What did the Obama team promise Blagojevich?

Obama defenders are claiming their guy is innocent of any wrongdoing and cite as proof that Blago called him an “expletive deleted” for failing to cooperate.

But suppose we viewed our President-elect not as a demi-God but as a typical Chicago politician with the usual assortment of shady characters that he has hung with; people who have been convicted of corruption, racists, terrorists, and the usual scum that floats to the surface in Chicago.

How could we then view the evidence that has been presented by the complaint? Here’s what we find beginning on on page 57: (all references are from the complaint filed by the FBI and read by Patrick Fitzgerald).

In particular, ROD BLAGOJEVICH has been intercepted conspiring to trade the senate seat for particular positions that the President-elect has the power to appoint (e.g. the Secretary of Health and Human Services). ROD BLAGOJEVICH has also been intercepted conspiring to sell the Senate seat in exchange for his wife’s placement on paid corporate boards or ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s placement at a private foundation in a significant position with a substantial salary. ROD BLAGOJEVICH has also been intercepted conspiring to sell the Senate seat in exchange for millions of dollars in funding for a non-profit organization that he would start and that would employ him at a substantial salary after he left the governorship.

Blago specifically stated that he knew that he could not simply demand a financial payment for his appointment of the next Senator from Illinois. It had to be “indirect.”

On November 4, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with JOHN HARRIS regarding the potential vacant Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that the “trick . . . is how do you conduct indirectly . . . a negotiation” for the Senate seat.

So the “indirect” negotiation began with “Advisor A” now identified as Rahm Emanuel.

On November 5, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Advisor A [Emanuel] about the Senate seat. During the phone call, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that the President-elect can remove somebody from a foundation and give the spot to ROD BLAGOJEVICH. In regards to the Senate seat, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated “I’ve got this thing and it’s fucking golden, and, uh, uh, I’m just not giving it up for fuckin’ nothing. I’m not gonna do it. And, and I can always use it. I can parachute me there.”

So Blago tells the Obama team his opening position:

On November 7, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Advisor A about the Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he is willing to “trade” the Senate seat to Senate Candidate 1 in exchange for the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services in the President-elect’s cabinet.

Why does Blago want to give up the governorship and move on? Because he needs the money. The Illinois governor’s salary is $155,600 per year, not a paltry amount but he states that he is “financially hurting.”

So how much does Blago want? Well to start, $250 - $300,000 plus the fees associated with being a member of some boards of directors which typically pay about $100,000 and up. So Blago is looking to move up to the high six figures.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he is interested in making $250,000 to $300,000 and being on some organization boards. Advisor B said they should leverage the Presidentelect’s desire to have Senate Candidate 1 appointed to the Senate seat in order to get a head position with Change to Win and a salary. Advisor B agreed that the three-way deal would be a better plan than ROD BLAGOJEVICH appointing Senate Candidate 2 to the Senate seat and getting more done as Governor.

The conversation Blago has with Obama’s advisors leave no room for doubt, he wants to be rewarded financially for appointing the “right” person to the Senate seat.

On November 10, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH, his wife, JOHN HARRIS, Governor General Counsel, and various Washington-D.C. based advisors, including Advisor B, discussed the open Senate seat during a conference call. (The Washington D.C.-based advisors to ROD BLAGOJEVICH are believed to have participated on this call from Washington D.C.). Various individuals participated at different times during the call. The call lasted for approximately two hours, and what follows are simply summaries of various portions of the two-hour call.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH expressed his interest in figuring out a way to make money and build some financial security, while at the same time potentially participating in the political arena again. ROD BLAGOJEVICH mentioned the Senate seat, the dynamics of a new Presidential administration with the strong contacts that ROD BLAGOJEVICH has in it, and asked what if anything he can do to make that work for him and his wife and his responsibilities as Governor of Illinois.

At this point, it seems that advisors to Obama are trying to delay Blago’s gratification by telling him that his payoff may have to be several years out.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that the consultants (Advisor B and another consultant are believed to be on the call at that time) are telling him that he has to “suck it up” for two years and do nothing and give this “motherfucker [the President-elect] his senator. Fuck him. For nothing? Fuck him.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH states that he will put “[Senate Candidate 4]” in the Senate “before I just give fucking [Senate Candidate 1] a fucking Senate seat and I don’t get anything.”

