Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Better than Diane Sawyer w/ Blagojevich: Berkowitz w/Sen. Kwame Raoul on Blago's impeachment trial. Cable and Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: So, it is possible that as we sit here today [January 11, 2009] that notwithstanding all of what people have heard from the U. S. Attorney’s office, from others, that the State Senate could vote to acquit Rod Blagojevich at the trial and that a jury could then vote to acquit Rod Blagojevich in his criminal trial?

Senator Kwame Raoul: It’s possible.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Will there be witnesses at the Blagojevich trial?

State Senator Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago): Yes, I believe there will..

Jeff Berkowitz: Will [Blagojevich] have the right to subpoena and call the people he wants [as witnesses].
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Jeff Berkowitz:...is there anything wrong with Balanoff saying to Valerie Jarrett—Oh, you know that Rod thought he might get appointed to the Cabinet as Secretary of HHS. Anything wrong with that?

Senator Kwame Raoul: If it is said in return for the appointment [of Valerie to the Senate].
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This week's suburban edition of "Public Affairs," features State Senator Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago)[Watch here] discussing and debating the impeachment of Democrat Gov. Blagojevich, the articles of impeachment issued by the State House, the power to subpoena witnesses, the difference between horse-trading and illegal dealmaking and what it means to cross the line and much, much more. See, below, for more about the show's topics, a partial transcript of the show and the Chicago Metro suburban airing schedule.
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You can also watch the show w/State Senator Kwame Raoul here. Senator Raoul replaced State Senator Barack Obama after he was elected to the U. S. Senate in 2004. This show was taped on January 11, 2009.
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State Senator Raoul(D-13th Dist., Chicago) debates and discusses the issues with show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz.
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Witnesses at the impeachment trial? Who can be subpoenad? By Blago?

Jeff Berkowitz: Will there be witnesses at the Blagojevich trial?

State Senator Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago): Yes, I believe there will..

Jeff Berkowitz: Will [Blagojevich] have the right to subpoena and call the people he wants [as witnesses].

Senator Kwame Raoul: He’ll have an opportunity.

Who can subpoena Jarrett? Emanuel?

Jeff Berkowitz: Can he subpoena Valerie Jarrett?

Senator Kwame Raoul: I imagine he could. [This show was taped on January 11, 2009; Subsequently, we learned that Gov. Blagojevich would not have the power to subpoena witnesses if U. S. Attorney Fitzgerald thought the appearance at the impeachment trial of such witnesses might be a problem for the upcoming federal criminal trial of Governor Blagojevich; Valerie Jarrett, Rahm Emanuel, Tom Balanoff and certain other individuals were deemed to be inappropriate witnesses by the U. S. Attorney for Blagojevich or the prosecution to be able to subpoena for Blago’s impeachment trial].

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, because he didn’t have the right to issue subpoenas for the House impeachment process, but you’re saying for the trial he will have the power of subpoena?

Senator Kwame Raoul: I’m not certain, to tell you the truth, because, as we sit here today [January 11, 2009], there’s a Senate committee who has been working on developing rules for this proceeding and they have not presented these rules before the full body of the Senate, so I don’t know for certain.

Enforcing impeachment trial subpoenas

Jeff Berkowitz: But, who would enforce that subpoena? If he issues a subpoena to Valerie Jarrett and she doesn’t want to show up, who would make her show up?

Senator Kwame Raoul: That’s a good question.

Jeff Berkowitz: Senate President John Cullerton?

Senator Kwame Raoul: I don’t know if John will be—

Jeff Berkowitz: Chief Justice Thomas Fitzgerald?

Senator Kwame Raoul: That’s a good question.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, we don’t know who would enforce that. I don’t see Valerie Jarrett showing up at this trial, do you?

Senator Kwame Raoul: I don’t think of it as a likelihood…

Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and SEIU's Tom Balanoff as impeachment trial witnesses

Jeff Berkowitz: ...Rahm Emanuel won’t be showing up. What about Tom Balanoff [Union boss for the Illinois SEIU]? Would he be showing up, do you think?

Senator Kwame Raoul: I have no idea.

Jeff Berkowitz: Do you think he has been sanitized out of this because, look, the internal report of the Obama administration puts [Balanoff] at a key point as a go between, if you will…
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Senator Kwame Raoul: Let’s suppose that the Obama report, which I have not read, but based on your representation came back differently [and] that Barack was trying to suggest that one person or the other should be appointed [to the U. S. Senate]. There is nothing wrong with that.

The Balanoff-Jarrett conversations: appropriate?

Jeff Berkowitz: No, but is there anything wrong with Balanoff saying to Valerie Jarrett—Oh, you know that Rod thought he might get appointed to the Cabinet as Secretary of HHS. Anything wrong with that?

Senator Kwame Raoul: If it is said in return for the appointment [of Valerie to the Senate].

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, what else. He didn’t have to use those words. Wouldn’t that be the logical conclusion that he is in a sense…sending a feeler to Valerie Jarrett as to whether that is at all possible if she becomes a Senator, without him using those words.

Who crossed the line? SEIU's Balanoff? Blagojevich?

Senator Kwame Raoul: It might be a logical conclusion for some but we have to be careful to not pretend that negotiating and compromising and horse-trading does not go along in politics. There is a line that you cross, certainly—

Jeff Berkowitz: Do you think this line might have been crossed with Balanoff. He’s head of the Illinois chapter of the SEIU, right?

Senator Kwame Raoul: Yeah, I am familiar with Tom Balanoff.

Jeff Berkowitz: You think he might have crossed the line?

Senator Kwame Raoul: I hope not. I like Tom Balanoff and I think he’s a good guy and—

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, are you sure that Rod Blagojevich crossed the line? Or, his staff?

