Fed's Release re: Blagojevich Arrest, Federal Corruption Charges

ILLINOIS GOV. ROD R. BLAGOJEVICH AND HIS CHIEF OF STAFF JOHN HARRIS
ARRESTED ON FEDERAL CORRUPTION CHARGES

Blagojevich and aide allegedly conspired to sell U.S. Senate
appointment, engaged in “pay-to-play” schemes and threatened to
withhold state assistance to Tribune Company for Wrigley Field to
induce purge of newspaper editorial writers

CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff,
John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents on federal corruption
charges alleging that they and others are engaging in ongoing
criminal activity: conspiring to obtain personal financial benefits
for Blagojevich by leveraging his sole authority to appoint a United
States Senator; threatening to withhold substantial state assistance
to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field
to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members
sharply critical of Blagojevich; and to obtain campaign contributions
in exchange for official actions – both historically and now in a
push before a new state ethics law takes effect January 1, 2009.

Blagojevich, 51, and Harris, 46, both of Chicago, were each charged
with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of
bribery. They were charged in a two-count criminal complaint that was
sworn out on Sunday and unsealed today following their arrests, which
occurred without incident, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United
States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert D.
Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation. Both men were expected to appear later today
before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan in U.S. District Court in
Chicago.

A 76-page FBI affidavit alleges that Blagojevich was intercepted on
court-authorized wiretaps during the last month conspiring to sell or
trade Illinois’ U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack
Obama for financial and other personal benefits for himself and his
wife. At various times, in exchange for the Senate appointment,
Blagojevich discussed obtaining:

* A substantial salary for himself at a either a non-profit
foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions;
* Placing his wife on paid corporate boards where he speculated
she might garner as much as $150,000 a year;
* Promises of campaign funds – including cash up front; and
* A cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.

Just last week, on December 4, Blagojevich allegedly told an advisor
that he might “get some (money) up front, maybe” from Senate
Candidate 5, if he named Senate Candidate 5 to the Senate seat, to
insure that Senate Candidate 5 kept a promise about raising money for
Blagojevich if he ran for re-election. In a recorded conversation on
October 31, Blagojevich described an earlier approach by an associate
of Senate Candidate 5 as follows: “We were approached ‘pay to play.’
That, you know, he’d raise 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the
other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a
Senator.”

On November 7, Blagojevich said he needed to consider his family and
that he is “financially” hurting while talking on the phone about the
Senate seat with Harris and an advisor, the affidavit states. Harris
allegedly said that they were considering what would help the
“financial security” of the Blagojevich family and what will keep
Blagojevich “politically viable.” Blagojevich stated, “I want to make
money,” adding later that he is interested in making $250,000 to
$300,000 a year, the complaint alleges.

On November 10, in a lengthy telephone call with numerous advisors
that included discussion about Blagojevich obtaining a lucrative job
with a union-affiliated organization in exchange for appointing a
particular Senate Candidate whom he believed was favored by the
President-elect and which is described in more detail below,
Blagojevich and others discussed various ways Blagojevich could
“monetize” the relationships he has made as governor to make money
after leaving that office.

“The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering,”
Mr. Fitzgerald said. “They allege that Blagojevich put a ‘for sale’
sign on the naming of a United States Senator; involved himself
personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman
meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an
effort to trample editorial voices of criticism. The citizens of
Illinois deserve public officials who act solely in the public’s
interest, without putting a price tag on government appointments,
contracts and decisions,” he added.

Mr. Grant said: “Many, including myself, thought that the recent
conviction of former governor would usher in a new era of honesty and
reform in Illinois politics. Clearly, the charges announced today
reveal that the office of the Governor has become nothing more than a
vehicle for self-enrichment, unrestricted by party affiliation and
taking Illinois politics to a new low.”

Mr. Fitzgerald and Mr. Grant thanked the Chicago offices of the
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S.
Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of
Inspector General for assisting in the ongoing investigation. The
probe is part of Operation Board Games, a five-year-old public
corruption investigation of pay-to-play schemes, including insider-
dealing, influence-peddling and kickbacks involving private interests
and public duties.

Federal agents today also executed search warrants at the offices of
Friends of Blagojevich located at 4147 North Ravenswood, Suite 300,
and at the Thompson Center office of Deputy Governor A.

Pay-to-Play Schemes

The charges include historical allegations that Blagojevich and
Harris schemed with others – including previously convicted
defendants Antoin Rezko, Stuart Levine, Ali Ata and others – since
becoming governor in 2002 to obtain and attempt to obtain financial
benefits for himself, his family and third parties, including his
campaign committee, Friends of Blagojevich, in exchange for
appointments to state boards and commissions, state employment, state
contracts and access to state funds. A portion of the affidavit
recounts the testimony of various witnesses at Rezko’s trial earlier
this year.

