PrairiePundit

Chicago Sun-Times: A former top aide to Rod Blagojevich pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, admitting he discussed having his then boss appoint an adviser to President Obama to the U.S. Senate in exchange for financial benefits for the ex-governor. The 26-page plea deal details various conversations that allegedly took place between Blagojevich and his former chief of staff, John Harris, concerning who would fill Obama’s open seat. Harris’ plea deal also reveals a new allegation against the ex-governor concerning “Senate Candidate D,” identified by three sources as former Senate President Emil Jones. Harris says Blagojevich sent him to deliver a quid pro quo request to the now-retired Jones. Harris said he was to tell Jones to relinquish his campaign warchest to Blagojevich in exchange for a U.S. Senate seat appointment. According to his plea agreement, Harris didn’t make the demand. ... As part of his plea deal, Harris has agreed to act as a witness against Blagojevich or in any...

Chicago Sun-Times: Rod Blagojevich's attorneys said Friday it would take one lawyer 51 years to get through all the evidence the feds have turned over against the former governor. In a filing in which defense lawyers for Blagojevich say they'll accept $110 an hour pay, they indicate they've received 1 million pages of documents and 400 hours of tapes. The filing also reveals that due to grand jury subpoenas, the office of the governor "has provided approximately 2 million documents to the government." Those documents are in the hands of Winston & Strawn, Blagojevich's previous lawyers, according to the filing. The defense attorneys asked U.S. District Judge James Zagel to appoint a "sufficient number of attorneys so that the massive amount of discovery can be read and the tapes can be digested within a reasonable amount of time and Defendant Rod Blagojevich be afforded effective assistance of counsel." ... There was also an argument over whether...

Washington Post: A federal grand jury charged former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich on Thursday with racketeering, extortion and fraud, opening a new chapter in the prosecution of the voluble Democrat who could spend years behind bars if convicted. The 75-page indictment, which also charged Blagojevich's brother and several close aides, describes a political operation designed from the beginning of his first term to strengthen the governor's hold on power and make money that Blagojevich would receive after he left office. Blagojevich, who was impeached and removed from office after his Dec. 9 arrest, was charged with 16 counts, including 11 counts of wire fraud, three counts of extortion and one count of lying to federal investigators. He remains free on bond. No court hearing has been scheduled. The indictment charges that Blagojevich gave two friends, convicted developer Antoin Rezko and indicted businessman Christopher Kelly, significant authority over state boards ...

From the Houston Chronicle: Blagojevich's book will expose 'dark side of politics' Few would question his expertise on this subject.

Chicago Sun-Times: U.S. Sen. Roland Burris had more contacts with then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s chief of staff before being appointed to his Senate seat than he disclosed in his most recent affidavit, phone records and interviews show. One of the calls to John Harris came Nov. 13, the day Burris discussed the possibility of raising money for the governor with Blagojevich’s brother Robert, according to phone records obtained by the Sun-Times and sources. That call was likely caught on an FBI wiretap. All told, Burris called Harris, who resigned after he was criminally charged Dec. 9, four times in the weeks following the Nov. 4 election and appears to have spoken to Harris on Nov. 26, phone records show. In the Feb. 4 affidavit, which has set off a political wildfire because it dramatically altered earlier sworn statements, Burris acknowledged only reaching out to Harris once last October and getting a return phone call three weeks later. Burris depicted his discussion with Harris as ...

CNN: The Washington Post added its voice Wednesday to a growing chorus of demands for the resignation of Sen. Roland Burris two days after he detailed conversations with impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brother that he failed to mention under oath. Burris, appointed by a scandal-wracked Blagojevich to fill President Obama's vacant Senate seat, told reporters Monday night in Peoria, Illinois, that he had three conversations with the governor's brother, Robert Blagojevich. In them, the Democratic senator said he discussed possibly raising money for the governor before ultimately declining to do so. Burris said he had talked to some people about holding a fundraiser but told the governor's brother shortly after Obama's election that no one was willing to donate. In a third conversation, he finally said it would be inappropriate to raise money because he was interested in the Senate appointment. "This latest revelation makes a mockery of his professio...

Chicago Tribune: U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has changed his story again about what happened before ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed him to the Senate, and state Republican leaders said Saturday they want an investigation into whether he perjured himself. Burris gradually has acknowledged deeper contacts with Blagojevich allies after initially portraying himself as a surprise pick for the controversial seat the former governor is accused of trying to sell. But Illinois House Republican leaders said they now wonder if Burris purposely deceived the public while under oath last month by not telling a special House impeachment panel that Blagojevich's brother asked for fundraising help before the now-disgraced ex-governor appointed him. State Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) said he would ask the now-dormant impeachment committee to refer the matter to Sangamon County State's Atty. John Schmidt, a Republican, after learning of the revelations by Burris, who is a Democrat. Burris ac...

