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Blago: Senate Candidate 5 Wanted To Trade Campaign Cash For Seat
We don't know for sure who Senate Candidate 5 is. But we'll likely find out. So it's worth understanding what his or her (though it appears to be his) alleged role in the affair is.
For Candidate 5, the most damaging passage in the document is this:
On December 4, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke to Advisor B and informed Advisor B that he was giving Senate Candidate 5 greater consideration for the Senate seat because, among other reasons, if ROD BLAGOJEVICH ran for re-election Senate Candidate 5 would "raise money" for ROD BLAGOJEVICH, although ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he might "get some (money) up front, maybe" from Senate Candidate 5 to insure Senate Candidate 5 kept his promise about raising money for ROD BLAGOJEVICH. (In a recorded conversation on October 31, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH described an earlier approach by an associate of Senate Candidate Five as follows: "We were approached 'pay to play.' That, you know, he'd raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator.")
That last part, in which the governor says he was approached by an "emissary" from Candidate 5 proposing a pay-to-play deal for Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat, is the key. Though it's worth noting, of course, that Blagojevich hardly has a reputation for honesty.
There is also this passage:
Later on December 4, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke to Fundraiser A. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated he was "elevating" Senate Candidate 5 on the list of candidates for the open Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated he might be able to cut a deal with Senate Candidate 5 that provided ROD BLAGOJEVICH with something "tangible up front." ROD BLAGOJEVICH noted he was going to meet with Senate Candidate 5 in the next few days. ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Fundraiser A to reach out to Individual D, an individual who ROD BLAGOJEVICH is attempting to obtain campaign contributions from and who, based on intercepted phone calls, ROD BLAGOJEVICH believes to be close to Senate Candidate 5. ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Fundraiser A to tell Individual D that Senate Candidate 5 was very much a realistic candidate for the open Senate seat, but that ROD BLAGOJEVICH was getting "a lot of pressure" not to appoint Senate Candidate 5. ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Fundraiser A to tell Individual D that ROD BLAGOJEVICH had a problem with Senate Candidate 5 just promising to help ROD BLAGOJEVICH because ROD BLAGOJEVICH had a prior bad experience with Senate Candidate 5 not keeping his word. ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Fundraiser A to tell Individual D that if Senate Candidate 5 is going to be chosen to fill the Senate seat "some of this stuffs gotta start happening now . . .right now. . . and we gotta see it. You understand?"ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Fundraiser A that "you gotta be careful how you express that and assume everybody's listening, the whole world is listening. You hear me?" ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Fundraiser A to tell Individual D if there is "tangible political support (campaign contributions) like you've said, start showing us now." Fundraiser A stated he will call Individual D on the phone to communicate ROD BLAGOJEVICH's message. ROD BLAGOJEVICH responded that "I would do it in person. I would not do it on the phone." ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Fundraiser A to communicate the "urgency" of the situation to Individual D.
So it certainly seems clear that the governor believed Candidate 5 would play along -- though that's not proof that he was correct in that assumption.
Josh
Zachary
Based solely on how badly he wanted the seat, my guess (and it's just a guess) would be that "Candidate 5" is none other than Rep Jesse Jackson Jr.
That said, Fitzgerald made it very clear in his briefing that the offer did not come directly from the candidate, but through various middlemen.
Whomever candidate 5 is, they probably stand little chance of prosecution. That said, don't expect them to have ANY role in the Obama administration.
Whomever Candidate 5 is, they've just suffered a monumental political setback. This is just too despicable of a scandal to let Candidate 5 off the hook, plausible deniability or not.
December 9, 2008 2:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
People are suggesting a state Senator named Emil Jones as Candidate 5.
December 9, 2008 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well if it is Jackson, as Zach theorized in an earlier post, that's not going to look too good for him (or whoever it turns out to be). Sounds like a career-ending move to me.
