Illinois Governor accused of attempting to sell US senate seat

2008-12-10 10:45:18  

·Illinois Governor Blagojevich was arrested for attempting to sell the U.S. Senate seat. ·U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald said Blagojevich would face federal corruption charges. ·Prosecutors were making "no allegations" that Obama was aware of any scheming.

    CHICAGO, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) --

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested for attempting to sell the U.S. Senate seat that President-elect Barack Obama was to vacate, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald announced here Tuesday.

    At a press conference, Fitzgerald said Blagojevich would face federal corruption charges. His Chief of Staff, John Harris, was also arrested on Tuesday on accusations that he took part in the schemes to enrich the governor.

    Fitzgerald talked about recordings in which Blagojevich allegedly talked in frank language about how he would try to leverage the best value out of the Obama's Senate seat.

    Robert Grant, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agent in charge of the Chicago office, said the arrest of Blagojevich should serve as notice that "business as usual will no longer be tolerated. That selling your office for personal gain is a thing of the past."

    In response to the scandal in his home state, Obama told reporters that "I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening."

    Fitzgerald said prosecutors were making "no allegations" that Obama was aware of any scheming.

    Meanwhile, federal investigators also found that Blagojevich sought to pressure the state's largest newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, to dismiss some writers who had suggested the governor should be removed after a three-year investigation of alleged hiring fraud.

    Investigators who secretly taped the governor's phone calls said the recordings made clear that Blagojevich was demanding the firings as a condition of any state financial help with attempts by the newspaper's parent company to sell the Chicago Cubs baseball team's ballpark, Wrigley Field.

Illinois governor freed on recognizance following arrest

2008-12-10 06:18:21  

    CHICAGO, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) --

 Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were released on their own recognizance at a federal court hearing on Tuesday afternoon.

    According to local press reports, after being escorted to the defense table, Blagojevich smirked and shook his head as he read documents given to him by his attorney.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan said the purpose of the hearing was to explain the charges against the men and make sure they understood their rights. Assistant U.S. Atty. Red Schar then read into the record the two counts detailed in the criminal complaint.

    The two were accused of a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy. The governor was accused of selling or trading the Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama in exchange for financial benefits for his wife and himself.

    Court sources said if convicted, Blagojevich and Harris could face up to 10 years in prison.

    The magistrate agreed to release the men on a 4,500 U.S. dollars recognizance bond.

    The governor was then driven back to his Chicago home and arrived there about 2:30 p.m. He went into his home through a back entrance.

    Blagojevich, who turns 52 on Wednesday, is in his second four-year term as Illinois governor. His term ends January 2011.

Illinois governor arrested on corruption charges

2008-12-10 00:48:12  

    CHICAGO, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) --

U.S. Federal prosecutors on Tuesday arrested Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff John Harris on corruption charges.

    At a press conference in Chicago, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald accused Blagojevich of attempting "to sell the U.S. Senate seat" that President-elect Barack Obama vacated.

    Fitzgerald talked about recordings in which Blagojevich allegedly talked in frank language about how he would try to leverage the best value out of Obama's Senate seat.

    Earlier media reports said that the governor was also charged with obtaining campaign contributions in exchange for other official actions.

    Blagojevich and Harris were arrested simultaneously at their homes at about 6:15 a.m., according to the FBI. They were transported to FBI headquarters in Chicago, where they remained at9 a.m.

    Robert Grant, FBI special agent in charge of the Chicago office, said the arrest of Blagojevich should serve as a notice that "business as usual will no longer be tolerated," and that "selling your office for personal gain is a thing of the past."

    Fitzgerald said that the Illinois governor "has taken us to a truly new low," and the Tuesday arrest put a stop to "a political corruption crime spree."

Editor: Sun