Hmmm: House Ethics Committee to get testimony from Robert Blagojevich
posted at 1:56 pm on April 13, 2012 by Ed Morrissey
Looks like we may not have heard the last from the Rod Blagojevich corruption scandal after all. The former Illinois governor got a 14-year prison sentence in December on federal charges, following the career path forged by more than one of his predecessors in the office. His brother Robert, however, is still free to travel — and will apparently visit Washington DC to tell the House Ethics Committee what he knows about an alleged deal between his brother and Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. for Barack Obama’s then-vacant Senate seat:
As Rod Blagojevich serves a 14-year sentence for trying to sell a U.S. Senate seat, the former governor’s brother is headed to Washington to talk about who he says offered to buy it.
The U.S. House Committee on Ethics, which is investigating U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), is expected to interview Robert Blagojevich later this month, sources tell the Chicago Sun-Times. …
Rob Blagojevich — a former military man whose life was upended after being charged along with his brother — has said he has more to tell Congress about Jesse Jackson Jr.’s alleged involvement in the Senate seat sale. Some of the information about the case has not been made public, he has said.
Robert Blagojevich has been very public in attempting to get their attention. The corruption case itself, as the Chicago Sun-Times recalls in its article, had evidence that the disgraced governor understood that Jackson would give Blagojevich $1.5 million to bolster his campaign coffers in exchange for the appointment. Presumably, the governor’s brother has some dots that he can connect in this regard.
The Ethics Committee has had this case since 2009. At the same time that Rod Blagojevich got convicted, the Office of Congressional Ethics reported publicly that they found “probable cause” that Jackson had either known of a pay-for-play proposal, or was directly involved in it. Earlier, the Sun-Times also reported that one of Jackson’s donors told federal investigators almost two years ago that Jackson had told him to make an offer of $6 million, although Raghuveer Nayak might also be bargaining to get out from underneath a separate and unrelated federal investigation. Testimony from the governor’s brother might tend to corroborate Nayak’s account of the proposal, which would put Jackson in rather deep trouble, and not just with the Ethics Committee.
Would the Ethics Committee take any action even if Robert Blagojevich could deliver those goods? I’m skeptical. They are still sitting on the probe of Maxine Waters and her actions to intervene on behalf of a bank in which her husband owned a substantial stake. With a national election approaching, it would be remarkable to see the kind of ethics trial we saw with Charlie Rangel in 2010.
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And Bishop. .
HornetSting on May 9, 2013 at 1:21 PM
I would expect no less from Chicago on the Potomac.
Careful not to be permanently silenced.
hawkeye54 on May 9, 2013 at 1:22 PM
Nixonian with a streak of LBJ.
This guy is a nightmare for our country.
portlandon on May 9, 2013 at 1:24 PM
I wonder what Gerald Walpin thinks…….?
ted c on May 9, 2013 at 1:25 PM
Thugs
cmsinaz on May 9, 2013 at 1:26 PM
Again, sensing a pattern here, but I’m just not quite there yet, so close, so close …
Maybe if there was some investigative main stream media that has daily evening broadcasts nationally that did a little digging with all their highly prized, intelligent, diligent personalities …
Ok, that was an overreach. Back to working on that pattern.
parke on May 9, 2013 at 1:26 PM
ted c on May 9, 2013 at 1:27 PM
For some, he’s a dream come true.
hawkeye54 on May 9, 2013 at 1:28 PM
If Bush or any Republican was in the White House, the media would hail this guy a hero, but since Obama is President, he’s a traitor.
bw222 on May 9, 2013 at 1:28 PM
Ruh roh… another crack in the dam?
petefrt on May 9, 2013 at 1:29 PM
Defense IG: Obama administration “bureaucrats” trying to silence me about corruption in Afghanistan
Sorry, but here’s the REAL NEWS….
http://www.i4u.com/2013/05/54043/megan-fox-trampoline-heating-net
PappyD61 on May 9, 2013 at 1:30 PM
Yeah the current administration is closer to the corrupt Ulysses S. Grant administration anyway.
Happy Nomad on May 9, 2013 at 1:30 PM
That’s what came first to my mind too. This malfeasance has a long history.
petefrt on May 9, 2013 at 1:32 PM
Yeah, the media is running out of fingers and toes in the dam. The flood is coming soon. Zero’s grip is crumbling…
dogsoldier on May 9, 2013 at 1:32 PM
Nixon lied about, or covered up, or something, a third rate Watergate burglary. Iran-Contra was about financial shenanigans, moving Iran money to Contra funding. But this coverup … this is about basic representations about very important foreign policy issues. Why wasn’t there enough security at Benghazi. If a video caused the attack and deaths, then, the video is to blame, and we couldn’t have anticipated that. If the primary Libyan Islamic terror group caused the attack and deaths, then Hillary is to blame, for not identifying the threat and providing the proper level of security for our diplomats. Which certainly looks like the case.