December 9, 2008 5:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
HUMM..ROD BLAGOJEVICH throws Bank of America out of Illinois..(for taking bail-out money and then refusing to loan to a 40 y.o. windows and doors manufacturer, putting a bunch of people out of work) and the day after he gets arrested....? Coincidental? Just saying...
December 9, 2008 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're way off base here. Blagojevich was just grandstanding opportunistically on the issue, as was every other Democrat in the vicinity once Obama legitimized it with his endorsement.
Blago was no leader in this fight. To impute this as payback for his actions demeans the prosecutor, who is a standup guy.
Plus, obviously, the tapes cited by Fitzgerald happened before Blago's grandstanding about the plant yesterday.
December 9, 2008 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
So someone's supporters offered to raise campaign contributions for Blog. Where's the crime - that goes on all the time, no? It wasn't going into his pocket, it was explicitly for campaigning.
December 9, 2008 2:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think those specifics will matter one bit.
Because the offer was presented through middlemen, candidate 5 is not at all likely to be prosecuted by Fitzgerald. That said, he or she is entirely likely to be destroyed in the public's perception.
The perception will be that Candidate 5 did try to buy the senate seat. This scandal is simply too outrageous, despicable, and high profile for Candidate 5 to escape without the electorate considering them to be a crook.
In this political climate, that will mean a devastating, perhaps mortal political setback.
December 9, 2008 3:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, that is what I was seeing, too.
It reads to me as if it was tit-for-tat for campaign money, from this passage.
Definite fundraising terms used:
.Less clearly fundraising, but ambiguous enough that a good lawyer should be able to create doubt in court:
Paint me gullible or too open-minded, but if these passages are the basis of one of the charges, I don't see this as more than his way of phrasing his solicitations for "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours".
Where is the evidence that Blago was intending to stuff the money in his pockets or into shoe boxes in his closet? Wanting up-front money? Pretty thin, in my book.
My POV on Blago: I live in IL, and there are a lot of people here who don't like him, the Tribune people in particular. I have no opinion about him whatsoever, other than, "What the hell has he done to deserve their vituperation?" II've never understood it, except as a backlash for the prosecution of George Ryan (R), the previous Governor. For those who don't know, the Trib is at our near the top of the list of top right wing big city papers in the country. They have been ragging on him as long as he's been in office. They are pretty nuclear about it.
My POV on Fitzgerald: 110% squeaky clean, should be the U.S. Attorney General someday, and maybe will be the best ever.
In spite of that, I have to ask, Does anyone else see shades of Siegelman here? I just would never believe it of Fitz, but if all the evidence is as open to interpretation as this, I don't get it.
I agree with eds that there must be
If not, I agree with herald square thatBut I also have to ask - given the Trib's politics - are they trying to stain Obama somehow in this? I mean right now Obama has such a halo around his head, and the Trib - even though it is Obama's "home town paper" - is definitely on the other side of the political divide from Barack. (But that doesn't make any sense with Fitz in the mix... I just don't get it, not if this is typical of what they've got on Blago. I guess I'll have to read more...)
December 10, 2008 12:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
The headline is misleading. Where does it say "cash" in the quoted text?
You're assuming that from the following:
"tangible political support (campaign contributions) like you've said, start showing us now."
December 9, 2008 2:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
""We were approached 'pay to play.' That, you know, he'd raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator.")"
That doesn't indict Blago at all. Where's the beef in this 76 page piece of trash talk?
December 9, 2008 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree, it's trial by press conference so far. Once the shock wears off, people are going to say, huh?
December 9, 2008 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's almost certainly Jackson Jr. This line gives it away:
Senate Candidate 5 was very much a realistic candidate for the open Senate seat, but that ROD BLAGOJEVICH was getting "a lot of pressure" not to appoint Senate Candidate 5
The media speculation about this appointment has been almost totally focused on Jackson Jr, not Emil Brown or anyone else. If there is pressure against Blago nominating Candidate 5, it's gotta be him, there just wasn't enough speculation about any other candidate to generate resistance.
If it is true that it's Jackson Jr, it's the end for him.
