| | Feds ask Obama to delay release of Blago contacts
Spokesman: Review showed no Obama contact, pay-to-playPresident-elect Barack Obama's transition team says it has completed a review of contacts between transition staff and Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's office, but it is delaying the release of those findings so as not to interfere with federal prosecutors' investigation.
Transition communications director Dan Pfeiffer released the following statement Monday."At the direction of the President-elect, a review of Transition staff contacts with Governor Blagojevich and his office has been conducted and completed and is ready for release. That review affirmed the public statements of the President-elect that he had no contact with the governor or his staff, and that the President-elect's staff was not involved in inappropriate discussions with the governor or his staff over the selection of his successor as US Senator.
"Also at the President-elect's direction, Gregory Craig, counsel to the Transition, has kept the US Attorney's office informed of this fact-gathering process in order to ensure our full cooperation with the investigation.
"In the course of those discussions, the US Attorney's office requested the public release of the Transition review be deferred until the week of December 22, in order not to impede their investigation of the governor. The Transition has agreed to this revised timetable for release." Blagojevich was arrested last week in connection with a wide-ranging public corruption probe in which he was accused of trying to solicit bribes in exchange for an appointment to fill Obama's Senate seat.
There's been no indication that Obama or members of his staff were involved in any pay-to-play scheme involving the vacant seat, and FBI wiretaps caught Blagojevich using some especially colorful epithets to describe Obama, believing the president-elect would not play ball.
Nonetheless, Obama has been dogged by questions regarding participation in such discussions by members of his team. Over the weekend, the Chicago Tribune reported that Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel spoke to the governor's office about filling the seat.Emanuel delivered a list of candidates who would be "acceptable" to Obama, the source said. On the list were Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, the source said. All are Democrats.
Sometime after the election, Emanuel called Harris back to add the name of Democratic Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan to the approved list, the source said. Emanuel has not answered questions about the nature of his conversations, but a source told the Tribune that at least one was captured on FBI wiretaps.
|
