blago guilty in chicagoland corruption & selling soetoro's senate seat

from dpa: Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was on Monday found guilty on 17 of 20 corruption charges in connection with trying to sell the Senate seat held by US President Barack Obama before he took office. Blagojevich was found guilty last year of making false statements to federal investigators, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the other counts, setting the stage for a second trial.

He was found guilty of racketeering, extortion, soliciting a bribe and conspiracy. Some of those charges included shakedowns of a children's hospital and a horse racing executive. He was acquitted on one count of shaking down a construction executive and a verdict was not reached on two other counts, the Chicago Tribune reported. The newspaper reported he faces a significant prison sentence.

Leaving the Chicago courtroom, Blagojevich said he was 'very disappointed' by the verdicts. 'I, frankly, am stunned,' said Blagojevich, who has professed his innocence.

Blagojevich, 54, had been accused of trying to sell Obama's seat after he was caught on wiretap by federal investigators during a previous investigation. As governor, he had the power to appoint Obama's successor in the Senate until an election could be held be held.

Blagojevich, a Democrat, was arrested in December 2008 - weeks after Obama won the presidential election - after being recorded in a profanity-laced conversation describing the Senate vacancy as a 'golden' asset for which he was seeking political or financial returns. The Illinois General Assembly impeached Blagojevich the following January and removed him from office.

related obamessiah updates:
audio: cynthia mckinney & the anti-war left steps up against obama*
video: maher says obama 'sucking up to the people he should be fighting'*
obama dismisses libya criticism as political 'fuss'*
video: msnbc suspends political analyst mark halperin for obama remark*
libya folly may cost barry the black vote in 2012*
video: the routine that got obama impersonator yanked off stage*

bush cancels visit to switzerland after arrest threat

from reuters: Former President George W. Bush has canceled a visit to Switzerland, where he was to address a Jewish charity gala, due to the risk of legal action against him for alleged torture, rights groups said on Saturday. Bush was to be the keynote speaker at Keren Hayesod's annual dinner on February 12 in Geneva. But pressure has been building on the Swiss government to arrest him and open a criminal investigation if he enters the Alpine country. Criminal complaints against Bush alleging torture have been lodged in Geneva, court officials say. Human rights groups said they had intended to submit a 2,500-page case against Bush in the Swiss city on Monday for alleged mistreatment of suspected militants at Guantanamo Bay, the U.S. naval base in Cuba where captives from Afghanistan, Iraq and other fronts in the so-called War on Terror were interned.

related obamessiah updates:
video: o'reilly interviews obamessiah on stupor bowl stunday*
85 americans are already running for president*
video: blagojevich wants 'missing' phone calls recovered*
cali rep. jane harman to resign from house*
gop rep chris lee resigns after topless craigslist post*

2 suspicious deaths surrounding banksters & blagojevich

indicted financier danny pang dies in california
from bloomberg: Danny Pang, the founder of Private Equity Management Group Inc., who U.S. regulators claim bilked Taiwanese investors, died [sep11], a spokesman for the Pang family said. He was 42. Pang was taken from his Newport Beach, California, home to Hoag Hospital the afternoon of Sept. 11 by paramedics who had responded to a call from the house, said Sergeant Doug Jones of the Newport Beach Police Department. Charles Sipkins, a Pang family spokesman, confirmed the death and declined to comment further. Pang’s lawyer, James Riddet, wasn’t available. Pang, who was free on $1 million bail, pleaded not guilty on July 27 to charges in a separate criminal case that he structured cash withdrawals to avoid having to report them. He was charged in an indictment with two counts of making a total of about 50 withdrawals in amounts of as high as $9,900 to evade a U.S. law that requires reporting cash withdrawals of $10,000 or more. A trial date was set for Sept. 15, though it was postponed last month to August 2010. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accused Pang of lying to Taiwanese investors about his credentials, forging insurance documents and paying existing investors with funds raised from new ones, while claiming the returns came from investments in life insurance policies.

