[Peace-discuss] somebody didn't take thier ethics test ...

[Ricky Baldwin]

Ill. Gov. arrested in Obama successor probe
By MIKE ROBINSON, Associated Press Writer Mike Robinson, Associated Press Writer  30 mins ago 
CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on Tuesday on charges that he brazenly conspired to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama to the highest bidder.
Blagojevich also was charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co., the owner of the Chicago Tribune, in the sale of Wrigley Field,
according to a federal criminal complaint. In return for state
assistance, Blagojevich allegedly wanted members of the paper's
editorial board who had been critical of him fired.
A
76-page FBI affidavit said the 51-year-old Democratic governor was
intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps over the last month conspiring
to sell or trade the vacant Senate seat for personal benefits for
himself and his wife, Patti.
Otherwise, Blagojevich considered appointing himself. The affidavit said that as late as Nov. 3, he told his deputy governor that if "they're not going to offer me anything of value I might as well take it."
"I'm
going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know,
and therefore I can drive a hard bargain," Blagojevich allegedly said
later that day, according to the affidavit, which also quoted him as
saying in a remark punctuated by profanity that the seat was "a
valuable thing — you just don't give it away for nothing."
The
affidavit said Blagojevich also discussed getting a substantial salary
for himself at a nonprofit foundation or an organization affiliated
with labor unions.
It said Blagojevich
also talked about getting his wife placed on corporate boards where she
might get $150,000 a year in director's fees.
He
also allegedly discussed getting campaign funds for himself or possibly
a post in the president's cabinet or an ambassadorship once he left the
governor's office. He noted becoming a U.S. senator might remake his image for a possible presidential run in 2016,
according to the affidavit. And he allegedly said a Senate seat would
also provide him with corporate contacts if he needed a job and present
an opportunity for his wife to work as a lobbyist.
"I want to make money," the affidavit quotes him as saying in one conversation.
The
affidavit said Blagojevich expressed frustration at being "stuck" as
governor and that he would have access to greater resources if he were
indicted while in the U.S. Senate than while sitting as governor.
U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald said in a statement that "the breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering."
"They allege that Blagojevich put a for sale sign on the naming of a United States senator," Fitzgerald said."
Messages left for Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero and at the governor's press office were not immediately returned Tuesday morning.
Among those being considered for the Senate post include U.S. Reps. Danny Davis and Jesse Jackson Jr.
The affidavit outlined a Nov. 10 call between Blagojevich, his wife, his chief of staff — John Harris, who also was arrested Tuesday — and a group of advisers in which Harris allegedly suggested working out an agreement with the Service Employees International Union.
Under
the plan, Blagojevich would appoint a new senator who would be helpful
to the president-elect and in turn get a job as head of Change to Win,
a group formed by the union. The union would get an unspecified favor
from Obama later.
Nothing in the court
papers suggested Obama had any part in the discussion. In fact,
Blagojevich allegedly said in the same conversation that Obama most
likely would not appoint him as secretary of health and human services
or to an ambassadorship because of the negative publicity that has
surrounded the governor for three years.
One
day later, according to the affidavit, Blagojevich allegedly told an
associate he knew Obama wanted a specific Senate candidate but "they're
not going to give me anything except appreciation." He finished the
remark with an expletive. 
Blagojevich also was charged with using his authority as governor in an attempt to squeeze out campaign contributions. 
Corruption in the Blagojevich administration has been the focus
of a federal investigation involving an alleged $7 million scheme aimed
at squeezing kickbacks out of companies seeking business from the
state. Federal prosecutors have acknowledged they're also investigating
"serious allegations of endemic hiring fraud" under Blagojevich, who
has a $177,412 salary, though it's unclear whether he accepts the
total. 
Political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko who raised money for
the campaigns of both Blagojevich and Obama is awaiting sentencing
after being convicted of fraud and other charges. Blagojevich's chief
fundraiser, Christopher G. Kelly, is due to stand trial early next year
on charges of obstructing the Internal Revenue Service. 
According to Tuesday's complaint, Blagojevich schemed with Rezko,
millionaire-fundraiser turned federal witness Stuart Levine and others
to get financial benefits for himself and his campaign committee. 
Federal prosecutors said Blagojevich and the chairman of his
campaign committee have been speeding up corrupt fundraising activities
in the last month to get as much money as possible before the end of
the year when a new law would curtail his ability to raise
contributions from companies with state contracts worth more than
$50,000. 
According to the affidavit, agents learned Blagojevich was
seeking $2.5 million in campaign contributions by the end of the year,
with a large part allegedly to come from companies and individuals who
have gotten state contracts or appointments. 
The affidavit also outlines Blagojevich conversations related to Tribune Co., which has been hoping to sell Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs which the publishing giant also owns. 
Blagojevich was quoted in court papers as telling Harris in a
profanity laced Nov. 4 conversation that his recommendation to Tribune
executives was to fire the editorial writers "and get us some editorial
support." 
Harris is quoted as telling the governor Nov. 11 that an
unnamed Tribune Owner, presumably CEO Sam Zell, "got the message and is
very sensitive to the issue." 
The affidavit said Harris quoted a Tribune financial adviser as
saying cuts were coming at the newspaper and "reading between the lines
he's going after that section," apparently meaning editorial writers.
Blagojevich is quoted as saying: "Oh, that's fantastic." 
"Wow," Blagojevich allegedly replied. "Keep our fingers crossed. You're the man. Good job, John." 
Harris allegedly told Blagojevich in his conversation with the
financial adviser he had singled out deputy editorial page editor John McCormick as "somebody who was the most biased and unfair." 
After hearing that, Blagojevich allegedly stressed to the head of a
Chicago sports consulting firm that it was important to provide state
aid for a Wrigley Field sale. 
Blagojevich took the chief executive's office in 2003 as a reformer promising to clean up former Gov. George Ryan's mess. 
Ryan, a Republican, is serving a 6-year prison sentence after
being convicted on racketeering and fraud charges. A decade-long
investigation began with the sale of driver's licenses for bribes and
led to the conviction of dozens of people who worked for Ryan when he
was secretary of state and governor. 
FBI spokesman Frank Bochte said federal agents arrested the
governor and Harris simultaneously at their homes at 6:15 a.m. and took
them to the Chicago FBI headquarters. 
He did not have any details about Blagojevich's arrest, only that he was cooperative with federal agents. 
"It was a very calm setting," he said. 
The governor was to appear later Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate
Judge Nan Nolan to answer the charges. The time was not immediately
set. 
___ 
Associated Press Writer Don Babwin contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press.


      
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