Report: Emanuel talked to Blago about a “seat-warmer” for his own House seat
posted at 3:26 pm on December 24, 2008 by Allahpundit
At the risk of draining even more “precious energy” from The One’s transition, I do find this rather highly nuanced.
Just after accepting the top post with Obama, Rahm Emanuel discussed with Blagojevich the possibility of keeping his congressional seat “warm” for him for a couple of years, the Sun-Times has learned…
Emanuel expressed interest in returning one day to his elected position because he was on track to become U.S. House speaker, the Sun-Times previously reported…
Days after Emanuel and Blagojevich spoke about Emanuel’s seat, the governor is overheard telling aides on secret wiretaps he wanted Emanuel “to get the word today,” about raising money for the governor and that when “[Emanuel] asks me for the Fifth CD thing, I want it to be in his head.” The “Fifth CD” was a reference to Emanuel’s 5th Congressional District seat.
Ace can’t figure out what, precisely, Blago was being asked to do to ensure a “seat-warmer” for the position, and neither can I. Illinois law requires a special election to fill House seats if the nearest regularly scheduled election is more than 180 days away. Maybe Rahm and Blagojevich didn’t know that and wrongly assumed the governor could make an interim appointment, which would have given the appointee the advantage of incumbency in the election. Or maybe Rahm was simply asking Blago to campaign on behalf of whichever seat-warmer was handpicked to run for the seat. I, er, kind of doubt it given that Blago’s approval rating at the time was in the low single digits.
As for the timing, yesterday’s report from Team Barry acknowledged that Emanuel and Blagojevich talked about this in early November, but naturally omitted any unhelpful details about seat-warming:
They spoke about Mr. Emanuel’s House seat, when he would be resigning and potential candidates to replace him. He also had a brief discussion with the Governor about the Senate seat and the merits of various people whom the Governor might consider.
So the two vacancies apparently came up in the same conversation. Did they come up during any of the four subsequent phone chats Rahm had with Blago’s chief of staff, too? Team Barry’s report doesn’t say, but then their method of “investigation” apparently involved taking everything the principals told them at face value, without any demand for hard evidence. Whatever the case, if the Sun-Times story is true, Rahm sure was asking a lot of favors from a guy who’s suddenly infamous for expecting a lot for his favors in return.
Blowback
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This is going to be a Giant Ugly Onion, with layers and layers of eye-watering bad-smelling corruption from what is already the most corrupt administration in history.
Grant and Harding and Clinton have a Bedfellow…..
Janos Hunyadi on December 24, 2008 at 3:34 PM
How do you tell a “seat warmer” from a regular Member of Congress, anyway?
Cicero43 on December 24, 2008 at 3:36 PM
But I thought the Obama Internal Investigation Team already cleared alll Obama team members of any wrongdoing whatsoever in this.
pseudonominus on December 24, 2008 at 3:38 PM
They vote present.
the_nile on December 24, 2008 at 3:39 PM
Is this the guidebook Emanuel’s using for the White House? As in, he’s fancying himself as being in the Oval Office once Obama stumbles and falls?
I get the impression these two are like two roaches battling over who gets to eat on the kitchen counter (and one of them won’t).
S on December 24, 2008 at 3:42 PM
MERRY CHRISTMAS, ALL!
S on December 24, 2008 at 3:42 PM
More intrigue from the Crook County Corruptocrats, who want to have their cake and eat it, too. You want a seat in the House, run for election. If Emanuel leaves the House to become White House Chief of Staff, then runs for the House two or four years later, does he lose his House seniority?
The problem with seat-warmers is that they get emotionally attached to warm seats, and don’t want to give them up.
But you’ve got to give Rahmbo credit for wanting to keep his seat warm. His Master Obama couldn’t be bothered.
Steve Z on December 24, 2008 at 3:44 PM
Silver Blagos, Silver Blagos,
It’s Obamatime in Chicago
Bling Bling Bling
Deals in swing
Someone’s gonna be frogmarched soon.
eaglewingz08 on December 24, 2008 at 3:47 PM
Maybe there’s a nice cold seat in an Illinois jail that Emanuel might want to keep warm, next to Blagojevich.
