Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

* 12:49 pm - There hasn’t been much talk about this extremely important segment of the criminal complaint filed against Gov. Blagojevich. The NY bobbleheads never broached it with Blagojevich, and it was barely mentioned yesterday during the trial, but it strikes directly at the governor’s state of mind…

ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that his decision about the open Senate seat will be based on three criteria in the following order of importance: “our legal situation, our personal situation, my political situation. This decision, like every other one, needs to be based upon on that. Legal. Personal. Political.”

Every decision, not just the US Senate decision, but every decision he confronted, the governor said, had to be based on his own legal, personal and political situations, in that order.

If that doesn’t show a willingness, even an eagerness to abuse his powers, nothing does. And if it doesn’t show how easily he veered into lawlessness, I’m not sure what planet you’re from.

He also said this about the US Senate seat…

According to ROD BLAGOJEVICH, “the immediate challenge [is] how do we take some of the financial pressure off of our family.”

And this…

ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he is “struggling” financially and does “not want to be Governor for the next two years.”

* Take everything Blagojeivch is caught saying on those FBI surveillance tapes, run it through that “legal, personal, political” filter, add in those two other quotes about struggling and wanting out of his job, mix vigorously and this is a slam-dunk case.

* Anyway, the trial resumes at 1 o’clock. Comments on the morning live-blog post are now closed, so all comments on the trial go here.

* 1:12 pm - With a hat tip to a commenter, this is from the governor’s PR firm Twitter page…

Alert from The Publicity Agency: the gov is not making any public statements today and will be doing no media interviews whatsoever

* 1:13 pm - The trial is resuming now. We’ll have questions from both Dems and Repubs this time around.

* 1:16 pm - The Chief Justice said he may change the way questions are read to the witnesses. The Senate secretary may read them. No explanation why. The CJ has had trouble pronouncing names.

* From Illinois Issues…

[GOP Sen. Kirk Dillard] said he was particularly worried about why Rep. Constance Howard, a Chicago Democrat, was scratched from the list. She originally was scheduled to testify about the injury to the people that has happened since the governor’s arrest, including a dropped bond rating that makes it more expensive for the state to borrow.

Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno said the evidence intended to demonstrate the governor’s mismanagement of the state “seems to be getting truncated at this point.” She added: “I think it’s not good for the public. The public is the one that’s been harmed by this … I think that it’s incumbent on us not only to give the governor a fair trial, but to let the public know that we have a good handle on the extent of this corruption.”

* 1:21 pm - Sen Hendon just asked whether JCAR is favoring the House over the Senate, pointing to a bill that passed the Senate on health care that didn’t clear the House. That bill was then essentially turned into an executive order that JCAR tried to block and which eventually wound up being blocked by a court. Hendon sponsored that Senate bill.

* 1:36 pm - JCAR witness excused. No news there except the Hendon questions, which he telegraphed earlier in the day.

Announcement that Rep. Lang will not be called as a witness. The executive ethics commission report is being distributed.

* 1:37 pm - Radogno again complains about the shortened witness list. Give the people an opportunity to see the full case against the governor. “Live witnesses really help” the case “come alive.” Not sure I agree with her, considering the witnesses to date.

Andrew Morriss is being called as a witness. He’ll also speak about JCAR, and is a law professor.

* 1:43 pm - From the Sun-Times…

Meanwhile, a small stir occurred this morning outside the governor’s Statehouse office when a staff member was seen carting out several bank boxes of documents. But Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero said the documents were part of a “routine” transfer of documents from Springfield to Chicago, not anything the governor wants to take with him should he be forced out of office this week.

“These were just documents coming back to Chicago,” Guerrero said. “I don’t know what was in it. But what wasn’t in it were the governor’s personal effects.”

The governor isn’t packing up anything from his state offices or the Executive Mansion in anticipation of being forced out, Guerrero said. “It would be presumptuous for the governor to start packing,” Guerrero said.

* 1:48 pm - President Cullerton just said that he was under the impression that the House prosecutor will finish calling witnesses for the entire trial today. Prosecutor: One more witness, Auditor General Holland. One hour for his testimony.

* 2:40 pm - OK, they’re back. Witness questions. The Secretary of the Senate will be reading the questions for now.

* Interesting question about whether the professor had ever seen such an example of gubernatorial overreach as the JCAR maneuver. He said he hadn’t.

Sen. Hendon asked if any other professors might disagree with his opinions, and he responded that none he knew of disagreed with him on this particular question. Zing.

* Witness is finished.

* Senate President Cullerton: House prosecutor will give a one-hour closing argument tomorrow at 10 o’clock.

*** Cullerton said the governor wants leave to appear tomorrow and give his own statement after the prosecutor’s closing statement. The governor will apparently act as his own attorney.

The governor will be allowed to speak for 90 minutes.

The Senate would have to vote to allow the governor to speak. Sens. Cullerton and Radogno have both said they will urge the chamber to allow the governor to give a closing argument. The prosecutor would then be allowed a 30 minute rebuttal. ***

* 2:58 pm - Auditor General Bill Holland is on the stand now. Kind of an anti-climax after that last announcement.

* 4:37 pm - OK, they’re back for questions of Bill Holland. Mike will handle most of the live-blogging in comments.