Hillary let it slide.
Four brave diplomats died.
Paul-Cincy on May 9, 2013 at 1:33 PM
Yeah, GWB couldn’t even legally fire 18 incompetent US Attorneys without it being labeled a scandal. The rat-eared coward could kill a puppy during the SOTU speech and the media would take the position that the puppy had it coming.
Happy Nomad on May 9, 2013 at 1:34 PM
Chicago thug-in-chief acting like a thug again? Who would have guessed?
The Rogue Tomato on May 9, 2013 at 1:35 PM
I haven’t been reading the foreign press much lately, but other commenters here point out that Benghazi is getting decent coverage from them now. That’s an encouraging sign that pressure may eventually force LSM to end its blackout.
petefrt on May 9, 2013 at 1:36 PM
If the dam bursts, and you are under water, but the MSM doesn’t report it, does anyone really know if they are?
I wish I had your outlook on this, but I think they will just go “what story?” to the bulk of these scandals/cover-ups and hope it all goes away.
Meanwhile, the low info. voter will be more interested in whos winning dancing with the stars… -_-
Gatsu on May 9, 2013 at 1:36 PM
Errr….what exactly is our country’s mission in Afghanistan right now ?
burrata on May 9, 2013 at 1:37 PM
You’ll thank me…..
Wait till the very end.
http://www.i4u.com/2013/05/54012/leonard-nimoy-and-zachary-quinto-face-audi-ad#full_story
cleanse the palate.
PappyD61 on May 9, 2013 at 1:37 PM
Obama must feel like he’s all-powerful. He sees that he can get away with virtually anything.
The Rogue Tomato on May 9, 2013 at 1:37 PM
If it WERE Bush conducting an administration in the fashion of Barry….the Left’s impeachment proceedings would long be over, Bush would have been driven from office, along with Cheney and most of the cabinet, all frog marched in orange jump suits, to a special high security facility and sharing cells.
hawkeye54 on May 9, 2013 at 1:38 PM
We can hope and pray. No one is more deserving of the fall.
hawkeye54 on May 9, 2013 at 1:39 PM
Obama could kidnap 3 girls and hold them as sex slaves for a decade and the left wouldn’t care.
jawkneemusic on May 9, 2013 at 1:41 PM
Nixon covered up a third rate burglary. Dear Liar covered up an ambassador’s murder, corruption both domestic (green energy) and abroad (Afghanistan) and who knows what else.
Second look at Warren G. Harding?
rbj on May 9, 2013 at 1:41 PM
It’s amazing how much damage the media is allowing to occur in order to protect Obama(and by extension the Democrat Party). Dead Americans in Libya, a stagnant economy mired in the worst recovery in 70 years, infanticide at abortion clinics, a health care system on the verge of implosion, the Middle East in chaos, the southern border wide open, and ironically even their own industry suffering massive losses in jobs and revenue.
And to think, we’re just past the halfway point of this guy’s time in office. Imagine how much more we’ll have to suffer in order for him to maintain his precious 45-50% approval rating from the ignorant masses. And then we’ll have to fight tooth and nail to avoid another 8 years of this under Hillary(that’s assuming of course that America survives that long).
Doughboy on May 9, 2013 at 1:42 PM
The biggest thug in the WH is Valerie Jarrett.
I hope she comes to a bad end.
BTW: Is pre-clearing something that’s done before you actually clear it with these people? Gotta love bureaucratese.
BuckeyeSam on May 9, 2013 at 1:42 PM
BTW, did they find some money to allow kids to visit their WH ?
burrata on May 9, 2013 at 1:43 PM
“Who cares? Obama is awesome” – Liberal Media
sentinelrules on May 9, 2013 at 1:43 PM
Nobody died when Nixon lied!
Republican Yogi on May 9, 2013 at 1:45 PM
SOP….for a Dictatorship.
ToddPA on May 9, 2013 at 1:45 PM
No. But the Obamas have allowed the common people access to the garden area since the weather got nice. Next up on the sequestration schedule to make life as inconvenient as possible for as many people as possible is shutting down the National Zoo a couple of days a week just as tourist season gets ramped up.
Happy Nomad on May 9, 2013 at 1:48 PM
Yes he is, as a few here would wholeheartedly agree.
hawkeye54 on May 9, 2013 at 1:48 PM
Sounds like we have a bunch of “muzzle ‘ems” in this administration.
BarefootinTN on May 9, 2013 at 1:52 PM
Ow, that was one of the WORST puns ever. And I wish I had thought of it first.
