Do you think they were trying to set up Barack Obama ??

[kentuck]

Maybe just a far-fetched conspiracy theory? Were they really going after the Governor or were they going after Barack Obama, the newly elected Democratic President?? And just who is "they"?

Was this an action of Fitzgerald alone? Or was he pushed to do this from the Justice Department at the White House? And what could they hope to accomplish by connecting Barack Obama to this mess??

I wish Fitzgerald had been as aggressive in his other assignment. I don't hold him in such high esteem as some others here might? There are a lot of details we do not know about this story, in my opinion.

[napi21]

1. Bogo sure sounds like he's been ASKING to be caught! I don't

think there was any conspiracy. Bogo was just a blatant stupid & corrupt politician who didn't even seem to be trying to hide it!

[Taverner]

3. This is payback

Not sure what for, but think Spitzer (yeah, he was guilty - but he was a target)

[hlthe2b]

5. How so? I don't see the logic...

[Taverner]

16. Kind of a hunch really - its still kind of fuzzy

But the suddenness of this, and the Spitzer case

But I do think this was an attempt to get Obama, and they failed.

[hlthe2b]

20. So why would that be payback for Spitzer--he was a big time DEM

as well....:shrug:

[Taverner]

21. It wasn't dems going after him

[hlthe2b]

26. So, how is this payback?

A Federal Attorney (who happens to be Republican, or at least serving under a Repug Administration) investigates and indicts the IL governor. A year or so earlier, the DOJ likewise staffed by Republicans go after Democratic Governor Spitzer. In Spitzer's case, I think it was retribution for his attacks on Wall Street corruption, but he was caught nonetheless.

I'm afraid I don't follow connecting the two at all...:shrug:

[closeupready]

2. I don't know, but I do think Obama needs to be esp. mindful that

there are those individuals who will seek to thwart his presidency, in various ways. I only worry about him because he's so relatively young - on the plus side, he's brilliant, so I imagine he's aware of these kinds of traps.

[madokie]

7. Barack Obama is honest and lives an honest life

conducts his business honestly so he has nothing to worry about. I'm sure he is aware of the fact there will be some who will try to derail him. To me thats a given.

He has had the thought of running for the Presidency for many years so I doubt anyone can turn up any dirt at all. Let them try that will only keep the dickheads busy, not be a bother to President Elect Obama.

[havocmom]

4. No

Sounds like a righteous Fitzmas for the people of Illinois.

What I wonder about is any soon to be chief of staff in an Oval Office saw fit to make sure a message went out TODAY that trying to bully the President Elect was a no-no.

The incoming administration looks better and stronger for all this.

[KoKo]

37. Fitz just had a Press Conference.....Blogo was selling Senate seat

to highest bidder. Apparently the wiretaps reveal language so terrible that Blogo used that evene cynical FBI agents were shocked at his corruption.

Also, Fitz talked about the other investigations and that they are still ongoing based on earlier wiretaps. Blogo thought he was above the law even while under investigation. Fitz said that the new evidence was so appalling that they couldn't wait because the corruption in selling the Senate seat was immediate and they couldn't allow it to go on. Fitz is calling for Illinois citizens who know more to come forward.

[havocmom]

45. Yep, it was a beautiful thing to behold

Blogo is stupid beyond belief. Loved the part where he warned people to speak in person, not over the phone... what a cool thing to have a tap tape of :rofl:

[ogneopasno]

6. No.

[Robbien]

8. No. Fitz has been putting Illinois corrupt pols away for the last five years

Blago's time was up. Just Fitz working his way up the chain.

Go Fitz.

[madokie]

10. And it doesn't sound like hes anywhere finished yet either. Good

[pacalo]

9. The feds have been working on the case for three years.

Obama was a freshman senator back then.

[kentuck]

12. Does Fitz have to turn in his resignation on January 20th?

As do all US Attorneys? Or will this investigation be an excuse to keep him on?

[Missy Vixen]

14. All US Attorneys are asked to give their resignations

at the start of a new administration.

I'm thinking, somehow, they'll laugh and tear it up. I don't think Mr. Fitzgerald's going anywhere.

Julie

[grantcart]

11. Nope nor were they reacting to B of A

just a greedy person getting caught


thing is this used to be SOP

[Wickerman]

13. If Blago really was selling Obamas seat to the highest bidder

I'm glad Fitz shut him down now before he appointed someone. That person, wrongly or rightly would've been under suspicion and investigation for their time in office.

