illinois combine – Page 3

Blagojevich/Burris wiretap to be released.

It’s been a while since we visited the Matter of Blagojevich, but one thing that you can always count on: there’s always going to be something new coming out from that glorious trainwreck.

Judge OKs release of wiretap of Burris

CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge said Tuesday he would allow the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee to have a federal wiretap of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother having a phone conversation with U.S. Sen. Roland Burris.

To summarize why the Senate might want to listen to this recording: Burris, in the course of getting the US Senate to seat him…

Signed an affidavit indicating that he never talked to Blagojevich’s aides.
Admitted in his testimony that he actually talked to one of the Governor’s unofficial aides.
Said in the same testimony that he didn’t remember talking to anybody else.
Signed another affidavit later on – after he officially became Senator – that he actually had talked to some of Blagojevich’s aides.
Admitted to reporters that he tried to do some fundraising for Blagojevich.

At this point, as the AP remarked:

Then he stopped answering questions, letting others speak on his behalf.

I’ll let Vice President Joe Biden, who is himself no amateur at this sort of spin control, provide the Democratic response:

Succinct, that.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

Turnout low in IL-05.

This has been noticed by both Ace and Geraghty (and again, here): turnout’s low in IL-05. How low? Rahm Emanuel forgot to vote. I am not writing this to offer false hope: it’s an incredibly tough district for us to win, and Rosanna Pulido hasn’t exactly gotten her party behind her. But, oddly enough, neither has Mike Quigley. He’s heavily favored to win, but he’s gotten virtually no support – which is odd; you’d think that the Democrats wouldn’t turn their nose up at hyping an easy win, particularly since they’re either 0-for-3 or 0-for-4, depending on how you think NY-20’s going right now. But this one is being pretty much left up to the candidates.

If I had to guess, I don’t think that establishment Democrats want to lose the seat, per se: they just don’t think that making sure that they don’t lose it is worth the effort. After all, Emanuel’s going to want to go back to the House some day. Quigley in that seat will be harder to dislodge than a GOP interloper.

I guess that we’ll see tonight. In the meantime, if you live in IL-05, go vote. Either way, you’re probably going to tick off the Illinois Democratic party.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

Blagojevich to be indicted today.

Brought to my attention by Riehl World View. The best part? This:

Sources: Blagojevich indictment today

The U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago says that later today it is announcing developments in a “significant criminal matter.” Sources familiar with the situation said the announcement is expected to be the indictment of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and others on corruption charges.

Bolding mine. “And others.” That has such a fun ring to it, don’t you think?

Crossposted to RedState.

Results for the IL-05 primaries: Pulido, Quigley, some Green.

The general election is in April, but the majority of reporting is assuming that the winner of the Democratic Party is a shoo-in for the general election. So noted.

Moving along, on the Republican side anti-illegal immigration activist and Minuteman member Rosanna Pulido has won the nomination. Speaking as a pro-“amnesty” anti-immigration squishy-soft moderate, I sincerely congratulate her on her victory and wholeheartedly endorse her in the general election; she’s going into this swinging, and her presence at the Chicago Tea Party is something that more and more conservative candidates and officials need to start doing.

On the Democratic side, Mike Quigley is the Democratic candidate. Running on a strict reputation for reform, Quigley defeated SEIU shill Sara Feigenholtz and Illinois Combine pick John Fritchey. Suggestions that his candidacy was linked to Rod Blagojevich’s old organization via Billy Weinberg and Doug Scofield were, of course, dismissed immediately by the candidate. I congratulate SEIU and the Daley Machine on their loss, and thank them for all the money that they wasted in pursuing it.

On the Green side… eh. Progressives. Nobody really cares. I don’t know why they bothered; they’re all going to vote for the Democrat anyway.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

Senator Durbin (D-IL) abandons Senator Burris (D-IL).

Abandons him quite comprehensively, in fact:

WASHINGTON–Embattled Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) is cancelling his Thursday schedule, where he was to have met with Rockford area civic, elected and religious leaders as Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) sent out a very frosty statement, saying Burris failed to disclose under oath the nature of his relationship with former Gov. Blagojevich.

Continue reading Senator Durbin (D-IL) abandons Senator Burris (D-IL).

Chicago Tribune futilely calls for Burris’ resignation.

(Via Hot Air Headlines) It’s a lovely thought, but it won’t happen. If either state or Senate Democrats cared enough about the humiliation that they were putting the people of Illinois through with this sorry mess, they would have changed the law to permit a special election in the first place. But that wasn’t important. Keeping the seat in the hands of one political party? That was important.

Heck of a thing when the most laudable motivation energizing any Democratic Party player in this affair is coming from the impeached former Governor of Illinois; even worse, the motivation is “stark, bloody-minded revenge.” Oh, Rod Blagojevich: why could you not have chosen to use your powers for good?

Crossposted to RedState.

Burris changes story on Blagojevich relationship. Again.

We’re now up to version 4.0, and by now you have to wonder just what is on those FBI tapes. Whatever it is, it must be juicy:

Burris now acknowledges fundraising effort for Blagojevich

U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has acknowledged he sought to raise campaign funds for then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich at the request of the governor’s brother at the same time he was making a pitch to be appointed to the Senate seat previously held by President Barack Obama.

Continue reading Burris changes story on Blagojevich relationship. Again.

Well, Senator Burris (D-IL) is from Illinois.

Let’s just say that the Democratic Party over there has a history of this sort of thing.

Annnnd that would be perjury:

Blago hit up Burris for cash
EXCLUSIVE | In his third sworn version of events, senator confirms pitch for donations

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother solicited U.S. Sen. Roland Burris for up to $10,000 in campaign cash before Blagojevich named Burris to the coveted post — something Burris initially failed to disclose under oath before an Illinois House impeachment panel, records and interviews show.

Burris (D-Ill.) acknowledges being hit up for the money in a new affidavit he has sent to the head of the House committee that recommended Blagojevich be removed from office.

Continue reading Well, Senator Burris (D-IL) is from Illinois.

Blagojevich stripped of office, any reason to keep his mouth shut.

They threw him out 59-0:

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been convicted at his impeachment trial and thrown out of office.

His removal comes nearly two months after his arrest on charges of trying to sell Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat. He becomes the first U.S. governor in more than 20 years to be removed by impeachment.

…and AoSHQ reports that they’re apparently setting it up so that he’ll never hold office in Illinois again.

In light of that: Blagojevich likes literary references. I’m making one under the fold. Continue reading Blagojevich stripped of office, any reason to keep his mouth shut.

It’s the biography of Churchill that makes this picture.

Ride that puppy all the way down, Rod.

Impeachment trial to proceed without Ill. governor

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Gov. Rod Blagojevich, taking his defense to television rather than his impeachment trial, lashed out at his accusers Monday and revealed he had considered naming Oprah Winfrey to the U.S. Senate.

The embattled governor told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that the idea of nominating the talk show host came to him as he explored potential candidates for the job that federal prosecutors allege he tried to sell to the highest bidder.

“She seemed to be someone who would help Barack Obama in a significant way become president,” he said. “She was obviously someone with a much broader bully pulpit than other senators.”

Continue reading It’s the biography of Churchill that makes this picture.