The Washington Independent

Posts Tagged Blagojevich

Obama Taps Duncan as Education Secretary

By | 12.16.08 | 12:35 pm

Speaking in the American flag-adorned gym of Chicago’s Dodge Renaissance Academy, a public elementary school, President-elect Barack Obama named Arne Duncan as his secretary of education this morning.

Duncan (his first name is pronounced AR-nee), the CEO of the Chicago public school system, has a reputation as a consensus builder, More…

Obama Transition: No Inappropriate Contact With Blagojevich

By | 12.15.08 | 3:42 pm

The Obama-Biden transition team released a statement today reaffirming President-elect Barack Obama’s previous statements that neither he nor any one in the transition had any inappropriate contact with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s staff regarding Obama’s vacated Senate seat. Blagojevich was arrested by federal authorities last week for allegedly scheming to More…

Jackson Allies Held Fund-Raiser for Blagojevich

By | 12.12.08 | 10:56 am

Things are looking a lot worse for Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) today.

The Chicago Tribune reports that businessmen with ties to both Jackson and Illinois’ Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich discussed raising $1 million for Blagojevich’s campaign fund and then held a fund-raiser on the governor’s behalf in an effort More…

Obama Pledges Details on Staff Meetings with Governor’s Office

By | 12.11.08 | 12:25 pm

During a press conference this morning in Chicago, ostensibly to officially name former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) as President-elect Barack Obama’s pick for secretary of health and human services and director of the White House office of health reform, Obama found himself talking mostly about the More…

Got A Question for the Obama Team?

By | 12.10.08 | 2:52 pm

The Obama-Biden transition team today unveiled a new feature at the Change.gov Website that will allow visitors to ask their most burning questions of the transition. From the email announcement:

Chicagoans Expect Bad Behavior From Pols

By | 12.10.08 | 1:56 pm

They’re saying Chicago is at it again.

The reactions of pundits, legislators and local news anchors to headlines that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was caught on tape spewing profanities and looking to make money by selling President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat have ranged from disappointment to frustration. But no More…

Obama: Blagojevich Should Step Down

By | 12.10.08 | 12:52 pm

The Washington Post is reporting that Robert Gibbs, spokesman for President-elect Barack Obama, said Obama has added his voice to the cacophony calling for the resignation of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was arrested yesterday on federal corruption charges.

Report: FBI Investigating Allegations Concerning Minn. Senator

By | 12.10.08 | 12:29 pm

It has not been a good week for more than one prominent Midwestern politician.

In addition to the early birthday present the FBI gave to Illinois’ Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that federal investigators “are looking into allegations More…

Obama: No Contact With Blagojevich

By | 12.09.08 | 3:56 pm

Following a meeting in Chicago about energy policy and climate change with former Vice President Al Gore and Vice President-elect Joe Biden, which was likely planned to be the big news story of the day, President-elect Barack Obama instead found himself talking about the shocking arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod More…

FBI Agent: Illinois High in Running for Most Corrupt State

By | 12.09.08 | 1:57 pm

Actually, the direct quote is much more colorful. During a riveting news conference on the federal corruption charges being brought against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, FBI Special Agent Robert Grant described the state of Illinois politics thusly:

“If [Illinois] isn’t the

More…