Steve Z on December 24, 2008 at 3:47 PM
Lets Make a
DistractionDeal!Kini on December 24, 2008 at 3:48 PM
Culture Of Corruption?
Kini on December 24, 2008 at 3:53 PM
I really wonder why Fitzgerald cut the investagation so early.
I’ll bet you there was a bigger fish and Fitzgerald’s protecting that fish.
Blowbacksabitch got hooked, but the bait is leading to pointy elbows and manboob.
Kini on December 24, 2008 at 3:57 PM
It’s beginning to look like Rahm is not the Rahm the Messiah thought he knew.
But then, is anyone?
Even so, we should still be brimming with confidence about His impending chit-chats with Akma, Putin and various other world thugs. Like a batter in a slump, he’s due for some good judgement at some point in his life!!!
notagool on December 24, 2008 at 3:57 PM
Of course Emanuel cannot be guilty of any wrongdoing, silly people. Why, he’s a member of the Most Ethical Congress Ever!!
hillbillyjim on December 24, 2008 at 3:58 PM
A Visit From St. Hillary
By Lisa Fabrizio on 12.24.08 @ 6:07AM
’Twas the night before Christmas in 2008,
All the liberals were happy, but not quite sedate;
Their thoughts lifted skyward, their lips formed a prayer,
In hopes that St. Hillary might disappear.
They gazed at their navels and pondered their threads,
While Inaugural party dreams danced in their heads;
With the lefties in charge on the Hill once again,
I’d started to doze so I laid down my pen.
When out in the Beltway arose such a clatter,
I figured I’d get up and check out the chatter;
Away to the boob tube I frantically raced,
Where on to D.C. sped the broadcast with haste.
The show was well-peopled with moderates aglow:
Zell Miller, Joe Lieberman, even John Breaux;
But just as my eyes were beginning to close,
All the people assumed a most worshipful pose.
With a tilt of her head and a bounce in her gait,
I knew that it must be the Mistress of State!
To the steps of the podium Hillary flew;
And she whistled and shouted and called out her crew:
Now Daschle! Now Holder!
Now Geithner and Rahmbo!
On, Orszag! On, Vilsack!
On, Napolitano!
From the Cabinet Room, to the National Mall,
Now infiltrate! Infiltrate!
Infiltrate All!
As big bucks before Rod Blagojevich fly
When he meets with politicos, eager to buy;
So off to the White House her Myrmidons flew,
With a bagful of compromise from you know who!
And then just like magic appeared by her side,
An eminent man who is known the world wide;
And sniffing about for a chance to expound,
To the rostrum Bill Clinton advanced like a hound.
They were dressed all in black from their heads to their feet;
And a dashing pink blouse made Hill’s outfit complete;
A tiny gold cross ringed her neck in soft light,
Which reminded me of a petite Reverend Wright!
His eyes were so cheery, his smile gave no warning,
That some in his party were soon to be mourning;
The triumphant poses and smiles that they wore
Made Daily Kos blogophiles long for Al Gore.
They balked at Iraqi War drawing-down dates,
And praised the shrewd acumen of Robert Gates;
And then Madame Clinton expressed admiration
While lauding the merits of triangulation!
She praised the young Barry but said he lacked guile,
Thus needing her talents for crossing the aisle:
“I’ll deal with all folks, both domestic and foreign,
From devils like Putin to saints like Rick Warren.”
The presser concluded, but not so my dreaming;
My half-shuttered eyes revealed both Clintons beaming!
In Hillary’s hand was a chilled margarita;
And she looked for the world like a shiksa Evita!
