Update Chicago – Who’s in Charge? Union Officials and Rahm Emanuel Allegedly Give Blagojevich Obama’s Choice for Senate Seat Appointment

The trial of former Illinois governor, Rod Blagojevich continued yesterday with, what the The Drudge Report is calling “Bombshell Testimony” re: Obama, from Blagojevich’s former aid, John Harris. The Sun Times, reporting from the trial, reports that Harris and Blagojevich both believed Obama wanted White House Advisor, Valerie Jarrett appointed to the Senate. The message was reportedly delivered to Blagojevich by SEIU’s Tom Balanoff.

From the Sun Times :

John Harris, Blagojevich's former chief of staff, testified Wednesday in the former governor's corruption trial that three days after the Nov. 4, 2008, presidential election, the ex-governor told Harris he felt confident Obama knew he wanted to swap perks.
"The president understands that the governor would be willing to make the appointment of Valerie Jarrett as long as he gets what he's asked for. . . . The governor gets the Cabinet appointment he's asked for," Harris said, explaining a recorded call.
Harris said Blagojevich came away believing Obama knew what he wanted after having a conversation with a local union representative, who in turn spoke with labor leader Tom Balanoff, with whom Blagojevich met to discuss a Jarrett appointment. Jarrett, now a White House adviser, was seeking the appointment to Obama's Senate seat.

A report from CBS2 Chicago, speaks to Rahm Emmanuel’s involvement:

In the call, Blagojevich's chief of staff, John Harris, tells his boss that Rahm Emanuel, Obama's soon-to-be top aide, had called him to give him a list of four people that Obama would find acceptable as his successor in the Senate. They were Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.; injured Iraq War vet Tammy Duckworth; U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky and Illinois State Comptroller Dan Hynes.

Harris tells Blagojevich "He doesn't want to say who he doesn't like," adding that if a person Blagojevich was considering was not on Emanuel's list, "he's not high on them." Harris explained that the message from Emanuel was that Illinois Senate President Emil Jones was not a favored candidate for the U.S. Senate spot.

Harris also testified that Emanuel told him that no one else in the Obama camp was authorized to talk about the Senate seat. That seemed to be an indication that previous messages from a union official that Jackson Jr. was not one of Obama's preferred candidates were unauthorized.

What is of interest in reading both reports is Emmanuel’s alleged claim that the message delivered by Balanoff was delivered independently by Balanoff, without the Presidents permission. That said, Blagojevich believed the list given to him by Emmanuel was a political move to portray then President-Elect Obama as promoting diversity – and that Jarrett was his first choice (as noted by Union delivery). The testimony given by Harris, speaks to the close relationship between organized Labor and the Democrat Party, specifically between Obama and the SEIU in Chicago. If true, the fact that Union officials were delivering the President Elects directions to a sitting Governor as to a political appointment, is of itself, disturbing on several levels. Labor today is specifically politically Progressive, (sic: Socialist) and its ability to influence policy at the highest levels of government lays a foundation that is prone to corruption. Organized Labor has been tied to several cases of corruptionincluding mismanagement of pension funds.. Historically, the ties between organized crime and organized labor are blurred. Therefore, the testimony coming from Chicago implies that the President of the United States is deeply wedded to a politically socialist corrupt organization.

Pelosi, Up for Reelection in 2010 and 2012

John Dennis, Republican Candidate running Against Nancy Pelosi, image gilmerz.com


Addendum, August 18, 2011 - Pelosi will be up for reelection in 2012, 2014 (if reelected in 2012)- Congressional Represenatives, except in very rare instances must face reelection every two years.

Addendum October 4, 2004: An anonymous comment was left today noting that neither Nancy Pelosi nor John Dennis' names appear on the ballot. In reviewing information available at the San Francisco County Website, both names do appear on the ballot, a sample of which can be found here http://www.sfgov2.org/ftp/unloadedfiles/elections/PrecinctServices/2010/Nov/BT23.pdf”.

A list of all qualified candidates can be found here at the CA Secretary of State website

To find out where to vote in San Francisco County go here to the San Francisco County Website.

Should someone be in receipt of a ballot that does not contain the names of neither of these candidates it is suggested that one contact both the Dennis and Pelosi campaigns.