The charges focus, however, on events since October when the
Government obtained information that Blagojevich and Fundraiser A,
who is chairman of Friends of Blagojevich, were accelerating
Blagojevich’s allegedly corrupt fund-raising activities to accumulate
as much money as possible this year before a new state ethics law
would severely curtail Blagojevich’s ability to raise money from
individuals and entities that have existing contracts worth more than
$50,000 with the State of Illinois. Agents learned that Blagojevich
was seeking approximately $2.5 million in campaign contributions by
the end of the year, principally from or through individuals or
entities – many of which have received state contacts or appointments
– identified on a list maintained by Friends of Blagojevich, which
the FBI has obtained.

The affidavit details multiple incidents involving efforts by
Blagojevich to obtain campaign contributions in connection with
official actions as governor, including these three in early October:

* After an October 6 meeting with Harris and Individuals A and
B, during which Individual B sought state help with a business
venture, Blagojevich told Individual A to approach Individual B about
raising $100,000 for Friends of Blagojevich this year. Individual A
said he later learned that Blagojevich reached out directly to
Individual B to ask about holding a fund-raiser;
* Also on October 6, Blagojevich told Individual A that he
expected Highway Contractor 1 to raise $500,000 in contributions and
that he was willing to commit additional state money to a Tollway
project – beyond $1.8 billion that Blagojevich announced on October15
– but was waiting to see how much money the contractor raised for
Friends of Blagojevich; and
* On October 8, Blagojevich told Individual A that he wanted to
obtain a $50,000 contribution from Hospital Executive 1, the chief
executive officer of Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, which
had recently received a commitment of $8 million in state funds. When
the contribution was not forthcoming, Blagojevich discussed with
Deputy Governor A the feasibility of rescinding the funding.

On October 21, the Government obtained a court order authorizing the
interception of conversations in both a personal office and a
conference room used by Blagojevich at the offices of Friends of
Blagojevich. The FBI began intercepting conversations in those rooms
on the morning of October 22. A second court order was obtained last
month allowing those interceptions to continue. On October 29, a
court order was signed authorizing the interception of conversations
on a hardline telephone used by Blagojevich at his home. That wiretap
was extended for 30 days on November 26, according to the affidavit.

Another alleged example of a pay-to-play scheme was captured in
separate telephone conversations that Blagojevich had with Fundraiser
A on November 13 and Lobbyist 1 on December 3. Lobbyist 1 was
reporting to Blagojevich about his efforts to collect a contribution
from Contributor 1 and related that he “got in his face” to make it
clear to Contributor 1 that a commitment to make a campaign
contribution had to be done now, before there could be some
skittishness over the timing of the contribution and Blagojevich
signing a bill that would benefit Contributor 1. Blagojevich
commented to Lobbyist 1 “good” and “good job.” The bill in question,
which is awaiting Blagojevich ’s signature, is believed to be
legislation that directs a percentage of casino revenue to the horse
racing industry.

Sale of U.S. Senate Appointment

Regarding the Senate seat, the charges allege that Blagojevich,
Harris and others have engaged and are engaging in efforts to obtain
personal gain, including financial gain, to benefit Blagojevich and
his family through corruptly using Blagojevich’s sole authority to
appoint a successor to the unexpired term of the President-elect’s
former Senate seat, which he resigned effective November 16. The
affidavit details numerous conversations about the Senate seat
between November 3 and December 5. In these conversations,
Blagojevich repeatedly discussed the attributes of potential
candidates, including their abilities to benefit the people of
Illinois, and the financial and political benefits he and his wife
could receive if he appointed various of the possible candidates.

Throughout the intercepted conversations, Blagojevich also allegedly
spent significant time weighing the option of appointing himself to
the open Senate seat and expressed a variety of reasons for doing so,
including: frustration at being “stuck” as governor; a belief that he
will be able to obtain greater resources if he is indicted as a
sitting Senator as opposed to a sitting governor; a desire to remake
his image in consideration of a possible run for President in 2016;
avoiding impeachment by the Illinois legislature; making corporate
contacts that would be of value to him after leaving public office;
facilitating his wife’s employment as a lobbyist; and generating
speaking fees should he decide to leave public office.

In the earliest intercepted conversation about the Senate seat
described in the affidavit, Blagojevich told Deputy Governor A on
November 3 that if he is not going to get anything of value for the
open seat, then he will take it for himself: “if . . . they’re not
going to offer anything of any value, then I might just take it.”
Later that day, speaking to Advisor A, Blagojevich said: “I’m going
to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and
therefore I can drive a hard bargain.” He added later that the seat
“is a [expletive] valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for
nothing.”

