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Report: Blagojevich Had Secret Meetings With Trib

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Mar 31, 2009 5:54 am US/Central

Report: Blagojevich Had Secret Meetings With Trib

Former Governor Could Be Indicted Any Day Now

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich could be indicted any day now, and details are emerging this Tuesday morning about reported secret meetings to buy Wrigley Field from the Tribune Company.

The Chicago Tribune reports that federal authorities say Blagojevich wanted to pressure the head of the media titan's parent company, Sam Zell, into selling the property to the state.

It is not clear what Blagojevich and Zell spoke about, and the Tribune Company has issued a statement saying neither it nor Zell did anything wrong.

Talks of plans for the state to buy Wrigley Field go back to December 2007. At the time, Blagojevich's staff was talking to the Cubs' owners about buying the stadium before Zell sold the team as he planned. The 95-year-old stadium is a Chicago landmark and sits on a valuable piece of property in a hot neighborhood, and taxpayers may have been left on the hook for renovation costs.

The talks for the state to buy Wrigley Field fell through. When Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges in December 2008, among the allegations against him were that he threatened to withhold any assistance to the Tribune Company in selling Wrigley Field, unless the Tribune fired editorial writers who had been critical of the governor.

Meanwhile, a recent published report says Blagojevich's campaign was planning to ask Tribune Co. Chairman Sam Zell for a $25,000 contribution just before the deposed governor was elected.

Zell's spokeswoman said Zell did not give any money to Blagojevich last year or promise to do so. And attorneys for the former governor and his brother, Robert, who headed his campaign fund, told the Sun-Times they did not solicit any money from Zell at the time.

The Sun-Times also reported that in another campaign document dated Dec. 3, 2008, one of the 143 names of potential donors for fundraising events is that of Marc Ganis -- a sports consultant hired by Tribune Co. to help with the sale of Wrigley.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.