Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is in federal custody on corruption charges, a law enforcement official said Tuesday.
Rod Blagojevich is currently serving his second term as governor of Illinois.
Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, are charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District of Illinois.
Both men are expected in U.S. District Court in Chicago later Tuesday.
A news conference is expected at noon ET.
Federal prosecutors say Blagojevich, Harris and others conspired to gain financial benefits in appointing President-elect Barack Obama’s Senate replacement, according to the statement.
“The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering,” U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement. “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.”
According to the statement, Blagojevich is alleged to have discussed obtaining:
a substantial salary for himself at either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions;
a spot for his wife on paid corporate boards, where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year;
promises of campaign funds – including cash up front;
a Cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.
The Obama transition team is aware that Blagojevich is in federal custody, but has no comment, according to a senior Democratic source.
But really, how is this any worse than what NY is about to do by appointing Carolyn Kennedy to Hillary’s senate seat? I’d rather see the seat go to the highest bidder than some bitch with the right last name and no political experience at all.
Because how many would have known who Blagojevich is, outside of the guy who’s supposed to appoint his replacement in the Senate? That, and the fact that they shared campaign fundraisers, perhaps…
Thank you. It’s bad enough NY voters were dumb enough to elect Hillary, but she was elected so that’s fine.
NY is now considering putting someone who’s worked in a museum and done everything she could to stay out of politics into a senate seat simply because her last name is Kennedy. No election, just appoint her. The only political item on her resume is her recent stumping for Obama.
Ugh. She’d be almost as bad of an appointment as Byron Brown. Or some other downstater that wouldn’t give a shit about WNY. It’s quite the dilemma though. I hope Paterson smartens up and names Higgins but it’s looking like more of a longshot I’ve liked the way he’s governed so far though so I still have hope. Higgins’ FTC investigation finally got the gas stations to cut down on price fixing around here.
Taken at face value, the statement started that he isn’t corrupt. And I was not looking to tie it to him (just stir the pot, as it were), but this issue is directly related to him. Note that one of the points in the Federal indictment included him seeking “a Cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself”, something that is only Obama’s to give.
Of course, though Obama hasn’t given any indication of being involved in this scheme, with both of them “coming from the same political machine,” this event will only intensify the right’s magnifying glass on Obama’s actions. And if Blagojevich is convicted, it will be a while before Obama’s Senate seat will be filled.
what’s new… he has been under investigation since he took office, Ryan was awful, I loved the license for bribe scandal, Edgar wasn’t any better with taking money… or being sane… its Cook County politics, do you expect less?
Proof of how fucked up the Republican Governors of IL are:
On February 28, 1991 Edgar declared March 13 as “L. Ron Hubbard Day” in honor of the late founder of the Church of Scientology. He stated that Hubbard’s “writings on the mind and human spirit have helped millions of people lead better lives. His literary works have enriched the lives of many readers” and “has solved the aberrations of the human mind.” However, Edgar issued a short one-sentence proclamation on March 26, 1991, stating that his original proclamation was rescinded
It’s a difficult position to be in. There are 2 state-wide elections in 4 years for whomever is appointed. A special election in 2010 so the person in the seat is actually ELECTED and then the term is up in 2012. The appointee is basically a care-taker for 2 years.
Yes, I do know that. And it’s Durbin - a Democrat - that’s pushing Bush to pardon him.
Maybe he will, maybe he won’t. He hasn’t made any indication that he would. And in any case, it’ll be some time before his trial - it took four-plus months between the Stevens indictments and his conviction - therefore it may be May or June before Obama’s Senate replacement would be named if he doesn’t resign.
I’ve liked the way he’s governed so far though so I still have hope. Higgins’ FTC investigation finally got the gas stations to cut down on price fixing around here.