* 5:13 pm - Holland questions are finished. No redirect. No questions for the House prosecutor. The prosecutor is handing out the special investigative committee’s final report.

The prosecution rests.

Chief Justice Fitzgerald: No defense can be presented since the governor is not present.

Closing arguments tomorrow.

Senate adjourned until 9:45 am tomorrow.

206 Comments

Question of the day

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Again, this is a bit late. Sorry for that. Forgot about it.

I’m rooting for the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl for a couple of reasons. The Cardinals have the second-longest championship drought in professional sports, following only the Chicago Cubs’ 100-year slog. A Cardinals win would be just one more ding at Cubdom.

Sorry, but I can’t get beyond the hate.

Also, the Cardinals started out in Chicago, so they’ve got that going for them. And they are one seriously exciting team.

* The Question: Your Super Bowl predictions are…? Explain fully.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - AUDIO: Sen. Hendon on the guv, the trial, the tapes and the charges

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Sen. Brady on the trial and the mystery boxes

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

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5th CD roundup *** UPDATED x1 ***

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Forrest Claypool is set to endorse Mike Quigley for Congress this morning at 10 o’clock. It’s no big surprise, but I’ll have the press release when it’s sent out.

Quigley, of course, is running in the 5th Congressional District special election. The Claypool endorsement could help Quigley, if his own poll is to be believed…

Forrest Claypool is extremely popular among 5th District Democrats (66% Fav / 9% Unfav), with a favorability ratio of better than 7 to 1. A Claypool endorsement could play a major role in this race, with 56% of primary voters more likely to vote for a candidate with Claypool’s support.

*** UPDATE 1 *** From the press release…

“No one has fought the old, failed politics of Todd Stroger longer or more effectively than Mike Quigley,” Claypool said.

“Mike is just the kind of ally President Obama needs in Congress to
change America,” Claypool said.

Quigley welcomed Claypool’s support, saying that “there is no leader
in Cook County whose endorsement sends a stronger signal about my
commitment to reform.”

[ *** End of Update *** ]

* Meanwhile, Fox Chicago finally caught up with another candidate in the 5th District special election, Rep. Sara Feigenholtz. The station has been trying to get an answer about a poll Feigenholtz ran that used some pretty harsh and misleading questions about two of her opponents, Quigley and Rep. John Fritchey. Feigenholtz didn’t answer many questions. Watch it by clicking here.

* As you may already know, Rosanna Pulido of the Illinois Minutemen Project is running as a Republican in the 5th District race. Her nominating petitions are being challenged by Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights director Josh Hoyt. Via Progress Illinois, here’s Hoyt’s statement…

“For years Ms. Pulido has poisoned the immigration debate with her vitriol, preventing rational debate on reasonable solutions for our broken immigration system. Now it is clear that her demagoguery was only to build a platform for her political ambitions […]

“If Ms. Pulido’s has not followed the rules and does not have enough valid signatures to be on the ballot, then the 5th CD will be mercifully spared from her hateful rants in pursuit of her own political ambitions.”

More from PI…

Back in 2007, [Pulido] told a House subcommittee that Chicago is “under siege by illegal aliens who speak Spanish, use public services and take jobs away from citizens.” During a May 2008 appearance on a local radio show, she suggested that the Chicago Police bring AK-47s to an (ultimately peaceful) protest by a group of immigrant rights activists. She also opposed a bill to allow detained immigrants to receive visits from members of the clergy here in Illinois. Furthermore, she is the regional field coordinator for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), whose leadership is linked to white nationalist views.

67 Comments

Quinn prepares to assume power

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Pantagraph takes a look at the transition…

If Gov. Rod Blagojevich is convicted by the Senate and removed from office, the transition of power is designed to be virtually seamless.

Under the state Constitution, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn automatically becomes the state’s 41st governor if Blagojevich is ousted, but he would not be able to execute the powers of chief executive until he signs a formal oath of office.

That document is likely already prepared and ready to be forwarded to Quinn from the Illinois Attorney General’s office. […]

“I think probably Thursday, maybe Friday,” said state Sen. Dan Cronin, R-Elmhurst. […]

Under the state constitution, Quinn wouldn’t have to be formally sworn into office by a judge, but could choose to do so as a ceremonial gesture.

* And the infamous Tollway signs will be taken down…

Should the Senate vote to remove Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn said Tuesday that he would immediately begin erasing some of the imprints his former running mate made on the state.

One target would be the signs displaying Blagojevich’s name over state tollways, which Quinn called a symbol of “pompous government.”

“The signs will go down, and we’ll probably have a ceremony to do it,” Quinn told the Tribune. “I might even ask some toll payers to help us out.”

Speaking in his Chicago office with the Senate impeachment trial blaring in the background, Quinn said he would end a period of “imperial governorship” that began under Republican Gov. George Ryan and was continued by Democrat Blagojevich.

* Quinn’s also been doing some hiring…

e Better Government Assn.’s executive director, Jay Stewart, plans to resign Wednesday from the organization.

Mr. Stewart, who has worked for the non-partisan watchdog group for nine years, said he has taken a job with Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn. Mr. Stewart served as general counsel for Mr. Quinn for a year in between jobs at the BGA.

