(CNN) – An internal report compiled by the Obama transition team states that President-elect Barack Obama was interviewed by the office of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald as part of Fitzgerald's criminal probe into embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Obama was interviewed last Thursday. Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett was interviewed Friday, and incoming White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was interviewed Saturday.
The report, drafted by Greg Craig, Obama's choice for White House counsel, concludes that neither Obama nor his aides - including Emanuel - had any "inappropriate" contact with Blagojevich or Blagojevich's staff.
The report states that there is "no indication of inappropriate discussions with the governor or anyone from his office about a 'deal' or a quid pro quo arrangement in which he would receive a personal benefit in return for any specific appointment to fill the vacancy."
The report concludes Obama himself had no "contact or communication with Governor Blagojevich or members of his staff about the Senate seat."
Emanuel, according to the report, had "one or two telephone calls with Governor Blagojevich" between November 6 and 8. Emanuel discussed the merits of "various people whom the governor might consider (for Obama's Senate seat)."
Emanuel - "with the authorization of the president-elect - gave (Blagojevich Chief of Staff John) Harris the names of four individuals whom the president-elect considered to be highly qualified: Dan Hynes, Tammy Duckworth, Congresswoman (Jan) Schakowsky and Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr."
FBI agents arrested Blagojevich on December 9 after federal prosecutors alleged, among other things, that he had tried to "sell" Obama's former Senate seat. It is the sole authority of the Illinois governor to name a successor who would serve the remaining two years of Obama's term.
Twelve percent of Americans questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Monday said Obama's aides did something illegal, while another 36 percent felt Obama's aides didn't act illegally but did do something unethical.
Forty-three percent said none of Obama's aides did anything seriously wrong.
From CNN Politics
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Don't worry.
Rush and O'Reilly are already making things up. We'll have some Right-wing nonsense before the hour.
Obama stick to the issues that America cares about like the economy. Let the Republicans drown themselves in senseless stories and their misery. This is so boring... Next!
Well then.....Obama says he did nothing inappropriate. It MUST be true. Case closed. Nothing to see here. Move on.....move on.
Hey are the Idiot, Republicans trying to make something out of nothing here? There nothing here move on. Blagojevich is a village Idiot and will be sent to Prison, end of story. Let's all give thanks to God for sending us an intelligent, and honorable leader to move this country in the right direction. Republicans it's time to dry your eyes, hold your head up and admit your losers. Now is the time for Dems and Republicans to join hands and sing "Free At Last, Thank God Almighty Were Free At Last."
Doesn't matter if God him or herself sent Jesus back today and said Obama had no involvement in the Blagojevich deal, peole will still question God's motives. Just read some of these posting, you got to laugh.
Anyone that believes that obama and emanuel are not tied in with the governor have to be naive to the extreme.
What else can the report say?Anybody with common sense would know if Obama or anyone on his transition team or aides had done something wrong unethical or wrong it would have come out by now by Fitzgerald.There's nothing more all the Obama haters can hope for because it's done so get over it but I'm sorry to dissapoint you if this was your wish for xmas that something would come out of this to hurt Obama but have a merry xmas anyway because it's going to be a Happy New Year come January 20th and his supporters time to celebrate once again
Are the FEDs going to investigate Bush and Chenney for their corruptions in office, or are they still exempt from the law!!!!!! Sheesh a person who abuses a dog gets more investigation than the Idiot President and VP we have now that have cost many families to lose loved ones in a sensless war and killed this economy
It will take more than this to bring Golden Boy down... he has four years, I'm sure it will be something.
"Twelve percent of Americans questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Monday said Obama's aides did something illegal, while another 36 percent felt Obama's aides didn't act illegally but did do something unethical.
Forty-three percent said none of Obama's aides did anything seriously wrong. "
This about sums up how completely useless the MSM has become. How can you have a "survey" when no one including the media has all the facts? What a joke.
We will never know the truth on this issue and others! PEBO made his way up on the thuggery and palm greasing politics of Chicago!
He controls the media and America is in big trouble here!
Yeah, and...?
I know that, as a professional in the field, if I want to do a complete investigation, I would talk to anyone who may have had any contact with the subject of my investigation. That doesn't mean any or all of them did anything wrong. It simply means they may have information about my target that could prove useful to me.
Now go report on something of substance.
Good!
I knew that!
o.k. it looks like 48% of peole surveyed were wrong – nothing illegal, nothing unethical.
now can we move on???
Watergate looked like a small time break in with no connection to Nixon at the time...... And Nixon looked into himself and declared "I am not a crook".
Obama's love affair with the media might be over soon.
