AP says Emanuel made deal with Blagojevich
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[A deal involving President Barack Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel could wind up being discussed at the trial of Rod Blagojevich, the former governor of Illinois removed from office by impeachment, according to a news release from the Associated Press Monday.
Federal prosecutor Carrie E. Hamilton is attempting to convict Blagojevich (D-Chicago) of using his position for personal financial reward, basically racketeering. The feds have investigated Blagojevich for many years and have built a strong case, including taped recordings of Blagojevich attempting to sell a vacant U.S. Senate seat.
That seat was held by Obama for most of the time while he campaigned for the presidency. He was subsequently elected and sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. Blagojevich contends that Obama tried to influence the decision and wants the President called as a witness.
Emanuel agreed to do a favor for Blagojevich in 2006, according to a top aide to Blagojevich, Bradley Tusk, the AP release said.
According to newly disclosed "http://cbs2chicago.com/wireapnewsil/Emanuel.signed.editorial.2.1763574.html" \l "#" \t "_blank" e-mails obtained by the Associated Press, in a discussion with Tusk, in 2006, then U.S. Rep. Emanuel (D-Chicago) offered to sign a letter to the Chicago Tribune for publication in support of Blagojevich, when the Governor was being trammeled by the newspaper.
Emanuel wanted a favor in return, namely for Blagojevich to speed up the release of a $2 million grant within his district-the Fifth District of Illinois.
Emanuel won a hard fought Democratic Primary in 2002 to run against the Republican candidate in the general election, Mark Augusti. Emanuel easily won the general election in the heavily Democratic district, ironically replacing the office's former holder, Rod Blagojevich.
The discussion between Emanuel and Tusk doesn't appear to be outside the legal boundaries and the release of the funds was not speeded up. Tusk reportedly told the AP Blagojevich wanted more, a fundraiser. "But," as the AP notes, "it offers a peek at ties between two high-profile Illinois politicians - one now the president's right-hand man, the other facing years in prison if convicted of political corruption."
The Tribune had criticized Blagojevich for plastering his name on taxpayer-financed projects, while claiming he was too busy to campaign during a reelection bid.
"Why be a chump on the stump when you can make taxpayers campaign for you?" the Tribune asked rhetorically.
Tusk was scheduled to testify in the Blagojevich case this week.
When Blagojevich was arrested by federal authorities, his then Chief of Staff John Harris was taken into custody with him.
Harris testified at the Blagojevich trial and said that Blagojevich had ordered him to make certain that two investment firms not receive any state business. The reason for the blacklisting was that they'd refused to hire Patti Blagojevich, the defendant's wife.
Harris is expected to be on the witness stand into next week, according to the prosecutor, as many of their tapes will be introduced into evidence through Harris' testimony.
Formerly a close friend and law school roommate of Blagojevich, Alonzo Monk became the former Illinois governor's chief of staff. Now, Blagojevich, 53, is in the midst of a federal trial in Chicago charged with 24 felony counts.
Monk, who has pleaded guilty to federal charges and is cooperating with the prosecution in hope of receiving a lighter sentence, testified about pay for play deals Blagojevich set up for state contracts and state jobs. Monk testified last week.
Blagojevich's attorney Sam Adam Jr. attempted to discredit Monk during cross-examination, repeatedly accusing him of lying. Adam succeeded in getting Monk to admit lying at times to the governor and to his lobbying clients, hoping to plant the idea in the minds of jurors that if he lied at other times, Monk might have lied under oath to them.
At the end of that day's testimony, Blagojevich faced reporters. He said of Monk, "As my old friend was testifying and saying things he knew weren't true, I couldn't help but think about the times we spent together. I couldn't help but think about his mother and father-especially his father and the shame his father probably feels."
The next day, Hamilton asked Judge James Zagel to issue a gag order on Blagojevich and his lawyers. Zagel didn't do that, but he did tell them to make their statements to the press accurate.
Zagel did let it be known that he wasn't happy with Blagojevich's statements. The judge said, "I think it's (Blagojevich's statement) essentially a kind of backhanded play for sympathy plus an argument and characterization of the witness entirely without details."
If Blagojevich is convicted, the former Democrat elected twice to the governor's mansion could be residing in a federal prison. He could receive 415 years imprisonment and a total of $6 million in fines. Apparently, his defense will be built on the idea he was unaware of corruption going on in his office and that those testifying otherwise are doing so to lessen the punishment for their own misdeeds.
Blagojevich's predecessor, former Governor George Ryan, 86, was convicted on federal corruption charges in 2007 and sentenced to six years and six months. He is presently confined to a federal prison camp in Indiana.
Ryan was among a long list of applicants (Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, and Louisiana's former Gov. Edwin Edwards, a Democrat) for presidential pardons who were denied by President George W. Bush when he left office in January of 2009.