(Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested today in Chicago on federal corruption charges, including allegations that they conspired to sell President-elect Obama's now-vacant Senate seat.
The federal complaint [PDF] accuses Blagojevich of taking money from at least one individual in connection with the Senate search. He also allegedly threatened to withhold state assistance to the Chicago Tribune concerning the sale of Wrigley Field in an attempt to force the Tribune to fire editorial board members who have been critical of him.
The Tribune reported this morning that a three-year federal corruption investigation of pay-to-play politics in Blagojevich's administration had been expanded to include his impending selection of Obama's replacement and that federal authorities got approval from a judge before the November general election to secretly record Blagojevich.
Among their concerns was whether the selection process might be tainted. That possibility has become a focus in an intensifying investigation that has included recordings of the governor and the cooperation of one of his closest friends.
The paper has been posting the latest developments in the case to this page.
Blagojevich on Monday dismissed the speculation, saying his discussions were "always lawful" and added: "I should say if anybody wants to tape my conversations, go right ahead, feel free to do it. I appreciate anybody who wants to tape me openly and notoriously, and those who feel like they want to sneakily, and wear taping devices, I would remind them that it kind of smells like [Richard] Nixon and Watergate."
Blagojevich has been meeting with possible candidates to succeed Obama, including a session late Monday with Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.
Subscribers can access Blagojevich's Almanac of American Politics profile here.
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Responded on December 31, 2008 10:41 PM
ViSalus
It was a very informative. The paper has been posting the latest developments in the case to this page.