Marathon Pundit: SEIU and the Blagojevich trial: Will Giannoulias take the risk?

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

SEIU and the Blagojevich trial: Will Giannoulias take the risk?

From an Illinois Republican Party press release:

"The SEIU is also targeting the state's open Senate seat and the House seat vacated by Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.)." – The Hill, 5/21/10.

"[Alexi]'s no doubt excited about stepping up to the same trough that netted Blagojevich more than a million dollars in campaign cash." – David Hoffman, 9/24/09.

With Rod Blagojevich's trial set to begin next week and the SEIU pledging multi-million dollar support for the Illinois Senate race, the Illinois Republican Party continues its review of the strong ties between the SEIU and Rod Blagojevich.

According to his official calendar, Rod Blagojevich met with SEIU President Andy Stern and SEIU Illinois President Tom Balanoff on November 3, 2008, the day before Barack Obama was elected President and about the same time, according to federal investigators, that Blagojevich was scheming to sell the Illinois Senate seat. Stern has refused to divulge what he discussed with Blagojevich that day.[1]

Stern recently quit his post as SEIU President. The government's proffer reported:

Later on November 5, 2008 (Blagojevich Call #281), Blagojevich spoke to Advisor B about Blagojevich's interest in getting a private foundation job. Blagojevich told Advisor B that SEIU and the president-elect could remove the head of a particular foundation and give the position to Blagojevich. Blagojevich told Advisor B that it was unlikely that he would be able to get a cabinet position in exchange for the Senate seat, but "Health and Human Service would be my...I'd take that in a second."
Federal wiretaps captured a conversation between Rod Blagojevich and an "SEIU official," later identified as Tom Balanoff.[2] According to the Blagojevich criminal complaint, Balanoff had previously served as an "emissary" for "Senate Candidate 1." Blagojevich told Balanoff that he wanted to head up a 501(c)4, and that the new organization could help "our new Senator [Senate Candidate 1]." Balanoff replied that he would "put that flag up and see where it goes."[3]

On November 3, 2008, Federal wiretaps captured a conversation between Rod Blagojevich and "Advisor A," later identified as Doug Scofield[4], his former campaign spokesman and deputy Governor – and a lobbyist for SEIU at the time.[5] Blagojevich told Scofield that "[the Senate seat] is a f—ing valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing."

On a subsequent phone call on November 10, 2008, Blagojevich asked Scofield if the President-elect could get his wife on "paid corporate boards right now." Scofield replied he "think[s] they could," and that "President-elect…can do almost anything he sets his mind to."[6]
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[1] Calendar Shows Key Blagojevich Meetings, Associated Press, January 7, 2009
[2] Union Official Allegedly Liaison Between Governor, Obama Team, Washington Post, December 10, 2008
[3] United States of America v. Rod R. Blagojevich and John Harris, criminal complaint
[4] Decoding Blago, Chicago Sun Times, January 19, 2009
[5] Ex-aides are now lobbying governor, Chicago Tribune, May 29, 2007
[6] United States of America v. Rod R. Blagojevich and John Harris, criminal complaint