He informed the BGA board president on Monday of his intent to resign.
“I am sorry that I did not have more time to give the BGA notice of this development, but as you are all well aware, the situation with Gov. Blagojevich has thrown the normal course of business out the window,” Mr. Stewart said in an e-mail to BGA’s board.

Discuss.

66 Comments

Impeachment trial live blog

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

[Comments are now closed. We have a fresh thread open. Click here.]

* They’re starting now. Have fun in comments.

* 9:31 am - The Senate Democrats have no questions for Rep. Rose. But the Republicans do want to question him about his testimony yesterday.

* 9:45 am - The Senate Republicans asked for a caucus to reformulate their questions to Rep. Rose, apparently because their original questions were outside the scope of Rose’s testimony. 30 minute caucus.

* 10:17 am - Senate Republicans want to ask some questions , but there will be no live witnesses to ask. So, the House prosecutor just offered to answer those questions himself. The Senate agreed. The SGOPs are complaining that some witnesses have been dropped.

* 10:25 am - The Senate Republicans have a strange agenda today. For instance, a questioner just asked Rep. Rose whether it was true that removing the governor would not solve the state’s budget deficit. The focus now is on the state’s credit rating.

The trouble with this line of questioning is that Rep. Rose testified yesterday about Ali Ata and Joe Cari. The Republicans are asking him about completely unrelated topics, like the governor’s security clearance.

* 10:35 am - Two storage boxes were wheeled in to the governor’s Statehouse office not long ago and then four boxes were wheeled out a short time later. No comment yet from the governor’s office about what’s going on.

* 10:40 am - The SGOPs appear to have gotten their questions back on track with Rose.

* 10:58 am - The Senate will take a short recess. The Chief Justice wants to see both party leaders in his chambers. Interesting. By the way, Senate President John Cullerton is getting more direct about his criticisms of Blagojevich today…

“Before I suggested that perhaps the governor had just been misreading the (Senate) rules, now I’m pretty sure he’s lying about the rules,” Cullerton said. “He’s had plenty of time to read these rules. I saw him on television last night. He flat out misrepresented what these rules said.”

The Senate president went on to add that he’s “pretty sure” the governor is “lying” about the trial rules.

“He wants us to change the rules,” Cullerton said. “I’ll tell you one rule that I would be willing to change, and that is for us to ask questions directly, not in writing, of the governor.”

* 11:03 am - Sen. Hendon was just talking to reporters. He repeated his assertion that he wants the single impeachment article split up. He also said that he wants to listen to all the federal wiretap tapes.

* 11:05 am - The Chief Justice is back at the podium. He’s calling them back to order.

* 11:09 am - Vicki Thomas, the executive director of JCAR, is now testifying.

* 11:30 am - They’ve taken a lunch and caucus break. Will return at 1 o’clock to ask questions of Director Thomas.

[Comments are now closed. We have a fresh thread open. Click here.]

65 Comments

A slip by guv? We’ll see

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rachel Maddow thinks she got Gov. Blagojevich to admit to some questionable things last night. I’m not so sure, except for one point. Here’s the video…

This is the one area where the guv probably slipped up but good. From the transcript…

BLAGOJEVICH: That Cubs deal was an example, a legal process, but an example of the legislature not willing to do something to keep Wrigley Field in Illinois. So we found a creative way, through the Illinois Finance Authority, to keep the Cubs in a place where it was in their interest and the interest of the people, I thought, where they could stay.

That was something, the sort of thing that they would say is an impeachable thing ‘cause I’m using the executive office, they think, without the legislative approval. The Tribune editorial board was advocating that I be impeached for those sorts of things.

And so again, without going into detail, they’re getting the benefit of these things to try to help the Cubs. We just would prefer that they don’t, look, that—that the things that they’re advocating that I be impeached it’d be nice if they they laid off on an issue like that.

MADDOW: Did you (UNINTEL)?

BLAGOJEVICH: No. And there was never any discussion with anybody at the Tribune.

MADDOW: John Harris never told them to lay off on your behalf?

BLAGOJEVICH: Never directed to do any of that. But, again, I shouldn’t get into this. That’s the wrong thing to do.

If you read the criminal complaint, Harris and others were told to get the Trib to lay off.

* Meanwhile, don’t worry too much about this because the guv is a goner. But Sen. Lightford did make some good points here…

The much-anticipated sound bites of Blagojevich reverberated through a political body whose members often have walked the fine line between pushing legislation for a special interest and taking campaign contributions from supporters.

Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood), an assistant majority leader feeling pressure from constituents to oust Blagojevich, said she and a growing number of colleagues believe the “federal case isn’t strong.” At the same time, she criticized Blagojevich for boycotting the proceedings in favor of a national media campaign blasting the trial as unfair.

“The governor [and his defense counsel] should have been there, in my opinion, to defend themselves,” Lightford said. “I think they would have had a grand opportunity to take some context and turn it into substance because I just felt like there wasn’t much substance to it today.”

* This Sun-Times editorial is right on the mark about the recorded tapes played yesterday…

Instead, the secretly recorded tapes of Blagojevich played in the Illinois Senate on Tuesday are most disturbing because they suggest just how routine scheming by our governor appeared to be.

* More on the alleged shakedown attempt caught on those tapes…

…Tuesday night the attorney for Johnny Johnston - the racetrack owner at the center of the alleged shakedown on those tapes - was talking.