The Rogue Tomato on May 9, 2013 at 1:54 PM
We were guaranteed toxic meat and contaminated arugula because of those evil Republicans , what happened to that ?
burrata on May 9, 2013 at 1:54 PM
I’d describe this White House as positively Nixonian, but that would be unfair. To Nixon.
Good point, and a question. Is there a contemporaneous record of the President’s actions? Are there audio tapes? Is there any way of documenting what this failure as a CIC (and human being) did before blithely going nite-nite while his Ambassador (note: the President appoints the Ambassador, not Hillary Clinton) is under attack and missing?
One thing is certain. If then were now, you would never have heard of Rosemary Woods. There would have been no missing minutes from the Oval Office tapes. There would have been no tape in the first place.
IndieDogg on May 9, 2013 at 1:55 PM
But would Nixon have made it so we have not had a single instance of domestic terroism in the past five years?
We should all be on our knees thanking God for endowing us with such a wonderful super-smart leader.
Happy Nomad on May 9, 2013 at 1:56 PM
The rat-eared coward has to save a few tricks for next year when the budgeted rate of spending is less than what he demands.
Happy Nomad on May 9, 2013 at 1:58 PM
Al Capone went to prison on tax evasion. Tip of the iceberg with this corrupt Chicagoland administration.
John the Libertarian on May 9, 2013 at 2:01 PM
The things I would like to do about this administration would get me banned so I’ll just keep mum. Feel free to read between the lines.
neyney on May 9, 2013 at 2:07 PM
One thing Nixon was, he was patriotic. He told JFK he wouldn’t put the country through a crisis by challenging the election results and there was plenty to challenge in Chicago and Texas. And when REPUBLICAN leaders told him to release the recordings for the good of the county, he did and it led to his resignation. Goldwater and the other two Republicans that pushed Nixon TO DO WHAT WAS RIGHT FOR THE COUNTY are in marked contrast to what we saw with the Democrats with Clinton and now Obama. For the Democrats it is what is best for me, the party and then maybe the country. Disgusting.
amr on May 9, 2013 at 2:12 PM
Three years, nine months and counting…
in_awe on May 9, 2013 at 2:13 PM
Well ya start revealing “corruption” in Afghanistan, next thing ya know, some “reporter” will follow the money all the way back to Washington……don’t want that happening. Next thing ya know, the “reporter” will find that there’s plenty of “corruption” right here at home, thanks to ‘the most corrupt administration, evah!’
GarandFan on May 9, 2013 at 2:13 PM
Now we know why it’s the “Good War.”Lots of money to be made.
docflash on May 9, 2013 at 2:26 PM
A herpes really, he wouldn’t go away…
jimver on May 9, 2013 at 2:33 PM
Didn’t someone once write a book called “Culture of Corruption”?
Seems on point.
MTF on May 9, 2013 at 2:45 PM
The brown boots of stamping out truth are a marching. Stand up fredom fighters to the corruption of Obama Hussein.
karlinsync on May 9, 2013 at 2:53 PM
Anybody heard from Tony Rezko?
Fallon on May 9, 2013 at 3:14 PM
man when I was in (late 80′s) things were different.
the IG was treated with respect and we knew to NEVER lie to them. even if it reflected badly on us our commanders wanted us to tell the truth.
they were not just mouthing it, there were a few things they themselves owned up to.
and you know what?
the IG respected us for being honest and worked with us.
what a difference.
dmacleo on May 9, 2013 at 3:29 PM
Nixon was an amateur ….
There Goes the Neighborhood on May 9, 2013 at 3:59 PM
Compared to the Kennedy Crime Family, absolutely.
slickwillie2001 on May 9, 2013 at 4:35 PM
And barely that, comparatively.
hawkeye54 on May 9, 2013 at 4:36 PM
That family was a good role model in developing the DNC – Democratic National Criminals syndicate.
hawkeye54 on May 9, 2013 at 4:38 PM
Thanks to our press…
… we now live in a ‘Banana Republic’.
Thanks!
Seven Percent Solution on May 9, 2013 at 5:08 PM
So what.
Impotent Republicans can do nothing.
Incompetent conservatives are not heard in America.
We do what we want and you are powerless to stop us.
No Chop Charlie on May 9, 2013 at 6:30 PM
BOOM…. well said sir..well said
sadsushi on May 9, 2013 at 8:12 PM
I just had a HA timewarp refresh on this thread to a two-day old comment thread on Benghazi. Reload again and it’s gone. Strange.
slickwillie2001 on May 9, 2013 at 9:32 PM
Half of the Obama gang is spewing Big Lies- about Benghazi, Fast and Furious, etc., etc.- and the other half is working feverishly to cover them Up.
Government is now a toxin re-labeling itself an elixir.
profitsbeard on May 10, 2013 at 2:58 AM