Expose Obama » Rod Blagojevich

Blagojevich Retrial: Obama Pushed Jarrett To Fill His Senate Seat

Ben — Wed, 04 May 2011 15:36:52 +0000

Judicial Watch

Chicago—Rod Blagojevich’s onetime chief of staff, John Harris, testified about negotiations between his former boss and President Barack Obama to fill the U.S. Senate seat once held by the commander-in-chief.

Obama’s top aide, Rahm Emanuel, called Harris in 2008 to suggest the then-governor appoint Obama’s close friend Valerie Jarrett, according to Harris’s testimony. Harris was the second witness to take the stand in Blagojevich’s corruption retrial, which is taking place in the same Chicago federal court where he was tried last year. In that eight-week circus the impeached two-term governor got convicted of only one count (lying to the FBI) and the jury deadlocked on all others.

The government dropped a couple of charges the second time around, but Blagojevich is still facing 20 counts, among them attempting to sell Obama’s old Senate seat. Shortly upon taking the stand Tuesday, Harris testified that he and Blagojevich discussed the Senate appointment in October 2008 and Blagojevich asked him “What do you think I can get for this?”

In the first trial Harris testified that Obama sent Blagojevich a list of “acceptable” Senate candidates to fill his old seat. The list included then Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth, Illinois State Comptroller Dan Hynes, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.

Obama Makes "Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians" List

Ben — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:52:50 +0000

Judicial Watch

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released its 2010 list of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians.” The list, in alphabetical order, includes: Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Rahm Emanuel, Former Obama White House Chief of Staff, Senator John Ensign (R-NV), Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL), President Barack Obama, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)…

President Barack Obama: Remember the promise President Obama made just after his inauguration in 2009? “Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency.”

Instead, Americans have suffered through lies, stonewalling, cover-ups, corruption, secrecy, scandal and blatant disregard for the rule of law…this has been the Obama legacy in its first two years.

In 2010, Obama was caught in a lie over what he knew about Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s scheme to sell the president’s vacated Senate seat. Blagojevich’s former Chief of Staff John Harris testified that Obama had personal knowledge of Blago’s plot to obtain a presidential cabinet position in exchange for appointing a candidate handpicked by the President. In fact, according to Harris’s court testimony, Obama sent Blagojevich a list of “acceptable” Senate candidates to fill his old seat. Obama was interviewed by the FBI even before he was sworn into office. He claimed he and his staff had no contact with Blagojevich’s office. Unfortunately federal prosecutors never called the President or his staff to testify under oath.

The President also broke his famous pledge to televise healthcare negotiations. And in 2010, we learned why he broke his pledge. In what is now known as the “Cornhusker Kickback” scheme, Obama and the Democrats in the Senate “purchased” the vote of one of the last Democrat hold-outs, Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson, who opposed Obamacare over the issue of covering abortions with taxpayer funds. Nelson abandoned his opposition to Obamacare after receiving millions of dollars in federal aid for his home-state, helping to give the Democrats the 60 votes they needed to overcome a Republican filibuster. Same goes for Louisiana Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu, who received a $100 million payoff in what has been called “The Louisiana Purchase.” (The Kickback was so corrupt that Democrats stripped it out at the last minute. The Louisiana Purchase, on the other hand, became law of the land.)

Obama lied about his White House’s involvement in this legislative bribery that helped lead to the passage of the signature policy achievement of his presidency….

The Obamas' Radical Pal Wants a New Popular Front

Ben — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:58:26 +0000

Ben Johnson, FloydReports.com


Fmr. SDS Radical Marilyn Katz

All of Obama’s radical revolutionary friends seem to be coming out into the light. Just weeks ago, former Weather Underground leader Bill Ayers endorsed Jon Stewart’s “Rally to Restore Sanity.” Then his wife, Bernardine Dohrn, told cameras, “The American government is the real terrorist.” Now Marilyn Katz — a lifelong “revolutionary” and longtime, intimate friend of Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Barack’s alter ego Valerie Jarrett, and David Axelrod — has written an article in the socialist magazine In These Times calling for the creation of a new “progressive” organization to motivate his hard-Left base. Katz has spent decades attempting to create socialist-oriented groups dominated by Marxists that included enough deluded liberals to give the appearance of a mainstream political venture. Her article, and the re-emergence of Obama’s Marxist supporters, may signal the beginning of just such a renewed effort.