Johnston’s attorney Dan Reinberg says his client never made an inappropriate campaign contribution and when asked for one in exchange for the governor’s support on a gaming bill, Reinberg says his client passed.

Asked if Johnston realized he was the subject of an apparent shakedown attempt, Reinberg said, “Well, he certainly was put in a horrible spot by virtue of this request, and yes he understood the request… let me just say this. He was not comfortable with the request.”

Reinberg said Johnston has been told he will be a witness in the criminal trial.

* Related…

* ‘I’m just the opposite of Nixon’

* Gov.’s management style in Senate cross hairs today

* Gov. Blagojevich’s impeachment trial rolls along

* Not a pretty picture for our governor

* Senate trial Day 2: FBI recordings

* Gov not only one who wants full story told

* FBI agent ‘confident’ it’s Blagojevich on the wiretaps

* FBI plays wiretaps of Rod Blagojevich at state Senate impeachment trial

* Governor’s words ring loudest at impeachment trial

* Blago’s own words haunt him at trial

* Blagojevich’s voice makes appearance at trial

* Tale Of Tape: Blagojevich’s Own Words Haunt Him

* SJ-R Opinion: Tapes show governor put himself first

* Blagojevich on the line

* Let’s make a deal

* Rod remains defiant on Day 2 of media blitz

* Blagojevich’s Media Circus Costing Taxpayers

* National media fail to follow the money

* Don’t let governor’s sideshow distract you from reality

* A sideshow? Not our Blago!

* What should Blagojevich tell his daughters?

* Fact-Checking Blagojevich’s Claims

* ‘Biggest Loser’ would be good show for gov

* Despite bizarre behavior, experts say Blagojevich isn’t crazy

* Experts say gov isn’t crazy, but he may have a narcissism disorder

* Our View: Is there no end to narcissism in Illinois politics?

* No sympathy for crooked governor

* Blagojevich has no golden parachute if impeached.

* Blago should have to pay cost of impeachment

* Even jobless, governor can be bleepin’ golden

35 Comments

Morning Shorts

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray

* Lipinski seeks $10 bil. for transit in stimulus

* Roskam, Kirk unchanged on stimulus package

Suburban congressmen Mark Kirk and Peter Roskam came away from a sit down with President Barack Obama and other House Republicans Tuesday unchanged in their opposition to a $825 billion economic stimulus plan.

* Taxpayers told not to worry

The City of Vancouver is considering borrowing $375 million or more to finish construction of its 2010 Olympic Village.

The budget for London’s 2012 Olympic Games is four times what was initially projected.

* Labor Bill Could Have Big Impact in Illinois

* Suburban officials are struggling with record snowfall, salt costs

* Chicago museum attendance healthy

* Regulators greenlight two hospital projects

* Another Illinois hospital’s discounts for uninsured

* Ailing Hartmarx hopes to size up a sale

* Daley standing by school chief choice

* Another Manager for CPS

* Good choice for schools

* Huberman moving from CTA to oversee school system

* CTA improved under new Chicago schools chief Ron Huberman

* Numbers battle clouds Cook Co.’s planned cuts

Cook County Board members Tuesday tossed around the idea of roughly 4 to 6 percent cuts for the 2009 budget in the face of strong opposition to borrowing $326 million.

* State holding $1.5 billion in unclaimed property

* Illinois vault holds more than $1.5 billion left behind by residents

* Puppy mill law long overdue

16 Comments

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Late afternoon video

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Use this post as an open thread to discuss tonight’s Blagojevich TV appearances. Make sure to follow along on his PR guy’s Twitter page.

But, for now, TPM really outdoes itself…

* And The Onion weighs in: Blagojevich Claims Behavior Was Just Elaborate Plan To Surprise Patrick Fitzgerald With Senate Nomination On His Birthday…

“You try to do something nice for someone, and look what happens,” the embattled governor told reporters at a press conference during which he unveiled a birthday cake for Fitzgerald.

“People get wind of it, so you try to cover up the big party you planned, then things get out of hand and the story ends up involving a children’s hospital, threats to the Tribune, and a half-million-dollar bribe. Next thing you know, you’re getting investigated by the very person you wanted to do something nice for! Pat, I’m sorry your birthday surprise was spoiled.”

77 Comments

Fresh impeachment trial thread *** Transcripts and audio of secret recordings are now online ***

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 1:13 pm - The trial is set to reconvene at around 1:15 pm. They were late reconvening yesterday, but Chief Justice Fitzgerald promised a more prompt timeline today.

* 1:16 pm - They’re now reconvening.

* If you want to follow the governor’s new public relations team as it squires our fearless leader around New York, they have their own Twitter page.

As we left fox, staffers want photos with the governor.

Oy.

* 1:55 pm - Sun-Times…

Either Gov. Blagojevich is misstating the rules governing his Senate impeachment trial or doesn’t understand them and should come to Springfield to mount a serious defense, Senate President John Cullerton said today.

