No Rahm Emanuel Wasn’t Hero Who Turned Blagojevich In To Federal Authorities
Kevin Aylward explains:
While Emanuel’s conduct is sure to be part of the ongoing investigation and potential trial, the notion that he is responsible for Blagojevich’s indictment is not supported by the facts contained in the criminal complaint (PDF). Federal investigators received permission to bug the Governor’s telephone lines BEFORE the presidential election took place.
Emanuel may well have declined to get involved in any of Blagojevich’s schemes, but to suggest that he is some how a hero for “turning in” Blagojevich doesn’t square with the facts presented so far.
The Feds already knew about Blagojevich’s attempts to sell Obama’s Senate seat because THEY WERE LISTENING TO HIM TRY TO SELL IT. What could Emanuel have told them that they didn’t already know?
I think the fallout from this for Obama’s camp is going to be that they turned down Blago’s offers of quid pro quo, but they failed to report him to authorities for offering it.
Which would make the Obama team complicit in a cover up.
