Dec 12 2008
Obama Camp Considers Libel Suit Against Blagojevich
A source close to President-Elect Obama confirmed today that the Obama team is considering its legal options to “fight the scurrilous rumors and libelous claims that Obama would not play ball with Blagojevich’s pay-to-play schemes.” Speaking on condition of anonymity, the person made it clear that the Obama camp is not pleased with the suggestion that he will not play hardball Chicago style politics.
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was recently arrested and is facing numerous corruption charges. According to a 76 page complaint filed by US Attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, Blagojevich had an elaborate scheme for trading the appointment of the person of President-Elect Obama’s choosing to the senate seat vacated by his election in exchange for a cushy union job.
The potentially libelous accusations are from recorded phone conversations obtained during the Blagojevich investigation.
Blagojevich: “They’re [Obama] not willing to give me anything but appreciation. [Bleep] them! I’ve got this thing. And it’s [bleeping] golden. I’m just not giving it up for [bleeping] nothing. I’m not going to do it. I can always use it. I can parachute me there.”
Some legal scholars believe the Obama team may have a strong case. Wm. Ayers, best-selling author and well-respected professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago says, “I can see that team Obama certainly has standing, the suggestion that Obama doesn’t have the stomach for Chicago politics will harm his ability to work in this system in the future.”
During the interview, the Obama confidant became visibly agitated, going so far as stabbing in the air with an imaginary knife at the mention of certain names. The source continued with details of the harm done to Obama’s reputation.
“Listen, he [Obama] is only going to be President for 8 years – maybe a few more with the right Supreme Court appointments. After that, he’s gonna return to Chicago where he will need the juice to survive in that atmosphere. Seriously, ya think that he can get anything done in Illinois if people like Rezko or Daley think he’s a [bleeping] boy scout? They’ll [bleeping] eat him alive”
“Plus, its just not [bleeping] true! People will see right through these accusations. The facts speak for themselves, Obama gave that [bleeping] hillbilly $20 Million and position as Secretary of State for just a [bleeping] endorsement!”
UPDATE: IowaHawk reports:
The ongoing corruption probe into Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich took a dramatic turn this evening, as federal agents working for US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald announced that they had seized the governor’s eBay account.
