Results tagged “corruptionandfraudcharges”

Today we're wrapping up our look at the top 8 local stories that captivated us in 2008.

After getting in a grueling two-and-a-half days of work in before the Christmas break, the State House committee investigating whether or not the state legislature should impeach embattled Governor Rod Blagojevich is shaking off the egg nog hangovers and getting back to work. Among the items the panel plans to handle are Blago Attorney Ed Genson's expected submission of President-Elect Barack Obama's internal report on the matter as a means of evidence supporting Blago's innocence and awaiting word from U.S. Patrick Fitzgerald as to whether or not they'll get to hear those wiretap tapes.

While we sit and wait for the inevitable impeachment proceedings to begin against embattled Governor Blagojevich - though some people aren't so patient - it seems he may do us all a favor and step down as early as Monday. Having already retained Ed Genson, the same lawyer who has represented R. Kelly and Conrad Black, Blago made his first public comments on Friday.

As he left the federal courthouse after a visit to the pretrial services office, a reporter asked the governor, "Do you have anything to say to the people of Illinois?"

Continue reading "Blago Mulls Resignation, Could Make Decision By Monday"

This morning, the Chicago Tribune had an answer for President-Elect Barack Obama as to whether or not any of his staff talked to Gov. Rod Blagojevich about filling in Obama's vacant senate seat: yes and it was Rahm Emanuel. While the Tribune's story is careful to point out that Rahm and Blago's chats do not at all implicate Rahm, Obama, or anyone else in the Obama Administration as a participant in Balgo's pay-to-play scheme, it does raise questions about how much Rahm - who's been the source of a shit-ton of speculation this week - might or might not have known about the entire plan.

One source confirmed that communications between Emanuel and the Blagojevich administration were captured on court-approved wiretaps.

Continue reading "Trib: Rahm and Blagojevich Discussed Senate Seat"

John Harris, Governor Rod Blagojevich's Chief of Staff who was arrested along with governor on Tuesday on corruption and fraud charges, has resigned. Harris' attorney, Terry Ekl, said Harris dropped the letter of at the office in person and has no plans to go back.