Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is arrested in Chicago!
He is accused of attempting to benefit financially from his position to appoint Barack Obama’s Senate replacement.
** Federal agents tapped the governor’s conversations and caught him attempting to gain financially from the Senate appointment.
Federal authorities will hold a news conference at 11 AM CST on the charges.
Federal officials already announced in September that they had enough evidence to indict long-time Obama friend and close associate Illinois Governor Blagojevich on different charges. The friends are seen here with their wives at a Chicago function with Ted Kennedy. (Flickr)
The St. Louis Post Dispatch reported:
Federal authorities in Chicago have arrested Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and they’ve accused him of attempting to benefit financially from his position to appoint Barack Obama’s Senate replacement.
U.S. Attorney’s office spokesman Randall Samborn says both Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris were arrested Tuesday.
Authorities say they’ve also accused Blagojevich of threatening to withhold state assistance to the Tribune Co. in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field to induce the firing of editorial board members who have been critical of the governor.
A federal official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that the allegations include that the governor took money from at least one individual in connection with naming a successor for the U.S. Senate seat that was vacated by Obama. The official declined to be named publicly because the investigation was still under way.
Blagojevich is charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery.
More… Breaking News reported that Blagojevich is slated to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan today at a time that has not yet been scheduled.
Here’s more on the charges from Chicago’s CBS2 News:
At various times, in exchange for the Senate appointment, Blagojevich discussed obtaining:
A substantial salary for himself at a either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions.
Placing 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 probe is part of Operation Board Games, a five-year-old public corruption investigation of pay-to-play schemes, including insider-dealing, influence-peddling and kickbacks involving private interests and public duties.
WSILTV3 has a Timeline on all of the Blagojevich Charges.
The US Attorney’s Office released a statement on the charges.
Here’s the 12 page USDOJ pdf on the case.
Why is it that all of Obama’s close freinds and associates are either anti-American loons or crooks?
UPDATE: Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn will likely make the choice now on who fills Obama’s seat.
HotAir is following this Democratic trainwreck.
TigerHawk– A month ago we wondered why Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich had not gotten his act together to determine who he would appoint to the United States Senate to succeed Barack Obama. Well, now we know. It turns out that it takes time to arrange an auction.
CNN forgets to mention Blagojevich is a Democrat.
…Funny how that works.
