The Chicago Tribune reports that Rahm Emanuel has some questions to answer about his involvement in the Blagojevich case:
The former North Side congressman, picked by Obama in November as his top staff member, was allegedly the subject of extortion in 2006 after he inquired about a $2 million state grant to benefit a school in his district. Prosecutors say Blagojevich instructed a top aide to block the release of the money, even though it had been included in the state's budget.
Blagojevich also allegedly told a high-ranking state official that Emanuel's brother needed to host a fundraiser for him. The indictment does not say which of two brothers was mentioned, but the White House aide said it was Ari Emanuel, a high-powered Hollywood agent active in political fundraising.
Prosecutors said a fundraiser was never held. The aide would not say whether Emanuel ever actually learned of the request.
That's an important detail. If Emanuel knew he was the target of an extortion plot, shouldn't he have reported it?
