“Just How Insane Is Rod Blagojevich - Political News?”
By Patrick Appel
This insane:
Blagojevich also allegedly spent significant time weighing the option of appointing himself to the open Senate seat and expressed a variety of reasons for doing so, including: frustration at being “stuck” as governor; a belief that he will be able to obtain greater resources if he is indicted as a sitting Senator as opposed to a sitting governor; a desire to remake his image in consideration of a possible run for President in 2016; avoiding impeachment by the Illinois legislature; making corporate contacts that would be of value to him after leaving public office; facilitating his wife’s employment as a lobbyist; and generating speaking fees should he decide to leave public office.
Italics mine. The DOJ press release (pdf) reads like a movie script.
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Progressive candidate announces run for Rahm’s House seat - Today in Politics
From Tom Geoghegan, over at DailyKos:
I’m running for Congress in the Fifth District of Illinois.As a Chicago lawyer for thirty years, I have fought for working people in the Fifth District and throughout the city. I have represented unions as well as people with no unions to protect them. In plant closings I have helped them recover health and pension benefits. I obtained health care for the uninsured. I’ve been pressing the State of Illinois to crack down on payday lenders.
In my life as a lawyer I have lived out a commitment to one cause above all – to bring economic security to working Americans, in our District, in our country. That’s the same commitment I will bring to Congress.
We’re deep in an economic crisis unlike any other we’ve known. It may last years. We need new and creative ways to protect working Americans, especially our older working people who have no real pensions to live on.
For years we’ve heard the doomsayers: “We can’t afford Social Security.” “We can’t afford ‘single-payer’ national health.” One thing we all learned from the $700 billion bail out: We’ve got the money to do all of this and more.
At the moment, the Federal Reserve is literally printing money, to give not billions but trillions to banks and financial firms. To the people of this District, the banks and others have gotten their money. Now it’s your turn. Here’s the bailout I will go to Congress to get…
Read the rest, over at Kos.
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Emergency Election Called for in Illinois - Today in Politics
Only time will tell how badly Rod Blagojevich's racketeering scandal damaged the world's trust in people with ethnic names, but his greed has very quickly put Illinois Democrats in a world of shit.
Democratic leaders in both Illinois and Washington are asking the state's legislature to hastily cobble together a special election to fill Barack Obama's vacant senate seat, which the rotten Blagojevich had been trying to "sell" for hundreds of thousands of dollars in favors.
Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, who called the charges shocking, said he would call the chamber into session to pass a bill to establish a special election to fill the vacancy.
"The faith of the citizens of Illinois has once again been shaken," Jones said in a statement. "I will call the Senate back in to session to pass legislation that would create a special election for the U. S. Senate seat to help restore the confidence of the people of Illinois during this difficult time."
In our opinion, this is how it should have been all along. The citizens of Illinois deserve the right to choose the next filthy crook who shall lord over them and steal a shitload of their tax dollars. It's only fair.
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Post tags: Crime, Filthy Cheaters, Illinois, Liars, Politics, Rod Blagojevich
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Obama Meets With Gore - Today in Politics
The news of the arrest of Illinois Governor Rob Blagojevich for corruption and rank stupidity stole the thunder from a meeting today on global warming and energy policy between President-elect Barack Obama and former Vice President Al Gore:
Mr. Obama, seated between Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Mr. Gore, repeated his declaration that the United States can no longer afford delay or denial in confronting the climate challenge. “We all believe what the scientists have been telling us for years now, that this is a matter of urgency and national security, and it has to be dealt with in a serious way,” Mr. Obama said. “That is what I intend my administration to do.”
Mr. Obama also adopted a term popularized by Mr. Gore, saying that it was necessary to “repower” the country, by shifting quickly to renewable sources of energy and creating a modern electrical grid to move power efficiently from one part of the country to another. Last summer, Mr. Gore issued a challenge to the United States to produce 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, a project he calls the Repower America Initiative. Mr. Obama has not explicitly endorsed that goal, but he has said that he intends to devote billions of dollars to so-called green energy projects that will create jobs and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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Team Obama Hit by Controversy Before Inauguration - Today in Politics
Barack Obama has yet to be sworn in as president of the United States of America, but his team is already surrounded by controversy, giving many the impression that the confirmation hearings of some of his nominees for senior posts in his administration may go less smooth than Obama hoped.
First and foremost, there is the controversy surrounding Obama’s choice for Secretary of Commerce Bill Richardson, the New Mexico governor and early supporter of Obama despite his long standing alliance with Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Richardson is investigated for possible involvement in a pay-to-play scheme similar to the one that brought Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich down (or almost down since he is still in office despite increased opposition). Richardson received support from a company who then got rewarded for its financial support by a major, more than $1 billion deal with the state of New Mexico. A grand jury is now investigating whether a pay-to-play scheme was involved: did Richardson or other senior members of his administration promise companies that supported him financially that they would reap the benefits if he would win the gubernatorial elections?
