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'''Rod R. Blagojevich<ref>http://www.biography.com/articles/Rod-Blagojevich-392652</ref>''' was the Democratic [[governor]] of the state of [[Illinois]] from January 13, 2003 until impeachment on January 29, 2009. He was born on December 10, 1956, in [[Chicago]]. Before being elected as governor, Blagojevich served as Cook County Assistant State's Attorney and then Representative for Illinois' 5th District in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] (elected in 1996).<ref>http://www.illinois.gov/gov/bio.cfm</ref>

'''Rod R. Blagojevich<ref>http://www.biography.com/articles/Rod-Blagojevich-392652</ref>''' was the Democratic [[governor]] of the state of [[Illinois]] from January 13, 2003 until impeachment on January 29, 2009. He was born on December 10, 1956, in [[Chicago]]. Before being elected as governor, Blagojevich served as Cook County Assistant State's Attorney and then Representative for Illinois' 5th District in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] (elected in 1996).<ref>http://www.illinois.gov/gov/bio.cfm</ref>

On December 9, 2008, Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges for attempting to sell the recently vacated [[United States Senate|U. S. Senate]] seat of [[Barack Obama]]. <ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081209/ap_on_re_us/blagojevich_corruption_probe</ref> The particular charge was that Blagojevich use the mail and telephone to deprive the Illinois people of honest services under 18 USC 1346. He has not yet been indicted, and there is no allegation that he actually took any bribes. Liberal media outlets were disproportionately quick in declaring that then-President-elect Obama had no involvement in the scandal, despite clear evidence being available to the contrary <ref>http://flapsblog.com/2008/12/15/why-is-barack-obama-lying-about-contact-with-hot-rod-blagojevich-part-3/</ref> including photos of the two together while the governor was trying to sell Obama's seat <ref>http://www.flickr.com/photos/fullosseousflap/3100630034/</ref>.

''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' reported President-Elect [[Barack Obama]] "dispatched [[Rahm Emanuel]] days after the vote to contact aides of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to begin talking up Mr. Obama's preferred candidates" to fill the recently vacated [[United States Senate|U. S. Senate]] seat, according to associates of Mr. Emanuel.<ref>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122926660096904673.html Blagojevich Aides Discussed Senate Seat], By Jonathan Weisman, Naftali Bendavid and Cam Simpson, ''Wall Street Journal'', December 15, 2008.</ref>

seat.<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081209/ap_on_re_us/blagojevich_corruption_probe</ref> The particular charge was that Blagojevich use the mail and telephone to deprive the Illinois people of honest services under 18 USC 1346. He has not yet been indicted, and there is no allegation that he actually took any bribes. Liberal media outlets were disproportionately quick in declaring that then-President-elect Obama had no involvement in the scandal, despite clear evidence being available to the contrary <ref>http://flapsblog.com/2008/12/15/why-is-barack-obama-lying-about-contact-with-hot-rod-blagojevich-part-3/</ref> including photos of the two together while the governor was trying to sell Obama's seat <ref>http://www.flickr.com/photos/fullosseousflap/3100630034/</ref>.

This also brings out the question of the Chicago "meat grinder" politics, as this could influence Barack Obama to the core.{{fact}}

This also brings out the question of the Chicago "meat grinder" politics, as this could influence Barack Obama to the core.{{fact}}