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The Sunlight Foundation uses cutting-edge technology and ideas to make government transparent and accountable. Underlying all of our efforts is a fundamental belief that increased transparency will improve the public's confidence in government
The Sunlight Foundation Blog
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Jackson Donor Raised Money for Blago
Yesterday, I was sitting around thinking about how Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. found himself in the predicament that is now in. To begin with, how did Jackson secure a very public meeting with Blagojevich to discuss the open Senate seat. Blagojevich, as one can tell from the criminal complaint, wasn’t just meeting with anyone. Most of the other named candidates were contacted by emissaries from Blagojevich’s circle. Something must have happened between Blagojevich’s people and Jackson’s people that preceded a meeting. Preconditions must have been met.
State Senator Kwame Raoul, who represents President-Elect Obama’s old South Side district, explains that consideration for the Senate seat was contingent on paying-to-play. This was an open secret:
The state senator, Kwame Raoul, who represents the South Side of Chicago, offered few details of his interaction with the governor’s office but said he received a call about a month ago confirming that he was under consideration. Soon afterward, however, Mr. Raoul said he ran head-on into another message: that the governor was looking for a candidate who offered something of tangible value to him.
“It was open knowledge among people in and around Springfield,” Mr. Raoul said. “Legislators and lobbyists alike openly talked about the fact that the governor would want to appoint somebody who would benefit him. I can firmly say that I’ve had these conversations, that I’ve spoken with both legislators and lobbyists who felt that that would be the consideration in his appointment.”
Mr. Raoul would not specifically say what the content of the conversations were, or whom they were with, except that the initial inquiry from the governor’s office was made by Victor Roberson, deputy director for intergovernmental affairs. Interest in his candidacy died on both sides, Mr. Raoul said, adding, “Obviously, the perception was that I didn’t have anything to give other than my service.”
If Raoul is being accurate, we can determine that something happened behind the scenes prior to a meeting between Jackson (Senate Candidate 5) and the governor. Sure enough, “businessmen with ties to both the governor and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. discussed raising at least $1 million for Blagojevich’s campaign as a way to encourage him to pick Jackson for the job,” according to the Chicago Tribune. Jackson denies knowing about any emissaries acting on his behalf to raise money for Blagojevich. The inclusion of the congressman’s brother at a fundraiser for Blagojevich, meant to help persuade the governor to pick Jackson, may bring that denial into doubt.
Unfortunately for Jackson, it looks as though people close to him were playing Blagojevich’s game. Jackson’s knowledge of these fundraisers and promises are certainly key to unraveling his involvement.
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More On The Senate Candidates
Apparently, Senate Candidate 3 is Rep. Jan Schakowsky. Senate Candidate 3 was mentioned in passing in the criminal complaint, more as a threat that the Governor would appoint her despite not wanting to.
The possibility of Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. being Senate Candidate 5 keeps getting more attention.
Also, this:
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The Replacements: Pay-to-Play In Obama Replacement
Gov. Rod Blagojevich of Illinois was arrested today on charges related to his decision on whom to appoint to President-Elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents on federal corruption charges.
Blagojevich and Harris were accused of a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy that included Blagojevich conspiring to sell or trade the Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama in exchange for financial benefits for the governor and his wife. The governor was also accused of obtaining campaign contributions in exchange for other official actions.
A press release from the office of the U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald reads as follows (via FireDogLake):
A 76-page FBI affidavit alleges that Blagojevich was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps during the last month conspiring to sell or trade Illinois’ U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama for financial and other personal benefits for himself and his wife. At various times, in exchange for the Senate appointment, Blagojevich discussed obtaining:
— a substantial salary for himself at a either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions;
— placing his wife on paid corporate boards where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year;
— promises of campaign funds – including cash up front; and
— a cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.
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“The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering,” Mr. Fitzgerald said. “They allege that Blagojevich put a ‘for sale’ sign on the naming of a United States Senator; involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism. The citizens of Illinois deserve public officials who act solely in the public’s interest, without putting a price tag on government appointments, contracts and decisions,” he added….
Furthermore:
In the earliest intercepted conversation about the Senate seat described in the affidavit, Blagojevich told Deputy Governor A on November 3 that if he is not going to get anything of value for the open seat, then he will take it for himself: “if . . . they’re not going to offer anything of any value, then I might just take it.” Later that day, speaking to Advisor A, Blagojevich said: “I’m going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain.” He added later that the seat “is a [expletive] valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.”
Illinois law allows for Gov. Blagojevich to step out of the way and allow the Lt. Governor to appoint the President-Elect’s successor. It is, at this point, likely impossible for Blagojevich to appoint a replacement for Obama without creating the appearance of corruption. The Senate may even move to refuse to seat the replacement.
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The Replacements: Caroline Kennedy
The most recent rumor regarding the replacement for Sen. Hillary Clinton is that Obama friend and only surviving child of President John F. Kennedy Caroline Kennedy is under consideration by Gov. David Paterson. Caroline Kennedy is close to President-Elect Barack Obama and helped run his Vice Presidential search committee along with Eric Holder, who has since been tapped to be the next Attorney General. Kennedy also holds numerous positions related to both politics and her father’s legacy. The quick list of her current positions is as follows:- Director on the Commission on Presidential Debates
- Director on the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
- President of the Kennedy Library Foundation
- Founder of the Profiles in Courage Award
- Honorary Chairman of the American Ballet Theatre
- Adviser to the Harvard Institute of Politics
Kennedy previously worked as the chief executive for the Office of Strategic Partnerships for the New York City Department of Education from 2002-2004. She is also an author of two books on civil liberties and the editor of four books.
Since Kennedy has never held or ran for elected office, it is difficult to use the network of Sunlight-related databases to research her involvements. The closest we can come is to look at her personal campaign contributions to political candidates. Here they are from 1994-2008:
Patrick Kennedy $5,250 Hillary Clinton $5,000 Barack Obama $4,600 Edward Kennedy $4,000 EMILY’s List $3,000 Chris Dodd $2,000 Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte $2,500 John Kerry $2,000 DNC Services Corp. $2,000 Bill Clinton $1,000 Al Gore $1,000 Ned Lamont $1,000 Total $33,350 Despite the obvious partisan tilt of these donations, her biggest booster at the moment appears to be Independent (former Republican) Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg.
The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza gives Kennedy a 20-1 shot at being the replacement.
