corruption

Pro Publica’s Ben Protess does some digging into the past of former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, who was chosen to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Blagojevich was arrested last month for scheming to sell the seat. It seems there is at least one very legitimate reason to [...]

As expected, the Obama-Biden transition team’s report detailing its conversations with the office of Illinois’ Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich about filling President-elect Barack Obama’s Senate seat clears all transition members of any wrongdoing.

In his first public statement on the corruption charges levied against him, Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-Ill.) confidently and energetically denied that he had done anything wrong.
“I’m here to tell you right off the bat that I’m not guilty of any wrongdoing,” he opened. “I will fight, I will fight, I will fight until I take [...]

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 “sell” the seat.
From the statement:

Since President Bush wants to go out on a “so what” note — he’s really making me regret panning that Oliver Stone movie — let’s make today an official Shoe Throwing Day here at The Streak. On Saturday, ProPublica and The New York Times previewed a forthcoming official history of the alleged reconstruction of Iraq [...]

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 to bolster Jackson’s chances for an [...]

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 scandal surrounding Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
When [...]

Success stories are born in the city of broad shoulders, so Chicagoans find themselves spending more time defending their hometown than calling for reform.

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.

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 that a longtime friend and benefactor tried to steer money to U.S. Sen. [...]