political scandal – News Stories About political scandal - Page 15

Media Gets 'Silly' Over
Obama Ties to Blago

OPINION

Dec 12, 2008 2:05 PM CST

Media Gets 'Silly' Over Obama Ties to Blago

There's little evidence of ties as questions pour from press

(Newser) - The media is aflutter with questions over Barack Obama’s connection to Rod Blagojevich, and although it’s fair for the press to probe, things are getting “silly,” Joan Walsh writes on Salon. The only tie we’ve seen is Blagojevich caught on tape ranting obscenely that Obama...

Blago to
Ministers:
I'm Innocent

Dec 12, 2008 1:04 PM CST

Blago to Ministers: I'm Innocent

Guv says he'll be vindicated

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich prayed with several ministers before heading to his office today, telling them he is innocent and will be vindicated "when you hear each chapter completely written," said a pastor. He added that the governor discussed trying to get a legal and political consultation team in place...

Lighten Up, This Is No Big Deal

OPINION

Dec 12, 2008 12:08 PM CST

Lighten Up, This Is No Big Deal

Internet age makes it impossible to have fun.

(Newser) - All it took was one drunken night and an errant Facebook photo to turn 27-year-old Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau into the scandal du jour. Feminists are outraged, calling him “offensively sexist” for daring to touch that cardboard breast. Hillary tried to laugh the incident off, only to be lambasted...

AG Asks Court to Oust Blago

UPDATED

Dec 12, 2008 11:24 AM CST

AG Asks Court to Oust Blago

Declare him 'unfit to serve,' she asks

(Newser) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan today asked the state’s Supreme Court to declare Rod Blagojevich unfit to serve as governor, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. "We think it is very clear he is incapable of serving," said Madigan. She wants to prevent the scandal-plagued governor from appointing Barack...

Forget
Blago:
Rangel
Plagues Obama

analysis

Dec 12, 2008 11:12 AM CST

Forget Blago: Rangel Plagues Obama

Key congressman's probe could hurt Obama's agenda

(Newser) - The Blagojevich mess may appear more damaging, but the bigger concern for Barack Obama is the scandal surrounding Charles Rangel, who is under scrutiny for a number of questionable dealings, writes Gerald Seib in the Wall Street Journal. Blago may soon be out of Obama’s hair, but Rangel's status...

Jackson's Senate Chances Now Slim to None

Dec 12, 2008 11:03 AM CST

Jackson's Senate Chances Now Slim to None

But if cleared, he could still have a shot

(Newser) - Former frontrunner Jesse Jackson Jr. is unlikely to get Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat because of his ties to Rod Blagojevich’s pay-to-play scandal, the Hill notes. The so-called "Candidate No. 5" has denied wrongdoing, but that may not matter. "Like anybody who's ever been named in...

Obama Steered Clear
of Blago for Years

ANALYSIS

Dec 12, 2008 8:03 AM CST

Obama Steered Clear of Blago for Years

President-elect kept his hands clean; guv was classic machine pol

(Newser) - Rising through Illinois politics, Barack Obama learned to recognize a crook when he saw one, so he kept a healthy distance from Rod Blagojevich, writes Eli Saslow in the Washington Post. At the convention, Obama disappointed Blagojevich by giving nearly every other Illinois official a speaking slot. Says a mentor,...

Blago 'Upbeat'
Amid Storm

Dec 11, 2008 6:22 PM CST

Blago 'Upbeat' Amid Storm

(Newser) - With pressure mounting by the hour for him to resign or face impeachment, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich remained "upbeat" and in a "positive mood," his spokesman said. Blagojevich did his best to ignore the storm swirling around him. "There's a sense of trying to return to...

$500K in Legal Bills May Have Motivated Blago

Dec 11, 2008 4:26 PM CST

$500K in Legal Bills May Have Motivated Blago

Guv could have hoped Senate seat could bail him out of debts

(Newser) - Disgraced Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich owes a Chicago law firm more than $500,000, the Wall Street Journal reports. In intercepted conversations released as part of the current complaint against him, Blagojevich repeatedly mentions his poor financial situation; earlier this year, he stopped paying Winston & Strawn, which had counseled...

Crazy? Nah, Just a Chicago Pol

OPINION

Dec 11, 2008 2:40 PM CST

Crazy? Nah, Just a Chicago Pol

Blagojevich just doing what machine politicians do, warts and all

(Newser) - Amateur psychologists are calling Rod Blagojevich “crazy,” just because he dropped some F-bombs while allegedly trying to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat. Obviously, these guys “have never talked to a Chicago machine politician in their lives,” writes John Kass in the Tribune. “How do...