Over the next couple of days – Election Day and the day after –
Blagojevich was captured discussing with Deputy Governor A whether he
could obtain a cabinet position, such as Secretary of Health and
Human Services or the Department of Energy or various
ambassadorships. In a conversation with Harris on November 4,
Blagojevich analogized his situation to that of a sports agent
shopping a potential free agent to the highest bidder. The day after
the election, Harris allegedly suggested to Blagojevich that the
President-elect could make him the head of a private foundation.

Later on November 5, Blagojevich said to Advisor A, “I’ve got this
thing and it’s [expletive] golden, and, uh, uh, I’m just not giving
it up for [expletive] nothing. I’m not gonna do it. And, and I can
always use it. I can parachute me there,” the affidavit states.

Two days later, in a three-way call with Harris and Advisor B, a
consultant in Washington, Blagojevich and the others allegedly
discussed the prospect of a three-way deal for the Senate appointment
involving an organization called “Change to Win,” which is affiliated
with various unions including the Service Employees International
Union (SEIU).

On November 10, Blagojevich, his wife, Harris, Governor General
Counsel, Advisor B and other Washington-based advisors participated
at different times in a two-hour phone call in which they allegedly
discussed, among other things, a deal involving the SEIU. Harris said
they could work out a deal with the union and the President-elect
where SEIU could help the President-elect with Blagojevich’s
appointment of Senate Candidate 1, while Blagojevich would obtain a
position as the National Director of the Change to Win campaign and
SEIU would get something favorable from the President-elect in the
future. Also during that call, Blagojevich agreed it was unlikely
that the President-elect would name him Secretary of Health and Human
Services or give him an ambassadorship because of all of the negative
publicity surrounding him.

In a conversation with Harris on November 11, the charges state,
Blagojevich said he knew that the President-elect wanted Senate
Candidate 1 for the open seat but “they’re not willing to give me
anything except appreciation. [Expletive] them.” Earlier in that
conversation, Blagojevich suggested starting a 501(c)(4) non-profit
organization, which he could head and engage in political activity
and lobbying. In that conversation with Harris and other discussions
with him and others over the next couple of days, Blagojevich
suggested by name several well-known, wealthy individuals who could
be prevailed upon to seed such an organization with $10-$15 million,
and suggesting that he could take the organization’s reins when he is
no longer governor, according to the affidavit.

On November 12, Blagojevich spoke with SEIU Official who was in
Washington. This conversation occurred about a week after Blagojevich
had met with SEIU Official to discuss the Senate seat, with the
understanding that the union official was an emissary to discuss
Senate Candidate 1's interest in the Senate seat. During the November
12 conversation, Blagojevich allegedly explained the non-profit
organization idea to SEIU Official and said that it could help Senate
Candidate 1. The union official agreed to “put that flag up and see
where it goes,” although the official also had said he wasn’t certain
if Senate Candidate 1 wanted the official to keep pushing her
candidacy. Senate Candidate 1 eventually removed herself from
consideration for the open seat.

Also on November 12, in a conversation with Harris, the complaint
affidavit states, Blagojevich said his decision about the open Senate
seat will be based on three criteria in the following order of
importance: “our legal situation, our personal situation, my
political situation. This decision, like every other one, needs to be
based upon that. Legal. Personal. Political.” Harris said: “legal is
the hardest one to satisfy.” Blagojevich said that his legal problems
could be solved by naming himself to the Senate seat.

As recently as December 4, in separate conversations with Advisor B
and Fundraiser A, Blagojevich said that he was “elevating” Senate
Candidate 5 on the list of candidates because, among other reasons,
if Blagojevich ran for re-election, Senate Candidate 5 would “raise
[] money” for him. Blagojevich said that he might be able to cut a
deal with Senate Candidate 5 that provided Blagojevich with something
“tangible up front.” Noting that he was going to meet with Senate
Candidate 5 in the next few days, Blagojevich told Fundraiser A to
reach out to an intermediary (Individual D), from whom Blagojevich is
attempting to obtain campaign contributions and who Blagojevich
believes is close to Senate Candidate 5. Blagojevich told Fundraiser
A to tell Individual D that Senate Candidate 5 was a very realistic
candidate but Blagojevich was getting a lot of pressure not to
appoint Senate Candidate 5, according to the affidavit.

Blagojevich allegedly told Fundraiser A to tell Individual D that if
Senate Candidate 5 is going to be chosen, “some of this stuff’s gotta
start happening now . . . right now . . . and we gotta see it.”
Blagojevich continued, “You gotta be careful how you express that and
assume everybody’s listening, the whole world is listening. You hear
me?” Blagojevich further directed Fundraiser A to talk to Individual
D in person, not by phone, and to communicate the “urgency” of the
situation.

Blagojevich spoke to Fundraiser A again the next day, December 5, and
discussed that day’s Chicago Tribune front page article stating that
Blagojevich had recently been surreptitiously recorded as part of the
ongoing criminal investigation. Blagojevich instructed Fundraiser A
to “undo your [Individual D] thing,” and Fundraiser A confirmed it
would be undone, the complaint alleges.

