Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in FBI Custody
Democrat Politician Taken into Federal Custody on Corruptions Charge
Dec 9, 2008
The Chicago Tribune, in a breaking news story on December 9, 2008, has reported that Governor Rod Blagojevech has been taken into federal custody at his home on the North Side of Chicago. ABC Chicago news has reported that the Illinois governor is in FBI custody.
Federal Charges Against Governor Rod Blagojevich
According to a live television broadcast on CBS Chicago News, the stunning federal charges against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich include the following.
- Attempt to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Elect Barack Obama
- Pay for play charges
- Campaign contribution bribery
- Blagojevich is accused of shaking down the Chicago Tribune by demanding that the news company fire editorial writers that the governor did not like. The threatened to block the Tribune sale of Wrigley Field stadium, the baseball stadium of the Chicago Cubs.
The Chicago Tribune has been reporting on the federal investigation into the alleged corruption of Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his administration.
One of Blagojevich’s former aides and closest confidants has been cooperating with investigators, leading to recordings of the governor and other, according to sources.
Federal Investigation of John Wyma
A name that has shown up repeatedly in the federal investigation is John Wyma, an influential Illinois lobbyist and Governor Blagojevich’s former chief of staff. Allegations mentioned in relation to Weyma have included pay-for-plays contracts, fundraising and the investigation of the real estate business of Illinois First Lady Patricia Blagojevich.
A federal subpoena sought information on the Illinois’ approval of Provena Hospital development of an open heart surgery unit in Elgin and the approval’s relationship to a $25.000 campaign contribution to Blagojevich’s campaign fund by Provena’s for profit affiliate. Wyma was registered to represent Provene when they obtained approval from the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board.
Wyma was involved in a real estate deal with Patricia Blagojevich, the governor’s wife, is a 2005 real estate deal. Mark Wight, a client of Wyma, paid the Illinois First Lady a $30,000 commission on a $650,000 condominium deal. Later Wight’s architecture firm won $10 million in no-bid Illinois contracts for tollway work.
Corruption Conviction of Tony Rezko
Blagojevich as a name that popped up repeatedly in the trial of Tony Rezko, which resulted in a federal corruption conviction. Rezko was charged with shaking down businesses for campaign contributions in exchange for work for the State of Illinois. Rezko was a name that also popped up in relation to President Elect Barack Obama .
Rod Blagojevich
Democrat Rod Blagojevich promised to overhaul the scandal laden administration of his predecessor, Republican George Ryan, who is currently serving a 6 and a half year prison sentence for corruption. Ryan has petitioned President Bush for a commutation of his sentence.
Blagojevich, a Democrat, has been contemplating a third term as Governor of Illinois, but the news of the probe has crippled his approval ratings, which have sunk to an all-time low of 13 percent in a recent Chicago Tribune poll.
Patrick Fitzgerald held a press conference, which as nearly an hour long. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich Arrested: US Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald Makes Press Statement
Resources:
Chicago Tribune
ABC Chicago Television News
CBS Chicago Television News
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