End Addendum


The Hill Blogran an article on a Pelosi “fund-raiser” which asks supporters for donations to stop the GOP in November. One might, at this point, see this as throwing good money after bad, as the Lead Singer of the Democrat’s in Congress, is not exactly at the top of the charts, nationally or in her home district. Meanwhile, Her Republican counterpart, John Boehner (D-OH), House Minority Leader has given a pledge of 1 million dollars to the NRCC (National Republican Congressional Committee). Nancy is going hat in hand to supporters, noting that the GOP will spend all of its time investigating Obama, and so, they must be stopped. Recalling 2006 and forward, the Congress, under the leadership of Ms. Pelosi, spent all of their time investigating George Bush and company, getting little done, up until the Democrats took control of the White House. This virtually gave Pelosi a blank check – which, the outcome is evidenced by the economy laying in near ruin. Boehner, on the flip side, is a fiscal conservative, so one can imagine that hefty donation is being considered a worthwhile investment – the man is no fool.

In begging for donations to help reelect the current Congress, (despite evidence to the contrary, at this point, that the House is going to be lost to Pelosi), in order to stop investigations of Barack Obama, Ms. Pelosi may be a little too late. The proverbial train has left the station, be it the “lack of command” (Chris Matthews, MSNBC) shown during the Presidents recent address vis a vis the Gulf Oil spill, or more importantly, the trial taking place in Illinois, where Blagojevich and company, have set the stage for realistic calls for investigations into high crimes and misdemeanors.

Most important however, is that Nancy is facing opposition in the San Francisco 8th from John Dennis(website: www.johndennis2010.com. Dennis won the recent Republican primary, defeating a fairly well financed Republican, Dana Walsh. Since the primary, Dennis has been actively growing his war chest, the last FEC filing shows the majority of his campaign donations coming from the individuals. Additionally, he has endorsements from the Log Cabin Republicans, Ron Paul, and Barry Goldwater, Jr., among others. Not that endorsements' mean a great deal, unless the candidate is capable of winning the battle, and Dennis appears both confident and capable, which are two terms that hardly describe the current 8th District Representative.

Nancy Pelosi has not faced a serious contender for her seat in decades, so that is a negative (lack of experience). Of course, the media will most likely call this seat “safe”, but one gets the impression that Nancy knows better. Nancy has received a mere $1.8 million in donations since 2009, which, for a Democrat candidate, one who is House Speaker, is somewhat paltry. The majority of those donations again, are coming from Corporations and every conceivable union By comparison, Dana Walsh, the former Republican challenger, had, as of last filing, received $1.7 million in donations, these came, overwhelmingly from individuals who are most likely to throw their support to Dennis. In addition, the NRCC is actively targeting the Speaker in advertisements. Conservatives, again, as a rule, do not throw good money after bad, and although one must understand that money does not make or break a candidate in certain scenarios, it is the who is donating, not the amount of cash on hand that carries the day. (Additionally a fiscal conservative can do more with a third of the money amassed by someone who has been used to being given blank checks).


About John Dennis:

Dennis, who lives in Liberty Heights, is a businessman and entrepreneur. Born without the silver spoon, he hailed from Jersey City, growing up in public housing and put himself through Fordham University. He then built several successful businesses, and, like so many independent minded Republican’s running this year, he had decided to put his life on hold in order to better the nation. His success in the CA 8th will depend a great deal on how well he brands, and it appears, that given his experience, he is the most viable candidate to best Pelosi. Pshaw? No – Pelosi has alienated her base in California, she had no support from those who even moved slightly to the middle. The LGBT local has criticized her for a failure to appear at meetings, and between winery executives and the fringe Progressives, Nancy has little else to rely upon. This will be another race to watch.

To learn more about John Dennis: visit: www.johndennis2010.com

Chicago Land –The Trial – Blagojevich, Emanuel, Obama and the Unions – Calls of High Crimes and Misdemeanors May Not be Far Behind

Emanuel with Obama - Emanuel - Sacrificial Lamb?

As the trial for former Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich continues, FBI tapes played in court, and testimony from Blagojevich’s deputy, John Harris, has led to some interesting assertions regarding the sale of a Senate Seat and retail politics at the Chicago level.

