Blago Bro Hard Like A Rock
Posted on April 14, 2009 at 2:39 pmThe Nashville Blagojevich still insists he won’t turn state’s against his brother:
Rod Blagojevich’s brother says he’s prepared to cope with corruption charges outlined in a federal indictment also accusing the impeached Illinois governor.
Robert Blagojevich of Nashville, Tenn., pleaded not guilty in federal court Tuesday along with his brother. Both were charged in a 19-count indictment this month.
Last year, Robert Blagojevich became chairman of his brother’s campaign fund, Friends of Blagojevich.
Robert Blagojevich attorney Michael Ettinger says his client looks forward to trial and doesn’t plan on making deals with prosecutors.
Nashville’s Blago Bro Boasts He Will Beat Charges
Posted on April 2, 2009 at 9:20 pmAP:
An attorney for Rod Blagojevich’s brother said he will beat in court the indictment that also snared his sibling, the ousted governor of Illinois.
NEWS OF THE INDICTMENT:
Post Biz
Post Politics
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Blago Finally Gets His Payday
Posted on March 2, 2009 at 4:47 pmBy writing a book:
A publicist for Rod Blagojevich says the former Illinois governor plans to write a book “exposing the dark side of politics.”
Glenn Selig says Blagojevich signed a six-figure deal Monday.
Selig says the book also will detail how Blagojevich selected President Barack Obama’s successor in the U.S. Senate.
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Nashville Blagojevich Hit Up Now Senator Burris For Cash
Posted on February 14, 2009 at 10:21 pmThe Chicago Sun Times reports that Nashville resident Rob Blagojevich, brother of impeached former Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois, approached the man whom his brother ultimately appointed to fill the vacant Senate seat of Barack Obama for cash:
Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother solicited U.S. Sen. Roland Burris for up to $10,000 in campaign cash before Blagojevich named Burris to the coveted post — something Burris initially failed to disclose under oath before an Illinois House impeachment panel, records and interviews show.
Burris acknowledges being hit up for the money in a new affidavit he has sent to the head of the House committee that recommended Blagojevich be removed from office.
(HT: Insty)
Fedgov Knee Deep Into Nashville Blagojevich’s Activities
Posted on January 26, 2009 at 7:21 amFrom ABC:
On election night 2002, when Rod Blagojevich watched the returns roll in and won his first term as Illinois governor, brother Robert was there with him.
But at the same time, according to state election records, Robert’s financial services firm had an interest in another Illinois elected official, Betty Loren Maltese.
Maltese is the controversial and now imprisoned mayor of Cicero.
For more than two years, Maltese’ bulging campaign fund had invested millions of dollars through a company headquartered in Tampa, Florida, the firm Invest Financial Corporation. Its CEO at the time was Robert Blagojevich, the governor’s older brother.
State records show that between July of 2000 and September of 2002, Robert Blagojevich’s company paid Maltese’ campaign fund nearly $3.3 million. The dozens of entries are listed as investment dividends, interest and proceeds from the sale of U.S. Treasury bills.
Some of the investment payments from Robert Blagojevich’s company occurred even after Mayor Maltese was convicted of swindling $12 million from the town through an insurance firm.
Lawyer Michael Ettinger, who represents the governor’s brother in the current federal investigation, was unaware of the link to Betty Loren Maltese.
On Wednesday at the I-Team’s request, Ettinger had Robert Blagojevich review the state records and Blagojevich reported that “he knows nothing about it” and that the investments must have been made by some other affiliated bank even though his was listed 41 times.
SEE ALSO:
Blago not crazy.
Blago considered Oprah for Senate seat.
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The Ties That Bind: Nashville Blago Won’t Rat On Embattled Brother
Posted on January 5, 2009 at 8:58 amFrom WSMV:
Rob Blagojevich is a Tennessee businessman who chairs his brother’s Friends of Blagojevich fund. He’s been identified as “Fundraiser A” in the 76-page criminal complaint charging the Illinois governor with corruption.
Rob Blagojevich hasn’t been charged with wrongdoing.
His attorney, Michael Ettinger, tells the Chicago Sun-Times that there’s “not a prayer” his client will talk to the federal government.
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Bredesen Calls For Burris To Be Seated
Posted on January 2, 2009 at 9:33 pmOur Governor tells Politico that however shady the Governor of Illinois is, he is still the Governor and made a lawful appointment to fill the Senate seat of Barack Obama:
“Now that it is clear that I am not carrying any water for this fellow governor, may I make the point that we are thankfully very near the end of an administration for which political calculation and the entitlement of power so often trumped the rule of law,” Bredesen said. “A Democratic congress should move to heal this wound to America, not deepen it.