christopher kelly, key figure in blagojevich corruption probe, dead
from chicago tribune: Christopher Kelly, a key figure in the federal corruption probe into former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is dead. The Cook County medical examiner’s office today confirmed that Christopher Kelly of Burr Ridge was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital at 10:46 a.m. The office said Kelly died of salicylate intoxication. According to medical reference guides, salicylates are used in anti-inflammatory and pain relief medications. Kelly was found in a lumber yard near 173rd Street and Cicero Avenue in Country Club Hills late Friday, said the town’s mayor, Dwight Welch. Kelly arrived at Oak Forest Hospital at 11:15 p.m. Friday, said Marcel Bright, a Stroger Hospital spokesman. At Oak Forest, he was treated and stabilized and doctors determined he needed additional treatment at Stroger, so he was transferred there by private ambulance, Bright said. Kelly arrived at Stroger at 5:15 a.m. Kelly was treated by doctors and pronounced dead at 10:46 a.m., said hospital spokesman Marcel Bright. Chicago Police are conducting a death investigation along with Country Club Hills police. Oak Forest Hospital officials alerted authorities of Kelly’s whereabouts about 3 a.m., Welch said. Police found vomit in the lumber yard parking lot, Welch said. “We are treating this as a death investigation–it’s a possible homicide or suicide, but it’s a high-profile case so we have a homicide level investigation,” Welch said.

flashbacks: illinois gov arrested for trying to sell obama's senate seat & a bitter end for blagojevich: illinois governor impeached

a bitter end for blagojevich: illinois governor impeached

illinois senators vote 59-0 to oust 'devious' & 'unfit' governor

from washington post: The state senators stood up one by one in a hushed chamber on Thursday to call Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) a liar and a hypocrite who put his ego and his pocketbook ahead of the interests of Illinois. One called him "devious, cynical, crass and corrupt." Another said the evidence of abuse of power was "overwhelming." A third said he was "without a doubt unfit to govern." Together, they voted 59 to 0 to reject Blagojevich's theatrical last-minute pleas and remove him from office, ending a stormy tenure that left the nation's fifth-largest state paralyzed by its governor's alleged misdeeds and nationally ridiculed for its latest bout of corruption. "I believe our state must enter rehab," Sen. Randall Hultgren (R) told his colleagues before the vote. "Moral rehabilitation."

video: blago called for kennedy, mccain & emanuel to be fired
from raw replay: Speaking at his Illinois senate impeachment trial, Gov. Rod Blagojevich said that if he was being impeached then Sens. Ted Kennedy, John McCain and President Obama’s Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, should also be fired. RAW STORY has more details here. This video is from CNN.com, broadcast Jan. 29, 2009.

flashbacks: illinois gov arrested for trying to sell obama's senate seat & illinois gov may send natl guard into chicago to fight crime

obamessiah: tests, challenges, cfr cabinet, monsanto & more

dc's metro system can't handle incoming obamazoids
from washington post: Even if only half of the projected 2 million to 4 million people show up for next month's presidential inauguration, the Washington region's roadways and transit systems will be too pressed to handle the crush, planners say. Officials are working out details of their transportation plan for the event, but the capacity of the area's transit and road infrastructure, combined with strict security, means residents and potential visitors need to have realistic expectations about how quickly they will be able to move around... People who live near the Arlington Cemetery Metro station, for example, and are planning to take the subway to the swearing-in ceremony might want to think about walking, because trains will be packed. On foot, the three-mile trek from the station to the Reflecting Pool at the Capitol should take about an hour.

inaugural 'last call' moved up
from washington post: D.C. bars and nightclubs will be allowed to serve alcohol until 4 a.m., not 5 a.m., during inauguration week after the D.C. Council voted last night to modestly scale back the emergency legislation it approved two weeks ago. Under the revised rules, nightlife establishments will still be allowed to remain open for food service round-the-clock from Jan. 17 to 21. However, they will have to pay a registration fee for each evening they intend to stay open past the normal hours of 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends. Nightclubs will be required to pay $250 a night, and bars and restaurants will have to pay $100. The council initially extended the bar hours at the suggestion of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, whose members want to capitalize on the expected crowds for President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration. But the move drew criticism from community leaders, religious organizations and Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Robert F. Bennett (R-Utah), who wrote a letter of protest to Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) and Vincent C. Gray (D), the council chairman.