Also on December 5, Blagojevich and three others allegedly discussed
whether to move money out of the Friends of Blagojevich campaign fund
to avoid having the money frozen by federal authorities and also
considered the possibility of prepaying the money to Blagojevich’s
criminal defense attorney with an understanding that the attorney
would donate the money back at a later time if it was not needed.
They also discussed opening a new fund raising account named Citizens
for Blagojevich with new contributions.

Misuse of State Funding To Induce Firing of Chicago Tribune Editorial
Writers

According to the affidavit, intercepted phone calls revealed that the
Tribune Company, which owns the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Cubs,
has explored the possibility of obtaining assistance from the
Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) relating to the Tribune Company’s
efforts to sell the Cubs and the financing or sale of Wrigley Field.
In a November 6 phone call, Harris explained to Blagojevich that the
deal the Tribune Company was trying to get through the IFA was
basically a tax mitigation scheme in which the IFA would own title to
Wrigley Field and the Tribune would not have to pay capital gains
tax, which Harris estimated would save the company approximately $100
million.

Intercepted calls allegedly show that Blagojevich directed Harris to
inform Tribune Owner and an associate, identified as Tribune
Financial Advisor, that state financial assistance would be withheld
unless members of the Chicago Tribune’s editorial board were fired,
primarily because Blagojevich viewed them as driving discussion of
his possible impeachment. In a November 4 phone call, Blagojevich
allegedly told Harris that he should say to Tribune Financial
Advisor, Cubs Chairman and Tribune Owner, “our recommendation is fire
all those [expletive] people, get ‘em the [expletive] out of there
and get us some editorial support.”

On November 6, the day of a Tribune editorial critical of
Blagojevich, Harris told Blagojevich that he told Tribune Financial
Advisor the previous day that things “look like they could move ahead
fine but, you know, there is a risk that all of this is going to get
derailed by your own editorial page.” Harris also told Blagojevich
that he was meeting with Tribune Financial Advisor on November 10.

In a November 11 intercepted call, Harris allegedly told Blagojevich
that Tribune Financial Advisor talked to Tribune Owner and Tribune
Owner “got the message and is very sensitive to the issue.” Harris
told Blagojevich that according to Tribune Financial Advisor, there
would be “certain corporate reorganizations and budget cuts coming
and, reading between the lines, he’s going after that section.”
Blagojevich allegedly responded. “Oh. That’s fantastic.” After
further discussion, Blagojevich said, “Wow. Okay, keep our fingers
crossed. You’re the man. Good job, John.”

In a further conversation on November 21, Harris told Blagojevich
that he had singled out to Tribune Financial Advisor the Tribune’s
deputy editorial page editor, John McCormick, “as somebody who was
the most biased and unfair.” After hearing that Tribune Financial
Advisor had assured Harris that the Tribune would be making changes
affecting the editorial board, Blagojevich allegedly had a series of
conversations with Chicago Cubs representatives regarding efforts to
provide state financing for Wrigley Field. On November 30,
Blagojevich spoke with the president of a Chicago-area sports
consulting firm, who indicated that he was working with the Cubs on
matters involving Wrigley Field. Blagojevich and Sports Consultant
discussed the importance of getting the IFA transaction approved at
the agency’s December or January meeting because Blagojevich was
contemplating leaving office in early January and his IFA appointees
would still be in place to approve the deal, the charges allege.

The Government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reid
Schar, Carrie Hamilton, and Christopher Niewoehner.

If convicted, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud carries a
maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, while solicitation of bribery
carries a maximum of 10 years in prison, and each count carries a
maximum fine of $250,000. The Court, however, would determine the
appropriate sentence to be imposed under the advisory United States
Sentencing Guidelines.

The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is
not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are
entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of
proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.=

Latest from Linda on Egobama's Missing Birth Credentials...

Ya gotta wonder why we're not hearing about this anywhere on the MSM...

OK, stop laughing now.

I can just hear you sputtering: "why should we expect to start hearing anything of substance NOW???"

As I've mentioned in previous posts, Linda Shaw is keeping a bunch of us updated on the latest and greatest in regards to the missing proof that Obama is constitutionally allowed to BE the President. She is great at ferreting out this info!

ANDY MARTIN
Executive Editor
ContrarianCommentary.com

"Factually Correct, Not Politically Correct"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

INTERNET POWERHOUSE ANDY MARTIN IS BACK IN HONOLULU TO FIGHT FOR ACCESS TO BARACK OBAMA'S ORIGINAL, TYPEWRITTEN 1961 BIRTH CERTIFICATE

AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE PREPARATION NECESSARY TO PRESENT A COMPLEX CONSTITUTIONAL CASE 8,000 MILES AWAY FROM HOME

(HONOLULU)
(November 16, 2008)

Aloha from Hawai'i.

