Report: Jackson backers sought cash for Ill. gov.

[cali]

5 mins ago AP – – Businessmen with ties to both Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson discussed raising $1 million for Blagojevich to help persuade him to appoint Jackson to President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, according to a published report.

Citing unnamed sources, the Chicago Tribune reports in a story for Friday's editions that businessman Raghuveer Nayak and Blagojevich aide Rajinder Bedi told attendees at an Oct. 31 meeting that they needed to raise the money for the governor to ensure Jackson's appointment.

"Raghu said he needed to raise a million for Rod to make sure Jesse got the seat," an unidentified source who attended the meeting told the Tribune. Blagojevich also attended the meeting, which was sponsored by Nayak, an Oak Brook businessman.

A message left at a listing for Raghuveer Nayak in Oak Brook was not immediately returned early Friday. No published listing for Bedi could be found.

<snip>

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Barack-Obama-President-elect-news-conference/photo//081211/480/ae467ddee17947aa970bbde2780c0e81//s:/ap/20081212/ap_on_re_us/illinois_governor_jackson

[mucifer]

1. still hoping Jackson Jr wouldn't be that stupid.

He knew blago was being investigated. I don't like the idea of him being so unethical, too.

[malaise]

2. Apparently he is that stupid

Word is that he organized a fundraiser for Blagojevich.

[cali]

3. me too, but it's not looking good.

He'll retain his House seat, but I doubt he has a chance of moving to the Senate now.

[CTyankee]

5. I think he was radioactive since his name was mentioned a couple of days ago.

If he has now been caught in a lie, he will be toxic waste...

[countingbluecars]

4. It not looking good for Jackson

if it's true that his brother was at the meeting.

[Skwmom]

6. If promised fundraising is illegal, I think many in Washington should

be shaking in their boots.

This isn't like giving someone a sackful of cash for their own personal accounts, or paying someone a million for a speech (when anyone with a functioning brain would realize it's not the speech that's being bought).

Bolton predicted in Jul that Clinton would get the state department. In Newsweek it was reported that they were playing hardball right up until they gave their speeches at the national convention. If Clinton got her position as part of a brokered deal (which makes a heck of a lot more sense than Obama deciding she was the most qualified), how is this different from raising money for Blagojevich?

Quid pro quo is common practice in D.C. The outrage directed towards JJJ certainly takes hypocrisy to a new level.
More of the Clinton gang wanting to payback Jackson for not supporting Hillary?

[cali]

7. you have a point, but Blagojevich is so toxic that

any connection with his schemes is just a political death sentence. And I don't see any connection to Clinton except in the minds of Clinton haters. Pathetic shit.

[Skwmom]

8. If I lived in a glass house, I think I'd be careful about how far I took

"payback."

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. Translation:

Businessmen tried to do the usual thing and buy their own governor.

One of their apparent candidates will be castigated for this.

The businessmen will go on with their lives, making money, buying other politicians.

and who the hell are these 2 business guys???