From an AP story in the NY Times: Job Prospects Unclear for the Ousted Blagojevich It is hard to make long term commitments with federal charges hanging over your head. In the words of Obama, trial preparation could be a distraction too.

Chicago Sun-Times: Tony Rezko is out of "the hole." The convicted businessman -- poised to become a crucial witness in the massive corruption case against ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich -- was quietly moved out of a downtown jail and into another facility in mid-December. Authorities seeking Rezko's cooperation pushed for the move after Rezko complained about being held in the tough confines of solitary imprisonment, known as "the hole," even as he was providing information to prosecutors. Records show Rezko was released Dec. 16 from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago. Kim Widup, the U.S. marshal in Chicago, confirmed that Rezko was relocated. "We have moved him into another institution," Widup said. ... His new cell is in an undisclosed location for security reasons I guess. Rezko had been pushing for the move pretty hard. In late November Rezko's lawyer pushed for sentencing which would have probably meant the end of his c...

CNN: The Illinois Senate on Thursday voted unanimously to remove impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office. Blagojevich was arrested on federal corruption charges in December. Federal authorities allege, among other things, that he was trying to sell or trade the Senate seat that became vacant after Barack Obama was elected president. After the governor's arrest, the state House voted overwhelmingly to impeach him. The Senate vote was 59-0. Moments after removing him from office, the Illinois Senate also voted unanimously to prevent Blagojevich from ever holding political office in the state again. Watch the impeachment vote » ... Blagojevich appeared before the senators at the trial, saying he had done "absolutely nothing wrong." Watch Blagojevich make his case » ... In a corrupt state, Blagojevich managed to do the difficult by embarrassing other politicians with his corrupt attitude. When that was added to the political enemies he had made with his arrogant style...

From Fox News: Blago Risks Hurting Image With Blitz Since his current image is not that great, he probably figures he has little to lose. He may be right, since he did not change my impression of his character or lack thereof.

Chicago Sun-Times: Newly released subpoenas that Gov. Blagojevich fought to keep secret show federal prosecutors are looking at potential criminal wrongdoing that would go beyond charges he already faces -- involving everything from state road contracts awarded to campaign donors to his wife Patti's real estate dealings. The subpoenas also seek information about any contacts the governor's administration had with two top advisers to President Obama, David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett. "It's clearly beyond matters in the criminal complaint, which was sweeping in its own right," said Jay Stewart, executive director of the Better Government Association, whose legal fight forced Blagojevich to make the subpoenas public late Friday. "It demonstrates the feds have been looking for a long time. And, up to a relatively recent time, they've been gathering more information." Responding to open-records requests, the governor's office released 44 subpoen...

Chicago Sun-Times: John Harris -- the highest-ranking employee under Gov. Blagojevich to be hit with federal corruption charges -- has been providing information to federal prosecutors, the Sun-Times has learned. Harris, the governor's former chief of staff, has been meeting with investigators since his Dec. 9 arrest, Harris' attorney Terry Ekl told the Sun-Times. "There have been preliminary discussions with the U.S. Attorney's office and John Harris," Ekl said. "No decision has been made as to whether John Harris will be a witness for the government or will proceed to trial." Ekl would not discuss details, but sources say that among the things Harris has discussed is how Blagojevich liked to talk big to his staff, but they didn't always do what he asked them to. The Sun-Times has also learned that the government tapped cell phones belonging to Harris as well as Gov. Blagojevich's brother. Sources with knowledge of the investigation of the ...

Clarence Page: Roland Burris, who is known to have an inflated view of his own wonderfulness, has said he believes "divine providence" destined him for high office. I'm beginning to wonder. Seldom in political history has anyone risen so quickly from golden insider to political outcast -- and back again. For years he was known for being a notable "first black." As Illinois comptroller from 1979 to 1991, he was the state's first black official to be elected statewide. But, after four years as the state's first black attorney general, he since tried to be senator, governor (three times) and Chicago mayor without winning even a nomination. He is notable for having managed to commit few political sins, except maybe aggravated narcissism. The names of Burris' two children, Roland and Rolanda, are now nationally famous. So is his lavish mausoleum, with his resume etched in stone under the headline "Trailblazer" and with just enough space left...

