The corruption trial of Tony Rezko continued Monday. At one point, Barack Obama's name surfaced in connection with recommendations for job appointments:

Obama's name surfaced briefly Monday as Rezko's lawyers introduced a series of e-mail exchanges in June 2003 involving lobbyist Matthew Pickering, Blagojevich lawyer Susan Lichtenstein and Monk, then the governor's chief of staff.

Pickering worked in the lobbying firm of David Wilhelm, who ran Blagojevich's 2002 campaign. In one e-mail, Pickering laid out a list of four people he and Wilhelm wanted Blagojevich to consider for appointment to the hospital planning board. Pickering also mentioned that the firm had worked closely with several top legislators, Obama included, in pushing legislation to overhaul the hospital board.

Lawyers for Rezko said the e-mail did not suggest a connection between Obama and the candidates pushed by Wilhelm for the hospital panel.

The New York Times reports on the e-mail:[More...]

Update: The New York Times reports the Attorney General authorized the investigation of Spitzer:

The inquiry, like many such investigations, was a delicate one. Because the focus was a high-ranking government official, prosecutors were required to seek the approval of the United States attorney general to proceed. Once they secured that permission, the investigation moved forward.

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The S.D. Florida blog has a post on whether it's right (as opposed to legally permissible) to charge Gov. Eliot Spitzer under the Mann Act (18 USC 2421, 2422 are the possible applicable sections.)

Now, should the feds pursue a simple prostitution case just because the prostitute traveled from state to state? There is nothing to suggest that the prostitute was coerced or was forced into this business (in fact, she was making more per hour than just about every lawyer in town). The original Mann Act of 1910 was really meant to outlaw forced prostitution (and was known as the "White Slave Traffic Act.") Although recent cases have greatly expanded the scope of the Act and the prosecution would be permissible, do you think such a prosecution is appropriate?

Trivia -- The most famous person prosecuted under the Mann Act is probably Charlie Chaplin.

Chaplin was acquitted. I'll add Chuck Berry to the list, although in his case the woman was a minor. [More...]

By Big Tent Democrat

My old friend and intellectual adversary Al Giordano at The Field echoes my prediction about Missisippi.

Al predicts a 17-16 delegate split in favor of Obama. Al also includes great analysis of each congressional district and pretty maps. Check it out. He does a terrific job.

WCBS TV (New York) reports that New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has lawyered up. He's retained the New York law firm, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind Wharton & Garrison. It also reports Spitzer is expected to resign Tuesday.

Question: Can we expect an appearance by Libby Lawyer Ted Wells, partner at Paul Weiss?

The New York Times in an editorial for tomorrow, explains why it's different for Spitzer than for others:

Mr. Spitzer’s own record of prosecuting such cases gives him scant breathing room. As state attorney general, he prosecuted prostitution rings with enthusiasm — pointing out that they are often involved in human trafficking, drug trafficking and money laundering. In 2004, on Staten Island, Mr. Spitzer was vehement in his outrage over 16 people arrested in a high-end prostitution ring.

If Spitzer resigns, New York's Lt. Governor David Patterson will take his place.

As for possible criminal charges, my latest post on the ABC report that he is being investigated for structuring financial transactions is here.

Update: Here's the press release (pdf) the U.S. Attorney's office sent out when filing the case against the Emporer's Club defendants.

By Big Tent Democrat

Speaking for me only. Jeralyn opposes a revote.

I am starting to worry that some Democrats do not get that they are playing with fire with this MI/FL situation. The latest is from Senator Chris Dodd, who I once supported for President, and who is now an Obama supporter:

"Split up the delegations, let 'em each have 50 percent of it and move on," said Dodd. "You don't have to go back over and re-do these things. . . . My view is make this as simple as you can."

. . . "I don't like the idea that taxpayers will have to pay," said Dodd. "Why should they have to pay twice?" . . . Some in the party have proposed having major Democratic donors pay for the do-over primaries instead of taxpayers. Dodd rejected that approach. "The idea that a bunch of fat cats are gonna finance it, I don't like that idea at all," Dodd said.

More . . .

Update: According to the New York Times, the Attorney General did authorize investigation of Spitzer:

The inquiry, like many such investigations, was a delicate one. Because the focus was a high-ranking government official, prosecutors were required to seek the approval of the United States attorney general to proceed. Once they secured that permission, the investigation moved forward.

*****

ABC News reports New York Governor Eliot Spitzer was the initial subject of the Justice Department investigation and it was his suspicious money transfers that led to their discovery of the prostitution ring. ABC says the feds are likely to charge him with the crime of structuring financial transactions:

The federal investigation of a New York prostitution ring was triggered by Gov. Eliot Spitzer's suspicious money transfers, initially leading agents to believe Spitzer was hiding bribes, according to federal officials.

It was only months later that the IRS and the FBI determined that Spitzer wasn't hiding bribes but payments to a company called QAT, what prosecutors say is a prostitution operation operating under the name of the Emperors Club.

And this:

The suspicious financial activity was initially reported by a bank to the IRS which, under direction from the Justice Department, brought kin the FBI's Public Corruption Squad.

