Full Breakdown
Unsealed FBI Interviews Reveal 2008 Illinois Senate Seat Discussions
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Federal documents obtained by Fox News include partially redacted FBI interview summaries of President-elect Barack Obama (interviewed Dec. 18, 2009) and his incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel (interviewed Dec. 20, 2009). The notes record that Emanuel and senior adviser David Axelrod met with Senator Dick Durbin and agreed that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan would be a suitable appointee for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Obama in 2008. The Obama interview summary notes that Obama was asked whether he knew of Emanuel’s conversation with the Blagojevich administration about a “Madigan-in-exchange-legislation” arrangement.
Background & Context
When Obama won the presidency in 2008, his Senate seat became vacant. Initial discussions, according to the interview notes, considered Valerie Jarrett for the seat, but Obama later decided to keep her as a senior White House advisor. Blagojevich, who was later arrested on corruption charges, repeatedly claimed he was close to a deal that would appoint Madigan in return for the Madigan family’s support of Obama’s healthcare and budget proposals.
Official Statements & Responses
No response was received from Obama or Emanuel when Fox News sought comment after the release.
Legal Outcomes
Blagojevich was arrested in December 2009, convicted, and served 7 years 11 months before President Donald Trump commuted his sentence in 2020. He received a full pardon in 2025. Ultimately, Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris to the seat; Republican Mark Kirk won the 2010 election, and Tammy Duckworth succeeded him in 2016.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Governor Blagojevich was arrested in the middle of what we can only describe as a political corruption crime spree. We acted to stop that crime spree.” — Northern District, of Illinois Patrick Fitzgerald
- “That just proves the Madigan deal was very much front and center. It was something I was about to do,” — Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
- “He did not want to put his thumb on the scale.” — Barack Obama, former president