Chicago Sun-Times: ... For the first time, Burris indicated that he asked Blagojevich's former chief of staff and college classmate, Lon Monk, to relay his interest in the Senate seat to the governor last July or September. "If you're close to the governor, you know, let him know I'm certainly interested in the seat," Burris said he told Monk. That testimony appears to differ from an affidavit Burris submitted to the impeachment panel this week in which he stated he spoke to no "representatives" of the governor about the Senate post prior to Dec. 26. Federal prosecutors, who identified Monk as "Lobbyist 1" in their criminal complaint against Blagojevich, indicated they tapped Monk's phone in November as Blagojevich moved to fill President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat. Whether the new Monk detail poses any threat to Burris' efforts to persuade Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to allow him to be seated isn't clear...

The Hill: Embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) was impeached Friday by an overwhelming margin in the state House, setting up the first instance in that state’s history of a governor facing trial by the state Senate. The 114-1 vote came after Blagojevich was arrested for corruption charges, including allegations he tried to sell President-elect Obama's Senate seat. The leading Illinois Democrat on the impeachment panel said Blagojevich demonstrated a betrayal of his oath of office. Blagojevich "is not fit to govern the state of Illinois," state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie said, according to the Chicago Tribune . ... It appears he has lost all political support. One guy from Chicago voted against the impeachment. I don't expect his prospects will be much better in the Senate trail. He has made several enemies in that body too. Whether he can redeem his position with in the trial is questionable, but he has able counsel. The Chicago Tribune has extensive cove...

John Kass: ... Roland "Tombstone" Burris, the amiable Illinois Democratic political hack who is being called eminently qualified by the national Democrats—perhaps because he's from Illinois and he hasn't been indicted—has almost reached his goal of being addressed as "Yes, sir, Senator." Now Tombstone has President-elect Barack Obama behind him, muscling Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid in a phone call earlier in the week. So much for transcending the old politics. Only a week ago, Obama, Reid and other Democratic leaders were adamant that they'd block any Senate appointment made by tainted Illinois Gov. Rod "Dead Meat" Blagojevich, who has been charged with trying to sell Obama's seat to the highest bidder. Their statements back then were stern and inflexible, invoking the honor of the Senate and how they'd never let an allegedly corrupt governor put his greasy paws on their august dignity. Those statements weren't bland. Th...

John Kass: Roland "Tombstone" Burris goes to Washington this week as part of the Illinois political freak show, and many of us back home will watch it and feel like cringing, at least at the beginning. Who among us could not wince at the prospect of Tombstone standing before news cameras, his head bobbing, smiling amiably, chattering nonsensically as is his way, insisting he feels no shame. All he wants is to become a United States senator, and he kissed a tainted hand to get there. His fellow Democrats may be ready to bar his entrance to the Senate chambers, and politicians will be ready, even eager, to play the race card again. If this happens, the man who sent Tombstone to Washington, Gov. Rod Blagojevich will glory in his opportunity to speak directly to his future jury pool. So I wouldn't bet against Gov. Dead Meat holding holding a news conference Wednesday, standing with a gospel choir, leading them in "We Shall Overcome," a single tear rolling down his ...

Nina Burleigh: Pamela Davis, blond suburban mother of three, was told that her bra would be the best place to wear the wire that kick-started a long investigation into Chicago graft and that ultimately caught the governor of Illinois trying to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat. Davis is the president and C.E.O. of Edward Hospital, in Naperville, Illinois. She is proud of the fact that on her twenty-year watch the hospital has grown from a hundred-and-sixty-two-bed community facility to a four-hundred-and-twenty-seven-bed regional medical center that leads the county in babies delivered. Back in 2003, Davis was trying to get approval for a new medical office building from the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board. A night or two before a hearing was to be held, Davis recalled, something strange happened. A business acquaintance of hers, Nicholas Hurtgen, then a managing director of the Chicago office of Bear Stearns, called her at home and told her that unless she agreed to use a cert...

Steve Chapman: Wall Street titan Bernard Madoff proved you can take an outstanding reputation and ruin it overnight. Now Roland Burris has demonstrated that even a mediocre reputation can be instantly destroyed. Burris is the prototypical time-serving career politician who owes his success to being simultaneously ambitious and bland. He has never been one to challenge the status quo, but no one underestimates his self-esteem. The two Burris children, after all, are named Roland and Rolanda. The result of his immodesty has been a persistent hunger for offices that most people thought beyond his abilities. He has lost races for mayor of Chicago, U.S. senator, and governor of Illinois (three times). Burris' chief claim to fame until this week was his 12-year term as state comptroller, a job whose significance can be measured by the fact that few Illinoisans could identify the current occupant (Dan Hynes). Even among accountants, Burris left few strong impressions, but he also ...