Obama team releases Blagojevich report

by Jay McDonough

President-elect Barack Obama's transition team today released it's internal report on staff contracts with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.  The report's conclusion; no one in the transition team acted inappropriately.

The report does note Rahm Emanuel, Obama's Chief of Staff, had multiple contacts with the governor's office, but no one on the transition team was aware the governor was trying to sell Obama's vacant Senate seat.  In one conversation between Emanuel and Gov. Blagojevich's Chief of Staff, John Harris, Emanuel suggested a number of candidates supported by Barack Obama.  From the report:

Mr. Harris did not make any effort to extract a personal benefit for the Governor in any of these conversations. There was no discussion of a cabinet position, of 501c(4), of a private sector position or of any other personal benefit to the Governor in exchange for the Senate appointment.

Although Mr. Emanuel recalls having conversations with the President-Elect, with David Axelrod and with Valerie Jarrett about who might possibly succeed the President-Elect in the Senate, there was no mention of efforts by the Governor or his staff to extract a personal benefit in return for filling the Senate vacancy.

The report notes neither Barack Obama, David Axelrod, or Valerie Jarret had any conversations with Gov. Blagojevich or his staff about the Senate seat vacancy.