The Capitol Fax Blog » Not much of a blockbuster *** UPDATED x1 ***

Not much of a blockbuster *** UPDATED x1 ***

Tuesday, Jun 2, 2009

* This is not new news…

Just two weeks before his arrest on corruption charges, then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich floated a plan to give President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat to the daughter of his biggest political rival in return for concessions on his pet projects, people familiar with the plan told The Associated Press.

We’ve known that Lisa Madigan was Senate Candidate 2 in the federal arrest report since Day One.

* And this isn’t new news, either…

Blagojevich also said he wanted a deal in which the elder Madigan would allow a long-stalled capital construction program through the House and take action on a Blagojevich-backed health care plan in return for his daughter’s appointment to the Senate seat, the aides said.

I’ve already reported that, and it can also be inferred from the arrest report…

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. [Emphasis added]

And this is the story Blagojevich leaked to Sneed back in November…

“The latest from Blagoville is Gov. Rod Blagojevich toying with tossing Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who wants Blago’s job?

“*It may endear him to powerful House Speaker Mike Madigan, Lisa’s dad, who is Blago’s political foe.

There was no way that plan would’ve worked anyway. Speaker Madigan wouldn’t even return Blagojevich’s calls and refused to meet with him. No way would he have cut a big legislative deal like that based on a Senate appointment for his daughter.

* And this isn’t new, either…

Blagojevich told Sen. Dick Durbin he was thinking of naming Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to the seat, according to two Durbin aides who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Read down in the story…

A Durbin aide said that in the conversation a number of names were mentioned as possible Senate picks — not just Madigan’s. He said Durbin spoke about the conversation at a news conference after Blagojevich’s arrest and mentioned Madigan’s name but none of the news reports that emerged mentioned Madigan — only Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett.

The only thing that may be new is that Durbin said he’d help. Trouble is, according to the story, Blagojevich told Durbin to “do nothing” and never got back to him.

*** UPDATE - 10:14 am *** From the Southern Illinoisan…

Durbin spokesman Joe Shoemaker said the two discussed about 20 possible appointments for the senate seat, of which Madigan was one, and Blagojevich had asked the senator’s opinion about the decision.

“Sen Durbin tried to get across two messages. Pick someone who can hit the ground running as a senator, and number two, find someone who can be appointed quickly,” Shoemaker told The Roll Call, a newspaper covering Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

- posted by Rich Miller

26 Comments

- Gameplan - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 9:33 am:
The baseline budget keep the doors open bill — did it have earmarks? Or was that another bill?

- Leroy - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 9:40 am:
Suppose that Blago did appoint Lisa to the Senate seat in return for support on his political agenda.

And suppose he did get that support. And Lisa got the seat.

And then suppose later, all that information came out in a wiretap. Blago talking to the Madigan family about a deal to give Lisa the Senate seat for support on Blago’s agenda.

Would Blago have been impeached? Would we be kicking Lisa Madigan around Roland Burris style?

- anon - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 9:42 am:
Lisa may not have wanted the senate seat then, but she probably doesn’t want the govs seat now. What a mess! She should stay where she is for now and let those who screwed things up fix them. She has a young family to raise. As for the senate seat, I hope that she doesn’t reconsider that. Alexi has worked hard for this and will be a great Senator. Not to mention that he has serious campaigning skill. She would love to him in a primary for sure because he would simply work circles around her.

You are young, Lisa. Do what is best for you and your family. The governors office will be there for you when you are ready.

- The Doc - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 9:42 am:
Leroy, wouldn’t more of the political heat fall on MJM’s shoulders in your hypothetical?

- MOON - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 9:44 am:
LEROY

Even if the Speaker was talking to Blago he would never make a deal with the devil(Blago). Whether you believe it or not, the Speaker has a strong belief in doing whats right.

- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 9:45 am:
After it looked like Obama was going to actually pull this off, Illinois became, once again, an embarrassing place to read political news. Don’t you recall all the outrageous trial balloons floating around this circus? We had names of potential US Senate appointees coming from the woodwork. Every axe was being sharpened within the Democratic Party, and many were prepared to go nuclear for the [bleepin’] golden thing, right?

But one guy in particular did something extremely strange, and we’ve never gotten a straight answer from him or his entourage regarding this strange behavior - Jesse Jackson Jr.

I would like for someone to investigate why we saw Congressman Jackson do a state campaign tour for Obama’s seat. Congressman Jackson’s publicity stunt was extremely odd. We all knew that Blagojevich was the determining factor, and that campaigning for Obama’s seat as though it was going to be held in a special election, was extremely strange.

Now, it looks like a cover-up, when it might not be. If rumors are correct, Jackson did this stunt to make it appear that when Blagojevich selected him, it would look like the Governor decided based on some kind of statewide popularity, even as Jackson’s family was organizing “helpful, possibly legal” fundraisers for Blagojevich.

Jesse Jackson Jr has really stepped in it. If he is as innocent as he claims, he has some more explaining to do regarding his odd behavior the month before Blagojevich was arrested.

I don’t recall anyone in his situation doing what he did before. It smells fishy. I want to know why Jackson was out campaigning for a seat not open to a campaign while some of his supporters seemed to be raising money for Rod Blagojevich.

I liked Jesse Jackson Jr, and am willing to be open minded if he cares to address his behavior. It is in his interest to do so.

- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 9:45 am:
I thought this story was rather odd when it came out yesterday, simply because there didn’t seem to be anything new.

It seems to have originated from the Durbin camp. The only thing I can figure is that maybe they have a whiff Durbin ended up on a recorded conversation and they wanted to get out in front so it’s not played as a “revelation” when it comes out.

