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Highlights: DOJ Criminal Complaint Says Gov. Embraced Pay-to-play & Sought to Use Obama's Senate Seat for Personal Advantage

Submitted by christine on Tue, 12/09/2008 - 12:02pm.

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT
by Christine Bowman

Highlights from the DOJ's press release are summarized below:

The governor and his chief of staff are accused of:

  • conspiring to obtain personal financial benefits by leveraging his sole authority to appoint a US Senator;
  • threatening to withhold state assistance to the Tribune Company in its bid to sell Wrigley Field so as to induce the firing of editorial board members critical of the governor;
  • and to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for official actions -- both historically and recently.

Rod Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff John Harris were each charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery.

In association with making the appointment to fill Barack Obama's now vacated US Senate seat, Blagojevich discussed his hopes of obtaining for himself a highly paid job on a non-profit or union-affiliated organization; placing his wife on well paid corporate boards; receiving promises of campaign funds in exchange for naming a specific candidate to the seat; or garnering a cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself. He also weighed the benefits of naming himself to fill the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Obama. US Attorney Fitzgerald called the breadth of corruption "staggering."

The probe of Blagojevich is part of the DOJ's larger "Operation Board Games" investigation of pay-to-play schemes, insider-dealing, influence-peddling and kickbacks involving private interest and public duties.

Charges also appear to involve "Friends of Blagojevich," the governor's campaign committee. Some testimony by witnesses at the Rezko trial is included in today's criminal complaint.

Parties cited in conversations but not necessarily implicated include Fundraiser A (chair of Friends of Blagojevich), Individuals A and B, Highway Contractor 1, Hospital Executive 1 (CEO of Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago), Deputy Governor A, Fundraiser A, Lobbyist 1, Contributor 1, Advisor A, Advisor B, Governor General Counsel, Individual D, Tribune Financial Advisor, and Sports Consultant.

Among those evidently contemplated by the governor as beneficiaries of various schemes, besides Blagojevich himself and Chief of Staff Harris, included the horse racing industry, The Chicago Tribune's owner, Children's Memorial Hospital, a Highway contractor, the governor's wife, Change To Win (affiliated with the Service Employees International Union and other unions), the SEIU, Senate Candidate 1 (who has since removed herself from consideration for the open seat), and Senate Candidate 5, whom Blagojevich said he had been pressured not to appoint.

According to the DOJ press release: "Blagojevich agreed it was unlikely that the President-elect would name him Secretary of Health and Human Services or give him an ambassadorship because of all of the negative publicity surrounding him." Furthermore, "Blagojevich said he knew that the President-elect wanted Senate Candidate 1 for the open seat but 'they're not willing to give me anything except appreciation. [Expletive] them.'"

Conviction on the mail and wire fraud accounts would carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Conviction of solicitation of bribery carries a maximum of 10 years in prison  plus substantial fines.The press release concludes: "The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt."

Related Coverage:

Illinois Dem Governor Rod Blagojevich Arrested on Multiple Federal Felony Charges, As Chicago-Based BuzzFlash Has Predicted for Months -- The BuzzFlash Editor's Blog

Blagojevich Plotted To Trade Senate Appointment for a Job of His Own -- And Even May Have Soon Named Himself Senator -- A BuzzFlash News Alert

BuzzFlash Summary of Criminal Complaints Against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich: Just Staggering Greed -- A BuzzFlash News Alert

Master of delusion: IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich thought he might run for president in 2016 -- A BuzzFlash News Analysis

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky Calls for Immediate Resignation or Impeachment of Blagojevich -- A BuzzFlash News Alert

Fitzgerald: 'He attempted to sell the Senate seat' -- A BuzzFlash News Alert

To thwart Blagojevich, Dick Durbin wants a special election for Obama's Senate seat -- A BuzzFlash News Alert

Meet Pat Quinn: the man who might pick Barack Obama's Senate replacement -- A BuzzFlash News Alert

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

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BoA the motivator, doubtful,

Submitted by TJAmericanWay on Wed, 12/10/2008 - 9:12am.
I believe that the BoA stunt was nothing more than him trying to profit (in a public opinion way) from the brew ha-ha at Republic Windows. This investigation has been on going for a long time, and I think that the BoA statement and the arrest were coincidental.

I believe that what drove the decision to act now and arrest as opposed to calling a Grand Jury for an indictment was the fact that Fitzgerald realized that if he waited the Senate seat might be gone before the indictment was filed. Then again I heard that the soon to be ex-governor had made a call to Obama's chief of staff the day prior to the arrest. Maybe something in that conversation prompted action as well.

Either way I've been "giggling like a little girl" ever since I heard about this arrest. As an Illinois resident and citizen I'm pleased as punch that he's going down. His time in office has been yet another black mark in Illinois political history.
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It is a shame that candidates for office must spend so much time

Submitted by vvvc1 on Tue, 12/09/2008 - 4:27pm.
It is a shame that candidates for office must spend so much time BEGGING FOR MONEY.

I just heard Buzzflash editor & founder Mark Karlin on the Randi Rhodes radio show, saying that Illinois Dem. Gov. Rod Blagojevich "was a good congressman when I met him and we worked on [some specific issue] in Springfield" but that Blagojevich "became like a teen with the keys to the car, he got the bottle and started drinking straight from a bottle of tequila while driving" once he became governor.

The problem, of course, is that politicians must raise insane amounts of money to run for statewide offices (particularily in a powerful and wealthy state like Illinois) and that it is at the very least a RELENTLESS, tiring process, and really a DEMEANING PROCESS that brings out the worst in some officials once they win that position of power they have had to work so hard (and grovel so much) for.

Some might point to the recent Obama campaign, and say, "Well, Senator Obama had NO PROBLEM RAISING FUNDS from thousands upon millions of small donors" - BUT, while true, that was only AFTER the ECONOMIC NOOSE of Bush's 8 years of disastrous policies started driving Americans to desperation, or at least activation as politically involved participants.

We Americans get the government we deserve, and, unfortunately, Blagojevich's "pay to play" corruption are just another reminder of how apathetic and uninformed American voters have been - and how unresponsive the big parties have been to campaign reform - these past dozen years.

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Has Bank of America anything to do with it?

Submitted by Malgoska on Tue, 12/09/2008 - 2:44pm.

Interesting that it happened right after Blagojevich suspended business with BoA...

Makes one wonder how much of those charges are actually true, and how many are made up on the spot, to punish Blagojevich for the blasphemy.

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Incredible disppointment.

Submitted by orbitalman on Tue, 12/09/2008 - 2:14pm.
I am from Illinois and my disappointment is profound in light of Obama's victory. This puts democrats, government, and Obama under a cloud. We don't need this. Makes me think these kinds of things are why the Dems are so anemic. We must rise above this. I also question Fitzgerald's timing with Republic Windows, Bank of America and bailout money in play. Why the biggest fish in the state but nothing at the highest level (Bush, Cheney) when it comes to the Plame investigation and treason?
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