“I don’t know of any impeachment trial in history where the one who was accused didn’t show up to defend himself. I once again urge him to do so,” the Democrat from Chicago’s North Side told reporters after the Senate broke for lunch today. […]

“If the governor is saying that he can’t come here and testify, that’s not true. If he’s saying he can’t voluntarily bring witnesses, that’s not true. If he’s saying he can’t subpoena certain witnesses, that is true because of the request of the U.S. attorney,” Cullerton said. “But he could bring in other evidence if he wanted to, public records those witnesses have made in the past.

* 1:37 pm - The tape on the horseracing bill is coming up very soon.

* 1:42 pm - Here it comes. Transcripts are being passed out as tape is played.

*** TRANSCRIPTS AND RECORDINGS OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE POSTED AT THIS LINK ***

* 1:51 pm - Transcript 4, which isn’t posted as I type this, appears to be the most important one.

* Transcript 4 is now online

* 1:52 pm - Recessed until 2:45 pm.

The idea behind all of this was to squeeze a large contribution out of a horseracing industry official in exchange for signing a bill that benefitted the industry.

From Tape 1…

Rob Blagojevich (governor’s brother and fundraising chairman): He’s gonna give you… ya know, he didn’t get it. But he said, ya know, I’m good for it. I gotta just decide what, what uh, accounts to get it out of. And Lon’s going to talk to you about some senitivities legislatively tonight when he sees you. With regard to the timing of this.

RRB: Right - before the end of the year though, right? (The end of the year is the end of the campaign finace period.)

* Tape 2 has a tapped phone conversation between Lon Monk and Johnnie Johnston, the racetrack official targeted for the strong arm. It’s dated December 3rd, more than three weeks after the above conversation where Rob Blagojevich told the governor that the contribution was imminent. Monk simply tells Johnston that he’s going to meet him at the track in 45 minutes.

* Tape 3 was recorded a couple of hours after the above phone conversation.

It’s between Lon Monk and Gov. Blagojevich. Monk tells Blagojevich that he talked to the track official about the “commitment.” Monk tells the governor that the official says he has to leave town for two weeks and knows he wants the contribution in hand at the end of those two weeks.

Monk claims he told the official that there’s “some skittishness” about the timeliness of the bill signing and the “commitment” (the contribution). Johnston, Monk says, asked if he wanted the “commitment” broken up so that some was given in the “next quarter.” Monk says he told Johnston no. “My point is that this has all gotta be in now.” Johnston, Monk claims to Blagojevich, hopes to have it next week.

Monk tells Blagojevich that the reason the meeting took so long was that “Billy” came in and started talking about various things “and I didn’t want to have that conversation in front of Billy,” Monk explains, basically admitting that this was not a conversation that could be shared with anyone else. “Good job,” the governor says.

* Tape 4 was recorded the following morning. This is also a conversation between Monk and Gov. Blagojevich. Monk suggests that the governor call Johnston himself. The governor says “Okay.”

“It’s better if you do it just from a pressure point of view,” Monk tells the governor.

“Yeah, good,” Blagojevich says, who then suggests that he’ll suggest holding an event downstate and start picking some dates for the bill signing, which he says the chances are good that it’ll happen the following week.

* Most of this stuff is already in the original complaint, but then there’s this strange exchange that has never before been released. Blagojevich talks about Johnston’s skittishness regarding the contribution…

BLAGOJEVICH: I feel like there’s somebody else who’s holding him (Johnston) back.

MONK: No.

BLAGOJEVICH: I believe it’s Chris. [Chris Kelly, perhaps?]

MONK: No, no.

BLAGOJEVICH: Well that took, you know a whole year. You know what I mean? Hey Lon…

MONK: No, I don’t think he’s been talking to Chris… I don’t think he’s been talking to Chris.

BLAGOJEVICH: Okay.

Strange, that.

* 2:39 pm - Sun-Times…

If the person being referred to on the tape is Kelly — who was mentioned repeatedly during last year’s corruption trial of Tony Rezko — it raises the possibility of dissension in the ranks of Blagojevich’s fund-raising operation. Blagojevich has maintained that Kelly is one of his closest friends.

It’s also possible that the governor thought that Kelly had gone to the other side (meaning the G).

* 2:56 pm - They’re back. Replaying the tapes.

* 3:03 pm - Lots of questions, the Chief Justice says, and reminds members that the witness is under restrictions about what sort of questions he can answer.

Sen. Demuzio: What info or persons led you to ask for a wiretap? Why were the taps ordered in October? Answer from US Attorney’s office: Legal restrictions prevent response, as well as the rules of engagement on what info the FBI agent can offer.

Sen. Watson: Are there any current investigations of Gov. Blagojevich? Answer: Can’t answer.

Looks like we’re going to see lots of these sorts of questions that are outside the scope of allowable testimony and the same response.

Sen. Gary Dahl: Are there members of this tribunal on the wiretaps? My favorite question so far. But there was no answer. lol

* 3:14 pm - Fox Chicago…

In New York, the Governor continued his media blitz and said those snippets of his voice were taken out of context.

* 3:17 pm - Now we’re getting into more political games. Knowing full well that the FBI wouldn’t answer the question, the Senate GOP asked if US Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid is on the tapes.

While this drones on as Senators ask questions that they should have known are outside the scope of the FBI agent’s authorized testimony, let’s check in with the Twitter page run by the governor’s public relations agency, shall we?