“There is a clear path laid out in law as to how to fill this seat. Blagojevich is the governor. He has not been impeached, he has not been convicted of any crime, and the man he has appointed is by all accounts qualified and respectable,” Bredesen said. “Fellow Democrats: stop what you’re doing, seat Mr. Burris, start us back on the path of respecting the rule of law even when we don’t like it, and most importantly turn your attention to a long list of issues that actually matter.”
Should The Senate Seat Blago’s Pick For Senate?
Posted on December 30, 2008 at 1:41 pmNathan Moore responds in the negative:
On the face of it, the Constitution authorizes the Senate body to regulate its own membership. Recent precedent says this authority is limited; however, this seems a delightful time for the Senate to confront some bad precedent.
SEE ALSO:
Senate Democrats reiterate their intent to ignore Guv’s pick.
Nate Silver
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Nashville Blago’s Attorney Talks To NashPo
Posted on December 19, 2008 at 1:35 pmTom Wood reports on Rob Blagojevich’s attorney’s reaction to a Chicago Sun Times report:
“I have no knowledge of what’s on those tapes,” Ettinger told NashvillePost.com this afternoon. “What I can tell you is, yes, he was recorded.” The Chicago attorney said a “substantial number” of the wiretaps contain conversations between the two brothers.
“He’s not charged with anything,” Ettinger said. “I’ve spoken with him briefly. I haven’t heard anything where he violated any law.” He added that he plans to challenge the legality of the FBI’s wiretapping.
“This is not the usual way the government proceeds,” the lawyer said. “In this case, they went out and arrested the governor — which I thought was a grandstand play. Where’s he going to?” Normally, “in 98 percent of cases,” Ettinger said, the authorities would simply notify the suspect and tell him to surrender in court.
Noting that the complaint filed against Gov. Blagojevich did not constitute an indictment, Ettinger said he expects the grand jury to hand down formal charges in January. Asked whether he expects his client to be named in that indictment, Ettinger replied: “I hope not.”
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Nashville Blagojevich Lawyers Up
Posted on at 11:37 amThe Illinois Governor’s brother may not be untouched by his brother’s problems with the law:
The governor’s brother became chairman of the Friends of Blagojevich campaign fund in August, state records show. Since that time, he had been pressing people who had raised money for Blagojevich to raise more campaign cash before the end of the year, a source familiar with the governor’s fund-raising operation said. “Rob was the point guy hounding people to raise money,” the source said.
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Blago Was A Bookie
Posted on December 18, 2008 at 9:40 amFrom ABC:
Cooley says that before Rod Blagojevich got into politics he was a bookmaker on the North Side who regularly paid the Chicago mob to operate.
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You Need Us
Posted on December 11, 2008 at 7:10 amA newspaperman makes the case in the wake of the Blagojevich scandal that newspapers are more important than ever:
Political corruption is not unknown in Tennessee. Back in January 1979, Democratic Gov. Ray Blanton was accused of selling pardons, resulting in Lamar Alexander being sworn in three days early. Blanton was later convicted of selling liquor licenses and served a prison sentence.
Not long ago, the Tennessee Waltz investigation nailed seven state lawmakers on bribery charges — most famously State Sen. John Ford of Memphis, who is now serving a prison term.
This case also shows the importance of newspapers. Corrupt politicians recognize a free press as a threat to their ambitions. Wiretaps reveal Blagojevich tried to have editorial writers at the Chicago Tribune fired for criticizing him. He reportedly ordered his staff to tell the Tribune owner to “fire all those (expletive) people, get them the (expletive) out of there and get us some editorial support.”
The Blagojevich scandal shows that as long as there are political office holders, some will try to abuse their power. A vigilant federal Justice Department and a vigilant media are the best weapons against such abuses
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The Nashville Blagojevich
Posted on December 10, 2008 at 12:04 pmSean Braisted has the skinny on the local connection to the nation’s big political scandal:
Apparently, Rod’s brother Rob is a resident and philanthropist here in Tennessee. Robert Blagojevich is the Chief Volunteer Officer and a Board Member at the YMCA of Middle Tennessee.
Let’s Not Forget The Fact
Posted on at 11:36 amThe bad guy in this whole Illinois governor fiasco said himself that Barack Obama was clean:
The only way this is bad news for Obama is if we live in a world where we are no longer attached to notion of logic. The reality is this is actually very good news for Obama. Here is the clearest case I have ever seen of a politician who was tested and passed the test! He is indisputably clean.
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Number 5: Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Posted on at 11:32 amFrom Stop the ACLU:
Chicago Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) is the anonymous “Senate Candidate #5″ whose emissaries Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich reportedly claimed offered up to a million dollars to name him to the U.S. Senate, federal law enforcement sources tell ABC News.
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