african politics !!
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Illinois Governor Is Arrested on Corruption Charges (Update1)
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By Thom Weidlich
Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested with his chief of staff on charges they tried to sell President-Elect Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat, according to a statement by Chicago U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.
Blagojevich, 51, and John Harris, 46, the chief of staff, are scheduled to appear later today in federal court in Chicago, according to the statement.
They and others also threatened to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co. in connection with the company’s sale of the Wrigley’s Field ballpark and to get fired members of the Chicago Tribune editorial board who were critical of the governor, among other accusations, according to the statement.
Court-appointed wiretaps intercepted Blagojevich last month conspiring to sell the Senate seat. At various times, he sought a cabinet post, an ambassadorship or a seat on a corporate board for his wife, in exchange for campaign contributions, Fitzgerald said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Thom Weidlich in the Chicago federal courthouse at [email protected].
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Illinois Governor Is Arrested on Corruption Charges (Update1)
Email | Print | A A A
By Thom Weidlich
Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested with his chief of staff on charges they tried to sell President-Elect Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat, according to a statement by Chicago U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.
Blagojevich, 51, and John Harris, 46, the chief of staff, are scheduled to appear later today in federal court in Chicago, according to the statement.
They and others also threatened to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co. in connection with the company’s sale of the Wrigley’s Field ballpark and to get fired members of the Chicago Tribune editorial board who were critical of the governor, among other accusations, according to the statement.
Court-appointed wiretaps intercepted Blagojevich last month conspiring to sell the Senate seat. At various times, he sought a cabinet post, an ambassadorship or a seat on a corporate board for his wife, in exchange for campaign contributions, Fitzgerald said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Thom Weidlich in the Chicago federal courthouse at [email protected].
