Union-Affiliated Group Denies Any Role in Blago Scandal
EmailThe union-affiliated organization Change to Win is mentioned throughout the criminal complaint against Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, running the group is allegedly one of the gigs Blago seeks in exchange for naming a U.S. Senate candidate that the President-elect likes. (A qui pro quo President-elect Obama and his team would not enter into.)
Change to Win’s communications director Greg Denier issued a statement just now asserting that "No one connected with Change to Win ever considered, discussed or promised any position at Change to Win to Governor Blagojevich, his staff or his advisers. In the affidavit released by the United States Attorney, a position at Change to Win is discussed only in conversations between the governor and his advisers. The first time Change to Win learned of any of the matters raised in the criminal complaint was with today’s public release of the affidavit."
In a phone call, Denier points out that Change to Win is mentioned within the Blago inner circle, but not with anyone outside of it.
There is a scene from November 12, 2008, where Gov. Blagojevich speaks with an official of the Service Employees International Union — the SEIU is a big part of Change to Win — in Washington, DC.
Blago "understood that SEIU Official was an emissary to discuss Senate Candidate 1’s" — Valerie Jarrett’s — "interest in the Senate seat." Blago informed the SEIU Official that he had heard the President-elect wanted candidates other than Jarrett to be considered for the Senate seat. The official said he’d look into whether Jarrett still wanted him to push for her.
Then Blagojevich raises the idea of heading up a non-profit group affiliated with the union, though not Change to Win, saying "’one thing I’d be interested in’ is a 501(c)(4) organization… SEIU Official agreed to ‘put that flag up and see where it goes.’"
So the SEIU is connected to Change to Win, but the conversation was NOT about Blago joining the group, per the complaint.
And incidentally, the Dickensianly named Greg Denier’s last name is pronounced De-NEER.
– jpt
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Why is Andy Stern in the middle of all of this?
Posted by: MayBee | December 9, 2008, 5:42 pm 5:42 pm
This scandal has a long way to go. Facts will bring plenty of people and organizations down with Blago…
Posted by: matt | December 9, 2008, 5:52 pm 5:52 pm
Seems Obama and his friends are tied in, corruption runs long and deep.
Valerie Jarrett, the lady who got Michelle Obama to leave a job as a lawyer to work in city hall. The begining of it all.
Her being Obama’s other half of his Brain as he once said. Should tell people a lot.
Runs deep, deep, deep.
Posted by: seah | December 9, 2008, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm
Well, from the prosecutor’s statements, it sounds like it runs about as deep as Blago’s sick mind. We’ll see, but it sounds as if it was all him and his advisors talking about this rather than actually planning it with any of the outside parties.
Let’s not get carried away, people. I know some of you are excited and think this will bring down the Pres-Elect, but I think you’re going to be disappointed…
Posted by: eric | December 9, 2008, 6:33 pm 6:33 pm
After the past 8 years of corruption and closed door politics, we should be surprised about this (or anything like it).
Grow up…this is reality….like it or not….Repubs stop your meowing about this…the country has put up with more than this “crap” for YEARS. At some point all will be out in the open….until then, relax.
Obama will get things done, get the country on track and you’ll be wringing your hands trying to find out more dirt.
In politics it’s everyone for themselves.
Posted by: scooterfoot | December 9, 2008, 6:53 pm 6:53 pm
Isn’t it funny how the rats all start jumping ship?..WHO?? NEVER HEARD OF THIS PERSON?? SAY WHAT??
Posted by: orangecat | December 9, 2008, 10:54 pm 10:54 pm
Go to Huffington Post
“OBAMA’S PHONE CALL ‘INDIRECTLY’ LED
TO BLAGOJEVICH’S DOWNFALL”
In a sequence of events that neatly captures the contradictions of Barack Obama’s rise through Illinois politics, a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall of a fellow Democrat he twice supported, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich.
Mr. Obama placed the call to his political mentor, Emil Jones Jr., president of the Illinois Senate. Mr. Jones was a critic of the legislation, which sought to curb the influence of money in politics, as was Mr. Blagojevich, who had vetoed it. But after the call from Mr. Obama, the Senate overrode the veto, prompting the governor to press state contractors for campaign contributions before the law’s restrictions could take effect on Jan. 1, prosecutors say.
Posted by: Julie | December 10, 2008, 1:56 am 1:56 am
Now comes the part where the light gets turned on and all the cockroaches scatter and run for cover. The key to their defense will be to compartmentalize events and deny any linkage between people and groups. Thus, we will hear how the union was discussed “within the Blago circle” as if that alleged “fact” somehow proves that the union never had contact with Blago’s people. The Justice Dept. needs to aggressively probe this , and the Chicago Tribune can save itself from bankruptcy with some aggressive investigative reporting. Where are Woodward and Bernstein now?
Posted by: markm | December 10, 2008, 10:00 am 10:00 am
Matt writes, “This scandal has a long way to go. Facts will bring plenty of people and organizations down with Blago…”
=============================
Nah….It won’t. When the dust settles Obama’s legend will grow even more. (lol) Anytime you have the CROOK on tape saying Obama ain’t CROOKED you have it made.
Posted by: Dems | December 10, 2008, 7:37 pm 7:37 pm
The union was being pulled into this?? MY innocent union who does absolutely nothing for the nursing staff at my hospital (who pay the highest dues of course) but insists that janitors and other staff get new paid-for uniforms each year and don’t do their job anyway, unless sitting in our break room watching TV for 4 of their 8 hour shift is working. I’m LMAO!!!!
Posted by: sab | December 14, 2008, 6:58 am 6:58 am