Trib: Rahm and Blagojevich Discussed Senate Seat from Chicagoist

This morning, the Chicago Tribune had an answer for President-Elect Barack Obama as to whether or not any of his staff talked to Gov. Rod Blagojevich about filling in Obama's vacant senate seat: yes and it was Rahm Emanuel. While the Tribune's story is careful to point out that Rahm and Blago's chats do not at all implicate Rahm, Obama, or anyone else in the Obama Administration as a participant in Balgo's pay-to-play scheme, it does raise questions about how much Rahm - who's been the source of a shit-ton of speculation this week - might or might not have known about the entire plan.

One source confirmed that communications between Emanuel and the Blagojevich administration were captured on court-approved wiretaps.

Another source said that contact between the Obama camp and the governor's administration regarding the Senate seat began the Saturday before the Nov. 4 election, when Emanuel made a call to the cell phone of Harris. The conversation took place around the same time press reports surfaced about Emanuel being approached about taking the high-level White House post should Obama win.

Emanuel delivered a list of candidates who would be "acceptable" to Obama, the source said. On the list were Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, the source said. All are Democrats.

rest at http://chicagoist.com/2008/12/13/trib_rahm_and_blago_chatty_cathies.php