Senator Kwame Raoul: I am not certain of any line crossing.

Possible that Blago could beat both raps?

Jeff Berkowitz: He might not have. Are you saying as you sit here today [January 11, 2009], it’s possible that the State Senate in the State of Illinois might not vote to convict Rod Blagojevich of these impeachable offenses.

Senator Kwame Raoul: It’s possible that we might not. It’s possible that we might. It has to be all based on the evidence presented at the time.

Jeff Berkowitz: …would your surmise be that most of the people that you talk to are probably assessing that it’s almost a certainty that Rod will be convicted. Not the State Senators, I am talking about your constituents—the other people who are not politicians…---don’t you have the impression that people are just assuming Rod will be convicted of impeachable offenses.

Senator Kwame Raoul: There probably is such an anticipation amongst a lot of people who don’t have the responsibility to remain objective and don’t have the responsibility nor the opportunity to sit and listen to all of the evidence. There are only fifty nine people in the State of Illinois who have that responsibility…

Jeff Berkowitz: So, it is possible that as we sit here today [January 11, 2009] that notwithstanding all of what people have heard from the U. S. Attorney’s office, from others, that the State Senate could vote to acquit Rod Blagojevich at the trial and that a jury could then vote to acquit Rod Blagojevich in his criminal trial?

Senator Kwame Raoul: It’s possible.
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The show with Senator Raoul was taped on January 11, 2009.
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Senator Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago, 13th Dist.), debates and discusses the issues with show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz. Senator Raoul was appointed in late 2004 to the State Senate seat previously held for eight years by now President-Elect Barack Obama.
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Senator Raoul, whose parents were Haitian-born immigrants, attended the University of Chicago Lab School, DePaul University for his undergraduate degree and received his law degree from Chicago-Kent in 1993. He has been an Assistant State's Attorney (Cook County), practiced law in the private sector and was the chief internal negotiator for the City Colleges of New York. Senator Raoul was appointed to do consulting work for the City Colleges of Chicago in 2007 on workforce development and making Chicago a corporate destination. You can read more about Senator Raoul here.
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Topics discussed on the show include whether certain communications between Team Blagojevich and team Obama about the U. S. Senate Appointment would rise to the level of a criminal offense; did the arrest of Gov. Blagojevich ignite the impeachment proceedings and why; is the relationship between Speaker Mike Madigan and Governor Blagojevich a hateful one and has that been the case for the last six years; why did Speaker Mike and Mayor Daley co-chair Blagojevich's re-election campaign in 2006; why did the Democrats not support the un-Blago, i.e., Edwin Eisendrath in the 2006 Dem primary for Governor; is impeachment a good alternative to "recall;"
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Additional topics discussed include the counts of the articles of impeachment issued against Gov. Blagojevich: plotting to obtain something of value for the U. S. Senate Appointment, plotting to condition the IFA assistance to the Tribune on the Tribune's firing editorial board members who were critical of Gov. Blagojevich, plotting to trade official gubernatorial acts for campaign contributions, violating the constitutional separation of powers, disregarding state and federal laws, and using the gubernatorial patronage office to pressure state agencies to make political hires and fires. Are some of the impeachment counts penny ante? Was it appropriate to have Majority Leader in the House, Barbara Flynn Currie, a non-lawyer, chair the House Select Committee on impeachment? Will Gov. Blagojevich be impeached? Should Senator Raoul not read the articles of impeachment until they are officially presented to the House?
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Public Affairs Chicago Metro suburban airing schedule.

The show featuring State Senator Raoul(D-Chicago) is airing this week in the North and Northwest Chicago Metro suburbs in its regular slot:

Tonight (Tuesday) at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, parts of Inverness, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Northfield, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wilmette

and Tonight (Tuesday) at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 35 in Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Glenview, Golf, Des Plaines, Hanover Park, Mt. Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Skokie, Streamwood and Wheeling.

and on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.
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The "Public Affairs," show featuring State Senator Raoul(D-Chicago) will also air throughout the City of Chicago this coming Monday night, February 2, 2008, at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 (CANTV) and that same night on cable in Aurora and surrounding areas at 7:30 pm on ACTV-10. The Aurora station, Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10, reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.
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The "Public Affairs," show featuring State Senator Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) will also air throughout the City of Rockford (and in surrounding areas) next Thursday night, February 5 at 8:00 pm on Cable Ch. 17. The surrounding areas reached by Ch. 17 include Byron, Cedarville, Cherry Valley, Loves Park, Machesney Park, Mount Morris, New Milford, Portions of Ogle County, Oregon, Polo, Stillman Valley, Winnebago, Portions of Boone County and Poplar Grove.
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The "Public Affairs," show featuring State Senator Raoul may also air throughout the State of Illinois on the Illinois Channel.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. *************************************************************
"Public Affairs," is a weekly political interview show airing in Chicago on CANTV, in the Chicago metro area, Aurora and Rockford on Comcast and also often on the Illinois Channel. You can watch the shows, including archived shows going back to 2005, here.
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Recently posted shows on the Public Affairs YouTube page include shows with 5th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary Candidate Charles Wheelan, State Senator Kwame Raoul on impeachment(D-Chicago), Democratic political campaign consultant Pete Giangreco on Blago's impeachment and the way in which the Obama Administration will operate, a recent Bill O'Reilly segment w/Berkowitz on Obama, shows with State Rep. Julie Hamos, (D-Evanston) newly minted State Rep. Mark Walker (D-Arlington Heights), essentially the first Dem to represent his district since the Civil War, on the connection between the mess in Springfield and in Cook County government, Chicago Alderman Manuel (Manny) Flores (D-1st Ward, Wicker Park) on impeachment of Rod, Chicago issues and a possible run to replace 5th CD Cong. Emanuel and much more.
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