Brain photoBY: Brian J. Vickers: Replies to this article can be sent to photojournalistbrian@gmail.com

Danny Davis and Rod Blagojevich met when they were both members of Congress; during the time Davis and Blagojevich served in Congress together, they formed an “excellent relationship,” both personally and professionally. Davis recalls attending the funeral of Blagojevich’s father. Blagojevich and Davis’s father had lunch together several times in a restaurant in the bottom of where Congressman Davis’s office was located, in Homan Square. Davis also recalls having lunch or breakfast at Edna’s Restaurant, with Blagojevich. Although Blagojevich used to always call Edna’s Restaurant, Edna’s Kitchen. Danny would always say “Rod it’s not Edna’s Kitchen, its Edna’s Restaurant.”

Throughout their relationship, never did Blagojevich ask Davis to raise any money for his campaign war chest. Blagojevich never asked Davis to give him any money directly. However, then-Governor Blagojevich did make an offer to Congressman Davis, to become Barack Obama’s replacement in the United States Senate. But never did Blagojevich asked Davis to help him further his political agenda, or to help the state of Illinois. Nor did Blagojevich approach Congressman Davis with any “pay-to-play, or any quid-pro-quo,” in relation to the vacant Senate Seat of Barack Obama.

Although Davis was interested in becoming a US Senator, after Blagojevich was arrested on

Congressman Danny K. Davis
Congressman Danny K. Davis

political corruption charges, the view of Blagojevich and the Senate Seat were tainted. Therefore, Davis felt that anyone who accepted an appointment to the Senate Seat, from Blagojevich would not be able to get re-elected. Moreover, Davis did not want to spend time answering questions to the media about what conversations took place between he and Blagojevich about the Senate Seat. As much as Davis would have loved to become a US Senator, he declined the offer.

If Blagojevich would have offered Davis the opportunity to become a US Senator before all of the calamity struck, Davis would have accepted the offer. Davis would have been more than willing to help Blagojevich politically; because on several issues, such as health-care for children, and free rides on public transportation, Davis agreed with Blagojevich. If Blagojevich would have had more allies like Congressman Danny Davis in the legislative body, his tenure as Governor would have been remembered as one the greatest in Illinois history.

 

By CCNM

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