Rod Blagojevich sought a direct trade for a post in Barack Obama‘s future cabinet in exchange for naming Obama’s adviser, Valerie Jarrett, to the U.S. Senate, according to tapes of phone conversations played at the ex-governor’s corruption trial.
“She’s holding Health and Human Services, and I’m holding the U.S. Senate seat,” Blagojevich told his adviser, Doug Scofield.
“I’m willing to trade for the thing I have tightly held for something she holds not as tightly,” Blagojevich said, referring to his ability to appoint Obama’s Senate replacement.
Blagojevich later jokes, “I got to think I could at least be ambassador to Macedonia now.”
Even as he is being advised to consider the long-term potential benefits of pleasing Obama, Blagojevich seems dead set on the short-term expediencies. If not a White House job for himself, he then asks if he could parlay this into some corporate board positions for his wife Patti.
Blagojevich said: “A couple corporate boards, where she can pick up 150 grand, help use through the next couple of years as we suck it up as governor.”
Convinced that Obama isn’t up for a trade, Blagojevich ruefully ponders the need to “have to suck it up.”
He is unmoved by arguments to create good will with Obama by appointing Jarrett without the guarantee of something in return, calling the President “selfish,” on one occasion.
In one telephone conversation, political consultant Doug Sosnik argues that appointing Jarrett would be good for Blagojevich’s “own legacy” and have potential benefits “down the road.”
“She’d be a good source on many levels,” Blagojevich concedes, but later seems unsatisfied with hope.
“I’m better off if I can put someone in [the Senate] who is loyal to me, who is African American,” Blagojevich says.
In a Nov. 10, 2008 phone call, Blagojevich also tells Scofield that Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is suddenly in the mix for the Senate seat, identifying businessman and political fundraiser Joseph Stroud as the reason for Blagojevich’s change of heart. Stroud was a serious funder of Ronald Burris’ 2002 governor’s campaign. The government has claimed that Blagojevich was under the impression that Jackson supporters were willing to pony up $1.5 million if he appointed the congressman to the Senate.