Posted by Jim Lindgren:
Who are the unnamed players in the Blagojevich case?
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2008_12_07-2008_12_13.shtml#1228894031
Speculation is rampant in Illinois and in the blogosphere over who the
unnamed characters are in the affidavit supporting the [1]complaint.
1. Advisor A and Advisor B
Some have wondered whether David Axelrod is Advisor A or Advisor B.
This strikes me as highly unlikely.
Advisor A is described in the affidavit supporting the complaint as �a
former Deputy Governor under ROD BLAGOJEVICH who is currently a
lobbyist.�
Advisor B is described as �a Washington D.C.-based consultant.�
David Axelrod was never �a former Deputy Governor� and he is a
consultant based in Chicago, not DC.
2. Senate Candidate 1
Identified as female and described as �an advisor to the
President-elect,� she is very probably Valerie Jarrett, as I noted
earlier.
3. Senate Candidate 2
Senate Candidate 2 is Lisa Madigan, the state attorney general.
The Allegations:
97. On November 6, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Spokesman. ROD
BLAGOJEVICH told Spokesman to leak to a particular columnist for
the Chicago Sun-Times, that Senate Candidate 2 is in the running
for the vacant Senate seat. According to ROD BLAGOJEVICH, by doing
this, he wanted �to send a message to the [President-elect�s]
people,� but did not want it known that the message was from ROD
BLAGOJEVICH.
Thereafter, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Spokesman discussed specific
language that should be used in the Sun Times column and arguments
as to why Senate Candidate 2 made sense for the vacant Senate seat.
A review of this particular Sun Times column on November 7, 2008,
indicates references to the specific language and arguments
regarding Senate Candidate 2 as a potential candidate for the
Senate seat, as discussed by ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Spokesman.
Here is part of the Michael Sneed Sun-Times column referred to in the
allegations:
The latest from Blagoville: Is Gov. Rod Blagojevich toying with
tossing Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat to Illinois Attorney
General Lisa Madigan, who wants Blago's job?
4. Senate Candidate 3
JTA, a Jewish news service, [2]claims (with no supporting facts at
all) that Senate Candidate 3 is US Rep. Jan Schakowsky.
JTA has learned that Schakowsky, the only Jewish contender to
replace Obama, is the "Senate Candidate 3" in the prosecution
complaint.
5. Senate Candidate 4
The Affidavit states that �Senate Candidate 4 is a Deputy Governor of
the State of Illinois.� That would mean [3]one of the following: Dean
Martinez, Bob Greenlee, or Louanner Peters. [4]Arch Pundit speculates
that Senate Candidate 4 is Louanner Peters, but gives no reasons for
her over the other two.
6. Senate Candidate 5:
Although some have suggested that Senate Candidate 5 is Jesse Jackson,
Jr., the likelier guess is [5]Emil Jones, Obama�s [6]�political
godfather� and former mentor in the Illinois Senate. More on that
later.
7. Senate Candidate 6:
The Affidavit states that, �Senate Candidate 6, based on other
intercepted conversations, is believed to be a wealthy person from
Illinois.�
On Nov. 26, 2008, Michael Sneed�s column ran this item:
HMMM . . .
The name of wealthy businessman J.B. Pritzker, a big supporter of
U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, seems to be bubbling
up more frequently to the top of Gov. Blagojevich's short list to
fill President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat.
A Nov. 10, 2008 Sun-times editorial mentions two wealthy
possibilities: J.B. Pritzker and Edwin Eisendrath.
8. President-elect Advisor:
There is speculation that the "President-elect Advisor" is Rahm
Emanuel. More on that later.
References
1. http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/acrobat/2008-12/43789434.pdf
2.
http://jta.org/news/article/2008/12/09/1001437/blagojevichs-arrest-improve-chances-for-jewish-lawmaker
3.
http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=1&RecNum=7318
4. http://archpundit.com/blog/2008/12/09/senate-candidate-4-louanner-peters/
5. http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1208/Senate_Candidate_5.html
6.
http://www.chicagodefender.com/article-2394-emil-jones-an-early-backer-of-obama-white-house-bid.html
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