Blago Indictment Highlights

The Chicago Sun-Times has the complete dossier on this afternoon's indictment of Rod Blagojevich and other members of the "Chicago Machine". The charges are packaged as a racketeering conspiracy (under federal RICO laws), which gives the justice system wide leeway in attaching the ill-gotten gains.

Blago faces 16 felony counts, including the racketeering conspiracies, wire fraud, extortion conspiracies and lying to federal agents. The government seeks financial penalties of $188,370 from Blago himself and will try to seize his Ravenswood Manor home (pictured below, as photographed from my chopper) if need be.

The RICO conspiracy count alleges that Blagojevich personally, the Office of the Governor of Illinois and Friends of Blagojevich were associated and, together, constituted the “Blagojevich Enterprise,” whose primary purpose was to exercise and preserve power over Illinois government for the financial and political benefit of Blagojevich, both directly and through Friends of Blagojevich, and for the financial benefit of his family members and associates.

...in late August 2003, Rezko directed to Blagojevich’s wife a payment of $14,396 in connection with a real estate transaction involving property at 850 North Ogden Ave., Chicago, even though Blagojevich’s wife had not performed any services;

...from approximately October 2003 to May 2004, Rezko, through his real estate development company, gave Blagojevich’s wife payments of $12,000 a month, purportedly for real estate brokerage services;


...in January 2004, Rezko directed to Blagojevich’s wife a payment of $40,000 purportedly for brokerage services in connection with the sale of property at 1101 West Lake St., Chicago, even though Blagojevich’s wife had provided few, if any, services relating to that sale;

[In exchange for Obama's vacated Senate seat, Blago attempted to secure:]

* presidential appointment of Blagojevich to high-ranking positions in the federal government, including Secretary of Health and Human Services or an ambassadorship;

* a highly-paid leadership position with a private foundation dependent on federal aid, which Blagojevich believed could be influenced by the President-elect to name Blagojevich to such a position;

* a highly-paid leadership position with an organization known as “Change to Win,” consisting of seven affiliated labor unions, which, in a transaction suggested by Harris, could appoint Blagojevich as its chairman with the expectation that the President-elect would assist Change to Win with its national legislative agenda;

* employment for Blagojevich’s wife with a union organization, lobbying firm, or on corporate boards of directors;

* a highly-paid leadership position with a newly-created, not-for-profit corporation which Blagojevich believed could be funded with large contributions by persons associated with the President-elect; and

* substantial campaign fundraising assistance from individuals seeking the United States Senate seat and their backers, including from Senate Candidate A, whose associate Blagojevich understood to have offered $1.5 million in campaign contributions in return for Blagojevich's appointment of Senate Candidate A.

...[11/7/08] namely a phone call between ROD BLAGOJEVICH and HARRIS, in Chicago, Illinois, and Advisor A, in Washington, D.C., in which ROD BLAGOJEVICH, HARRIS, and Advisor A discussed financial benefits which ROD BLAGOJEVICH could request in exchange for the appointment of Senate Candidate B to the United States Senate...

...[11/10/08] a conference call between ROD BLAGOJEVICH, John Harris and others, in Chicago, Illinois, and various advisors in Washington, D.C., and New York City, in which they discussed financial benefits which ROD BLAGOJEVICH could request in exchange for the appointment of Senate Candidate B to the United States Senate...

...[11/12/08] namely a phone call between ROD BLAGOJEVICH, in Chicago, Illinois, and Advisor A in Washington, D.C. (Sessions 533 and 535), in which they discussed a proposal where, in exchange for the appointment of Senate Candidate B to the United States Senate, a not-for-profit organization would be set up where ROD BLAGOJEVICH would be employed when he was no longer governor...

...[11/12/08] namely a phone call between ROD BLAGOJEVICH in Chicago, Illinois, and a labor union official in Washington, D.C. (Session 541), in which ROD BLAGOJEVICH proposed that, in exchange for the appointment of Senate Candidate B to the United States Senate, a not-for-profit organization be set up where ROD BLAGOJEVICH would be employed when he was no longer governor...

...[11/12/08] a phone call between ROD BLAGOJEVICH in Chicago, Illinois, and a labor union official in Washington, D.C. (Session 546), in which ROD BLAGOJEVICH informed the union official that it was a very real possibility that Senate Candidate B could get the United States Senate appointment, and again raised his interest in employment by a not-for-profit organization...

...[11/13/08] namely a phone call between ROD BLAGOJEVICH in Chicago, Illinois, and Advisor B in Michigan (Session 624), in which they discussed presenting to United States Congressman A a proposal by ROD BLAGOJEVICH that a not-for-profit organization be set up and that the connection between setting up this organization and the awarding of the U.S. Senate seat would be "unsaid"...

...[11/13/08] ...namely a phone call between ROD BLAGOJEVICH in Chicago, Illinois, and Advisor B in Michigan (Session 627), in which ROD BLAGOJEVICH asked Advisor B to call Lobbyist A and ask Lobbyist A to present to United States Congressman A ROD BLAGOJEVICH's proposal that a not-for-profit organization be set up and that, while it would be unsaid, this would be a "play" to obtain a benefit for ROD BLAGOJEVICH in return for the awarding of the United States Senate seat...

...[12/4/08] ...namely a phone call between ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Deputy Governor A in Chicago, Illinois, and Advisor A in Washington, D.C., in which ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that if he gave the Senate seat to Senate Candidate A, there would be "tangible political support . . . specific amounts and everything . . . . some of it up front"...

Which conversations did Rahm (a.k.a. "Al Capone") Emanuel have with Blago?

What did the labor union official -- reportedly SEIU president Andy Stern -- offer Blago and with whom in the White House did he talk prior to making the offer?

That information has yet to be released.


Linked by: Memeorandum. Thanks!