Rod Blagojevich is likely to hear his claim that he was never going to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by former President Barack Obama in 2008, insisting his innocence in the high-profile case that led to him serving nearly eight years in federal prison. Blagojevich has repeated for years that he was closing in on a deal to appoint Lisa Madigan to the U.S.
Hers is a name that has largely dropped out of the public arena. At the time of the scandal, Madigan served as the Illinois Attorney General. More relevant to this case, she is the daughter of the very powerful and entrenched then-Speaker of the Illinois House Mike Madigan.
The former Speaker has since gone to prison for a separate corruption case. (Welcome to Illinois.) Blagojevich claims he would have appointed Lisa to the Senate, in exchange for the father supporting his health care package and budget. Shortly after the arrest of Governor Blagojevich in December 2009, both President-elect Obama and his incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel were interviewed by the FBI. Obama on December 18, 9 days after the Governor was arrested.
Emanuel was interviewed on the 20. The records of those interviews were kept out of both criminal trials and away from the public, until now. Fox News has obtained the partially redacted FBI FD-302s of those interviews.
The Obama interview notes: "Obama was asked whether he was aware of Emanuel having a conversation with the Blagojevich administration regarding Lisa Madigan being considered for the Senate seat in exchange for legislation being passed." RAHM EMANUEL WARNS DSA AGENDA DOESN'T PLAY WELL OUTSIDE 'UPPER WEST SIDE OF MANHATTAN' "Emanuel would have been aware that Lisa Madigan was an acceptable candidate to Obama." And "Emanuel had an open line of conversation with the Blagojevich administration." The Emanuel interview notes that on December 8, 2008, "(David) Axelrod and Emanuel went to see (U.S. Senator Dick) Durbin, D-Ill. In this meeting they all agreed that Lisa Madigan would be a good candidate." "As a result of this conversation, Emanuel contacted (Blagojevich Chief of staff, John) Harris and told him the merits of appointing Lisa Madigan as Senator." The next morning, December 9, 2009, just after 6 a.m., Blagojevich was arrested at his home in Chicago.
RAHM EMANUEL WARNS ‘BERNIE BROS’ COULD SINK DEMOCRATS BY SADDLING MODERATES WITH SOCIALIST AGENDA Then-U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick Fitzgerald said, "Governor Blagojevich was arrested in the middle of what we can only describe as a political corruption crime spree. We acted to stop that crime spree." "That just proves the Madigan deal was very much front and center.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