The controversy finally forced Richardson to withdraw his candidacy for commerce secretary. In less flattering words, one could state that Obama et al. threw Richardson under the bus for fear of a major controversy early in an Obama administration.
The New Mexico governor probably interpreted the events as such since he and his closest aides started a PR and media offensive against Team Obama one day after the forced withdrawal while Team Obama does everything in its power to put all the blame for the controversy on Richardson. ”This was out there, and he told them,” said a senior Richardson aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation. “I feel that they just missed the boat on it. The FBI or the campaign or something. I don’t think it’s fair that this is being portrayed as him holding anything back.”
As said, Team Obama has a slightly different opinion. The Washington Post reports, for instance, that ‘[s]ources within the transition and the Justice Department said that Richardson had played down the importance of the probe and did not reveal that his office and staff could be at risk. The seriousness of the matter became apparent after the FBI began its own background check on Dec. 2.’ The pro-Obama Politico adds that Richardson certainly held some relevant information back, but that Team Obama did a horrible job vetting him nonetheless.
Conclusion: Team Obama is to a very large degree for this major controversy.
Another controversy surrounding the president-elect is his announcement that Leon Panetta, former Congressman and Clinton aide, will be director of the CIA in an Obama administration. Although some responded by arguing that Panetta is a competent manager who knows his way around Washington, most commentators and politicians responded critical arguing that Panetta lacks necessary experience in the intel world. A director of the CIA, these critics argue, should not only know his way around D.C. and be a competent manager, he should also understand the intelligence world.
Interestingly enough, the ones responding most angrily and critically to Panetta’s nomination were Democratic leaders such as Dianne Feinstein, who will head an influential and powerful Senate intelligence committee. She responded to the news of Panetta’s nomination by saying that she knew nothing about him and that she was not willing to let someone with no direct experience in the intelligence world head the nation’s chief intelligence agency.
Shortly after Feinstein responded furiously journalists started wondering whether she or any other prominent members of Senate intelligence committees were informed by Team Obama about the Panetta pick. The conclusion: no they were not. As with the controversy surrounding Richardson, Team Obama did not what it should have done. Strike 2; once again a controversy brought to you by Obama himself.
The third major controversy surrounding the man who has to be sworn in to the highest office of the nation is that of Roland Burris. Burris was selected by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to replace Obama in the U.S. Senate. Since Obama is a black man, and his seat the only seat in Senate held by an African American, many considered it prudent for Blagojevich (or others) to nominate a qualified black man for the job.
Since Blagojevich is accused of involvement in a pay-to-play scheme surrounding the vacant Senate seat, however, many Democrats including the president-elect himself condemned Blagojevich’s decision to appoint someone to the seat. Obama and other leading Democrats made clear that they did not want Burris to be seated. At the same time, constitutional (and other legal) scholars said that there is little to no room for anyone to prevent Burris from being seated. If the latter goes to court, he will almost certainly win.
Conclusion: Obama’s support for a movement which wants to prevent Burris from being seated is quite unwise both politically and legally. Firstly, there is no way that the Senate or anyone can truly prevent Burris from taking the seat (eventually) and, secondly, Team Obama’s statements drew the president-elect more into this controversy then he already was. Strike three, you’re out.
That is not all, however. There is also a strike four: Governor Blagojevich himself. As said, Blagojevich is accused of trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder. Team Obama initially remained quiet about the controversy, then agreed that it had “some contact” with the government about the seat but was eventually forced to admit that it had presented the governor with a list of “acceptable candidates” and that Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s Chief of Staff, spoke to Blagojevich’s office on six or seven separate occasions. The Blagojevich scandal is the fourth strike not because Obama may have been involved in the pay-to-play scheme but because he was not open about his team’s contacts with the governor.
The above four controversies give on the distinct impression that Team Obama may not be as political savvy as many thought. A president will deal with crisis after crisis, even when things are good. The way the team handled the above controversies do not instill a great deal of confidence in Obama’s crisis management skills.
Tags: Scandal, War, Senate, Hillary Clinton, Illinois, Maine
Bank Of America Gives In To Republic Windows And Doors Workers - Today in Politics
Wow. Chalk one up for the good guys. After 5 days of a peaceful occupation of the Republic Windows and Doors factory in Illinois, which included a weekend of what had reportedly been productive talks between Republic workers who simply want the pay and benefits they’ve earned and Bank of America, which is Republic’s creditor, it looks like, as The AP’s headline puts it: “workers win.”
Bank of America says it will extend credit to a Chicago window and door maker whose workers have occupied the factory for five days.The bank said Tuesday that it’s willing to give the Republic Windows and Doors factory “a limited amount of additional loans.” That’s so it can resolve claims of employees who have staged a sit-in since Friday.
The factory closed Friday after Bank of America canceled its financing.
