Hey, Chicago Tribune: Why are you helping Rod Blagojevich blackmail the Feds?
Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief
A proven reliable source reports that Rod Blagojevich is attempting to blackmail his way out of prison.
And, there are indications that the feds are in the process of capitulating to Blago’s demands, aided by the collaborative assistance of the ChicagoTribune, in what amounts to a cover-up of a crime.
(Read this email thread from bottom to top)
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-----Original Message-----
From: <redacted>
To: Len Goodman
Sent: 2013-05-24 17:24:37 +0000
Subject: Is it a real appeal?
Mr. Len Goodman
It has come to my attention, that there is a strong possibility your client Rod Blagojevich is blackmailing former U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and the federal government.
Are you familiar with the interview Rod Blagojevich did with Brian Ross?
(Sender redacted here and below when not otherwise indicated)
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: <redacted>
To: "Kimberly Nerheim" <Kimberly.Nerheim@usdoj.gov>
Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2011 1:08:10 PM
Subject: Fwd: Brian Ross 8-26-2010 Blago threatens
Kimberly
Please contact me about these very important matters.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
----- Forwarded Message -----
From:<redacted>
To: "Randall Samborn" <Randall.Samborn@usdoj.gov>
Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2011 1:00:28 PM
Subject: Fwd: Brian Ross 8-26-2010 Blago threatens
Randall Samborn
Looks like Rod Blagojevich's decision to go the route of extortion might be working for him? . In plain site on ABC.
Do you think if he does not get the deal he wants Rod Blagojevich will tell the public the information Patrick Fitzgerald supposedly wanted the morning he arrested Blago.
More important does Patrick Fitzgerald want information about corruption at the level that Blago speaks of in this interview.
Blago say's some very telling things in this interview with Brian Ross that will help expose the truth. Simple questions, who told John Chase that the feds had a wire on Blagojevich and that John Wyma was cooperating with U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.
Who,what,why,when and where was the decision made to warn Blago ?
Why is no one asking ? That last question was rhetorical, I know why no one is asking.
Randall, lets not forget our discussions about these matters. Maybe this is one of those times that calls for a Special Counsel to be appointed.
Trial or not, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered starting with the ones John Chase has never answered.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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----- Forwarded Message -----
From: <redacted>
To: <redacted>
Sent: Monday, March 7, 2011 9:54:37 AM
Subject: Brian Ross 8-26-2010 Blago
Pertinent memory refresher.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/video/rod-blagojevich-reveals-jail-activity-11493201
Pop quiz:
Question. Why did the feds give the Blago wiretap tapes and transcripts to the Chicago Tribune and only the Tribune?
Answer. So the Tribune could lie and tell the public that there is nothing on the tapes that Rod Blagojevich could use to blackmail the Feds.
Question. Why are the Chicago Tribune and their reporters John Chase and Jeff Coen refusing to report what is on the tapes and transcripts?
Answer. They are part of the criminal cover-up dubbed "Chicagogate"
Question. Why are the Blagojevich brothers reevaluating whether or not the public should hear the tapes or read the transcripts that they and their attorneys would not shut-up about in the past?
(Read this email thread from bottom to top)
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-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Blagojevich
To: <redacted>
Sent: 2013-05-09 19:10:09 +0000
Subject: Re: Inquiry (your statement)
<Name redacted>
Understand this; everything I've either written to you or said is off the record.
Please respect my position.
Rob Blagojevich
Sent from my iPhone
------------------------
On May 9, 2013, at 1:33 PM, <redacted> wrote:
Robert
If you cannot go on the record stating that it is unacceptable for the Feds to give Tribune reporters and only Trib reporters John Chase and Jeff Coen copies of sealed tapes and transcripts, tapes and transcripts that yourself and Rod were not allowed to keep.
You are making a statement.
Are you sure this is the statement you want to make?
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: <redacted>
To: Robert Blagojevich
Sent:Thu May 9 02:55:54 UTC 2013
Subject: Fwd: Inquiry
Robert
How does Rod's appeal have anything to do with whether you believe the tapes should be made available to others in the Media?
The Feds gave access to the tapes to the Chicago Tribune, and only the Trib.
And, according to John Chase and Jeff Coen, the Tribune can grant Rod and yourself your wish, and publish the transcripts.
All I am asking is: Do you still believe that all the wiretap tapes should be played?
