Breaking news: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich arrested
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Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris were arrested today and charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In statement released by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald for the Northern District of Illinois, Blagojevich’s actions came from his own scheme to receive financial gain from appointing President-elect Barack Obama’s Senate seat. A report found that Blagojevich, via wire taps, discusses retrieving:
1. A substantial salary for himself at either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions.
2. A spot for his wife on paid corporate boards, where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year.
3. Promises of campaign funds including up-front cash.
4. A Cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.
Charges have also included supposed attempts by the governor sway the Chicago Tribune editorial board in his favor. Blagojevich was said to have threatened the approval of the Tribune’s sale of Wrigley Field if the daily newspaper did not paint positive pictures of his quest to fill the Senate position.
Blagojevich is in his second term as governor of Illionois, set to end in 2011. However, the former U.S. Congressman might see his tenure cut short. The federal government is certain they have a very strong case against Blagojevich.
“The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering,” Fitzgerald said. “They allege that Blagojevich put a ‘for sale’ sign on the naming of a United States Senator, involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism.”– gavin philip godfrey