–The 10-minute conversation took place Nov. 24 as Durbin was in his car using his cell phone, according to the aides.–

- Ghost - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 9:48 am:
Leroy, you mean: suppose Lisa madigan had lied to the senate about asking ob Blago for the seat in exchange for cash donated under somone elses name, and a promise to fundraise for blago under another name; and assume Lisa had said the Governor was not competent to select a replacement; and assume Lisa madigan was morally challaneged; and asume Lisa madigan had ereected a giant monument for herself? Had Lisa Madigan had her business partner find a job for the Governor’s wife in exchnage for the appointment?

The yes she would be catching the same heat; then again, if she had done all those things she would not be Lisa Madigan.

- Hank - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 9:52 am:
Just the media attempting to capitalize on Patti’s new TV star status by running old crap about Blago to keep the story alive.

- Wumpus - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 10:01 am:
So Madigan wouldn’t retuinr Blago’s calls in general or just refgarding this senate ordeal?

I need that answered first. It is mighty mature and professional for a campaign co-chair not to return the calls of his candidate. Even worse, the Speaker of the house is not workign with the sitting gov to get work done. Sad and shocking

- Leroy - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 10:01 am:
Ghost - so trading private cash around for a Senate seat is not ok, but trading taxpayer money around is?

- victim - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 10:06 am:
Leroy, FACT Roland recieved better treatment than he should have from both the media and the political establishment. If the shoe was on lisa’s foot they would have devoured her from head to toe.

- bored now - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 10:08 am:
very strange post, VanMan. i’d be shocked to learn that you lived in jackson’s congressional district. as long as jackson doesn’t run for anything else, i can’t imagine a single reason why he would want to explain himself to you. no democrat is going to run against jackson, even though he represents a district where 66% of its voters live in the south suburbs.

i’d be curious about why you even brought it up…

- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 10:10 am:
===It seems to have originated from the Durbin camp.===

My bet is the Blagojevich team. They now have all the tapes, remember.

- CJ - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 10:15 am:
As the feds are going about their work on this case, and in the process of talking to people connected to the recordings, rumors get started about people on the tapes. Last week, it was Burris who had to deal with tape issues, this week Durbin’s people are addressing whispers about his recorded calls. Durbin’s aides went out to extinguish the gossip.

- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 10:22 am:
Jackson was my Congressman, and I thought he did a very good job - especially when compared to Gus Savage and Mel Reynolds.

Yes, he has to explain himself - or is he doing that already to the Feds?

If Jackson wants to be a statewide player, he needs to explain why he had this odd publicity stunt while his own people were working with Blagojevich on fundraisers.

Jackson’s stunt smelled fishy even before the arrests came down - I’d still like to know what he was trying to accomplish.

- Wumpus - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 10:26 am:
victim, are you serious. We know Burris/supporters played the race card. But Lisa’s supporters may have played the gender card. Plus, Even I admit she has done much better than I thought she would have given her lack of experience for this job. Also, people seem to be afraid of Mike Madigan. Lisa is not as arrogant and annoying asBurris. She would have gotten a smoother ride from teh media.

- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 10:27 am:
===She would have gotten a smoother ride from teh media. ===

Ridiculous. We would’ve smelled a deal from the beginning, which is one reason why it never would’ve happened. No way.

- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 10:42 am:
–My bet is the Blagojevich team. They now have all the tapes, remember.–

Possible and true, Rich. What would be the Blago team’s motivation? Try to show everyone knew what was going on and that it was all talk, talk, talk?

Or could it be one of the Blago lawyers (gee, I wonder which one?) schmoozing the reporter?

- it'sprettyapperant - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 11:00 am:
Miller seems to be in the pocket of Steve Brown and Speaker Madigan when he claims a “deal” to give the Speaker’s daughter the US Senate seat “in exchange for favorable treament” isn’t NEWS!

- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 11:01 am:
It isn’t news because it’s been reported before. Months ago.

- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 11:04 am:
And if you read the post again, you’ll see I wrote “new news.”

So, way to take something out of context. You must be a reporter. lol

- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 11:45 am:
Well, let’s hope 11:00 am is a reporter and not a hedline rightur.

AA would agree with those who think this came from Camp Blago. Team Durbin knows to keep their mouths shut when they overhear the boss’s convos. Blago & Co. can toss a little mud on Durbin and Madigan while bolstering their own position that Rod was running an honest (gag) process.

- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 2:27 pm:
===So Madigan wouldn’t retuinr Blago’s calls in general or just refgarding this senate ordeal?===

Period.

- Reddbyrd - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 2:58 pm:
If Capt Fax is in Steve Brown why did he write our earth shattering, devastating failure ….Give the man a F as a lackey

BTW speaking of F it appears that was grade earner by Circular Firing Squad Spokester Lance.
He apparently did not read the AP World Exclusive and issued a release asking the Madigan to answer questions

Huh….Common Lance let’s get with it. How about a release praising CFS poster child, VEEP Cheney, for his support of gay marriage.

- disgusted - Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:28 pm:
if MJM is so almighty, what happened to the Remove Filan from Illinois State Employment legislation?
Quinn cant pass or do anything of value for the state because the heads of state offices and others on the inside are working against him…. because he is the former enemy or because they are scared to do anything at all for a governor they dont know. MJM was doing QUINN and the rest of the citizenry a FAVOR with this bill….maybe MJM has just decided to allow QUINN to fail on his own no matter the cost to ILLINOIS. All tactics MJM runs take into consideration Lisa, but she appears quite capable on her own.

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