Workers were given three days’ notice. But they refused to leave and vowed to stay there until receiving assurances they would receive severance and accrued vacation pay.
This was a very important victory not only for the workers in that particular factory but potentially for workers all over the country in particular to the extent that it put a human face on the importance of unions in winning workers the pay and benefits they deserve.
We’re likely to see thousands of dramas just like this all over the country, as more and more businesses teeter on the solvency edge and slip over into bankruptcy. In the Republic case, we had a union willing to support the workers in their courageous sit in, and to bargain with the company’s bank. That example is going to be seen, understood and reenacted across the country.
Also, it’s worth watching Rachel Maddow’s piece on the protest. As she says, what a huge difference it makes when the (incoming) president supports worker protests such as this.
Tags: republic windows and doors (all tags)
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From CIA leak case to taking down a governor - Political News
For Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, it’s too bad prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald ever came home.
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Bid on Barack Obama’s Senate Seat - Political News
Following the arrest today of Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, who allegedly tried to sell Barack Obama's senate seat (though god knows how) and was threatening to cut of Sam Zell's state funds for the Tribune if he didn't fire those mean editors, a clever someone or other posted a sale on Ebay for the Obama appointment. Which you know, may have turned out to be a better way to conduct business in the long run for Blago, since his subtle closed-door politicking left a smear trail a mile long. The listing has already been taken down, since Ebay, like federal prosecutors, generally tend to frown bribing political candidates.
(Via Huffington Post)
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Post tags: Barack Obama, eBay, Huffington Post, Rod Blagojevich, Sam Zell
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Patricia Blagojevich, Illinois’ First Lady - Today in Politics
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/…
Illinois First Lady Patricia Bagojevich was conspicuous in her involvement of alleged criminal activities of the Governor, according to the (just released) FBI Affidavit. Mrs. Blagojevich also had a long business relationship with Antonin “Tony” Rezko, the Chicago developer and former Obama fundraiser who was convicted on fraud charges earlier this year.
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Tags: IllinoisWho Needs Republic’s Window Manufacturing Workers? The Whole Country - Cited by Sharpy News.
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, where the company shut down last week and tried to lay off dozens of union workers. That came after the company failed to secure sufficient credit from its banker, Bank of America, to keep operating.
This particular story could be over tomorrow — all it would take is one phone call from a politically savvy BoA executive who understands they’re sitting on a powder keg — and I hope that outcome happens quickly. But that won’t be the end.
We’re likely to see thousands of dramas just like this all over the country, as more and more businesses teeter on the solvency edge and slip over into bankruptcy. In the Republic case, we had a union willing to support the workers in their courageous sit in, and to bargain with the company’s bank. That example is going to be seen, understood and reenacted across the country.
This is becoming a metaphor for the public’s growing anger over Washington’s generous Wall Street bailout while the rest of the economy goes in the tank and a pathetic Congress negotiates with the worst President in our lifetimes over whether we’ll keep a domestic auto industry. The fact that BoA was one of the privileged recipients of $25 billion in Treasury’s TARP funds should put yet another spotlight on how little our economy is getting for the $335 billions Treasury handed out to the nation’s largest banks and financial houses.
If the purpose wasn’t to provide needed loans to deserving companies struggling to survive in the middle of a steep recession, what was it for? And if BoA won’t perform that function, why should any of us continue to give BoA our business?
But what about Republic? There are hundreds/thousands of window and door companies, and with the housing industry flat on its back, most of them are really hurting right now. So let me suggest why it’s important to keep companies like this going.
President-Elect Obama told us Saturday that he wants a massive economic stimulus for infrastructure investment, with focused investments on retrofitting homes and offices for energy efficiency. One of the most important things you can do for an older home/office is to change out your windows and doors, replacing those with metal frames and poor glazing with frames and glazing that lose less energy.
In general, wood/vinyl frames are far more energy efficient. Metal frames — especially aluminum or steel — used to be quite common, but heat moves very easily through metal frames and also through standard single-pane glazing. You lose lots of energy in your homes and offices right through the window frames and glazing.
In California, we effectively banned these energy sieves for new homes 20 years ago, but there’s still plenty of older stock with metal frames and single panes around. And not all states have decent building codes.
If we want to make our buildings energy efficient, the first thing we have to do is stop the massive leaks. We need new window frames, double (and/or specially coated) glazing, weather stripping and caulking, just for starters. Otherwise, replacing the AC and heating systems with more efficient units, while helpful, doesn’t do the job.
That’s just one tiny example. We need companies like Republic Windows and Doors, and thousands of other companies, because they employ lots of people who make lots of things we need. And we especially need those who build and install the solutions for our energy and global climate change problems.
If we’re going to have an energy/industrial policy, we need to tell our banks that the reason we’re keeping them solvent is because it’s their job to help keep these companies going. If BofA won’t do that, we’ll find other banks that will.
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