This is the part that Obama's supporters is the exculpatory evidence. It's not. The issue is not the payoff, it’s the timing. Blago wants the payoff up front; Obama’s advisors want to delay it for a couple of years, probably to avoid the appearance of a quid pro quo.

This is confirmed in further conversation. Blago, his team and his wife are leery of promises of money later; they want it now:

One of ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s advisors said he likes the idea, it sounds like a good idea, but advised ROD BLAGOJEVICH to be leery of promises for something two years from now. ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s wife said they would take the job now.

Blago makes no bones about his timeline: and Advisor A [Emanuel] tells Blago that there is no question that Obama can pay off:

Later on November 10, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Advisor A [Emanuel] discussed the open Senate seat. Among other things, ROD BLAGOJEVICH raised the issue of whether the President-elect could help get ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s wife on “paid corporate boards right now.” Advisor A responded that he “think[s] they could” and that a “President elect . . . can do almost anything he sets his mind to.”

Blago makes it clear that he does not want to be put off for several years if he stays in the Governor’s chair:

ROD BLAGOJEVICH states that he will appoint “[Senate Candidate 1] . . . but if they feel like they can do this and not fucking give me anything . . . then I’ll fucking go [Senate Candidate 5].” (Senate Candidate 5 is publicly reported to be interested in the open Senate seat). ROD BLAGOJEVICH state that if his wife could get on some corporate boards and “picks up another 150 grand a year or whatever” it would help ROD BLAGOJEVICH get through the next several years as Governor.

Other options are discussed including setting up a 501 (c) (4) organization with the help of rich Obama patrons. Advisor A [Emanuel] says that’s a possibility.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH again raised the idea of the 501(c)(4) organization and asked whether “they” (believed be the President-elect and his associates) can get Warren Buffett and others to put $10, $12, or $15 million into the organization. Advisor A [Emanuel] responded that “they” should be able to find a way to fund the organization.

So there is no question that Blago and the Obama team are negotiating for the cost of the Senate seat. The only question is the price, the timing, and hiding the Obama connection.

On November 12, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Advisor B. ROD BLAGOJEVICH discussed with Advisor B his idea for a 501(c)(4) organization. Advisor B stated that he likes the idea, but liked the Change to Win option better because, according to Advisor B, from the President-elect’s perspective, there would be fewer “fingerprints” on the President-elect’s involvement

Blago likes the idea of the 501 (c) (4) organization because he’s sure that once it’s established it will be more permanent than Change to Win.

The negotiation continued.

Later on November 13, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with Advisor A [Emanuel]. ROD BLAGOJEVICH asked Advisor A to call Individual A and have Individual A pitch the idea of the 501(c)(4) to “[President-elect Advisor].” Advisor A said that, “while it’s not said this is a play to put in play other things.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH responded, “correct.” Advisor A asked if this is “because we think there’s still some life in [Senate Candidate 1] potentially?” ROD BLAGOJEVICH said, “not so much her, but possibly her. But others.”

The bottom line is this: Blago was looking for the Obama team to come through with jobs or lucrative offers in return for appointing Obama’s chosen successor to the unexpired Senate term Obama left behind.

The positions Blago considered and the Obama team discussed included Cabinet appointments, union jobs, corporate boards and non-profit organizations. The cabinet appointment was quickly discarded, but all other options were seriously discussed and the door was left open to all. The timing of the positions was one of the points of contention between Blago and the Obama team.

When Blago was using naughty language about the Obama team it was not about the size of the payoff, but at the timeline involved. Blago did not trust the Obama team to honor its commitments and wanted cash on the barrel head. Probably something he learned in the Chicago school of politics.

The reason the bribe was never paid was because Fitzgerald decided to shortstop the negotiation between Blago and the Obama team by arresting Blago. He may have believed that allowing the bribe to be paid would have so compromised the Obama administration that it would have left the country leaderless at a time of crisis. And of course, he'll look like a hero.

Wheels within wheels.

UPDATE:
I TOTALLY BLEW THIS ONE.
ADVISOR A IS NOT EMANUEL.
I'M KEEPING IT ON LINE MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO ERASE THE WHOLE THING BECAUSE EATING CROW IS A GOOD THING EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

UPDATE 2: From the Chicago Sun Times

Sneed hears rumbles President-elect Barack Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, is reportedly on 21 different taped conversations by the feds -- dealing with his boss' vacant Senate seat!

Idle chit chat?

Pull the other one!

Emanuel may not be "Advisor A" but he was part of the conversation.