The eve of Christmas eve document dump of the Blago-B.O. tie. This is change?...or is it "change" we can be deceived in? I believe the latter.
A Man that Teaches Constitutional Law . . .
America did a Very Wise Thing in Electing Barack Obama as our next President!
You are barkin' up the wring tree. Is Obama perfect? No. He may seem perfect compared to Bush & Co but he is just a man and he will make mistakes. Having the Governor of his state be a crook is not one of them. Think of the outcry if people tried to tie Sen Stevens in Alaska to Gov Palin. There is not a story here. I realize that the press got burned big time by not scrutinizing Bush until after his biggest crimes and so they are working over-time to not let that happen with Obama. Probably for the best since Obama has nothing to hide.
so where are all those accusatory repub posters that swore on a stack of bibles that Obama did or hid something wrong? anyone? anyone?
goes to show you, where there's smoke, there's a repub throwing gasoline on the fire. when the truth turns up, repubs are no where to be found.
anyone?
Anybody distracted from Bush/Cheney war crimes or the Bank Officials getting all our money with no accountability?
Please, I can't believe ANYONE really expected that they would conclude that there WAS anything inappropriate. Better yet, Did you really expect them to ADMIT anything?? Oh how naive.
Much ado about nothing...
And your photo caption reads "The President-elect was interviewed by feds for possible involvement in the Gov. Blagojevich scandal."
Just the kind of spin needed to make a story out of nothing – "for possible involvement" – isn't that a bit presumptuous? Was CNN in the room? Do you know that the motive for the interview was to ascertain "possible involvement?"
Is it possible the prosecutor was interviewing these people to simply confirm and document what they already knew from the recorded conversations? That is, there was no "involvement."
I am SICK to death of the media (right and left and self-proclaimed unbiased) creating news and spinning the news to just blatantly keep a dead horse interesting. Please, must you insult me each and every day???
Michael said: "It will take more than this to bring Golden Boy down… he has four years, I'm sure it will be something."
Even if you have to see to it personally, Michael? Such a typical GOP sour grapes whelp. Almost 2 months now and some still are all in a wad over losing an election.
What's reasurring about this article... it said Obama, Jarett and Emanuel "talked" to the US Attorney Fitzpatrick. They didn't weazel out of it. I'd like to see the same cooperation come out of the Bush Administration, even after the transition to the new Administration is completed.
The only corruption is that Mayor Bloomberg and the MTA will increase fares on subways and buses.
Let the impeachment begin with Bloomberg.
No 3rd term!!!
Maybe it is because of the Internet, that people put out their thoughts so freely for others to see. Perhaps they were that way before this type of communication existed? I never saw in my six decades so much negative comments about an incoming President long before he took office. The hatred and judgmental comments are so prevalent that it is scarey to think so many people are following that path. Mr. Obama isn't in office for another 4 weeks and he has to continue to defend his actions. Why don't those naysayers wait until he is in office before making judgments? Many of us who had to put up with 8 years of this last Administration were deeply disappointed but we did not display the vile comments of those such as Rush and O'Reilly. It is nice to be a "hermit" to escape such wrath. I only hope those who expound such comments are in the minority and don't represent most who didn"t get the President of their choice. Maybe they are simply spoiled people who didn't get their way this time.
So?
Hey Michael in PA Mr. Obama isn't a BOY, but a grown man. Your a Idiot
Lets talk about Election Fraud.
Google: God Loves Jeff Fisher
A screen shot has been taken and sent to Patrick J Fitzgerald and Interpol.
Whether you're a Democrat or a Republican.... in this life, you have to be realistic. They won't be able to prove much probably, and Obama is really popular so I doubt anything will really stick, but realistically there were probably some back room dealings going on.
To: Lori ,
Are you under the impression that it is Republicans that are conducting the investigation of your slime ball Democrat governor in the corruption probe?In Chicago ,if the FBI probes deep enough they will find everyone is involved in one way or another,it's Chicago.Obama will do what all Democrats do,go into denial,just like the governor is right now,"I
I have not done anything illegal".
He may seem intellegent but he went to the same Ivy League Schools that gave us all the Wall Street Lawyers, MBA's, and CEO's that were corrupt in their handling of the U.S. Economy, including our present President. Remember he is a lawyer and a politician which are on the bottom of the list of people who have integrity. I fhe was such a greata teacher of constitutionals law he should know that it is not a living constitutuion that can be changed at judges whim. He should know it requires the legislature and executive branches to change or make law, the courts only interperate the law.