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Robert Blagojevich
To: <redacted>
Sent:Thu May 9 02:38:16 UTC 2013
Subject: Re: Inquiry
To clarify and be specific, I don't want to say anything publically until my brother's appeal has been heard.
At that point I will reevaluate.
Sorry about the confusion of my previous email. Rereading it, it confused me as well.
Robert
------------------------
On May 9, 2013, at 9:22 AM, <redacted> wrote:
Robert
I do not understand. You and Rod have repeatedly expressed your desire for the public to hear all the wiretap tape recordings.
Help me understand.
Do you still believe the wiretap tapes should be played for the public?
What has changed?
----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Blagojevich
To: <redacted>
Sent:Thu May 9 11:40:36 UTC 2013
Subject: Re: Inquiry
(Name redacted)
At this point what I believe Chase and Coen should do has to remain with me until Rod's appeal is completed.
I hope you can understand my position.
Robert
---------------------
On May 8, 2013, at 2:51 PM, <redacted> wrote:
Robert
Do you believe Tribune reporters John Chase and Jeff Coen should publish the wiretap transcripts they received from the Feds that were never made public?
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-----Original Message-----
From: <redacted>
To: Robert Blagojevich
Sent: 2013-05-07 15:03:50 +0000
Subject: Tapes and Transcripts
Robert
John Chase and Jeff Coen had this to say "no legal ban on us publishing" when asked about the wiretap tapes and transcripts that were never made public.
Tapes and transcripts that they received from the Feds.
Don't you think it's time for people to publicly insist that they do publish them?
Perhaps, if you ask.
Conclusion: If the Feds keep their word and release Blago from jail, the Blagojevich brothers will never reveal what’s on the wiretap tapes that the feds don’t want you to know.
Here's a question: Should you trust the Tribune Company?
Particularly now that it’s becoming clear that it works for the federal government.
Answer. I think not!
Hey Chicago Tribune: What’s on the secret Blagojevich tapes?
Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief
A reliable source informs IP2P that Tribune Company spokesman Gary Weitman has stated, for-the-record, that the decision to publish or not publish the Blagojevich wiretap transcripts – given to the Chicago Tribune, and only to the Tribune, by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and never made public – is a decision that rests in the hands of Tribune editor Gerould Kern.
Weitman knows that the tapes and transcripts were under court seal, and have not been made available to the public. Upon further inquiry, Weitman repeated that the decision to publish, or not publish, is one that would have to be taken-up with Gerould Kern.
To date, Kern has refused to respond to multiple request seeking an explanation for his decision not to publish the Blago tapes.
We call on Gerould Kern to rethink his decision, and publish the transcripts. And, if Kern does not reconsider, and continues to keep secrets, rather than act as a responsible newspaper editor, then we call on the Tribune Co. to replace him with someone who understands the importance of an honest "Fourth Estate".
What is on the Blago tapes that the Feds and Trib editor Gerould Kern do not want the public to know?
Next
What the Blago camp is saying....
To Trib Editor Gerould Kern: Tear down this wall…
Thomas Barton, Investigative reporter
Chicago Tribune reporters John Chase and Jeff Coen say the Feds gave them access to the Blagojevich wiretap tapes and transcripts they used in writing their book entitled “Golden.”
This access was granted to them when the material was under seal and unavailable to anyone else, in or out of the media.
IP2P has learned that Coen has made another claim – one that takes the cozy relationship between the Tribune and the Feds to a whole new level. Remember, the Feds initially leaked information to the Tribune about the existence of the Fed’s wiretap on Blago.
When asked about the sealed Blagojevich tapes and transcripts that the Feds shared with the two reporters for their book, Coen replied that the leaked material was “the Tribune's business.” He refused to elaborate.
In other words, talk to my boss. So we’ve talked to Coen’s boss.
Tribune Editor Gerould Kern was asked why the Trib has failed to share the tapes and transcripts with its readers.
Kern will not respond.
We call upon the Chicago Tribune to inform its readers and publish the transcripts. After all, they represent news, and the paper is supposed to be in the news business.
There is no legal ban on printing the material. Chase and Coen have already referred to tapes in their book. But there they only quoted material from inane conversations with little news value to Chicagoans.
In other words, they teased their readers, but didn’t inform them.
So to Gerould Kern we say: Tear down this wall that hides the Blagojevich tapes.