Speculation is rampant in Illinois and in the blogosphere over the identity of the unnamed characters in the affidavit supporting the complaint.

1. Advisor A and Advisor B

Some have wondered whether David Axelrod is Advisor A or Advisor B. This strikes me as highly unlikely.

Advisor A is described in the affidavit supporting the complaint as "a former Deputy Governor under ROD BLAGOJEVICH who is currently a lobbyist."

Advisor B is described as "a Washington D.C.-based consultant."

David Axelrod was never "a former Deputy Governor" and he is a consultant based in Chicago, not DC.

2. Senate Candidate 1

Identified as female and described as "an advisor to the President-elect," she is very probably Valerie Jarrett, as I noted in an earlier post.

3. Senate Candidate 2

Senate Candidate 2 is Lisa Madigan, the state attorney general.

The Allegations:

97. On November 6, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Spokesman. ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Spokesman to leak to a particular columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, that Senate Candidate 2 is in the running for the vacant Senate seat. According to ROD BLAGOJEVICH, by doing this, he wanted "to send a message to the [President-elect's] people," but did not want it known that the message was from ROD BLAGOJEVICH.

Thereafter, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Spokesman discussed specific language that should be used in the Sun Times column and arguments as to why Senate Candidate 2 made sense for the vacant Senate seat. A review of this particular Sun Times column on November 7, 2008, indicates references to the specific language and arguments regarding Senate Candidate 2 as a potential candidate for the Senate seat, as discussed by ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Spokesman.

Here is part of the Michael Sneed Sun-Times column referred to in the allegations:

The latest from Blagoville: Is Gov. Rod Blagojevich toying with tossing Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who wants Blago's job?

Putting these two together, Madigan's identity is a near certainty.

4. Senate Candidate 3

JTA, a Jewish news service, claims (with no supporting facts at all) that Senate Candidate 3 is US Rep. Jan Schakowsky.

JTA has learned that Schakowsky, the only Jewish contender to replace Obama, is the "Senate Candidate 3" in the prosecution complaint.

5. Senate Candidate 4

The Affidavit states that "Senate Candidate 4 is a Deputy Governor of the State of Illinois." That would mean one of the following: Dean Martinez, Bob Greenlee, or Louanner Peters. Arch Pundit speculates that Senate Candidate 4 is Louanner Peters, but gives no reasons for her over the other two.

6. Senate Candidate 5

Although some have suggested that Senate Candidate 5 is Jesse Jackson, Jr., the likelier guess is Emil Jones, Obama's "political godfather" and former mentor in the Illinois Senate. More on that later.

7. Senate Candidate 6

The Affidavit states that, "Senate Candidate 6, based on other intercepted conversations, is believed to be a wealthy person from Illinois."

On Nov. 26, 2008, Michael Sneed's column ran this item:

HMMM . . .

The name of wealthy businessman J.B. Pritzker, a big supporter of U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, seems to be bubbling up more frequently to the top of Gov. Blagojevich's short list to fill President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat.

A Nov. 10, 2008 Sun-times editorial mentions two wealthy possibilities: J.B. Pritzker and Edwin Eisendrath.

8. President-elect Advisor

There is speculation that the "President-elect Advisor" is Rahm Emanuel. More on that later.