This is a very important issue to address in the national media – and it is an important issue for Obame to deal with - right after President Obama addresses and resolves the following:
1 The Recession
2 The Auto Industry
3 The Financial system
4 Foreclosures
5 Iraq war
6 Afghanistan War
7 Iran, Korea, and Russia
8 Energy
9 Energy
10 Energy
For those who doubt the report because it was an internal investigation: I suppose you were more satisfied when it was Sarah Palin's internal investigation that cleared her on Troopergate (or Tasergate in her words)? If the FBI isn't concerned, why should you be? Get a life and move on.
Now let me put this into words from the perspective of one who has observed birds. I've noticed that crows fly with crows and eagles soar with other eagles. It seems like every Democrat in America seems to want to accept the fact that politics in Chicago are more "political" than anywhere else in the country. They almost seem proud in Chicago that crooks run the politics of Chicago and there's no changing it. Now, I ask, why in the world would we so quickly accept Obama's innocense when he himself comes from the nest -- be it a nest of crow's or a nest eagles? Further investigation should be forthcoming and even demanded from both sides of Congress and the public until we find if our president flies with the crows or soars with the eagles!
There's a crowd around that is even worse than "guilty before proven innocent," they go by the standard of "guilty before accusation." The far right types who let their hatred of Obama distort their perception of reality should really do some thoughtful examination as to whether they really understand what the American values are. Until then they're going to continue to alienate the rest of us.
Both Obama and Jackson were absolutely certain there was no contact
with the Gov. Both lied about that. Plain and simple. Now Jackson turns
out to be on Obama's list. The absolutely certain guys must have their own definition of contact. All the other
Republican/Democrat nonsense dosen't matter. The Rezko tapes
will tell all.
At best Obama appears to be just another windbag at worst a lost case.
Many of Obama's detractors seem to want him to fail. Do you people realize that when the president fails all America fails?
Are you people really hoping that Obama fails?
I am not a George Bush fan but I never wished failure on him because his failure affects all of us either directly or indirectly
I believe that some people care more for their personal biases than the success of America.
The election is over! So now lets all try our best to support our new president!
Hey idiot ( aware) you just can't stand the FACT that Obama is president elect and also the FACT is he didn't buy the election his supporters gave it to him with their hard work with thousands volunteering and millions of campaign donations and because he's from Chicago that doesn't make him a thug.It's funny that you put Obama in the ring of greasy polititians well you better throw Bush,and Cheney and those greedy high salary THUGS on wall street on that list you don't trust because they all have played you for a fool.....hahahahahaha
Who takes these surveys????
Was it the great "himself" obama or one of his leutenants who wrote the definition of inappropiate for this one?
LOL
WHO IS JOHN GALT? If you cannot answer the question you are part of the problem.
To Mark in Birmingham: You state that our President Elect went to the "same Ivy League Schools that gave us all the Wall Street Lawyers, MBA's, and CEO's that were corrupt in their handling of the U.S. Economy, including our present President. Remember he is a lawyer and a politician which are on the bottom....."
So let me get this straight – just because some corrupt individuals attended certain top notch, well-respected universities, that makes EVERYONE who attended those same universities somehow complicit in corruption? Uh, sure. And about lawyers – I've known and worked with hundreds, of those, a very few were awful people; most were wonderful, smart, talented, caring Americans.
I'm pretty sure that Obama knows the Constitution as well as anyone, and better than you.
Do you have something against the Ivies? Jealous much?
Christ stop simplifying things like you are talking to children on Sesemea Street. People like you are why Obama was elected by a landslide. You can't beat us with your platform, you have to try to make up stuff to slime your opponents. Guess what? It didn't work, and it's not going to. Go crawl back in your hole and don't come out again for four years.
Tim
Your statement make no since. If there was anything on the rezco tapes that could hurt Obama, we would know about it by now. The GOP and Hannity would be all over it. Keep up the wishful thinking, if that gets you through the day.
JD, please get the facts prior to posting. Fact: Fitzgerald asked the Obama team to not release their report until after Monday; which brings the very next day, Tuesday.
Obamas popularity poles are 60-70%!! and several people just don't care – probably 20% and the rest are screaming bloody murder and very cranky and seem to spend a lot of time on these blogs with totally insane comments....at least we know where they are - busy with their "craft" and off the streets!!
Obama is going to be a great President....when he finally gets into office – I am looking forward to his administration....
Obama offers a beer to reporters, (nice gesture) and Jesus turned the water to wine – all you cranks might as well get over it! Moderation in anything (including cheese burgers) is what is key!
YAAAAAAAWWWWWWWNNNNNN..............
Right Wingers are busily wringing their hands and trying to come up with SOMETHING on Obama.