Gov to the people of Illinois: ‘I did not let you down’

Gov sees his own name on crawl over Today show set… Comments on it.

I gotta wonder if that fancy schmancy Twittering comes with the standard flak package or if it’s an add-on “premium service” type thingy.

* 3:50 pm - Another Twitter update…

Gov: ‘If they don’t change the rules I’m going to need to find another line of work’

* 3:58 pm - Rep. Chapin Rose, a member of the House impeachment committee, is now summarizing the part of the case dealing with Ali Ata and Joe Cari.

* 4:11 pm - Looks like DL Hughley is gonna give the guv a pass on his show…

Hughley just returned from a trip to Chicago. Hughley says he found many supporters in the city.

Hughley on the tapes: ‘None of them sounded criminal. They sounded political’

* 4:28 pm - Rep. Rose finishes testimony. Parties to caucus for half an hour.

* 5:01 pm - Sen. Cullerton says that the Senate Republicans want to wait until tomorrow to pose questions to Rep. Rose, but wants the proceedings to begin a half hour early.

Trial recessed until 9:30 am tomorrow.

144 Comments

Question of the day

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The late edition. From Sam Donaldson…

So, if Rod Blagojevich is removed as governor … if he is indicted, as predicted, and if he is then convicted and has to spend some time in prison, what will his life be like when he gets out?

Why, he will be lionized in the best circles. No A-list Chicago party will be worth going to unless Blagojevich is there with his hair and hairbrush.

Um, Sam? The governor will be lucky to get a job sweeping floors after he gets outta prison. I dunno about New York and DC, but we have slightly higher standards for A-List parties around here.

* The Question: Post imprisonment employment opportunities for Rod Blagoejvich?

Snark highly encouraged.

119 Comments

Don’t jump to conclusions *** UPDATED x2 ***

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I can’t possibly see how he can wait until after he’s removed from office to challenge the impeachment process, particuarly since he boycotted the Senate trial, but the AP just ran this story…

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich says he hasn’t ruled out legal action if he is removed from office.

Blagojevich told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he would respect “the law and the Constitution and the rules” if legislators vote him out of office. But he’ll explore his legal options.

The Democrat says he knows he soon could be out of a job but says he didn’t do anything wrong.

Note to all reporters: Gov. Rod Blagojevich lies about almost everything. Everyone in Illinois has had to learn that lesson the hard way. Take it from us, stop taking him at his word.

*** UPDATE 1 *** This video clip proves my point about the governor’s constant lying. On CBS this morning, the governor said…

“If I had a judicial remedy, I would’ve been there a long time ago, but unfortunately I don’t.”

Watch the video…

Actually, that’s a lie as well. As I’ve already told you, Ed Genson was preparing a case which he wanted to bring to the Illinois Supreme Court, but was nixed by Sam Adam, Jr. and Rod Blagojevich.

Also, as I told subscribers this morning, Blagojevich could’ve attended the Senate’s public committee hearings which put together the trial rules and attempted to put his stamp on the process. He chose not to, for whatever reasons.

Again, this man lies about almost everything.

*** UPDATE 2 *** Attorney General Lisa Madigan hits it out of the park…

“The governor is making a mockery of the law, he’s making a mockery of the constitution,” Madigan said. “The whole concept of impeachment has been enshrined in not just Illinois law, but in federal law, from the beginning of our country. It’s talked about in the Federalist Papers, and so for him to claim he’s not going to get any kind of a fair trial and fair process is absolutely absurd.”

“He’s choosing to not participate, that’s something completely different than not availing yourself of a process and so in some ways, it’s almost admitting that he has nothing to say in his defense, despite what he’s saying on all these talk shows.”

By admitting on CBS that he had no constitutional recourse to block impeachment and removal, he is admitting that all of his teevee arguments about the Senate’s unconstitutional rules are flat-out bogus. By refusing to appear at the trial, he’s admitting his own guilt.

[ *** End of Updates *** ]

* Meanwhile, don’t jump to conclusions here…

With senators prohibited from speechmaking during the trial, Hendon used the only means at his disposal — an opportunity to submit written questions through Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Fitzgerald — to make known his displeasure with aspects of the impeachment case against Blagojevich.

In particular, Hendon is upset that senators are being asked to impeach Blagojevich in part on policy matters on which they previously supported the governor: expanding health care for children, creating a prescription drug program for seniors and procuring flu vaccines from outside the U.S.

“Is giving health care to children an impeachable offense, or does it fall under executive privilege?” Hendon asked House prosecutor David Ellis.

Hendon said he and other Democratic senators, then under the leadership of retired Senate President Emil Jones, backed Blagojevich on those programs, even after he implemented them over the objections of the Illinois House, and that to turn against him now on those matters would be hypocritical.

“How can I kick the governor out of office over that when we supported it?” Hendon told me in an interview after the Senate adjourned for the day. […]

Hendon said other senators share his concerns but are afraid to be vocal about it in the current political climate.

Hendon said he thought US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald was doing a great job and he wouldn’t object to any of those items being included. Overall, Hendon has a point about some of the more minor impeachment issues.

However, and this is important to keep in mind, the sole article of impeachment concludes that the evidence in its totality points directly to a pattern of abuse of power. Senators don’t have to agree on every single claim in the impeachment report. All they have to do is decide whether they believe the governor has abused his powers of office sufficiently to remove him.