"We had no interest at all in the prostitution ring until the thing with Spitzer led us to learn about it," said one Justice Department official.

More...

By Big Tent Democrat

Speaking for me only.

In a comment to this post, Hilzoy writes

I think ex ante fairness is, as you say, crucial. That said, I really, really, really hope that someone in the party is working very very hard to avoid a situation in which I have to decide what to do if Clinton wins through illegitimate means.

I will vote for [Clinton] in November if she is nominated fairly. (Which means no Michigan and Florida, and also no raiding pledged delegates.) . . .

(Emphasis supplied.) This is where the "rules are rules" crowd really bothers me, they actually are not for the rules. The DNC delegate selection rules (PDF) called for a number of things (Rule 21 provided Florida a safe harbor for its delegates; Rule 20C.1.a. provided for a 50% penalty, not complete stripping of the delegates; Rule 20.C.7 called for the DNC to perform an investigation of the Florida situation, it did not; and Rule 20.C.5 provides the DNC the opportunity to approve a new process for Florida and Michigan to devise alternative means of selecting their delegates). None of these ex ante rules have been followed to date. One is being worked on, the revote primaries. But in Hilzoy's mind, seating the Florida and Michigan delegations, even after a revote, violates ex ante fairness. Please. Not to mention the fact that the ex ante rules allows for "raiding pledged delegates." Yes, rules are rules, except when they are not. More . . .

Will Eliot Spitzer resign? I think he will tomorrow.

Should he?

Survey USA just did a poll and finds 58% of New Yorkers say yes.

Here's a thread to discuss the political aspects of today's Spitzer revelations.

And, will he keep his superdelegate status at the Democratic convention?

Earlier threads are here and here.

First Spitzer thread here.

CNN just reported Gov. Eliot Spitzer is under federal criminal investigation and that he is, indeed, customer "9" in the 55 page affidavit in support of search and arrest warrants in the case of U.S. v. Mark Brener, et. al.

Spitzer was at a hotel in Washington, D.C. and allegedly asked Tameka "Rachelle" Lewis to send someone from NY to D.C. to his room at the Mayflower.

Go to page 34. There's a lot of detail. Paragraph 85 may be key.

It's clear from the document that Customer #9 was a repeat customer and that he intended to use them again in the future. Read pages 34 to 39. They discuss his having a credit balance and whether he can leave more than he owes for future visits.

Also, when Tameka, aka Rochelle, told #9 it would be "Kristen", # 9 was very pleased. ("Great, ok, wonderful" he said." Par. 80.)

Update: I sincerely doubt Spitzer will be charged with a crime. He probably will have to cooperate with the feds in the prosecution of the members of the prostitution ring. Did Spitzer commit a violation of the Mann Act, 18 USC 2422?

Whoever knowingly persuades, induces, entices, or coerces any individual to travel in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or Possession of the United States, to engage in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

Spitzer's statement today is here.

By Big Tent Democrat

Speaking for me only

Via Kos, Geraldine Ferraro said:

"I think what America feels about a woman becoming president takes a very secondary place to Obama's campaign - to a kind of campaign that it would be hard for anyone to run against," she said. "For one thing, you have the press, which has been uniquely hard on her. It's been a very sexist media. Some just don't like her. The others have gotten caught up in the Obama campaign.

So far so good. Insightful even. Then she goes off the rails:

New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is about to hold a press conference. He advised his aides earlier he's been linked to a prostitution ring.

Update: Jeffrey Toobin went to law school with Spitzer and is telling CNN now on the phone he was always such a straight arrow. As Attorney General, he was always a "moralist." I have to agree. I used to debate Spitzer on tv before he was Attorney General and met him several times. He's the least likely person I can imagine being involved in this. I never liked his position on crime, but I liked him and am sorry to see this.

We're all waiting for the press conference. It's still not happening. CNN says he was a customer of the ring. This was an IRS investigation, would he really have used a credit card and left a paper trail? Or did his name just show up in records? Stay tuned, I'll try to live-blog the press conference if it happens.

Update: Press Conference: His wife is by his side. He didn't resign, he apologized to his family and the public and said he would be taking some time to regain the trust of his family. Very short, no details. He said politics is not about individuals, it's about ideas. He said he'll be reporting back. He said he acted in a way that violates the obligation to his family and his sense of right and wrong. No questions.

More on the prostitution ring below:

I've been writing about Canadian Omar Khadr, the 15 year old seized on the battlefield in Afghanistan (gruesome picture here) and held at Bagram and Guantanamo ever since. He's now 21 and facing trial by a Pentagon military tribunal. Another hearing in his case is set for next week. He's the only Westerner still at Guantanamo.

The U.S. charges he threw a grenade at an American medic in an alleged al-Qaida compound, killing him. Omar was shot three times by U.S. soldiers and blinded in one eye.

The Toronto Star today has a long excerpt from a new book about him by Toronto Star journalist Michelle Shephard, Guantanamo's Child. It chronicles his first days in U.S. custody. Part 2, detailing how he was used as a human mop, is here.

More....