Bottom line (in this case) is that the U.S. Attorney has tapes of Blago's conversations. If the Obama Team had done anything unethical.....well.....their responses would've taken a different tone from the start.
But you Right Wingers keep right on tryin'. I'm sure Obama's done something! maybe......he pulled wings of a fly when he was eight.
we all knew there was contact...duh?! And for all I care let the evil Obama attackers continue on...they won't stop and will use ANYTHING reported to twist and fulfill their fanatasies of who they think he might be; of course rooted in their racist, neo-con, ignorant, republican, or otherwise twisted minds.
So, I for one, will work with PE Obama to bring this United States of America back from the brink of disaster. I am excited for the next four years and believe that this is an ethical leader. One who understands human rights, the constitution, needs of working people, and the need for diversity in thought, people, and action. By the way, the racists, neo-cons, ignorant, republicans, or otherwise twisted minded will benefit as well. Unlike them, Obama nor I discriminate and disavow based on beliefs or fear.
I felt it again the other day as he and his familly stepped off the plane in Hawaii and he was carrying is own bags as were the family. How much better does it get.
He did not have any inappropriate contact. End of story for me.
I am laughing when I read comments, I am a foreigner living outside the USA.
Don't Americans know that there is NOT one CLEAN politician or President ON EARTH. It simply doesn't exist. You people from the USA are always looking for THE PERFECT, SPOTLESS, ANGEL LIKE POLITICIAN. Grow up.
The Federal Prosecutor has interviewed Obama because, at least according to the wiretaps from the FBI affidavit, bribes were being offered to Blago, and he was going to take them. Obama & his staff are suspected of offering up these bribes, or else they would not be questioning him with his lawyer present.
leave this guy alone he has nothing to do with this
Well, the FBI sure seems to think they were involved. Anyone who has actually read the FBI affidavit can see at the very least it appears a position with the SEIU was offered as a bribe to Blago.
Krc11:
Really? So if Obama and staff were suspected of bribery, then why did the attorney gen say there is no implications against Obama? You are just making stuff up now.
Until their "GODS" Rush and Hannity say all is clear, the far right neo cons are still going think Obama is guilty of SOMETHING, I mean they have to ,he can't skate and make a liar out of Rush and can he??
It must be pretty bad to be so bitter and have nothing but ill will for our new president. So much for helping to unite the country.
Uh Oh! That didn't take long....
This reminds me of the frantic Republican thugs trying to bring down Clinton (and all they could get him on was a blow job in his office.) Can they not get something important done, like impeaching Bush and getting at least an iota of accountability from the current criminals in the White House? Bet the "evil twin" theory appears tomorrow!
I appreciate the fact that Obama and his staff interviewed with Fitzgerald. If they had done something illegal, "Eliot Ness" would have surely nailed them and the Obama report would not have been released as is.
Repubs need to move on or else, the level of on-going, self-inflicted angst and stress will surely debilitate you guys.
I do believe that this is a wake up call for PE Obama. Otherwise, he could end up like Bill Clinton. I mean the way Bill was humiliated by Ken Starr for something that didn’t have any negative impact to American lives. At the same time, politicians who have put Americans lives in real hardship are fine.
We don't see any criminal investigation for people who are really destroying our economy and our lives.
In this case, I would say that Governor Blagojevich could get money for that seat, and it would not affect American lives even if it were not a good thing to do.
Any of the contenders could give money to the governor for the seat, and it would not affect American lives although it is wrong. We already have very bad Senators who have been working for especial interest group and against regular people.
Instead of attacking Governor Blagojevich, Democrats should question the real motive of this investigation. They should protect themselves against any future "lynch mob", as said Blagojevich.
If the governor were a Republican, it would be one day news.
There was a time when "The Government of Christ" was read in order that this country be built upon God's principles. Pretty amazing.
People don't want to mix religion and politics. I don't want to see anymore Hollywood and politics. These days our big problems have become about big money. We are "waist deep in a big muddy."
Peggy-
Hope will always remain. God knows we need a good leader.
Iowa mom,
You should actually try reading the affidavit before spouting off your ignorance. The FBI said at that time Obama was not the "target" of the Blago investigation. I think an Obama staffer is going to take a fall, and the Illinois governor is a bigger fish than an Obama staffer. Target = Blago. Fallout = Obama staffer.
I think Barack has to answer some questions for sure. He is hiding something. He is a liar.
BO and all his staff are dirty, dirty, dirty-Chicago politics at its BEST!-and for most of you who haven't followed politics as long as some of us-just wait and see!
And by the way-I'm an Independent-not a repub. as all the bots will say-remember-follow the $$$!-It is our job to look critically at the PE-he WORKS for me and YOU!!!!