From CBS 2 Chicago comes the revelation:

“A week before the election, Blagojevich and Obama had met with two top union officials, apparently sent on Obama's behalf, who told them the future president wanted his close friend and adviser Valerie Jarrett appointed to be his successor.”

The Sun Times, reporting live from the Courtroom:

“On another tape just played by prosecutors, Rod Blagojevich is heard talking to John Harris over the phone on Nov. 3, 2008 -- the day before the election.
They are discussing how Barack Obama is sending two representatives -- union leaders Tom Balanoff and Andy Stern -- to visit to talk about Valerie Jarrett.”

NBC’s Chicago Affiliate reports on a conversation between Harris and Rham Emanuel:

“Today, Harris testified that then-Congressman Rahm Emanuel called him two days before the election and said Obama was interested in having a close friend nomination to the Senate. Emanuel didn't mention a name. Harris testified it was clear that Emanuel meant Jarrett, the former chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority who is now President Obama's senior advisor.”

Harris’s testimony is the result of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors for a reduced sentence. He was arrested the same day as Blagojevich.
The relationship between Blagojevich and Emanuel dates back to 2006 according to the Telegraph :

“Mr Emanuel published an endorsement of Mr Blagojevich in the Chicago Tribune in exchange for $2 million (£1.3 million) in school funding to his district, according to the emails, which were released on The emails detailing the deal, revealed by the Associated Press, apparently were exchanged between Mr Emanuel, his staff and Mr Blagojevich's chief aide, Bradley Tusk.
Senior Democrats have told the Telegraph that Mr Emanuel is preparing to stand down after the mid-term congressional elections in November.”

However, back in Chicago, the question is being raised by Chicago Now : if Emanuel is being used as a “sacrificial lamb” by the administration or if it is, indeed, a “perfect breakup”. The quirky read speaks to the newly discovered emails regarding Blagojevich and the leak that Emanuel was involved in the Climate Change bill with legislation that favored a former employer.

One has to wonder what else is on hours of tape, or yet to be “leaked” regarding the style of the administration and specific key players Barack Obama and Rham Emanuel. That fact that it was taped and noted specifically that Union officials paid Blagojevich a visit on behalf of then President elect, Barak Obama speaks volumes.

Therefore, buying and selling and paying off politicians with favors (or hard cash – which has yet to be put on the table), all of which is breaking Federal laws, is nothing new as far as this administration is concerned: In response to the issues of promising jobs for playing ball with the administration to both Sestak in Pennsylvania and Romanoff in Colorado, Emanuel stated that nothing more needed to be done. (Politico) Apparently, the White House investigation of itself was sufficient.

In September of 2008 there were rumors of FBI tapes that were sufficient to lead to the arrest of a major political candidate from Chicago, as these rumors were, at best, third hand and from supporters of a candidate now seen in polls as more qualified to lead than the current president (or GOP potential candidates for 2012 listed on the survey). (Rasmussen) One has to wonder just how incompetent the Chicago politicos may be, specifically in light of the poor response to the Gulf oil incident, and the agenda driven policy that pays no heed to economic consequence. Should these tapes contain more, or should other tapes be brought to light, one has to wonder when the phrase “high crimes and misdemeanors” will begin to surface. Additionally, should Clinton begin to distance herself (more than she already has) from the administration, one would be willing to bet she’ll be the nominee in 2012, regardless of a win or loss to the Democrats. At this point, with scandals breaking to the left and right, and Gallop's latest survey showing the Republican’s with an historical lead in enthusiasm among voters (breaking 1994 records) going into the 2010 elections, it will be difficult for the Democrats to mount any type of defense until 2016 at the earliest.

Fremont Nebraska Passes Stiff Illegal Immigration Measure

The City of Freemont, Nebraska, recently passeda ban on renting property to illegal immigrants. Why Fremont? The City has seen a surge in population and residents are concerned many jobs may be going to illegal immigrants rather than those who are currently unemployed.

Fremont is the home to a meat-packing industry which has already seen illegal immigrants taken into custody at a local plant. (From ABC News business)

Illegal immigration has been a hot topic in Fremont, which is among a handful of Nebraska cities that have seen marked demographic changes primarily because of Hispanic work forces at meatpacking plants.

