According to a story in the Chicago Sun Times, Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had one on one conversations with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich where a replacement for Obama's senate seat was discussed:

President-elect Barack Obama's incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had a deeper involvement in pressing for a U.S. Senate seat appointment than previously reported, the Sun-Times has learned. Emanuel had direct discussions about the seat with Gov. Blagojevich, who is is accused of trying to auction it to the highest bidder.

Emanuel talked with the governor in the days following the Nov. 4 election and pressed early on for the appointment of Valerie Jarrett to the post, sources with knowledge of the conversations told the Sun-Times. There was no indication from sources that Emanuel brokered a deal, however.

A source with the Obama camp strongly denied Emanuel spoke with the governor directly about the seat, saying Emanuel only spoke with Blagojevich once recently to say he was taking the chief of staff post.

But sources with knowledge of the investigation said Blagojevich told his aides about the calls with Emanuel and sometimes gave them directions afterward. Sources said that early on, Emanuel pushed for the appointment of Jarrett to the governor and his staff and asked that it be done by a certain date.

At least some of the conversations between Emanuel and Blagojevich were likely caught on tape, sources said.

Is Rahmbo lying to his boss? An Obama camp spokesman says he didn't speak to Blagojevich at all until recently and not about the senate seat. But a source "with knowledge of the investigation" (Ed Morrissey believes this source to be in Blago's camp) disputes that.

And at least some of those conversations where caught on tape? No wonder Rahmbo doesn't want to talk with the press.

If Obama was hoping that the Christmas release of that staff report on contacts with Blago was going to be lost in all the holiday cheer, he can forget about it now.