Obama Blagojevich Report

- Five-page report was released on December 23, 2008
- Report detailed contacts between Obama's staff members and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
- Researched and compiled by Obama's White House counsel Greg CraigThe New York Times: No Improper Contact With Governor... (December 23, 2008)
- Obama had long maintained that neither he nor his staff had improper contacts with BlagojevichFOX News: Obama to Detail Contact With Gov. Blagojevich (December 22, 2008)
- Obama was in Hawaii on vacation when the report was released

President-elect Barack Obama's transition released an internal report on a review of contacts between his staff members and embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. The five-page report released on December 23, 2008, claims that neither Obama nor any members of his transition team engaged in "inappropriate discussions with the Governor or anyone from his office" regarding the vacant Senate seat.FOX News: RAW DATA: Internal Review of Obama Transition Staff... (December 23, 2008)
Highlights of Report

In compiling the report, Greg Craig conducted interviews with Barack Obama, Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett, David Axelrod and Eric Whitaker. Of these five, only Emanuel spoke directly with Blagojevich or his staff about the Illinois Senate appointment. During these "one or two telephone calls with Governor Blagojevich," the two did discuss potential candidates to fill the vacant seat, but Craig deemed these conversations "totally appropriate and acceptable."FOX News: RAW DATA: Internal Review of Obama Transition Staff... (December 23, 2008) The New York Times: No Improper Contact With Governor...(December 23, 2008)
Blagojevich's Arrest

Illinois Governor Blagojevich was arrested on December 9, 2008, in connection with corruption charges. One of the charges against him related to an alleged scheme to sell an appointment to Obama's vacant senate seat.Chicago Tribune: Blagojevich arrested... (December 10, 2008)