Tapes Make Blago Sound Nutso

RUSH: Change to Win, the union organization referenced in the bribery investigation of Governor Blago in Chicago says it has had no contact with Blagojevich or federal investigators. ‘According to the federal criminal complaint filed today, Blago and his aides discussed gaining a high-paying job at Change to Win –‘ this is an offshoot of the Service Employees International Union ‘– high-paying job at Change to Win in exchange for making an Obama-friendly Senate appointment.’ They didn’t know Obama was president. They never heard of Blagojevich, they didn’t know anything about this. This group just now found out that Obama was president.

Now, ‘Blagojevich later seemed to grow cold on the idea because he wasn’t sure the relatively new union organization would still be around at the end of his term, according to the complaint. The spokesman for Change to Win,’ you’re gonna get this guy’s last time as the soap opera continues. Pardon the sniffles. His name is Greg Denier, D-e-n-i-e-r, ‘–the spokesman for Change to Win, Greg Denier, said no one at Change to Win had any involvement, discussion, or contact with the governor or his advisors or anyone representing him.’ Yes, they’re denying everything. Denier is denying everything at Change to Win. Denier added this: ‘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. We have an executive director,’ said Denier. ‘We have a lead council. The notion that somehow the former governor of Illinois –‘ not former yet ‘– the notion that somehow the former governor of Illinois can simply step in and assume leadership of this organization on the face of it is implausible,’ said Denier, the spokesman for Change to Win.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

Rod Blagojevich, get this, wanted to shake down Warren Buffett. I’m telling you, folks, there’s something not mentally stable here. ‘Blagojevich and his inner circle were expansive in pondering just how they could leverage the Senate appointment for financial gain, and at one point the governor floated the notion that legendary financier and Obama supporter Warren Buffett could somehow be brought into the deal. In a November 11th conversation with John Harris, his Chief of Staff, Blagojevich said he could start a 501(c)(4) political organization to extract money from the billionaire Sage of Omaha, whom the governor called Obama’s ‘friend.’ ‘What, for you?’ Harris replied.

‘Yeah,’ said Blagojevich. The next day, Blagojevich again brought up the idea of creating a political entity, suggesting that Obama could get Buffett or even Microsoft founder Bill Gates to help underwrite it. Such donors, the governor said, could put ’10 to 15 million in it so I can advocate health care and other issues I care about and help them, while I stay as governor, [Obama’s adviser is] a senator.’ Blagojevich proposed controlling the 501(c)(4) through a board of directors and then taking over the organization after leaving office.’