Hat tip to Chicago Native!
Chicago Tribune:
Even before he was elected governor in 2002, Rod Blagojevich and three of his closest friends schemed about ways to enrich themselves by controlling state government, the former governor's former chief of staff alleged as part of a plea agreement Tuesday with federal prosecutors.
When Blagojevich took office, his three friends became key players in his administration and met repeatedly with the governor to share moneymaking ideas and get updates on their plans to bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars that they could split up later, former top aide Alonzo "Lon" Monk alleged.Monk, who also was a groomsman at Blagojevich's wedding and twice his campaign manager, pleaded guilty in the sweeping corruption case and agreed to testify against the former governor in exchange for a recommended sentence of two years in prison.
The picture Monk gave prosecutors is in sharp contrast to the image Blagojevich has been trying to present since his Dec. 9 arrest. Portraying himself as the victim of overzealous prosecutors, Blagojevich has crisscrossed the nation touting his book about the ordeal, watched his wife on a reality TV show and agreed to be on one himself.
Pulling back the curtain on how Blagojevich and his cohorts allegedly went about their plan, Monk's plea suggests a possible pattern of political crimes that took place well before Blagojevich allegedly offered the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama to the highest bidder.As part of his deal, Monk told prosecutors that he, Blagojevich and key fundraisers Antoin "Tony" Rezko and Christopher Kelly repeatedly met about how the four of them could secretly make money through state deals, offering the most specific account yet of how the alleged conspiracy in the case formed. Blagojevich defense lawyer Sheldon Sorosky called Monk's allegations "absurd."
More from The Capitol Fax Blog.
Chicago Tribune:
Even before he was elected governor in 2002, Rod Blagojevich and three of his closest friends schemed about ways to enrich themselves by controlling state government, the former governor's former chief of staff alleged as part of a plea agreement Tuesday with federal prosecutors.
When Blagojevich took office, his three friends became key players in his administration and met repeatedly with the governor to share moneymaking ideas and get updates on their plans to bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars that they could split up later, former top aide Alonzo "Lon" Monk alleged.Monk, who also was a groomsman at Blagojevich's wedding and twice his campaign manager, pleaded guilty in the sweeping corruption case and agreed to testify against the former governor in exchange for a recommended sentence of two years in prison.
The picture Monk gave prosecutors is in sharp contrast to the image Blagojevich has been trying to present since his Dec. 9 arrest. Portraying himself as the victim of overzealous prosecutors, Blagojevich has crisscrossed the nation touting his book about the ordeal, watched his wife on a reality TV show and agreed to be on one himself.
Pulling back the curtain on how Blagojevich and his cohorts allegedly went about their plan, Monk's plea suggests a possible pattern of political crimes that took place well before Blagojevich allegedly offered the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama to the highest bidder.As part of his deal, Monk told prosecutors that he, Blagojevich and key fundraisers Antoin "Tony" Rezko and Christopher Kelly repeatedly met about how the four of them could secretly make money through state deals, offering the most specific account yet of how the alleged conspiracy in the case formed. Blagojevich defense lawyer Sheldon Sorosky called Monk's allegations "absurd."
More from The Capitol Fax Blog.
3 comments:
This is big, when Monk starts singing like a canary to the DOJ more than Blagojevich will get nervous. This is a big, BIG insider in all of this mess, this is a BIG flip. This is the Scott Fawell (Former Gov. Ryans insider who flipped) to the Blagojevich.
Time for G-Rod to do a plea agreement and stop wasting the taxpayers money with a trial. I wonder if Dennis Hastert's name will come up with his corrupt deals.
No plea deal for this guy, he will let this drag out...all while making the talk show circuits.
Jackie Blago is toast but he will put up a kicking and screaming fight all the way.
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