US News
Obama calls on Blagojevich to resign (2nd Roundup)
Dec 10, 2008, 21:25 GMT
A file photograph showing Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich during the Chicago Cubs rally in Chicago, Illinois, USA, 30 September 2008. EPA/KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI
Washington - President-elect Barack Obama called on Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to resign Wednesday following his arrest on corruption charges.
'The president-elect agrees ... that under the current circumstances it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois,' Robert Gibbs, Obama's spokesman, said.
Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on multiple corruption charges, including that he sought bribes and political favours from those being considered to take Obama's vacated Senate seat.
Gibbs said Obama believes the Illinois state legislature should move to takeover the responsibility for replacing Obama in the Senate or hold a special election 'to select a new senator that will have the trust and confidence of the people of Illinois.'
Blagojevich remains governor and still has the power to appoint a new senator. Obama resigned his seat 12 days after winning the November 4 presidential election.
Obama on Tuesday said Blagojevich's arrest marked a 'sad' day for his home state but refused to comment on the case. He denied having any knowledge of Blagojevich's activities.
Blagojevich was arrested outside his home and appeared in court before being released on bail. He returned to his job Wednesday. The Justice Department also charged his top aide, John Harris, with corruption.
Blagojevich, 51, and Harris, 46, were charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery. They face maximum sentences of 20 years in prison if convicted.
Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr, the son of the civil rights activist of the same name, is among the contenders to replace Obama and was reportedly the subject of Blagojevich's conversations with Harris that were caught on tape by federal authorities.
Media reports have identified Jackson as 'Candidate 5,' the term used by the Justice Department in the affidavit to shield his identity because there was no evidence of wrongdoing.
Jackson addressed reporters on Wednesday and said he had been informed by authorities that he was not a target of the investigation and denied any contact between his staff or Blagojevich's about cutting a deal so he could take Obama's seat.
Jackson said he was 'appalled' by the 'shocking' and 'stunning' charges against Blagojevich.
'I reject and denounce pay-to-play politics and had no involvement whatsoever in any wrongdoing,' Jackson said, also calling on Blagojevich to step down.
COMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
You post the same crap here and there. What is your point?
'Ah, but there is a much larger scandal going on in plain view!'
... don't kid yourself. Almost all scandals in D.C. are in plain view. The typical U.S. citizen is a moron and if the truth hit them in the face like an anvil on an old roadrunner show it would not even change the movement of their elbow as it bent for another swig of beer.
The mortgage crisis scandal unfolded in plain view, as did the WMD lie as did many other lies. It is just that the U.S. public likes to be broadsided with anvil as long as they get welfare checks (um, right: economic stimulus checks) as paybacks for electing their savior.
Yeah, yeah. I read the URL and know what it means. So, documentation of more morons in the United States. Lets file the report with the others.
'You post the same crap here and there. What is your point?'
It is pretty obvious: Just like the financial scandles, these polotical payoffs are business as usual and published on a daily basis. A quid pro quo is the same thing as a bribe or buying a job, even though you may not view it as such.
So, just read a bit and open your mind and soon enough you see these things are very well documented. Just as the lack of WMDs in Iraq was well document well before the invasion of Iraq and hence Bush is a moron and a jackass as well as a negligent murderer.
Obama is appointing friends and supporters all the time. People that supported him (bribes, payments, contributions, etc. call it what you want) are getting the jobs. There is no ethics panel and a search committee that does a comprehensive investigation and gives impartial results. He is hauling in all the paybacks for old favors.
does scandles and polotical mean - couldn't find them in my dictionary.
...Brother Jesse Jr. was '#5' pick.
' it is supposed to be $750,000 for ONE appointment only!...no...you can't get a discount for two!'
I cannot wait to see Chapelle do Barak.
Where is Abe Lincoln when we need him?
Here we have it, in living color. Each day another page opens up on the breadth of this mess. Obama's minion was caught lying, redhanded about Obama discussing it with this guy, earlier confirming he had and then saying it was a 'mistake'.
This guy whose last name can't pronounce should have simply declared Illinois an independent Republic and become its first president.
What happened in that state is indicative of what is happening across the United States. The US is so full of corruption, they fantasize that it is not.
page: 1
DiogenesDec 10th, 2008 - 22:43:16
Ah, but there is a much larger scandal going on in plain view!
www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=am8eBgidYgsI&refer=us
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