More Blowjobjevich
From CBS in Chicago:
Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents on federal corruption charges alleging that they and others are engaging in ongoing criminal activity: conspiring to obtain personal financial benefits for Blagojevich by leveraging his sole authority to appoint a United States Senator; threatening to withhold substantial state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members sharply critical of Blagojevich; and to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for official actions – both historically and now in a push before a new state ethics law takes effect January 1, 2009.
Blagojevich, 51, and Harris, 46, both of Chicago, were each charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery. They were charged in a two-count criminal complaint that was sworn out on Sunday and unsealed today following their arrests, which occurred without incident, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Both men were expected to appear later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
Drew has been watching the press conference.
The government says he wanted a $50K kickback from the CEO of a children’s hospital that received state money. When the kickback didn’t show up, he tried to have the funding pulled from the hospital.
Classy guy.
Blagojevich wanted to have Tribune editors who were critical of him in exchange for state support for tax credits.
He wanted a cabinet post or an ambassadorship and a job for his wife in exchange for nominating a particular person to Obama’s Senate seat.
Fitzgerald says Obama was not involved in any negotiations.
Wow, this isn’t some sort of complicated scheme, it’s just hardball give to get.
Now Fitz is asking people who may have been approached by Blagojevich before the taps went in to come forward…so there maybe more to come.
FBI Agent in Charge of Chicago says ‘it’s a new low for Illinois’, that’s saying something. “If it (Illinois) isn’t the most corrupt state, it’s certainly one hell of a competitor”. Says his agents were shocked and sickened by what they heard.
Fitz says there’s a bills sitting on the Governor’s desk that was the subject of a bribe and they wanted to get Blagojevich out before he could act of them. That’s part of the reason for the timing of the indictments.
That’s the kind of hope and change we just voted into the White House, folks. Chicago machine politics.
rightwingprof :: Dec.09.2008 :: Crime, Obama :: No Comments »