I landed in Honolulu Friday and we have set up a fully functional "fighting camp" to prepare for the court hearing Tuesday, November 18th at 10:30 A.M. on access to Barack Obama's birth certificate

This will be the first court hearing anywhere on access to the original, 1961 certificate. The only state that has jurisdiction over such a lawsuit is Hawai'i, because Hawai'i officials are the custodians of the 1961 typewritten paperwork.

Before we get to the back story, let me start with a disclaimer. I have no idea what the judge will do on Tuesday. I make no predictions, except one: I will prepare to the best of my ability and present as professional a case as the judge permits. Monday morning I will be on the street serving papers and filing with the Clerk in preparation for Tuesday.

And, looking ahead, whatever happens on Tuesday, on Wednesday we hope to launch my "Conversation With America" about our future course of action in an Obama administration. I invite all of you to join in and support this mission.

Just as the FBI always attends every Gambino Family funeral to see who is there, ContrarianCommentary.com was in Honolulu Friday to observe the "independent" (not family-sponsored) "memorial service" held in memory of Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham. We will have a full column later Sunday, or possibly Monday.

It occurred to me that you might appreciate some insight into the effort that goes into preparing and presenting a major piece of litigation 8,000 miles away from home.

Anyone who has read our Memorandum of Law (see the ContrarianCommentary.com blogs below for a full copy) will not be surprised that it took us the better part of a week to analyze, research, write and finalize a 25-page document (which we will be filing with the Clerk on Monday morning) setting forth why Obama's birth certificate must be made public.

If a large law firm was handling the case of Martin vs. Obama, they would probably send a minimum team of four lawyers as well as support personnel. They would have a trial counsel, a couple of associates, and a senior partner to guide the overall process. There would be at least one paralegal, possibly more. That's why high stakes litigation is so costly.

Martin vs. Obama is a high stakes lawsuit: it seeks to open a vital record of American history to public review and analysis.

And I will be working alone.

Ask any lawyer: it's not easy landing in a strange town, setting up an office and firing off legal documents in a controversial constitutional case. But we managed to file the lawsuit two days after arriving in Honolulu in October, and now we are back for the first court hearing anywhere to address the issue of Barack Obama's origins.

Landing in an unfamiliar city, any lawyer would need a support network. We managed to recreate our October "fighting camp" in 24 hours and are up and running. I dragged a printer on the 12 hour flight because we have to be able to react immediately to any development. Saturday morning we were out assembling office supplies to be ready to move quickly on Monday morning.

I even purchased a box of envelopes so that if we have a breather, we can start mailing out thank you notes to everyone who contributed to the financial support of this very costly and complex venture. There is no wasted time on a trip of this nature, and no wasted money.

I will take time off Sunday morning to attend services at Saint Andrews (Episcopal) cathedral in downtown Honolulu. And I forgot to pack my sunglasses, so I need to go shopping for a pair.

Unlike other lawsuits involving Obama, mine is narrowly and specifically focused on access to the original, typewritten 1961 certificate which Hawai'i officials have confirmed they possess. There is no way anyone can express an opinion on the circumstances of Obama's birth without seeing the vital gateway document. I have refrained from speculating on the contents of the original because my focus is on expressing an informed opinion (a term CNN once made fund of).

Mr. Obama and his Chicago crew have been very crafty in creating a cloud of confusion over the "abstract" that he furnished to FactCheck.org as a purported original birth certificate, when obviously it was nothing of the sort. Many millions of people were confused even though the term "abstract" was clearly visible on the FactCheck.org site (and even though FactCheck.org seems to have missed that significance, as well).

We will also be continuing and conducting the research and investigation we began in October to document Obama's origins in Hawai'i with interviews and contacts with people who knew his family and the other "players" in the Honolulu dramas of the 1970's and 80's.

As these comments are being prepared Sunday morning I can only conclude with a sense of deep humility at the enormity of the task and the nature of the burden. I continue to bear Barack Obama no ill will. Nevertheless, I passionately and sincerely believe that he owes the American people a detailed exposition of both his personal and his family history, and that he has not been candid with the American people. Without candor, he will not be able to establish the legitimacy that is essential for national leadership. He remains a stranger to the American people.

Barack Obama and his character assassins such as Robert Gibbs have done everything they can to demonize and defeat and intimidate me. They have failed utterly and abjectly. Tuesday morning I will stand up in court, stand tall, and stand proud for every American who believes Barack Obama needs to start telling the truth about himself. The election may be over. But the search for the truth about Mr. Obama is continuing.