Patti Is Not a 'Potty Mouth,' Family Says

Dec 11, 2008 1:22 PM CST

Patti Is Not a 'Potty Mouth,' Family Says

Feds' wiretap recording paints off-color image of Mrs. Blagojevich

(Newser) - Illinois’ first lady is not the “potty mouth” the feds and Barbara Walters make her out to be, Patti Blagojevich’s family tells the Chicago Sun-Times. While conceding that Patti can be “standoffish," state legislator Deborah Mell said yesterday, “that is absolutely not my sister,”...

Feds: Blago
Extorted
Hospital
Honcho

Dec 11, 2008 12:47 PM CST

Feds: Blago Extorted Hospital Honcho

Guv planned to seek campaign cash in return for state funding

(Newser) - The Rod Blagojevich scandal extends beyond politics to medicine, the Chicago Tribune reports. He threatened to withhold $8 million in state funding for a pediatric health initiative unless the head of Children’s Memorial Hospital gave his campaign $50,000, according to the federal criminal complaint against the Illinois governor....

Blago:
To Impeach,
Quit, or Stay?

Analysis

Dec 11, 2008 12:13 PM CST

Blago: To Impeach, Quit, or Stay?

What happens if he quits, is impeached, he's removed, or stays—and if there could be a special Senate election

(Newser) - Many politicians, including President-elect Obama, have called on Rod Blagojevich to quit as Illinois governor, but Ray Long writes in the Chicago Tribune, there are other possible scenarios: He’s impeached, he’s removed, or he stays—and there’s also the chance of a special election to fill Obama’...

Obama: I Had
No Contact
With Blago

Dec 11, 2008 10:55 AM CST

Obama: I Had No Contact With Blago

(Newser) - Barack Obama went before reporters to introduce Tom Daschle as his pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services today, but the real attention was on his reaction to the Rod Blagojevich scandal. “I was as appalled and disappointed as anyone,” he said, sayinghe's still gathering...

Timing of Blago Call, Jarrett's Senate Retreat Questioned

ANALYSIS

Dec 11, 2008 10:05 AM CST

Timing of Blago Call, Jarrett's Senate Retreat Questioned

Obama aide reported out of consideration Nov. 10, same day as marathon bull session

(Newser) - The timing of reports that Valerie Jarrett, a top aide to Barack Obama, was out of the running to succeed him in the Senate, and the Nov. 10 conference call on which Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich discussed selling that seat is raising questions, the Wall Street Journal reports. The FBI...

Questions Obama Should
Answer About Blago

ANALYSIS

Dec 11, 2008 8:26 AM CST

Questions Obama Should Answer About Blago

(Newser) - Barack Obama says he hasn't spoken with Rod Blagojevich about his successor, but that's not all we need to know, writes Politico. Some suggested ice-breakers for today's Obama press conference:

"Did you communicate directly or indirectly with Blagojevich about picking your replacement in the US Senate?” Blago's wiretapped conversations

...

This Dude Is Late-Night Comedy Gold

Dec 11, 2008 7:00 AM CST

This Dude Is Late-Night Comedy Gold

Letterman, Stewart, et al, pounce on Blago name, hair, idiocy

(Newser) - America's comics have rushed to mine the vein of comedy gold opened by Rod Blagejovich's arrest on corruption charges, the Chicago Tribune reports. "It's one count of bribery, one count of fraud, and one count of Blagojeviching," David Letterman said. Jon Stewart quipped that the governor "has...

Obama Loyalists Block Questions About Blago From Website

Dec 11, 2008 5:00 AM CST

Obama Loyalists Block Questions About Blago From Website

Fans flag mentions of ties as 'inappropriate'

(Newser) - Supporters of Barack Obama appear to be doing their best to wipe questions about indicted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich from the president-elect's new "Open for Questions" website, Politico reports. The site, designed to allow citizens to submit questions for Obama and vote on one another's questions, allows users...

Sit Tight: Blago Isn't Going Anywhere Yet

Dec 11, 2008 1:32 AM CST

Sit Tight: Blago Isn't Going Anywhere Yet

Dismissing calls for resignation, guv says it's 'business as usual'

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich is innocent—or so says his attorney, as the Illinois governor returned to work for what his office called "business as usual." In the face of unanimous disgust and calls to resign from across the Democratic party, Blagojevich has no plans to step down. According...

Jackson
Rejects
Blago
Allegations

Dec 10, 2008 4:02 PM CST

Jackson Rejects Blago Allegations

(Newser) - Jesse Jackson Jr. vigorously denounced Gov. Rod Blagojevich today and insisted he did nothing unethical to try to win appointment to Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat. "I reject and denounce pay-to-play politics," said Jackson, who was identified earlier today as the so-called "Senate Candidate No. 5" in...