Will Blago Throw Obama Under The Bus?

Following the conviction of political fixer Tony Rezko on 16 of 24 counts of corruption, speculation has turned to whom U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald will indict next in his ongoing investigation of political corruption in Illinois. Much of the focus has been on Gov. Rod Blagojevich, particularly in the wake of news that he had been interviewed on several occasions by federal investigators. Pressed by reporters yesterday about being a target, Blagojevich suggested he was no closer to Rezko than Sen. Barack Obama or Attorney General Lisa Madigan:

"Tony Rezko is a friend who helped me. He helped Sen. [Barack] Obama. He helped [Illinois Attorney General] Lisa Madigan. . . . He helped all kinds of political figures," Blagojevich said.

Yes, the reporters agreed, but you are the only one who has been questioned by federal investigators. Blagojevich took issue with that claim:

"We don't know that about the other people," he said. "And let me simply say I know what I do and know how I do things. And I know I do things right."

Yeah, right. Aides for Madigan and Obama quickly denied their guy and gal had been questioned by federal investigators in the ongoing probe. Madigan's name was never mentioned during Rezko's trial, while Rezko's relationship with Obama and his illegal fundraising activities on behalf of him were. Speaker Madigan, Lisa Madigan's father, has raised the possibility of initiating impeachment proceedings against Blagojevich in response to Rezko's conviction. Obama has taken no position on Blagojevich's fate. My prediction is that Blagojevich is indicted before summer's end, with or without Rezko's cooperation. Rezko is facing a potentially long term in jail and has good reason to cooperate with federal investigators.