Moderators John317 Posted April 4, 2009 Moderators Share Posted April 4, 2009 Rahm Emanuel Was Blagojevich Extortion Target, Official Says Andrew M. Harris – Fri Apr 3, 6:51 pm ET April 3 (Bloomberg) -- Rahm Emanuel, a former U.S. House member now serving as President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, is the congressman who prosecutors say was the target of an extortion attempt by ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois, an Obama administration official said. Blagojevich, 52, a Democrat, was indicted yesterday by a Chicago federal grand jury on 16 counts including racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion conspiracy and attempted extortion. He was impeached and removed from office in January for abusing his power. In the indictment is an allegation titled "Attempted Extortion of United States Congressman A." It said that in 2006, when the congressman asked the governor's office about the status of a $2 million grant for a publicly supported school in his district, Blagojevich told his chief of staff to freeze the grant pending further instructions. When another official asked about the status of the grant, Blagojevich allegedly responded that the congressman's brother needed to hold a fundraiser for the governor. The governor also instructed a lobbyist to inform the congressman of that decision, the indictment said. A White House official, who asked not to be identified, confirmed today that Emanuel, a Democrat from Illinois, was that congressman. Emanuel, 49, represented a Chicago-based House district for six years until he assumed his Obama administration post in January. Blagojevich, in a statement yesterday, denied the Justice Department’s allegations. ‘I Am Innocent’ “I am innocent. I now will fight in the courts to clear my name,” he said. If convicted of the racketeering or wire-fraud charges, the former governor could be sentenced to as much as 20 years in prison. In December, he was charged with trying to trade the U.S. Senate seat that Obama vacated upon winning the presidency for campaign cash or other favors. The White House aide said Blagojevich was asking for Emanuel’s brother, Ari Emanuel, to host a fundraiser for Blagojevich. The school for which the $2 million grant was being sought was Chicago Academy High School, the aide said. Rahm Emanuel, who is with the president at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Strasbourg, France, was unavailable for comment, the aide said. Emanuel succeeded Blagojevich as the congressional district’s representative in the 2002 election, in which Blagojevich won the governorship. The fundraiser was never held, according to the 75-page indictment. Ari Emanuel is the founder of Endeavor, a New York- based talent agency, and serves on the board of the rock concert and theater promotion firm Live Nation Inc. of Beverly Hills. Randall Samborn, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald in Chicago, didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment. Quote John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 4, 2009 Members Share Posted April 4, 2009 He almost sounds like Satan, I'm innocent, I want to be like the most high. pk Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 4, 2009 Members Share Posted April 4, 2009 Maybe this will happen! But you never know. pk Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 4, 2009 Members Share Posted April 4, 2009 pk Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Tom Wetmore Posted April 5, 2009 Administrators Share Posted April 5, 2009 How do you get from a story of Blago allegedly attempting to extort someone to suggesting that the person against whom the extortion was allegedly attempted as being under investigation? The news story indicates that Rahm Emanuel was the intended victim of that particular alleged extortion and given that the trade-off fore the extortion benefit (his brother doing a fundraiser) apparently never happened, it would appear that Rahm didn't take the bate and participate in the extortion. There really has never been any suggestion that Rahm ever bit on this "offer" from Blago or the one attmepting to sell Obama's Senate seat. Quote "Absurdity reigns and confusion makes it look good." "Sinless perfection is such a shallow goal." "I love God only as much as the person I love the least." *Forgiveness is always good news. And that is the gospel truth. (And finally, the ideas expressed above are solely my person views and not that of any organization with which I am associated.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil D Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Must be that "reliable" FoxNews..... Quote Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve. George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators John317 Posted April 5, 2009 Author Moderators Share Posted April 5, 2009 How do you get from a story of Blago allegedly attempting to extort someone to suggesting that the person against whom the extortion was allegedly attempted as being under investigation? The news story indicates that Rahm Emanuel was the intended victim of that particular alleged extortion and given that the trade-off fore the extortion benefit (his brother doing a fundraiser) apparently never happened, it would appear that Rahm didn't take the bate and participate in the extortion. There really has never been any suggestion that Rahm ever bit on this "offer" from Blago or the one attmepting to sell Obama's Senate seat. April 4, 2009 Attorneys: Rahm Emanuel was alleged extortion victim By Mike Robinson Associated Press CHICAGO -- President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, was the congressman targeted by an alleged extortion plan described in the indictment against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to attorneys familiar with the case. At the time, in 2006, Emanuel was the congressman from the 5th District on Chicago’s North Side. The attorneys spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the congressman isn’t named and the information is secret grand jury material. The indictment says the congressman sought a $2 million grant for a school. But Blagojevich allegedly told a lobbyist to tell the lawmaker his brother would have to raise campaign funds or the grant wouldn’t go through. Some of the funds were later released, even though no fundraiser had been held. The White House declined to comment on the indictment. Quote John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 HEY ALL YES i am sure that some of OBAMA'S cabinet is being investigated... and some of them may be guilty just like the ILLINOIS GOVERNOR I am sure this will hurt OBAMA dgrimm60 Yes. I agree. I am sure the Obama admin. wants to sweep this one under the rug ... but I think the truth will come out. You never know what kind of dealings Obama may have been up to. Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 5, 2009 Members Share Posted April 5, 2009 I don't think so Neil. I think dgrimm was just hoping. pk Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Originally Posted By: Tom Wetmore How do you get from a story of Blago allegedly attempting to extort someone to suggesting that the person against whom the extortion was allegedly attempted as being under investigation? The news story indicates that Rahm Emanuel was the intended victim of that particular alleged extortion and given that the trade-off fore the extortion benefit (his brother doing a fundraiser) apparently never happened, it would appear that Rahm didn't take the bate and participate in the extortion. There really has never been any suggestion that Rahm ever bit on this "offer" from Blago or the one attmepting to sell Obama's Senate seat. April 4, 2009 Attorneys: Rahm Emanuel was alleged extortion victim By Mike Robinson Associated Press CHICAGO -- President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, was the congressman targeted by an alleged extortion plan described in the indictment against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to attorneys familiar with the case. At the time, in 2006, Emanuel was the congressman from the 5th District on Chicago’s North Side. The attorneys spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the congressman isn’t named and the information is secret grand jury material. The indictment says the congressman sought a $2 million grant for a school. But Blagojevich allegedly told a lobbyist to tell the lawmaker his brother would have to raise campaign funds or the grant wouldn’t go through. Some of the funds were later released, even though no fundraiser had been held. The White House declined to comment on the indictment. The title says it all - Rahm Immanuel was a *victim." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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