US military mobilizes troops for inauguration
(editor's note: A sign of things to come? In years past the Secret Service and local law enforcement were responsible for protecting the president during the inauguration, now that duty has apparently shifted to the military and Northcom. It would seem Northcom is not enough, however - General Gene Renuart says an “integrated air defense system” including Canadians will “be up and robust and available.” Since when have Canadians been tasked with protecting the president during his swearing in? Canada and the U.S. signed an agreement that paved the way for the militaries from either nation to send troops across each other’s borders during an emergency. I guess we are to consider the inauguration of Obama an emergency?)

from afp: The US military plans to mobilize thousands of troops to protect Washington against potential terrorist attack during the inauguration of president-elect Barack Obama, a senior US military commander said Wednesday. They will fly combat air patrols and man air defenses, organize large scale medical support, and help local law enforcement provide security in the capital, said General Gene Renuart, head of the US Northern Command. "(It's) not because we see a specific threat, but because for an event this visible, this important and this historic, we ought to be prepared to respond if something does happen," he told reporters. Renuart said some 7,500 active duty troops and 4,000 national guard troops will take part in the operations in support of the inauguration of the 44th US president on January 20.

rnc video smears obama with blagojevich scandal

fbi informant: blagojevich was mob-connected bookie
from raw replay: The local ABC affiliate in Chicago has learned that a Chicago attorney told the FBI that Rod Blagojevich was a bookie that made regular payments to the Chicago mob during the 1980’s. Robert Cooley says that he told the FBI about wrongdoing by Blagojevich years ago. “When I was working with government wearing wire, I reported, I observed Rod, the present governor, who was running a gambling operation out in the western suburbs. He was paying street tax to the mob out there,” said Cooley. A spokesman for Blagojevich said he could not comment on Cooley’s allegations. ABC 7 has more details here. This video is from WLS-TV/DT Chicago, broadcast Dec. 17, 2008.

indicted governor finds jesus
from brasscheck tv: The Governor of Illinois recently got caught red handed trying to sell Barrack Obama's' recently vacated Senate seat. This whole "indicted politician finds Jesus" thing began back during Watergate. The crook who perfected this scam, Charles Colson, has made a profession of bringing Jesus to the powerful who are newly indicted.

obama named time magazine's person of the year
(founded by skull & bones)

greens worry obama will drop their cause
from washington times: Environmentalists fear their top priority - a national climate-change policy - will be sidetracked in Congress by concerns over the slumping economy. President-elect Barack Obama has said the policy is a "matter of urgency" and furthered his commitment on Monday by naming the top members of his energy and environment team. He said the team would lead his drive toward renewable energy and away from oil and would coordinate the often interlocked domains of energy and climate policy. Yet the green lobby, filled with optimism after the election of a Democratic president and Congress, now sees the expanding meltdown of the economy as a major obstacle.

'new rules' for obama’s civilian national security force
from world net daily: New rules published in the Federal Register would allow certain civilians to call American soldiers into action inside the U.S. to prevent environmental damage or respond to "special events" and "other domestic activities." The alarming warning is contained in proposed rules published last week for the Department of Defense's "Defense Support of Civil Authorities" plan.

cheney praises obama’s national security team
from abc: “I must say, I think it’s a pretty good team,” Cheney said. “I’m not close to Barack Obama, obviously, nor do I identify with him politically. He’s a liberal. I’m a conservative... But I think the idea of keeping Gates at Defense is excellent. I think Jim Jones will be very, very effective as the national security adviser.”

bush preps crisis briefings to aid obama
from nytimes: The White House has prepared more than a dozen contingency plans to help guide President-elect Barack Obama if an international crisis erupts in the opening days of his administration, part of an elaborate operation devised to smooth the first transition of power since Sept. 11, 2001.

The memorandums envision a variety of volatile possibilities, like a North Korean nuclear explosion, a cyberattack on American computer systems, a terrorist strike on United States facilities overseas or a fresh outbreak of instability in the Middle East, according to people briefed on them. Each then outlines options for Mr. Obama to consider.