Obama Says “You Can Trust” Senate Candidate with Ties to an Iraqi Arms Dealer, Tony Rezko, and Assorted Mob Figures

Ben — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:02:01 +0000

Ben Johnson, Floyd Reports

There is more bad news for Barack Obama’s endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate in Illinois, Alexi Giannoulias: the failed bank where he worked as an executive loaned millions of dollars to an Iraqi arms dealer and convicted felon Tony Rezko. Broadway Bank, which Giannoulias’ family started, approved a $22.75 million loan to Riverside District Development LLC. The principals of that noble-sounding institution are Tony Rezko – who famously sold the president a plot of land adjacent to the Obamas’ Chicago home – and Nahdmi Auchi. In December 1980, Auchi, a native Iraqi, brokered an arms deal between the Italian government and Saddam Hussein that netted the Iraqi Navy four frigates.

Just last week, Barack Obama personally held a fundraiser for Giannoulias, vouching for the young man’s integrity:

Alexi is my friend. I know his character. I know how much he loves this country. I know how committed he is to public service for all the right reasons…

You can trust him. You can count on him.

Obama has heavily invested in electing Giannoulias to the Senate seat that he vacated, which is at the heart of the Rod Blogojevich scandal. Joe Biden, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, David Axelrod, and Desiree Rogers have all stumped for Alexi (and, of course, Obama is a frenetic fundraiser).

His reassurances of Giannoulias’ goodwill ring hollow upon examining the record. In the 1990s, Auchi was a shareholder in what became the BNP Paribas bank. Saddam Hussein used that bank to funnel money from the Oil-for-Food scam.

Auchi’s wife, Ibtisam, served as a director of the Panamanian-based Fintrade Services, which ”lent money to (an) Obama fundraiser in May 2005.” A French court convicted Nahdmi of “the biggest fraud inquiry since the Second World War” in 2003, and he has been barred from entering the United States.

…But not from Broadway Bank. A campaign aide claims Alexi was on a leave of absence when the loan was approved in March 2006. However, the same month he told the press, “I’m senior loan officer and vice president, so I oversee a $600 million loan department.” The aide now claims he misspoke.

What no one disputes is that Alexi gave thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to Obama, and as a bank executive, loaned $27 million to mobsters Michael “Jaws” Giorango and Demitri Stavropoulos. The government shut down Broadway Bank in April, which will cost taxpayers $390 million.

Giannoulias dismisses his Auchi ties as “a Washington, D.C., guilt by association game” – charging Republican Mark Kirk of associating Giannoulias with his own bank.

Apparently, the difference between Barack Obama and Alexi Giannnoulias is that Obama only pals around with American terrorists.

Watch Obama’s warm endorsement speech:

Blagojevich Trial Nears: Can Obama Be Implicated?

NewsEditor — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:24:00 +0000

Clarice Feldman, American Thinker

What was Obama’s involvement?

Will President Obama have to testify under oath about the appointment of his Senate successor?

Drudge carries two big stories this afternoon on the trial of former Governor Blagojevich.

Blagojevich has subpoenaed the President to take his testimony on the events in question.

Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to charges that accuse him of scheming to sell or trade the Senate seat left vacant by Obama’s election as president.

The motion filed Thursday says Obama was interviewed for two hours by prosecutors and FBI agents regarding the Blagojevich case, and the defense filed a motion asking for all transcripts, notes and reports from that interview. But the defense never received the documents, the motion said.

The motion also claims that prosecutors say Blagojevich met a labor union official whom he believed to be in contact with President Obama, and told the official he would appoint a certain candidate to the vacant Senate seat. In exchange, Blagojevich expected to be named secretary of Health and Human Services, the motion says prosecutors claim.

