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Who's Who in the Blagojevich Complaint?

By Jeralyn

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald stays true to form in the Complaint (pdf) against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. It's filled with references to other individuals identified by status with a letter designation.

There's fundraisers, advisers and hopeful Senate candidates. Here's a likely who's who, which will be updated with corrections and additions. From the Washington Post:

• Senate Candidate 1: Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett
• Senate Candidate 2: Ill. Attorney General Lisa Madigan
• Senate Candidate 4: A deputy governor of Illinois, which could be Dean Martinez, Bob Greenlee and Louanner Peters.
• Senate Candidate 6: a wealthy person from Illinois. Gawker speculates it's J.B. Pritzker, Penny's brother.

Marc Ambinder says Senate Candidate 5 is likely Jesse Jackson, Jr or Emil Jones. Politico agrees.

Question: Where's Rep. Danny Davis in all this, he was referenced by Blagojevich as a possible Senate replacement.

“We spent part of Thanksgiving Day together, and he made some comments to the press that he thought I’d make an excellent senator, then he said ‘Well let me stop, I don’t want to prejudice anything,’ but yes, we are in conversation with the governor,” Davis said.

As for U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill), she's reportedly Senate Candidate #3.[More...]

The labor official? Politico and Marc Ambinder says likely is SEIU's Andy Stern.

One labor official and one press account say that the SEIU official was Andrew Stern, the SEIU's outspoken president. Discussing how one might help a senatorial candidate is legal and par the course, but Blagojhevich apparently asked for the money upfront.

Politico reports Advisor A is likely former Deputy Governor Doug Scofield.

"Preidential-Advisor" in the Complaint is likely Rahm Emmanuel.

Madigan today called for Blagojevich to resign.

As for a tip-off, it may be Rahm Emanuel. A Chicago reporter said on air (video here) he may have contacted Fitz after getting an inquiry from Blagojevich or his people about the Senate seat replacement.

Change to Win says it had no contact with Blagojevich.

"The notion of a job for the governor at Change to Win was a complete invention of the governor's office and his staff and it has no basis in reality."

I wonder if this will be Blagojevich's defense if an attack on the wiretaps and bugs fail: He was just fantasizing aloud.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on December 09, 2008 (boomark / email).