December 9, 2008 3:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not great for Obama, as Jackson Jr a national co-chair of the campaign.
Sure, there were a dozen(s) or more national co-chairs, but it's never good to have one so connected to such a spotlighted scandal.
You're right of course, if it's Jackson Jr, not only will he stand no chance of a position in the Obama administration, he'll have zero chance of the open Senate seat and have a damned difficult time even holding on to his house seat.
I think his only way out would be for one of his people to take the bullet for him and absolves Jackson of all involvement in the offer, not likely.
December 9, 2008 3:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is nonsense. There's simply no good evidence at all suggesting that it's JJJ.
It's much more credible at this point, given the limited information we have, to think Candidate 5 might be Emil Jones. He is a longtime pol who might satisfy the various items in the complaint (past dealings with Blago, money in his campaign acct, not the person Blago thinks Obama favors, etc.)
December 9, 2008 11:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I saw Rev Jackson Sr. on tv when asked if his son was being considered for Obama's Senate seat reply "I am not part of that conversation."
In retrospect and if his son is Candidate 5, that was an interesting choice of words. It makes me wonder of "the other guy" who would supposedly raise $1 million is Rev jackson Sr.
Not saying that Rev. Jackson knew his name was being traded upon in an illicit manner, but Individual D could have been using Rev Jackson's name and fund raising ability.
December 9, 2008 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
i have a feeling as well its Jackson Jr.
December 9, 2008 5:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
You guys are speculating wayyyy too much on it being Jesse Jackson Jr. Surely, he is well-known nationwide but i would be shocked if he was Candidate 5. Odds are it is Senate President Emil Jones. Jones was retiring from the State Senate and now all of the sudden is a talked about candidate.
There was a lot of pressure for Blago not to name Jones as he long in the tooth and the Party wants someone who can fill the seat long term.
Out-of-staters will be like "Emil Who", but he is the likely person. As Senate President there are lots of chances for Jones "not to keep a promise."
December 9, 2008 7:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm guessing that candidate 5 (or the emissary) was a sting operative. It's just too blatant, at least the way the transcript reads. They've been trying to catch Blago on something for years. Entrapment wouldn't surprise me in the least.
What I see is political maneuvering, playing candidates off each other, for the most part. I presume there is additional cogent evidence beyond what is presented (I have not read the entire 76 pages, mostly just the excerpts people have focused on). Was a bribe actually solicited or accepted, or are these just brainstorming sessions which are a bit outlandish but essentially within the legal realm defined by Fitzgerald?
It's clearly a political hit kind of indictment, designed to make Blago look bad on the surface. Maybe the country needs the symbolic effects.
December 9, 2008 11:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
"...additional evidence may be forthcoming." And from where, pray tell, might this evidence be coming?
Likely from one of the considered candidates, a middle man (self-designated?), an associate of some sort. Quite possibly, even from candidate 5 himself.
I doubt the office of this particular USA would make an indictment purely on the basis of their own evesdropping.
December 10, 2008 1:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
So far, the only person we know that was not willing to pay to play is Valerie Jarrett. She ought to get the gig!
December 10, 2008 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
So, now we know it is Jackson. But I don't think it is nearly as bad as it is being made out to be. Jackson is obviously a dumb-ass for being willing to get this close to a guy under federal investigation. But even if this 'emissary' is legit, which has to be proven, what is so shocking about an offer to raise money? It's not "I will pay you 500K now." It's "I will raise money for you, and I believe I could raise $500,000." Then it's Blago alone saying to his people, "That's not good enough, I need some up front." I see very important difference in the pay/raise distinction, but perhaps the law does not. On the other hand, JJJ doomsayers here have conceded that he is likely not in legal jeopardy, so differences in perception are critical. A promise to later raise money out of gratitude is pretty close to standard politics if you ask me. Not that I would want to owe my political life to Rod Blagojevic. But again, I'm not defending him from the idiocy charge.
December 11, 2008 5:22 AM | Reply | Permalink