CHICAGO, IL – Sources inside the Obama Transition Team have confirmed that Rahm Emanuel tipped off FBI to Governor Rod Blagojevich’s schemes as payback.
Emanuel, Chief of Staff to the President-Elect, known throughout the Capitol as “Rahmbo,” is a political ball-buster and ruthless opponent. It has been no secret in Illinois that Emanuel, a popular member of the House of Representatives, is no fan of the embattled Illinois Governor.
Rumors have circulated for years that during the Clinton Administration, Emanuel, a top political adviser, challenged several members of the House to a duel on the lawn of the Illinois State Capitol. Blagojevich was reportedly the only one to accept the challenge.
They met at dawn and stood back to back before walking 20 paces and turning to face one another. Emanuel’s gun misfired. In his anger, he showed Blagojevich his favorite finger.
Blagojevich, with surprisingly good aim, shot off the tip of Emanuel’s middle finger on the right hand.
It was the first time Emanuel was on the losing end of a political gunfight, and he would never forget the lost phalange. As Blagojevich began making blatant attempts to sell Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder, Emanuel saw an opportunity for payback.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that Emanuel asked the FBI to allow him to settle the matter with Blagojevich through a duel. When asked about the allegation, US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said, “I cannot comment on that. But it sure sounds like Rahmbo.”
Talk about civil war in the leper colony.
I wish both had done more target practice previous to this encounter.