The contingency planning goes beyond what other administrations have done, with President Bush and Mr. Obama vowing to work in tandem to ensure a more efficient transition in a time of war and terrorist threat. The commission that investigated the Sept. 11 attacks, noting problems during the handover from President Bill Clinton to Mr. Bush, called for a better process “since a catastrophic attack could occur with little or no notice,” as its report put it.

“This is very unusual,” said Roger Cressey, a former Clinton White House counterterrorism official who was held over under Mr. Bush. “We certainly did not do that. When the transition happened from Clinton to Bush, remember it was a totally different world. You had some documents given that gave them a flavor of where things were at. But now you’ve got two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a hot war against Al Qaeda.”

mindless challenges over obama's birthplace

scotus won't review obama's eligibility to serve
from ap: The Supreme Court has turned down another challenge to Barack Obama's eligibility to serve as president because of his citizenship. The appeal by Cort Wrotnowski of Greenwich, Conn., was denied Monday without comment. Wrotnowski argued that Obama was a British subject at birth and therefore cannot meet the requirement for becoming president... At least two other appeals over Obama's citizenship remain at the court. Philip J. Berg of Lafayette Hill, Pa., argues that Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii as Obama says and Hawaii officials have confirmed. Federal courts in Pennsylvania have dismissed Berg's lawsuit. Federal courts in Ohio and Washington state have rejected similar lawsuits. Allegations raised on the Internet say the birth certificate, showing that Obama was born in Hawaii on Aug. 4, 1961, is a fake.

dems determined to reimpose fairness doctrine
from kurt nimmo: It seems the Democrats are determined to reimpose the Fairness Doctrine. Earlier this week, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said she would work on bringing back the federal regulation. “I’ll work on bringing it back. I still believe in it,” Eshoo told the Daily Post in Palo Alto. Eshoo said she would recommend the doctrine be applied not only to radio and TV broadcasts, but also to cable and satellite services. “It should and will affect everyone,” she promised. “The so-called ‘Fairness Doctrine’ would restrict free speech on the public airwaves, stifling dissent at a time when an open national dialogue about our country’s future is essential,” House Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio) said in response. “The American people do not believe the federal government should be in the business of dictating or restricting the content of political speech. I’m troubled by Rep. Eshoo’s comments, and my hope is that President-elect Obama will speak out against efforts by members of his party to use their majority power to limit free speech and dissent.”

jello biafra's open letter to obama

obama picks monsanto creature, tom vilsack, for agriculture sec
from latimes: Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who aggressively campaigned for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton before his state's caucuses in January, will be named Agriculture secretary by President-elect Barack Obama, three Democratic officials confirmed Tuesday. The formal announcement was expected this morning at a news conference in Chicago.

obama names more cfr & goldman ghouls to top economic posts
from nytimes: Pledging to create “a 21st century regulatory framework” to protect against future financial crises, President-elect Barack Obama on Thursday nominated three veteran financial regulators to top economic positions in his administration. “We will crack down on this culture of greed and scheming that has led us to this day of reckoning,” Mr. Obama said in announcing the appointments at a news conference in Chicago. “We have been asleep at the switch.” Later in the day, transition aides said that Mr. Obama had settled on a labor secretary and trade representative and was likely to make those announcements on Friday at his final news conference before heading to Hawaii for a vacation. In the morning news conference, Mr. Obama named Mary L. Schapiro, 53, to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. The agency has come under sharp criticism for its failure to detect signs that major Wall Street banks were in trouble before the financial crisis, and more recently, for gaps in its oversight of the New York financier Bernard Madoff, who the authorities say has confessed to running a $50 billion Ponzi scheme. The Madoff scandal, Mr. Obama said, “reminds us yet again how badly reform is needed when it comes to regulations that govern our markets.” ... Mr. Obama also announced the selection of two former Clinton administration economic officials, Gary Gensler and Daniel K. Tarullo, to leading economic posts.

video: msnbc’s mika brzezinski mugged outside dc hotel

russia to test obama's mettle
from asd: The incoming US administration is to be given an assessment of its decisiveness by Moscow over missile issues, says arms negotiator. "The Russians intend to test the mettle of the new administration and the new president," said US Acting Undersecretary of State John Rood on Wednesday, AFP reported. The official made the remarks commenting on the recent Russian stance on the US plans for installation of a European-based missile defense apparatus. "In some ways their position is less flexible than it was before and, I think that therefore leads to me the conclusion that they would like to determine the posture of the new administration," he added.

