The Blog Really » Rod R. Blagojevich

Rahm Called Blago 21 Times Chicago Sun-Times Reports Hearing

admin — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:05:00 +0000

The Really: Feeling left out of the Chicago publicity over Blago’s attempts to buy things and shut down things, The Chicago Sun-Times has pretty much just resorted to repeating rumors.

Someone who works for the Sun-Times actually wrote this (it makes blogs look good):

BY MICHAEL SNEED Sun-Times Columnist
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! A lot of chit-chat?

I Am Blago’s Hairbrush

admin — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:09:00 +0000

The Really: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich calls his hairbrush “the football” according to the New York Times.

And yet, Mr. Blagojevich, 52, rarely turns up for work at his official state office in Chicago, former employees say, is unapologetically late to almost everything, and can treat employees with disdain, cursing and erupting in fury for failings as mundane as neglecting to have at hand at all times his preferred black Paul Mitchell hairbrush. He calls the brush “the football,” an allusion to the “nuclear football,” or the bomb codes never to be out of reach of a president.

As Rod’s hairbrush might say: “Follicle You!”

Trib Editor In Blago’s Sights Weighs In

admin — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 02:38:00 +0000

The Really: Another McCormick with a Tribune pedigree talks about the efforts of Governor Blago to silence his critics.

Is there anything like a Chicago newspaperman? The target of the Blago effort to trap the Trib in its own troubles weighs in on the inside story.

Rezko Singing A Different Tune

admin — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 06:09:00 +0000

The Really: Does Rezko’s delay in sentencing and a footnote in the Blago charges mean Rezko is singing?

Last summer, convicted operator Antoin Rezko (fundraiser, real estate developer, Chicagoan) wrote to his judge noting that the FEDS were trying to get him implicate the Governor of Illinois and the President-elect in some sort of wrongdoing. HE SAID HE COULDN’T AND WOULDN’T.

But several journalistic sources are putting together the pieces which include the “neglected” land deal between Obama and Rezko which ended with a bank employee’s firing and some “missing” paperwork.

Of course given the chance to spend less time in jail one might say anything. Read the sleuthing at WSJ and at Slate: Bam Sandwich? Yikes. 1) Rezko’s talking; 2) The FBI’s been asking about the house deal (an Election Day story I’d missed). … 1:44 A.M.

It’s All About The O

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:37:00 +0000

The Really: Why Jarrett’s Quick Exit From Consideration For Senate Seat Will Be The Key To The Blago Mess.

WSJ does some great reporting on the crux of the Blago/Obama mess and why a long phone call and a quick exit by Valerie Jarrett from consideration for the seat will be the defining moment. There is also some talk that Rahmn Emmanuel may eventually be portrayed as a hero in this all situation (by ratting Blago out? to Fitzgerald). Chicago/Illinois political scandals are not always quite as big as this one.

Questions For Obama About Blago Mess

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:21:00 +0000

The Really: How close will Blago’s problems come to hurting Obama?

Us News and World Report asks the 7 questions even diehard Obama supporters (like us!) would like to have answered:

“7 Blago Questions For Obama” this morning. They are: “1 ‘Did you communicate directly or indirectly with Blagojevich about picking your replacement in the US Senate?’ … 2 ‘Why didn’t you or someone on your team correct your close adviser David Axelrod when he said you had spoken to Blagojevich about picking your replacement?’ … 3. ‘When did you learn the investigation involved Blagojevich’s alleged efforts to ‘sell’ your Senate seat, or of the governor’s impending arrest?’ … 4 ‘Did you or anyone close to you contact the FBI or US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald about Blagojevich’s alleged efforts to sell your Senate seat to the highest bidder?’ … 5 ‘Did federal investigators interview you or anyone close to you in the investigation?’ … 6 ‘When did you and Blagojevich last speak and about what?’ … 7 ‘Do you regret supporting Blagojevich?’”

State Of Illinois To Punish Bank Of America: No Billions From Us

admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:35:00 +0000

The Really: The Governor of Illinois Rod R. Blagojevich is punishing the Bank of America by forcing Illinois state government to suspend doing business with BofA for failing to keep open the credit line of the Republic windows plant where workers are currently sitting in, in an effort to get their 60 day WARN dollars.

This might get their attention.