Apr 3, 2009 5:35 am US/Central
Blagojevich Says He's 'Hurt' By Indictment
Indictment Contains New Allegations
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich addresses reporters in January before he was booted from office.
David Banks/Getty Images
Deposed Gov. Rod Blagojevich says he is "saddened and hurt" by
the federal indictment that was issued against him on Thursday.
As CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports, Blagojevich was still vacationing at Disney World in Florida Friday morning, but he reiterated his claims of innocence.
Read the full indictment here
Breakdown of charges, possible prison time
"I'm saddened and hurt but I am not surprised by the indictment. I am innocent. I now will fight in the courts to clear my name," the former governor said in his statement. "I would ask the good people of Illinois to wait for the trial, and afford me the presumption of innocence that they would give to all of their friends and neighbors."
A grand jury returned the federal indictment against Blagojevich, his brother Rob, and four top aides on Thursday afternoon, alleging they all used the governor's office for personal profit.
The indictment comes four months after former Gov. Blagojevich was hauled away in handcuffs from his Ravenswood Manor neighborhood home in December.
Prosecutors say Blagojevich and his aides, abused his office to seek money, campaign contributions, and employment for himself and his wife, Patti, in exchange for official actions.
The indictment repeats the allegations that Blagojevich tried to sell President Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat, and that he conspired to have Chicago Tribune editorial writers fired in exchange for helping the Tribune sell Wrigley Field.
There is also a new charge that Blagojevich withheld a $2 million grant for a school while trying to extort campaign cash.
In that incident, Blagojevich allegedly told a state official to tell the lawmaker his brother would have to raise campaign funds or the grant wouldn't go through.
That congressman is now President Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, attorneys familiar with the case said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the congressman isn't named in the indictment and the information is secret grand jury material.
At the time, Emanuel represented the 5th District on the city's North Side. Some of the funds were later released, even though no fundraiser had been held.
The indictment does not say which of Emanuel's two brothers was involved. Emanuel's brother Ari is a Hollywood agent and the inspiration for Ari Gold, the Type-A superagent on the HBO series "Entourage." His brother Ezekiel is an oncologist.
Obama's deputy press secretary, Josh Earnest, said the White House would not comment on the indictment, which does not allege wrongdoing by Obama or his aides.
Charged as co-defendants in the Blagojevich indictment are:
John Harris, 47, of Chicago, Blagojevich's chief of staff from late 2005 until last December, who has agreed to help the prosecution.
Alonzo Monk, 50, of Park Ridge, a lobbyist doing business as AM3 Consulting, Ltd., and a longtime Blagojevich associate and campaign manager.
Blagojevich's older brother Rob, 53, of Nashville, Tenn., who became chairman of the former governor's campaign fund in August 2008;
Christopher Kelly, 50, of Burr Ridge, a businessman and a principal campaign fundraiser who also served as chairman of Blagojevich's campaign fund from early 2004 until August 2005, and;
William F. Cellini, Sr., 74, of Springfield, a businessman who also raised significant funds for Blagojevich, in part through his role as the executive director of the Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association.
When Blagojevich was elected in 2002, his running mate Pat Quinn stood behind him cheering and applauding as the deposed governor said it was time for a "change." But Blagojevich and Quinn later had a falling out, and now, Quinn is promising to clean up state government.
"I think the events of December 9 and the events of (Thursday), underline for the people of Illinois that there is a serious crisis of integrity in our government, and I think it's very, very important that we the people confront the crisis, and enact the reform that will solve the problems and make sure that they never happen again," Quinn said.
Illinois lawmakers had considered stripping Blagojevich of his Senate-appointment powers after his arrest, but couldn't agree on legislation. Blagojevich shocked everyone by naming former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to the seat Dec. 30.
Burris has since come under fire for changing his story about the circumstances surrounding his appointment, first saying he hadn't contacted a key Blagojevich adviser about the seat but later released an affidavit saying he had spoken to several advisers, including the governor's brother. He also acknowledged trying, unsuccessfully, to raise money for Blagojevich.
Burris spokesman Jim O'Connor said Thursday that the embattled senator would not comment on the indictment. Earlier in the day, Burris told reporters with The Hill as he came off the Senate floor that it "has nothing to do with me."
Patti Blagojevich is named throughout the indictment as having received payments from convicted fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko, but she is not charged with anything.
Prosecutors are moving to seize the Blagojevich house in Ravenswood Manor, his Washington apartment, and the $3 million he planned to use to pay for his legal defense.
CBS 2's Joanie Lum, Political Editor Mike Flannery, Mike Parker and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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