The name Valerie Jarrett is being sprinkled throughout trial testimony today in the Rod Blagojevich Senate seat scandal. A Nor Cal graduate of Stanford University Jarrett currently serves as the White House Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement for the Obama administration. She is commonly referenced as “Obama friend” or “good friend of Obama”.
Prior to Jarrett’s start in the political arena she was a resident of Northern California and attended Stanford University, located 88-miles northeast of Stockton in Palo Alto. Jarrett completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Stanford and then went on to earn her law degree.
Jarrett is credited as helping the Obamas “get where they are today” and it seems from trial testimony, Obama also wanted to help Jarrett into a seat in the Senate.
The Chicago Tribune reports, “On government wiretaps played in court at Blagojevich's retrial Wednesday, the former governor was heard discussing how an intermediary had run a proposal by the Obama camp: Jarrett would get the Senate seat and Blagojevich would be named to a Cabinet post.”
Testimony from John Harris who served as Blago’s former Chief of Staff revealed that a federal informant passed a message from the President-Elect Obama’s camp to Blagojevich.
"That the President-elect would be thankful and appreciative if the governor would appoint Valerie Jarrett to the Senate seat," Harris said. "I said I understood and I would deliver the message."
On Nov. 11, Harris relays the message to his boss. This time the call is recorded.
"We know he wants her, they're not willing to give me anything, just appreciation, f--- them," Blagojevich says on tape.
The next day, Valerie Jarrett pulled out of contention for the Senate seat post.
Prior to Jarrett’s start in the political arena she was a resident of Northern California and attended Stanford University, located 88-miles northeast of Stockton in Palo Alto. Jarrett completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Stanford and then went on to earn her law degree.
Jarrett is credited as helping the Obamas “get where they are today” and it seems from trial testimony, Obama also wanted to help Jarrett into a seat in the Senate.
The Chicago Tribune reports, “On government wiretaps played in court at Blagojevich's retrial Wednesday, the former governor was heard discussing how an intermediary had run a proposal by the Obama camp: Jarrett would get the Senate seat and Blagojevich would be named to a Cabinet post.”
Testimony from John Harris who served as Blago’s former Chief of Staff revealed that a federal informant passed a message from the President-Elect Obama’s camp to Blagojevich.
"That the President-elect would be thankful and appreciative if the governor would appoint Valerie Jarrett to the Senate seat," Harris said. "I said I understood and I would deliver the message."
On Nov. 11, Harris relays the message to his boss. This time the call is recorded.
The next day, Valerie Jarrett pulled out of contention for the Senate seat post.