[malaise]

15. No n/t

[Skidmore]

17. I've already heard from my uncle and my daughter and her husband

who all live in Illinois. They are thrilled that Blago has been arrested and charged finally with something. These three people are strong Dems and have been talking to me for some time about how horribly corrup this man is. My uncle is especially hopeful that Illinois can stand a chance to get a good governor for a change.

[JoDog]

18. In a word: No

The investigation and rumors of corruption have been going on for years. I think Fitzgerald chose to arrest Blago now to prevent the auction of the Senate seat and keep the bribery from affecting pending legislation. Otherwise, he may have waited longer.

[johnfunk]

19. No -- and based on one tapped conversation, Team Obama rebuffed "pay-to-play"

Blago's reaction? "F$#@ him."

Betcha Rahm Emanuel dropped the dime on Blago to Fitz.

[kentuck]

23. So they were taping Obama?

That says a lot.

[Renew Deal]

32. No, they were taping Blago and Harris.

The suggestion is that Harris told Blago that Obama didn't want to play and Blago said "F*** them."

[dems_rightnow]

40. They'd have taped you if you were talking to him

Says nothing.

[Gin]

24. bet there are lots of people who are wondering when the other shoe

will drop on them!

[JVS]

22. Yes. This will be played big for that purpose.

Obama should consider a housecleaning of people from Illinois (I'm thinking Rahm E. here)

[Taverner]

25. Rahm's not corrupt - just an asshole

[JVS]

27. It couldn't hurt to eject him to help maintain a cordon sanitaire

:-)

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

28. Nope. But, of course, the repugs will try to use it to their advantage.

Which they would try to do if the crook had been arrested 2 years ago or 2 years hence.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

29. "Maybe just a far-fetched conspiracy theory?". Maybe???? How Bout GLARINGLY.

Such silliness on DU today...

[Renew Deal]

30. Fitzy said that this was going on for 2-3 years.

But Obama could have been ensnared in this if he agreed to Blago's demands. Thankfully Obama did the right thing.

[Dreamer Tatum]

31. You will need to identify "they."

I don't see how this has much to do with Obama at all, so it's not clear to me how they could
set him up. Unless, of course, Obama would have brokered the assignment of his own seat. That
strikes me as impossible, seeing as how he just earned the right to be the most powerful man
in the world.

If you think about it, this would have been an excellent chance for the Obama camp to put Blogo
and a lot of other people in cement shoes. They had to have known how corrupt the guy is, so they
could have "innocently" made some suggestions and connections that could test the ethics of a great
many people. Suppose candidate X, Y, or Z or his/her reps were on tape trying to cut a deal? Instant
political death.

But Obama wouldn't do anything like that. It looks for all the world that Team Obama lives well above
that fray, thank Heavens.

[leftofthedial]

33. he's a scumbag.

I'm sure the possibility of ensnaring Obama and/or those close to him was an irresistible lure for a repuke Justice Department that has been utterly politicized.

I'm no fan of Fitzgerald either.

[kentuck]

36. They did tape Obama, did they not?

Why?

[leftofthedial]

38. follow the money

follow the crime.

Blagojevich called Obama about the matters at the heart of the investigation.

I think once they realized that Obama wouldn't fall into the snare, they grabbed the highest profile crook they could nail--Blagojevich.

I think they are mightily disappointed that Obama wasn't a crook.

[kentuck]

39. Probably.

They would have loved to have gotten Obama. And still would...

[Occam Bandage]

34. This investigation has been going on for THREE GODDAMN YEARS.

The first hints of corruption came out IN 2004, when Obama was an absolute nobody.

[JitterbugPerfume]

35. Fitz is a HERO here

and therein lies the "question"

[screembloodymurder]

42. Bullshit! He's part of the 911 cover up.

He's a neocon tool.

[JitterbugPerfume]

43. that was my point

maybe I was to vague?

[screembloodymurder]

41. Bingo!

You got it.

[DonCoquixote]

44. How much you wanna bet?

That in the next 30 days, Blago will be offered deal after deal to "confess" to various things about Obama, especially the fictional things that will be disproven, but repeated a Billion Times by Faux news.

[conscious evolution]

46. I think so.

I also think they have been spying on evry Dem politician for years now.Anytime one steps out of line... busted.

I would bet money shit like this is why pelosi took impeachment off the table.

[blondeatlast]

47. Who is "they"? And in answer to your question--no; regardless of who "they" are. nt