Although this area of the country has relatively low unemployment, the passage of this City’s ban, is telling on a national basis. Enforcing border security and ending the crime that follows illegal immigration (identity theft in these Nebraska towns), is a national priority, which has been ignored by the current and previous Administrations. It is with growing frustration that states and towns throughout the U.S. feel the need to take matters into their own hands and do the job the Federal government refuses to do.

That said, Fremont may experience a drop in tourism once the Los Angles City Council and the Amherst, Massachuetts City council, put a ban on doing business with or traveling to Fremont.

Gallop Voter Enthusiasm Trends – Republicans Trend Highest In History of Pollster – Surpass 1994 Midterms by 17 Points - Analysis

A newly released Gallop survey on Voter Enthusiasm shows Republicans going into the mid-term elections with an historic 28 point lead in Voter Enthusiasm. The survey, which has been conducted by Gallop since the 1994 mid-terms, includes both major political parties and Independent “leaners”. Republicans scored a 59% enthusiasm versus a 44% enthusiasm by Democrats and Democrat Leaning Independents, compared to 2006, where Democrat Enthusiasm was at 50% versus a 40% score for Republicans. In 1994, when Republicans took control of both houses during a mid-term election, the split was even less pronounced – with Republican’s scoring 42% versus 32% for Democrats.

Gallops analysis cautions that conditions can change prior to the election, as in 1998, when the Democrats picked up seats and points in the survey just prior to the midterms, however, it is also noted that this scenario is unlikely.
Turnout being the key to any given election, the element of enthusiasm among voters is critical to a party’s gains or losses, and in light of recent gains in special elections for Republicans, in consistently Democrat States with a significant disparity in advantage for Democrats.

For example, the New Jersey Governors race and the Massachusetts Senate Race held earlier this year, were early indicators of the mood of the electorate. Although Democrats maintained seats in several Congressional districts, it was not without special circumstances that allowed the gain. The New York 23rd, for example, had a three way split, with Doug Hoffman, the New York Conservative Party candidate, a Republican Candidate that leaned left, and eventually resigned days before the race, throwing an endorsement to the Democrat, Bill Owens, who eventually won by absentee ballot In the Pennsylvania 12th, the Democrat, Mark Critz, ran as far to the right as possible, and in the district, distanced himself from the administration in order to gain the advantage.

The Massachusetts factor:

Although always knows as the Bluest State given the fact that both state and federal elected officials have, for decades, been Democrats, Massachusetts has seen significant political changes beginning in 2009. There are unprecedented numbers of Republican candidates for both state and federal offices, forcing primaries, which is not the norm. The Congressional Delegation from Massachusetts, which is controlled by the Democrats, has multiple challengers to the incumbent. An estimated 178 Republicans are running for office in a State where most pundits continue to nay say any advantage based on voter trends from 2008. That said, when looking at the voter trends from the January 19th, Brown-Coakely special election, one can see where, regardless of district and makeup - there are some significant changes taking place in the Commonwealth. Also significant is the fact that many of those running had made this decision prior to Brown announcing his candidacy for the open Senate Seat.

As Massachusetts was primarily used as a testing ground for the 2008 election of Barak Obama (See David Axelrod and his use of Deval Patrick (source: commentary 2007 at mybaracckobama.com see Screenshot), it goes without saying that having had a virtual preview of “coming attractions”, should the level of enthusiasm in Massachusetts (for national candidates) be any indicator and/or have been exported nationwide (similar to Deval Patrick, i.e. Barack Obama) , the Gallop Enthusiasms tracking should remain even or even increase prior to the election. With the following factors: Unemployment claims continue to rise, a failed stimulus, unprecedented growth of government, several scandal, specifically paying candidates to stay out of races, and/or paying for Senate Seats, the unpopular Health Care Reform Bill, the situation in the Gulf, which is on day 60 something, with a lack of command from the oval office (see MSNBC).


Axelrod on Deval Patricka and Barack Obama 2007

In the case of 2010 and 2012 for that matter, Axelrod may want to go back to journalism, assuming of course, the industry still has a stomach for one-party reporting, and finally figures out that the Internet is not the enemy, rather, the perception of the public accounts for the massive decline in subscriptions.