the selling of a Senate seat- and that's just one Illinois elected official!!
No, they've been watching the Bush/Cheney haters in action for so long they learned a thing or 2.