----------------------------------------------
Readers of Obama: The Man Behind The Mask, say the book is still the only gold standard and practical handbook on Barack Obama's unfitness for the presidency. Buy it.
Book orders: Amazon.com or http://OrangeStatePress.com. Immediate shipment from Amazon.com or signed copies from the publisher are available.
---------------------------------------------
URGENT APPEAL: The Committee of One Million to Defeat Barack Obama is raising money to oppose President-elect Barack Obama. http://CommitteeofOneMilliontoDefeatBarackObama.com. Please give generously up to the maximum of $100. Our ability to fight and defeat Barack Obama is directly dependent on the generosity of every American.

"The Committee of One Million to Defeat Barack Obama limits itself to $100 maximum contributions; there are no bundlers, fat cats or illegal contributions. Obama is opposed to everything America stands for," says Executive Director Andy Martin. "But while Obama has raised almost a billion dollars, his opponents have raised virtually nothing. Americans can either contribute now, or pay later. If we do not succeed, Obama will."

E-mail: contact@CommitteeofOneMilliontoDefeatBarackObama.com

---------------------------------------------
Andy Martin is a legendary Chicago muckraker, author, Internet columnist, radio talk show host, broadcaster and media critic. He has over forty years of broadcasting experience in radio and television. He is currently based in New York selling his new book, Obama: The Man Behind The Mask. Andy is the Executive Editor and publisher of www.ContrarianCommentary.com. © Copyright by Andy Martin 2008. Martin comments on regional, national and world events with over forty years of experience. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois College of Law.

His columns are also posted at ContrarianCommentary.blogspot.com; contrariancommentary.wordpress.com. Andy is the author of Obama: The Man Behind The Mask, published in July 2008, see http://www.OrangeStatePress.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: (866) 706-2639 or CELL (917) 664-9329
E-MAIL: AndyMart20@aol.com [NOTE: We frequently correct typographical errors and additions/subtractions on our blogs, where you can find the latest edition of this release.]

Finally found it: Barack Obama, FactCheck.org and the Annenberg Foundation

I had heard that FactCheck.org, the place to go for verification of facts in politics, was spitting out some things that just didn't check out. Obamatalk over Obamafact. I had also heard that Obama had ties to FactCheck.org through the Annenberg Foundation. I just did a little looking around and here's three articles that cover it better than I ever could:

Obama, FactCheck.org, Ayers, and the Annenburg Foundation
There is a disturbing link between Barack Obama, FactCheck.org, and William Ayers. National Review reports that William Ayers and Barack Obama both served as co-chairs of the Chicago Annenburg Challenge. Obama called for an $3.5 million dollar earmark for the Annenburg Foundation that sponsors FactCheck.org. Several FactCheck articles have been viewed as promoting the Obama campaign line instead of truly acting as a fact checkers. Controlling the ‘facts’ is a hallmark of a totalitarian regime, and this is a truly unsettling connection....
http://www.localrepublicans.net/

Obama’s ChallengeThe campaign speaks to “Radicalism.”
By Stanley Kurtz
Today, in a piece in the Wall Street Journal entitled, “Obama and Ayers Pushed Radicalism On Schools,” I offer a report on my research into the archives of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge (CAC), an education foundation once headed by Barack Obama. As I explained in “Chicago Annenberg Challenge Shutdown?” the Richard J. Daley Library of the University of Illinois at Chicago first agreed to grant, then abruptly denied me, access to the files of this foundation. Subsequently, the Daley Library again reversed their decision and made the CAC files available.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MTViMGRmMmYxZTgwZTFjYmFjODU5YzM4Y2MwM2ViMjY=

The Annenberg Foundation/Obama/FactCheck/Brady Center Connection
Patterico @ 11:11 pm
The other day I savaged a FactCheck piece on Obama and gun rights. I noted that FactCheck elevated Obama’s campaign rhetoric over his record. I couldn’t see how an organization allegedly devoted to “facts” could be so naive.
Xrlq joined in, and had plenty of links to others who also bashed FactCheck.
We now have a possible reason why FactCheck seemed to be in Obama’s pocket. Namely, FactCheck’s sugar daddy is a big donor to the anti-Second Amendment folks at the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
FactCheck supposedly exists to look beyond a politician’s claims. Ironically, in its analysis of NRA materials on Barack Obama, these so-called “FactCheckers” use the election year campaign rhetoric of a presidential candidate and a verbal claim by one of the most zealous gun control supporters in Congress to refute facts compiled by NRA’s research of vote records and review of legislative language.
http://www.patterico.com/2008/09/25/the-annenberg-foundationobamafactcheckbrady-center-connection/

McCain has new ad out, Chicago Machine

Hard hitting, but not long enough since a lot of people aren't going to have a clue who those people mentioned in the ad are (although you'd have to live on the moon not to know who Tony Rezko was)! Most of us will know, and we know the list of bad associates of Barack Obama is a long one (read the book Obamanation). I have a marketing background so I understand they're having to paint with broad strokes and that they are building a picture of Obama. Every ad chips away a bit of the facade that Obama has built around his true self and designs.