That’s a slam dunk vote.

74 Comments

It’s not as simplistic as that

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I’ve seen comments here and bloviating elsewhere that what Rod Blagojevich is doing with his national media blitz is an ingenious plan to help himself with his criminal trial by influencing the jury pool. I’m not buying it. The explanation is too simplistic. Besides, George Ryan commuted how many death sentences and his jury did what? Exactly.

Natasha Korecki at the Sun-Times sets those people straight today with an excellent story…

“Given that he doesn’t know all the evidence against him, there’s tremendous risk in what he’s doing,” said Levin, who prosecuted ex-Gov. George Ryan. “Some of the statements . . . might fit nicely into the theories [prosecutors] are laying out.”

Prosecutors are likely recording every word out of the governor’s mouth, Levin said.

“No defense attorney in his right mind would sanction this campaign,” defense lawyer Ron Safer said. “It’s a horrible, horrible idea.”

Safer said Blagojevich’s words on television will come across differently in the sterile environment of federal court — especially when jurors will also hear secret profanity-laced FBI recordings of the governor.

“No matter how innocent you think the statements are. No matter how good it feels,” Safer said, “it’s a bad idea, and apparently intolerable to one of the finest criminal lawyers I know.”

Powerhouse defense lawyer Ed Genson quit the case last week, in part over the media campaign.

TV interviews are likely to turn off future jurors, Safer said, adding: “A majority of jurors . . . would be deeply offended by someone who speaks like that over the telephone and then compares himself to Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.”

Not to mention that the trial is likely years away. Most of this week’s teevee insanity will be forgotten by potential jurors at that point.

Also, he’s probably doing far more harm to himself with his future judge than any good he might be doing with the jury pool.

As I told you earlier this week, Sam Adam, Jr. is running the show now, and it doesn’t appear to me that he has any idea what he’s doing.

* I am wondering whether something like this might be in the offing before he’s removed from office, however…

Afraid their appeals will fall on deaf ears if Gov. Rod Blagojevich is ousted, several relatives of victims tortured by former Chicago police Commander Jon Burge paid a visit to the governor’s office to ask for pardons.

The impeached governor was not at his office today. Instead he was making national media rounds in New York. Blagojevich was scheduled to appear before the state Senate in his impeachment trial that began today.

Jo Ann Patterson made the trip to the embattled Blagojevich’s office to deliver a letter requesting that he pardon the many victims who were allegedly tortured into confessions by way of beatings and electric shocks by Burge and detectives under his command.

She fears if Blagojevich is convicted by the Senate, the requested pardons won’t have a chance.

Any other predictions about what the governor could do before he’s removed?

* Related…

* Lynn Sweet: Blagojevich likely gains sympathy

* Did show appearances hurt governor?

44 Comments

Senate Trial Live-Blog

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The trial begins at 10 o’clock. We’re supposed to hear excerpts from the FBI surveillance tapes today, which will hopefully shut more than a few traps once and for all. You can listen or watch here, or check CNN or others for live feeds.

* These folks live-blogged yesterday…

* Sun-Times
* Illinois Review
* Tribune
* SJ-R (on Twitter)
* Lee news (on Twitter)
* Illinois Channel (Twitter)
* Melissa Hahn (Twitter)
* Post-Dispatch
* NBC5 (Steve Rhodes)

I’ll be back in a few with some news excerpts.

* 10:00 am - FBI Agent Cain is now on the stand.

* 10:09 am - I just put several more stories in the post directly below. There’s really no need to go over most of what was written yesterday since we already know what happened and talked about it for hours.

* 10:37 am - The Tribune has the governor’s media schedule for today…

7:00 a.m. CBS, Early Show
8:10 a.m. Fox & Friends
8:45 a.m. AP TV
10:30 a.m. Fox Business Network
11:15 a.m. In Session/TruTV
12:30 p.m. FOX, Glenn Beck
1:30 p.m. CNN, Campbell Brown
2:00 p.m. MSNBC, Rachel Maddow
2:30 p.m. FOX, Greta Van Susteren
3:30 p.m. CNN, DL Hughley

These are apparently recording times, since many of the above shows run at night.

* 11:58 am - Trial is recessed until 1:15 pm. The Democratic Senators will meet in Senate President Cullerton’s office.

* 12:14 pm - Mike has been covering the goings on in comments while I work on a couple of stories and keep an eye on the wires. Just about everything discussed this morning has been known for quite some time. However, this is from the Post-Dispatch…

[House Prosecutor David Ellis] is also asking about the issue of “voice identification,” seemingly to address any notion that Blagojevich might claim that wasn’t him on the tapes.

Ellis: “How did you positively identify the voice of the governor?”

Cain: “The governor is a very public figure. . . . so there is a certain voice recognition with that element alone. . . . At times he would self-identify.”

39 Comments

He’s at it again

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* You may remember my Sun-Times column from last month which began…

Everybody, calm down. This nightmare will soon be over.

I try to avoid cable TV news shows, but I tuned in this week to watch some of the talking heads grossly overreact to reports that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald won’t cooperate much with the General Assembly’s attempt to remove Gov. Blagojevich from office.

