Legal News

Breaking News: Blagojevich Indicted on Corruption Charges

By Jennifer Forsyth

It may be the least shocking news we write about in 2009. Rod Blagojevich, Illinois’s former governor, was formally indicted today on corruption charges. Here’s the WSJ story.

The indictment says he engaged in a “wide-ranging scheme to deprive the people of Illinois of honest government.” It accuses Blagojevich of corruption involving billions of dollars in state pension bonds. The indictment does include some new tidbits, including an allegation by prosecutors that Blagojevich conspired to use the governorship for financial gains even before taking office.

Aside from the number of counts (19), the only suspense was who got wrapped up with him. For the record, also indicted were:
–Rob Blagojevich, the former governor’s brother and head of his campaign fund;
–John Harris, Blagojevich’s chief of staff;
–Alonzo Monk; another former Blagojevich chief of staff and Springfield lobbyist;
–Christopher Kelly, a former top fundraiser for Blagojevich
–William Cellini, an Illinois businessman. (The Chicago Tribune reports that Cellini already was indicted last fall on charges he extorted a Hollywood producer to make a Blagojevich campaign donation.)

Blagojevich was arrested in December on allegations that also include trying to auction off President Barack Obama’s vacant U.S. Senate seat. The former governor, removed through impeachment in January, has repeatedly said he did nothing wrong and he would fight any changes. But, in a turn that can’t be happy news for Blagojevich, Harris has agreed to cooperate in the probe.

The AP reports that Blagojevich did not stick around Illinois for the humiliation. He’s at Walt Disney World with his family.

LB Blast from the Past: Click here to read a post on the use of “honest services” charges by prosecutors as a catch-all.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on April 02, 2009 (boomark / email).