Being a Barracuda Babe with access to factual data and good info (ta da), I'm here to help all those who don't know who the people mentioned in the ad might be with the ad facts put out by the McCain-Palin campaign . I've posted them after the ad.



AD FACTS: Script For "Chicago Machine" (TV :30)

ANNCR: Barack Obama. Born of the corrupt Chicago political machine. BARACK OBAMA: In terms of my toughness, look first of all, I come from Chicago.

· Barack Obama: "And, You Know, In Terms Of My Toughness, Look, First Of All, I Come From Chicago." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 4/2/08)

· Barack Obama Assuring Democrats He's Tough Enough Because "He's Been Schooled By Chicago Politics." "The feistier, more sarcastic tone came as worried Democrats urged Obama to get tougher and show more passion. Obama has tried to assure donors and voters that he's been schooled by Chicago politics. 'I'm skinny but I'm tough,' he says." (Kathleen Hennessey, "Obama Mocks McCain In Nevada Stops," The Associated Press, 9/18/08)

· The New Yorker: "Obama Had Won His First Campaign By Using Old-Fashioned Chicago Machine Tactics At A Time When The Notion Of Machine Politics Was Increasingly Anachronistic." (Ryan Lizza, "Making It," The New Yorker, 7/21/08)

ANNCR: His economic adviser, William Daley. Lobbyist. Mayor's brother.

· OBAMA ECONOMIC ADVISER: As An Obama Adviser, Former Commerce Secretary William Daley Participated In A Meeting Of Barack Obama's Top Economic Advisers Last Week. "The press conference followed Obama's meeting with top economic advisors and his running mate Biden, who participate d by phone. The meeting participants included former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin; Gene Sperling, former National Economic Advisor for Pres. Bill Clinton; former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers; Laura Tyson, the former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors and former Fed Chair Paul Volcker; Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett; former Commerce Secretary William Daley; former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill; and Joseph Stiglitz, former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers." (Domenico Montanaro, "Obama: Tax Cuts, Stimulus Needed," MSNBC's "First Read" Blog, http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com, Posted 9/19/08)

· ECONOMIC ADVISER AND CHICAGO MAYOR'S BROTHER: Daley Serves As An Obama Adviser For Economic Policy And Is The Brother Of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. "At his stop in New Mexico, Obama sought to keep the focus almost exclusively on the economy, appearing with a panel of experts that included William Daley, brother of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and a former U.S. commerce secretary." (John McCormick and Jill Zuckman, "Rivals Spend Day As Frequent Fliers," Chicago Tribune, 2/2/08)

· LOBBYIST: Daley Was The Chief Lobbyist For SBC. "Then this spring, Whitacre and his chief lobbyist, SBC President William Daley, produced banner headlines with an effort to bypass the Illinois Commerce Commission and appeal directly to the Illinois General Assembly for relief. ... In late 2001, he hired William Daley, a Clinton administration Cabinet member and the Chicago mayor's brother, charging him with lobbying for change." (Michael Oneal And Jon Van, "Tone-Deaf Approach Hinders SBC," Chicago Tribune, 7/6/03)

· LOBBYIST: While Serving As SBC President, Daley Also Led A $40 Million Lobbying Effort For Industry Deregulation. "Last week those three companies, led by SBC President William Daley, summoned chief executives of several large vendors, including Christopher Galvin of Motorola Inc., to a Washington dinner where they outlined plans to launch a $40 million marketing and lobbying offensive to abolish industry regulations." (Jon Van, "SBC Competitors Seek Congress' Help," Chicago Tribune, 11/1/03)

· LOBBYIST: From 2002 Through 2005, Daley Was A Registered Lobbyist For Fannie Mae. (U.S. Senate Office Of Public Records Website, soprweb.senate.gov, Accessed 7/27/08)

ANNCR: His money man, Tony Rezko. Client. Patron. Convicted Felon.

· MONEY MAN: Tony Rezko Was "One Of The Biggest Fundraisers" For Barack Obama. "'This was discussed a lot. They wanted to have a good showing,' said a source familiar with the fund-raiser [Rezko held for Obama], speaking on condition of anonymity. 'Tony was one of the biggest fund-raisers.'" (Chris Fusco and Tim Novak, "Rezko Cash Triple What Obama Says," Chicago Sun-Times, 6/18/07)

· MONEY MAN: Barack Obama Has Admitted To $250,000 Worth Of Campaign Funding Provided By Tony Rezko. "For the first time, Sen. Barack Obama put a figure Friday to the amount of campaign contributions that indicted political fund-raiser Tony Rezko raised for the senator's campaigns, and the number -- about $250,000 -- was far more than he previously acknowledged." (Tim Novak, Chris Fusco, Dave McKinney and Carol Marin, "More Rezko Dough Found," Chicago Sun-Times, 3/15/08)