The talking heads were babbling wildly over whether that meant Blagojevich might remain in office for the rest of his term.

Not a chance.

One of those bobbleheads in question was the Washington Post’s Eugene Robinson, who claimed back then that US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s refusal to allow the House impeachment committee to take testimony from people referenced in the criminal complaint against the governor would doom the impeachment proceedings.

Nevermind the fact that everybody in Illinois politics already knew that Fitzgerald wouldn’t cooperate. And nevermind the fact that there was already plenty of material to use against Blagojevich in the impeachment without Fitz’s cooperation. Robinson believed that this development was dramatically important.

Oops.

Robinson obviously had no idea what he was talking about, and it boggled my mind that the program’s producers would allow him to drone on and on, even though he was so clearly and thoroughly clueless.

* But, today, it’s even worse. Robinson has another goofy theory that he peddled in the allegedly esteemed pages of the Washington Post…

Is Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich about to be impeached on grounds of loopiness, obnoxiousness and a bad haircut? Apparently so. In defense of the Illinois state senators who seem to have already decided the governor’s fate, however, the haircut really does border on the criminal.

But it is unclear to me what else Blagojevich has done that a duly constituted jury would find illegal. Even in the matter of his menacing mop, at worst he’s a co-conspirator in a dastardly act committed by his barber.

Robinson goes on like that for several more paragraphs, selectively quoting from the criminal case and knocking down red herrings that he dutifully drags in front of his readers. The governor is not being impeached because of “loopiness, obnoxiousness and a bad haircut,” he’s being impeached because innumerable actions he has made as governor are tantamount to an abuse of power egregious enough to warrant removal from office.

It is abundantly clear from reading Robinson’s column that he knows absolutely nothing of Blagojevich’s history, and cannot comprehend the charges against him.

As to the criminal complaint, the governor devised numerous alleged criminal schemes - not just related to the US Senate seat - and then ordered that they be carried out. Those orders would be crimes, Mr. Robinson.

I can’t wait until this is over so that the DC talking heads will finally turn their erroneous, fallacious and salacious attention to their own backyards.

* Related…

* If Blago believes what he says, he needs help

* Blago drives Denial Tour ‘09 right off a cliff

* Deluded: Blagojevich Embarrassing Himself, State of Illinois

* Seriously, governor?

* The astonishing assertions continue….

* Governor’s ‘woe is me’ act wears thin even on national TV

* Ill. governor’s own words to haunt him at trial

* Senate to hear selected Blago recordings

* Blagojevich trial: FBI agent who helped lead probe testifies today

* Impeachment: Witnesses could be called Tuesday

* Unfiltered: Impeachment Prosecutor’s Opening Statement

* Prosecutor: Constitutional Rights Don’t Apply in Impeachment

* If Blagojevich takes the witness stand …

* Prosecutor: Blagojevich ‘Utterly Abused’ His Power

* Impeachment trial observers wonder: Why isn’t Rod Blagojevich here?

* Start of Senate trial marked by Gov.’s absence

* Gov’s complaints are out of context

* Is his removal in the cards?

* Illinois needs a governor, not a television star

* Media blitz vs. Senate trial

* Illinois, policing itself

* Governor on tour as trial starts

* Senate begins trial as governor hits TV shows

* Blago hits talk show circuit as impeachment trial begins

* Ill. governor continues media rounds in NY

* Gov. Rod Blagojevich gave no ground in his gamble of a public relations blitz

* Blago says ‘the fix is in,’ as he makes the talk-show rounds

* Senator Oprah? Blagojevich takes on the talk shows

* Cost of governor’s trip? At least he didn’t take state plane

* Taxpayers paying for some of governor’s media blitz

* Illinois Senator Dan Rutherford’s Video Update of the Senate Trial of Governor Rod Blagojevich

* Topinka: Voters Get What They Deserve

26 Comments

Morning Shorts

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray

* NOW endorses candidate for 5th district seat

State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, was endorsed Monday by the National Organization for Women in her quest for the vacant congressional seat of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

* Illinois wants time to replace diverted funds

Quinn wants the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to give Illinois more time to put federally restricted funds back in their proper place.

Illinois faces the loss of $16 million in federal funds if it fails to restore $9.25 million to six funds that receive money from hunting and fishing licenses and related fees.

In a letter, Quinn asked the regional director of the Fish and Wildlife Service to give Illinois 90 more days to replace the money. Quinn said the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich makes it unlikely an appropriations bill will be signed before the February 2 deadline.

* Beyond Blagojevich: Illinois is in a state of debt

Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes, who is turning out to be the state’s unheralded Cassandra, sees worse ahead. General funds appropriations are up $916 million, but that doesn’t include more hundreds of millions to pay required contributions to five state retirement systems. And don’t forget, we have to pay off that $1.4 billion in short-term loans.

* Cash, lots of other unclaimed property stored by Illinois

* Blago controversy downplayed in Olympic bid

* Big cuts

* Caterpillar to Cut 20,000 Jobs

* Daley Says Economic Stimulus Package Could Mean Thousands of Local Jobs

* Mental health activists try to keep 4 Chicago centers open

* Mayor Richard Daley to name CTA chief Ron Huberman to lead city schools

* CTA prez to become CPS head: source

13 Comments

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

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