The arrests, which authorities say occurred "without
incident," follow news reports that a well-connected lobbyist turned FBI
informant had taped the governor saying that he might "get some [money] up
front, maybe" from an unnamed candidate to fill the Senate seat Obama had held
since 2004.
Under law, the governor has sole authority to fill a Senate vacancy. If
Blagojevich were to resign or be forced to leave office, that responsibility
would fall to Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn (D), who would replace him as
governor.
The alleged attempt to profit from the "sale" of the Senate seat is the most
explosive accusation. But Blagojevich is also accused of demanding campaign
contributions from organizations whose projects were receiving state money, and
of threatening to withhold state assistance for a land-use project involving the
Chicago Tribune in an effort to pressure the newspaper to fire editorial writers
who had been critical of him.
In a Nov. 3 call intercepted by the FBI, Blagojevich told an ally that if he
could not get a financial windfall in exchange for appointing someone to the
Senate job, "then I just might take it," according to a lengthy FBI affidavit
attached to the criminal complaint. Later that day, speaking to an unnamed
adviser, Blagojevich said: "I'm going to keep this Senate option for me a real
possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain."
He added later that the seat "is a [expletive] valuable thing, you just don't
give it away for nothing."
The day after the election, the governor repeated the sentiment. "I've got
this thing and it's [expletive] golden, and uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up
for [expletive] nothing," he said, according to the court papers.
Later the governor, Harris and others discussed a deal with regard to the
Senate appointment that appeared to involve the Service Employees International
Union, based in Washington, and that seemingly would attempt to involve Obama as
well.
"Harris said they could work out a deal with the union and the
President-elect where SEIU could help the President-elect with Blagojevich's
appointment . . . while Blagojevich would obtain a position as the National
Director of the Change to Win campaign and SEIU would get something favorable
from the President-elect in the future," the court papers said.
