According to an internal review released by the Obama transition team moments ago, President-elect Barack Obama had no direct contact with Gov. Rod Blagojevich or any of his staff about the vacant U.S. Senate seat. Incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel did have multiple conversations with the Illinois governor's office, but the Tribune reports that "no one close to Obama suspected that the governor might be trying to sell Obama's Senate seat as prosecutors allege."

Despite intense media speculation, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald had repeatedly reiterated that Blago's affidavit "makes no allegations about the president-elect whatsoever." The report verifies Fitzgerald's claim.