· CLIENT: Barack Obama Did Legal Work On Some Projects Involving Tony Rezko's Company, Rezmar. "But Obama did legal work on real estate deals while at Davis' firm, according to biographical information he submitted to the Sun-Times in 1998. ... And he did legal work on Rezko's deals, according to an e-mail his presidential campaign staff sent the Sun-Times on Feb. 16, in response to earlier inquiries. The staff didn't specify which Rezmar projects Obama worked on, or his role." (Tim Novak, "Obama And His Rezko Ties," Chicago Sun-Times, 4/23/07)

· PATRON: "As A State Senator, Barack Obama Wrote Letters To City And State Officials Supporting His Political Patron Tony Rezko's Successful Bid To Get More Than $14 Million From Taxpayers To Build Apartments For Senior Citizens." (Tim Novak, "Obama's Letters For Rezko," Chicago Sun-Times, 6/13/07)

· PATRON: Barack Obama Paid $300,000 Less Than The Asking Price For His Mansion, While Tony Rezko's Wife Rita Paid Full Price For A Vacant Lot Next Door On The Very Same Day. "Two years ago, Obama bought a mansion on the South Side, in the Kenwood neighborhood, from a doctor. On the same day, [Antoin 'Tony'] Rezko's wife, Rita Rezko, bought the vacant lot next door from the same seller. The doctor had listed the properties for sale together. He sold the house to Obama for $300,000 below the asking price. The doctor got his asking price on the lot from Rezko's wife." (Tim Novak, "Obama And His Rezko Ties," Chicago Sun-Times, 4/23/07)

· CONVICTED FELON: Tony Rezko Was Convicted Of Wire And Mail Fraud, Money Laundering, And Aiding And Abetting Bribery. (Bob Secter and Jeff Coen, "Rezko Convicted," Chicago Tribune, 6/5/08)

ANNCR: His "political godfather." Emil Jones. Under ethical cloud.

· POLITICAL GODFATHER: Illinois State Senate President Emil Jones Is "Barack Obama's Political Godfather." "Ethics legislation is stalled in the Illinois State Senate, bossed by Barack Obama's political godfather, Senate President Emil Jones who put the brakes on the measure and may let it die. Obama called Jones from the road in Nevada this morning. Jones indicated to Obama--according to the Obama team -- he would bring the bill to a vote and would support it." (Lynn Sweet, "Obama Urges Political Godfather Emil Jones, Illinois Senate President, To Pass Stalled Ethics Package," Chicago Sun-Times' "Lynn Sweet" Blog, http://blogs.suntimes.com, Posted 9/17/08)

· POLITICAL GODFATHER: "When Obama Praised Jones As 'My Political Godfather,' Jones Began Using The Theme Music From 'The Godfather' As His Cell-Phone Ringtone." (Ryan Lizza, "Making It," The New Yorker, 7/21/08)

· ETHICAL CLOUD: "[S]tate Senate President Emil Jones, Serves Under An Ethical Cloud. He Has Several Family Members On The State Payroll And Uses His Clout To Aid Their Business Interests." (Ron Fournier, "Obama's Life And Record In Springfield, Ill., Hint At The President He Would Be," The Associated Press, 6/16/07)

ANNCR: His governor, Rod Blagojevich. A legacy of federal and state investigations. With friends like that, Obama is not ready to lead. JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.

· INVESTIGATIONS: Governor Rod Blagojevich Has "A Legacy Of Federal And State Investigations." "The bill of particulars against Rod Blagojevich is numbingly familiar. His is a legacy of federal and state investigations of alleged cronyism and corruption in the steering of pension fund investments to political donors, in the subversion of state hiring laws, in the awarding of state contracts, in matters as personal as that mysterious $1,500 check made out to the governor's then-7-year-old daughter by a friend whose wife had been awarded a state job." (Editorial, "Removing a governor," Chicago Tribune, 10/28/07)

· INVESTIGATIONS: In June 2008, A Federal Judge Unsealed Records That Showed That Blagojevich Was Questioned By Federal Agents For His Involvement With Tony Rezko. "Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been interviewed multiple times by federal investigators looking into allegations that he and key members of his administration offered contracts and state work in exchange for campaign fundraising help, according to documents unsealed Thursday. The documents were made public in the Antoin 'Tony' Rezko criminal case on the same day that Blagojevich held a major fundraising event at the River East Arts Center. Similar events in past years have reaped millions of dollars for the governor's campaign, much of it coming from firms that landed lucrative state contracts and individuals given coveted state jobs or board appointments." (Jeff Coen and Bob Secter, "Feds Quizzed Blagojevich," Chicago Tribune, 6/27/08)