illinois gov arrested for trying to sell obama's senate seat

the chicago machine's corruption hits the fan, as webster tarpley predicted, in this twisted tale of "operation board games" that has connections to rezko, auchi & bankster's revenge...
from washington post: FBI agents this morning arrested Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich (D) and his chief of staff on conspiracy and bribery charges, including allegations that the governor was seeking to benefit financially from his appointment of a successor to the U.S. Senate seat that was vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. The arrest of Blagojevich, 51, and his top aide, John Harris, 46, capped a lengthy investigation into public corruption at the highest levels of state government. The two men later appeared in a federal courthouse in Chicago before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan, who ordered the governor's release on $4,500 bond. Blagovich, appearing in court in sweat pants, gym shoes and an athletic shirt, was also ordered to relinquish his passport and his firearm owner's identification card, the Associated Press reported. "This is a sad day for government," U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald told a news conference in explaining the charges. "It's a very sad day for Illinois government. Governor Blagojevich has taken us to a truly new low." Blagojevich was arrested in the middle of a "political corruption crime spree," the prosecutor said, adding, "We acted to stop that crime spree."

video: chicago reporter suggests emanuel may have ‘tipped’ off federal investigators about blagojevich

blagojevich suspends state business with bank of america & is promptly arrested by fbi on corruption charges
from cryptogon: Less than 24 hours later… Whamo. I’m not saying that the guy isn’t a crook. He could be as crooked as the day is long. The timing of his arrest, however, is priceless.

update: 76 page federal indictment; conspiracy to commit mail & wire fraud & solicitation of bribery

blagojevich arrested on corruption charges after going up against bank of america
from kurt nimmo: Isn’t it odd that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is suddenly arrested on corruption charges the day after he announced he is asking all Illinois government agencies to suspend business with Bank of America? Not really. Blagojevich’s arrest sends a strong signal that going up against the banksters will not be tolerated. “Blagojevich contended that Bank Of America received a multi-billion dollar bailout from the government and should accordingly restore credit to the Republic Windows & Doors company in Chicago,” writes Katharine Zaleski for the Huffington Post.

video: obama ’saddened’ & ’sobered’ by blagojevich

and the updates & downlows will come fast & furious...
gov charged with trying to sell obama's senate seat*
illinois governor arrested for trying to sell obama's senate seat*
illinois gov arrested & charged with selling obama’s senate seat*
blagogate: obama’s burden*
obama: 'no contact' with gov in alleged seat-sale scheme*
obama: I had ‘no contact’ with blagojevich about senate seat*
indecent exposure: blagojevich case strips the system bare*

and now, even more updates:
illinois governor charged with bribery*
video: current.com caught censoring bank of america/blagojevich coincidence*
scandal casts cloud over obama presidency*
obama: blagojevich should resign*
video: blagojevich scandal creates distraction for obama transition*
video: rep schakowsky: i must not have been a serious senate contender because blago ‘didn’t ask me for anything’*
obama again denies discussing senate successor with blagojevich*
jesse jackson jr denies involvement in blagojevich corruption scandal*
obama calls on blagojevich to resign*
obama says blagojevich should resign*
all 50 dem senators call on blag to resign*
senate democrats unanimously call on blagojevich to resign*
blag ignores obama's call to resign*

illinois gov may send natl guard into chicago to fight crime

from nbc5: As Governor Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday signed a new law that will put in place tougher penalties for selling guns to minors, he also announced he's got a new idea to help combat the violence that Chicago is experience: he's talking to the Illinois State Police and the National Guard to see if they could help.

"Violent crime in the city of Chicago is out of control," Blagojevich said at the bill signing ceremony. "I'm offering resources of the state to the city to work in a constructive way with Mayor Daley to do everything we can possibly do to help stop this violence," said the governor.

The summer of 2008 will be remembered as especially violent. Blagojevich said there's been a child shot nearly every day since June 26. Bringing in state troopers - even National Guard helicopters to high-crime areas - is still very much in the planning stages.

http://video.nbc5.com/player/?id=276548