Unsealed FBI interviews reveal Obama, Emanuel's discussions about Blagojevich Senate seat deal
FBI Interviews Reveal New Details on Blagojevich’s 2009 Senate‑Seat Scandal
Chicago, Illinois – In the weeks after former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested for allegedly trying to sell Barack Obama’s 2008 U.S. Senate seat, the FBI conducted confidential interviews with President‑elect Barack Obama and his chief of staff Rahm Emanuel. The partially‑redacted transcripts, released by Fox News, have uncovered a more detailed picture of the political maneuvering that followed the governor’s arrest.
A Brief Chronology
- December 8, 2008 – Democratic strategist David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel meet with Senator Dick Durbin in Washington, D.C. The trio agrees that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan would be a viable Senate candidate.
- December 9, 2009 – Blagojevich is taken into custody at his Chicago home. He is charged with attempting to sell the Senate seat that had been vacated by Obama after he was elected President.
- December 18, 2009 – FBI interviews President‑elect Obama.
- December 20, 2009 – FBI interviews Rahm Emanuel.
- February 2024 – Fox News publishes the partially redacted FD‑302 files from the two interviews.
The “Madigan Deal”
The interview notes indicate that Obama was asked whether he was aware of Emanuel’s conversations with the Blagojevich administration about Lisa Madigan. Obama’s replies suggest that Emanuel knew Madigan was an acceptable choice and that there was an “open line of conversation” between the White House and the governor’s office. In Emanuel’s own notes, he records that he had contacted John Harris, Blagojevich’s chief of staff, to highlight Madigan’s qualifications.
Blagojevich, who later admitted that he had been “closing in on a deal to appoint Lisa Madigan to the U.S. Senate,” is quoted in the documents as saying:
“That just proves the Madigan deal was very much front and center. It was something I was about to do.”
The documents also note that Blagojevich had allegedly planned to exchange the Senate appointment for the Madigan family’s support of his healthcare package and budget proposals. Lisa Madigan, who at the time was Illinois Attorney General and daughter of former Speaker Mike Madigan, had largely faded from public attention by the time the scandal broke. Mike Madigan himself would later be imprisoned on corruption charges.
Obama’s Initial Preference
The FBI notes that Obama first considered former senior adviser Valerie Jarrett to fill the seat, but ultimately decided to keep her in the White House as a senior advisor instead. Emanuel reportedly wanted Jarrett for the Senate, but recognized the awkwardness of having a close White House ally in Washington. Obama, according to the transcripts, made the final decision and instructed Emanuel that he would not reconsider.
Subsequent Candidates and Appointment
After the governor’s arrest, the Senate seat remained a point of contention. Obama’s team considered other candidates, including former U.S. Army Officer Tammy Duckworth, Representative Jan Schakowsky, and Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. (Jackson would later be convicted in a separate corruption case.)
Blagojevich ultimately appointed Roland Burris, a former state senator, to the vacant seat in January 2010. Burris did not seek election in 2010; the seat was won by Republican Mark Kirk, who served until 2016, when Tammy Duckworth was elected.
Legal Outcomes
Blagojevich was sentenced to nearly eight years in federal prison. President Donald Trump commuted his sentence in 2020, and the former governor received a full presidential pardon in 2025. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who oversaw the case, characterized the arrest as part of “stopping a political corruption crime spree.”
Current Status
Fox News has reached out to former President Obama and Rahm Emanuel for comment, but neither has responded. The newly released FBI interview records provide the most comprehensive look to date at the complex web of political negotiations that surrounded the 2009 Senate‑seat scandal. They underscore how quickly a federal investigation can expose the behind‑the‑scenes dealings of elected officials, and how those revelations can reshape public perception of political corruption in Illinois and beyond.