And later that night when they’d let all the press go,
They huddled up tight like Obama and Rezko;
And I heard Hill exclaim with maniacal grin,
HAPPY CHRISTMAS, progressives! I told you I’d win!
christene on December 24, 2008 at 4:17 PM
No doubt they did, but if we are to to take Greg Craig’s report literally, The One did not direct him to gather any meaningful information about anything except his Senate seat, so there was no reason to provide details about other messy stuff involving the free-lancing Rahm Emanuel. (Don’t ask, don’t tell):
At your direction, I arranged for transition staff to provide accounts of any contacts that you or they may have had with Governor Blagojevich or his office in which the subject of your successor came up.
Anyhoo, Major Garrett’s analysis of how this lackluster investigation was conducted is excellent, and we can thank Fox for doing the work the rest of the MSM will not.
Buy Danish on December 24, 2008 at 4:44 PM
Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo when exactly can we expect Congress to convey an official investigation into this? Anyone know when the next blue moon will be?
pilamaye on December 24, 2008 at 4:58 PM
priceless
+++1
tjexcite on December 24, 2008 at 5:54 PM
here’s my bet (and i’ve said this before). rahm will suddenly decide he looooves congress & worships pelosi & feels he can best represent the fine people of his district better by remaining in Congress than he can as chief of staff. and he’ll stay in Congress rather than going to the White House.
and all the smell will leave the new oval office.
kelley in virginia on December 24, 2008 at 5:54 PM
Best post of the DAY!!! LOL
Califemme on December 24, 2008 at 5:57 PM
“Draining precious energy from The One’s transition.”
Heh. Sounds like that should involve priests and white robes, maybe some oracular riddles and a volcano and a virgin or six. Much awe on the part of the masses, who know to pay no attention to the men behind the curtains….
Nevicata on December 24, 2008 at 6:49 PM
Another Distraction… Blago’s Lawyers Want Obama Aides & JJJ to Testify
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/
Marsh on December 24, 2008 at 9:43 PM
I wonder if Blago will subpeana Barry0. Wouldn’t that be a hoot.
I was reading a news article on my cellphone today.. It was all about how this senate seat scandal is causing poor wittle obeie wobie to have to spend time on it and distracting him from his greater mission to save the universe for all eternity.
I still can’t believe he got away with the Rezko-obamamansion land deal. (Well at least he’s gotten away with it thus far)
Hey Rezko baby.. Don’t count on a pardon.. Once BarryO is in, the exec privilege will shield him. You get to be the recipient of a One-Way trip under the bus. YOu will get to spend a lot of quality time in the showers. Give it to Fitzie now…
bullseye on December 25, 2008 at 1:33 AM
Dynasties, seat-warmers, porkbarreling, and media-annointed candidates. Can there be any doubt that this is impacting the quality of leadership we see in our government, or that it is destroying the moral fiber (Google it) of this country?
It is way past time for some major house-cleaning, folks, and I don’t mean the kind that Obama has done on his past and his friends.
drunyan8315 on December 25, 2008 at 1:40 PM
What Bush should do:
Issue blanket pardons for Blagojevich, Emanuel, . . . .and Obama.
With a statement that he’s not passing any judgment or their guilt or innocense, but that he wants the future president to be able to assume the burdens of the presidency without worrying about something possible criminal deeds his associates may have committed that he possibly didn’t even know about!
Narniaman on December 25, 2008 at 3:45 PM
You have to be found guilty of something before you’re pardoned. Nice try! You were kidding, right??
We’ll be seeing very little of Obama in DC except when he has to testify under oath. Too bad for him he’s from Chitown…not much of a getaway spot…probably spend more time in Oahu or the Big Island before he goes to the Big House.
gracie on December 25, 2008 at 7:05 PM
Well, you might be right there, gracie.
But, of course, Gerald Ford and the entire US government, including both the democratic and republican parties, thought that the President could pardon somebody before they were “found guilty of something”. You might check it out — it happened on September 8, 1974.
Narniaman on December 26, 2008 at 12:35 AM
And he (Nixon)left office to have it happen and was disgraced for the rest of his life. Not what I think you had in mind for BO plenty. But it would be alright by me.
gracie on December 26, 2008 at 7:12 AM