Update: (2) Dec 15

Emanuel Under New Scrutiny Over Blagojevich

The Chicago Tribune and New York Times did not suggest any wrongdoing by Emanuel, citing sources as saying the Obama aide had presented suggested names to take over the seat without offering any inducements to Blagojevich.

SOURCE: NEWSMAX

Update: (1) Dec 14

Obama’s chief of staff had talks with Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration about potential candidates to fill Obama’s former Senate seat , the Chicago Tribune reported. if true, it again raises a question that Obama has deflected this week: whether anyone on his staff had contact with Blagojevich about his choice for the Senate seat.   

 After the election, Emanuel called Harris back to add the name of Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan to the approved list, the source said.  Fox News

The Blagojevich scandal is hot issue in the media today Friday 12, and more than likely will be headline news for many months if not years!  The Plot thickens!

Rahm Emanuel, the President-elect’s new Chief of Staff, and Jesse Jackson Jr, the co-chairman of his presidential campaign, both faced new revelations about their possible involvement in the scandal.

Fox News Chicago reported that Mr Emanuel, a Chicago politician who won the Illinois Governor’s former congressional seat, may have been captured on FBI wire-taps discussing the fate of Mr Obama’s vacated US Senate seat with Rod Blagojevich.

The TV station said Mr Emanuel had “multiple conversations” with the Governor, who is accused of trying to “sell” the open Senate seat for a Cabinet post or lucrative top foundation job. The report said the Governor was given a list of Senate candidates acceptable to Mr Obama. Because the FBI was secretly taping Mr Blagojevich in recent weeks, Mr Emanuel’s conversations may have been recorded, Fox News Chicago said.
A group of ethnic Indian businessmen with ties to Mr Jackson and Mr Blagojevich reportedly held a lunch on October 31 and discussed raising $1 million for the Governor’s campaign to encourage him to pick Mr Jackson as Senator, the Chicago Tribune said.

Raghuveer Nayak, a major Blagojevich donor who also has ties to the Jackson family, then co-sponsored a fund-raiser for the Governor on Saturday attended by Mr Blagojevich and Jesse Jackson Jr’s brother Jonathan, the newspaper said.

Mr Nayak, a leader of Chicago’s Asian community, owns a string of surgery clinics and was once involved in a land deal with Jonathan Jackson.

Mr Jackson Jr met Mr Blagojevich at 4pm on Monday to discuss his interest in the Senate seat.
SOURCE: The Times

This could really be embarrassing for Barack Obama no matter if he has no wrong doings with Blagojevich and could stick around for next four years!

Emanuel delivered a list of “acceptable” candidates, the source told the newspaper. The list named Obama adviser Valerie Jarrert, Illinois Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes and U.S. Rep Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, the source told the Tribune.

After the election, Emanuel called Harris back to add the name of Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan to the approved list, the source said.

Fox News