It would be most unusual for the request for a subpoena to succeed, but as you can see from the second story, it is hard to believe the president’s claim that neither he nor his aides were involved in the search for a successor for his Senate seat.

Blagojevich Defense Team Moves To Subpoena Obama

NewsEditor — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:14:00 +0000

CBS

Will Obama be forced to testify under oath?

The defense team for deposed Gov. Rod Blagojevich has moved to subpoena President Barack Obama to testify at Blagojevich’s corruption trial.

Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to charges that accuse him of scheming to sell or trade the Senate seat left vacant by Obama’s election as president.

Read the full motion to have Obama testify

Blago’s Attorney is excited to depose Obama

NewsEditor — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:06:00 +0000

Obama with his good buddy Blagojevich

One of Rod Blagojevich’s attorneys said Wednesday it was possible the defense could call President Obama to take the witness stand if the corruption charges against the former governor go to trial, but added that it wasn’t clear that doing so would be necessary.

Defense attorney Samuel E. Adam said following a hearing in the case that it would be "an awesome experience in any career" to question Obama, who is not accused of any wrongdoing but did answer questions from federal investigators.

Blagojevich is charged with scheming to sell or trade Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat, campaign fundraising abuses and other offenses. He has denied wrongdoing.

Blagojevich attorneys have asked U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel to give them an early look at the government’s evidence, including records of interviews with Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett and two labor backers of Obama, Thomas Balanoff and Andy Stern.

Zagel indicated he might rule on the request Jan. 27

Will Obama hold ‘fixed’ press conferences?

admin — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:18:43 +0000

Les Kinsolving, Worldnetdaily

Barack Obama is manipulating the media to control the news

Carol Marin is political columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, as well as political editor for Chicago’s NBC 5 News, as well as interviewer/contributor to WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” program.

As such, she may be one of this nation’s most Obama-knowledgeable of all in our media.

As a former CBS news correspondent, she reported for “60 Minutes.”

All of which makes it beyond belief that almost all of this nation’s media – with the exception of the Media Research Center – failed to report what this Obama news authority wrote in the Sun Times on Sunday, Jan. 4 of this year:

“As ferociously as we march like villagers with torches against Blagojevich, we have been, in the true spirit of the Bizarro universe, the polar opposite with the president-elect. Deferential, eager to please, prepared to keep a careful distance.

Read the Full Story:

Top Obama Aides Subject of Criminal Probe Subpoenas

admin — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:19:29 +0000

By Chicago News

Obama with two subpoena targets, David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett

Sweeping federal subpoenas of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration include requests for records involving David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett, senior advisers to President Barack Obama.

Among 43 subpoenas released by the Blagojevich administration Friday, one from Dec. 8 seeks notes, calendars, correspondence and any other data that relate to Axelrod, Jarrett and 32 other people and organizations.

That was the day before the FBI arrested Blagojevich, a two-term Democrat, on charges that he tried to trade his appointment to replace Obama in the Senate for campaign contributions. Wiretapped conversations show Blagojevich thought Jarrett was interested in the seat and he wanted campaign money or a high-paying job in return, according to a sworn statement.

Read the Full Story:

Obama, Blago flip sides of Bizarro plotline

admin — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:36:15 +0000

BY Carol Marin Chicago Sun-Times

Sen Kennedy, Gov. "Hot Rod" Blagojevich, and Barack Obama

Barack Obama jogged only slightly ahead of Rod Blagojevich across the news landscape of the past month, the glistening horizon of a new Camelot ahead, perhaps, but the jagged outline of the clouted city not far behind.

Obama and Blago are more than the yin and yang of Illinois politics. They represent, a la Jerry Seinfeld, the ultimate Bizarro plotline.

Bizarro is the alter ego of Superman, a concept the Seinfeld crew borrowed from DC Comics and incorporated into a 1996 episode. If you never saw it, it goes like this: For every apathetic Jerry, nudgy George and raucous Kramer there is, in the Bizarro world, the polar opposite: an empathetic Jerry, an urbane George and a genteel Kramer.

Read the Full Story: