corruption

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What Crime Did He Actually Commit?

Despite phone taps, evidence against Blago may not secure conviction

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich's foul-mouthed conversations about Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat may have been "appalling," as Patrick Fitzgerald said last week. But were they actually illegal? With no appointment made and no evidence that the governor received anything, prosecutors may have a difficult case if and when Blagojevich...

Siemens Will Pay $1.3B in Fines for Global Corruption

Company settles on US charges for $800M, shells out more over German accusations

(Newser) - German engineering conglomerate Siemens pleaded guilty today to an international pay-to-play scheme and will pay the US $800 million in fines, the Wall Street Journal reports. It will also give $528 million to the German government—adding to a $275 million payout last year.

Ill. House Speaker Launches Blago Impeachment

Madigan asks feds to help make case against governor

(Newser) - The speaker of the Illinois House is starting impeachment proceedings against Rod Blagojevich, the Chicago Tribune reports. “We plan to proceed without delay,” said Mike Madigan, a longtime foe of the disgraced governor. Madigan has been considering proceedings against Blagojevich since before his recent corruption arrest, and says...

Obama's Halo Undimmed by Blago: Poll

Voters want more info about prez-elect's involvement in scandal

(Newser) - The Rod Blagojevich scandal has done little to dent Barack Obama’s approval ratings, according to ABC’s polling guru: More than three-quarters of those surveyed give his handling of the transition a thumbs-up. But just 51% say Obama has done enough to explain his team’s discussions with the...

Special Election Gains Ground With Blago

Guv unlikely to quit, but would give up naming Obama successor

(Newser) - Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, under indictment for trying to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat, would likely now approve a bill authorizing a special election to fill the post, sources tell the Chicago Sun-Times. Blagojevich—who insiders now say has decided not to resign—wants the measure to apply to...

All-Smiles Governor Was Sinking Fast

Colleagues describe Blagojevich as panicked, delusional

(Newser) - In public, Rod Blagojevich appeared a political natural, charming voters and reeling off anecdotes. In private, colleagues tell the New York Times, the Illinois governor is another man: petulant, foul-mouthed, and prone to bouts of fury if an aide misplaces his beloved hairbrush. As Blagojevich clings to office, insiders say...

Tribune Story Forced Feds to Arrest Blago Early

Story broke up meeting

(Newser) - US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald must have been grinding his teeth as he arrested Rod Blagojevich Tuesday morning, reports the Wall Street Journal. Fitzgerald’s team had been salivating over the prospect of catching the sale of Barack Obama’s Senate seat on tape, but those hopes were dashed when the...

GOP Video Spotlights Obama-Blago Ties

(Newser) - Republicans posted a video today that questions Barack Obama’s old links to Rod Blagojevich, Politico reports. Titled "Questions Remain," it urges Obama to reveal contacts between his team and the scandal-plagued governor. The video shows that Obama advised Blago in his 2002 campaign, and endorsed Blago's...

Citing 'Treason,' Somali Prez Fires His PM

Gov't near collapse, insurgents vow never to talk to leadership

(Newser) - Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf fired his prime minister today and accused him of paralyzing the government with "corruption, inefficiency, and treason." Hours later, as the government veered toward collapse, Islamic insurgents held a brazen news conference in the capital and vowed never to negotiate with the leadership.

Blago the Only Rat Paying the Piper

'Chicago punk,' sure, but ever heard of Bush, Rumsfeld, Lay, Rubin?

(Newser) - Poor Rod Blagojevich: He merely tried to auction off the president-elect’s Senate seat and could be imprisoned for it. But the men who bungled Iraq and crashed our economy can anticipate vacations and White House jobs, Frank Rich writes in the New York Times. Luckily for us, Blagojevich “...

Illinois AG: Let Voters Pick New Senator
Illinois AG: Let Voters Pick
New Senator
TALK SHOW ROUNDUP
Dec 14, 2008 11:21 AM CST

Illinois AG: Let Voters Pick New Senator

McCain scolds GOP for Blago flap; Granholm, Romney clash on autos

(Newser) - Blago and bailouts were the talk of today's talk shows. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan told Meet the Press that voters should elect Barack Obama’s Senate replacement in a special election, while the state’s lieutenant governor said legislation would allow him to appoint a caretaker until a special...

FBI Circled Around Blago's Wife for a Year

She dropped real estate work amid questions about clients paying for influence

(Newser) - She's known for ranting on an FBI tape—but that wasn’t the first time Patricia Blagojevich’s name has surfaced in the corruption probe of her governor husband, the Chicago Tribune reports. A federal investigation that began a year ago prompted Mrs. Blago to quit real estate work amid...

Emanuel Talked Senate Seat With Blago Aide

No sign Chief of Staff pick tried to wheel and/or deal

(Newser) - Rahm Emanuel, Barack Obama’s pick for White House chief of staff, had multiple conversations with Rod Blagojevich's chief of staff about Obama’s Senate seat, the Chicago Tribune is reporting. There’s no evidence that Emanuel engaged in any dealmaking for the seat, or that he knew of Blagojevich’...

Death Threats, Blago Rumors Plague Emanuel

(Newser) - Fuming over rumors he was the Obama adviser who spoke with Rod Blagojevich about the president-elect’s Senate seat, Rahm Emanuel told ABC News today he's received death threats and the media have "intruded too much." Emanuel is not a target of prosecutors, sources told the AP late...

Media Gets 'Silly' Over Obama Ties to Blago
Media Gets 'Silly' Over
Obama Ties to Blago  
OPINION
Dec 12, 2008 2:05 PM CST

Media Gets 'Silly' Over Obama Ties to Blago

There's little evidence of ties as questions pour from press

(Newser) - The media is aflutter with questions over Barack Obama’s connection to Rod Blagojevich, and although it’s fair for the press to probe, things are getting “silly,” Joan Walsh writes on Salon. The only tie we’ve seen is Blagojevich caught on tape ranting obscenely that Obama...

Blago to Ministers: I'm Innocent

Guv says he'll be vindicated

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich prayed with several ministers before heading to his office today, telling them he is innocent and will be vindicated "when you hear each chapter completely written," said a pastor. He added that the governor discussed trying to get a legal and political consultation team in place...

AG Asks Court to Oust Blago
 AG Asks Court to Oust Blago 
UPDATED
Dec 12, 2008 11:24 AM CST

AG Asks Court to Oust Blago

Declare him 'unfit to serve,' she asks

(Newser) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan today asked the state’s Supreme Court to declare Rod Blagojevich unfit to serve as governor, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. "We think it is very clear he is incapable of serving," said Madigan. She wants to prevent the scandal-plagued governor from appointing Barack...

Forget Blago: Rangel Plagues Obama
 Forget 
 Blago: 
 Rangel 
 Plagues Obama 
analysis
Dec 12, 2008 11:12 AM CST

Forget Blago: Rangel Plagues Obama

Key congressman's probe could hurt Obama's agenda

(Newser) - The Blagojevich mess may appear more damaging, but the bigger concern for Barack Obama is the scandal surrounding Charles Rangel, who is under scrutiny for a number of questionable dealings, writes Gerald Seib in the Wall Street Journal. Blago may soon be out of Obama’s hair, but Rangel's status...

Jackson's Senate Chances Now Slim to None

But if cleared, he could still have a shot

(Newser) - Former frontrunner Jesse Jackson Jr. is unlikely to get Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat because of his ties to Rod Blagojevich’s pay-to-play scandal, the Hill notes. The so-called "Candidate No. 5" has denied wrongdoing, but that may not matter. "Like anybody who's ever been named in...

Obama Steered Clear of Blago for Years
 Obama Steered Clear 
 of Blago for Years 
ANALYSIS
Dec 12, 2008 8:03 AM CST

Obama Steered Clear of Blago for Years

President-elect kept his hands clean; guv was classic machine pol

(Newser) - Rising through Illinois politics, Barack Obama learned to recognize a crook when he saw one, so he kept a healthy distance from Rod Blagojevich, writes Eli Saslow in the Washington Post. At the convention, Obama disappointed Blagojevich by giving nearly every other Illinois official a speaking slot. Says a mentor,...

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