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Monday, December 15, 2008
Amanda Carpenter :: Townhall.com Columnist
Obama Review Clears Staff of Wrongdoing
by Amanda Carpenter
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President-Elect Barack Obama’s transition team denies engaging in any wrongful conversations about the appointment of Obama’s vacated Senate seat with disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

"There was nothing that my office did that was in any way inappropriate or related to the charges that have been brought," Obama said during a Monday afternoon press conference to roll out his energy and environmental team.

Obama’s transition team plans to publicly release their internal review of their staff contacts with Blagojevich next week.

Media reports have suggested Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D.-Ill.), who was tapped by Obama to become his White House Chief of Staff, participated in talks with the Governor or his aides about the Senate appointment. So far, Emanuel has refused to comment on these stories.

A statement from Obama Transition Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said Obama had “no contact with the governor or his staff, and that the President-elect's staff was not involved in inappropriate discussions with the governor or his staff over the selection of his successor as U.S. senator.”

The statement from Pfeiffer leaves the possibility of Emanuel-Blagojevich discussions open since it says Obama’s staff did not participate in “inappropriate” discussions. That means "appropriate" ones may have taken place. The affidavit filed by Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald says Obama’s aides were not willing to give the governor anything of value in exchange for their preferred Senate, implying some discussions did, indeed, occur.

"There is nothing in this review that was represented to me that contrasted with my earlier statement that this appalling set of circumstances that we've seen arise [and] had nothing to do with my office and those facts will be forthcoming to all of you in due course," Obama told reporters Monday. "We just want to make sure we are not interfering with an ongoing and active investigation."

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About The Author
Amanda Carpenter is the author of “The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy's Dossier on Hillary Clinton,” published in October 2006.
 
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Obama Review
I say Bull hockey!
And I have a piece of the Brooklyn Bridge for sale as well.
ALL who voted for him will be disappointed.
The "Change" will not be what you voted and hoped for.

The Subject is Closed According to Obama
It is so heartening to hear from "the office of the President elect, Barack Obama, that his staff has throughly investigated and cleared their staff of any wrongdoing in connection with communications with now disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in the pay to play vacant Senate seat appointment controversy.
Are we all clear on this now.... Obama, his staff, & the media have told us everything is on the up & up, so this subject is closed & no longer open to questions or discussion.
Got it!?! No more discussion, no more questions, no more anything! Enough already.
After all, we do not want to put the new Obama administration through four or more years of controversial questions & snide innuendo. Its not like this administration has anything to hide or has not already answered any & all questions throughly, unlike George Bush & his cowboy Republican administration from Texas.
The next announcement may be Obama denying he had anything to do with the Governor, knew him very well, or listened to Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich what he said when they met on occasion. Hey, it worked with Reverend Wright & with domestic terrorist Ayers, right!?! Disavowing any connection would surely clear this up for everyone, right!?!
When will people really understand? It started with the Wright connection & has gone on, on multiple issues since. Perhaps when they take away some of those freedoms "YOU" cherish, some may realize just what they've done!
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