Blagojevich's Brazenness Stuns Even Hardened Chicago Politicos
CHICAGO — The words on the recording sound as if they were uttered by a mob boss. Instead, the feds say, it is the governor of Illinois speaking.
The Senate seat "is a (expletive) valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing," Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich says in a Nov. 3 conversation intercepted by the FBI.
Federal prosecutors Tuesday accused the 51-year-old Blagojevich of plotting to enrich himself by selling Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat for cash or a lucrative job for himself. In excerpts released by prosecutors, Blagojevich snarls profanities, makes threats and demands and allegedly concocts a rich variety of schemes for profiting from his appointment of a new senator.
"I want to make money," he declares, according to court papers. Blagojevich allegedly had a salary in mind: $250,000 to $300,00 a year. (He earns $177,412 a year.)
Even in this city inured to political chicanery _ three other governors have gone to prison in the past 35 years, and numerous officeholders from Chicago have been convicted for graft _ the latest charges were stunning. And not just for the vulgarity, but for the naked greed, the recklessness and the self-delusion they suggest.
What is mystifying is why Blagojevich spoke so openly and so brazenly. He knew the feds were looking into his administration for the past three years for alleged hiring fraud; one of his top fundraisers has been convicted, another is awaiting trial. He even warned some associates not to use the phone because "everybody's listening ... You hear me?"
Blagojevich also is no neophyte. He was baptized in the nitty gritty of Chicago Machine politics and confirmed in back-room bargaining and big money deals. He spent years climbing the ladder, first as a state representative, then a congressman and finally governor. He was boosted to power by his father-in-law, Alderman Dick Mell, a veteran Democratic ward boss and longtime stalwart of the once mighty Machine. The two became estranged in recent years.
And yet, in conversations recorded from late October to last week, Blagojevich seemed almost oblivious as he vented his frustrations about being "stuck" as governor, complained of "struggling" financially, and allegedly talked of using the Senate appointment to land a high-paying job in the private sector, or even an ambassadorship or a Cabinet post.
"It's about greed," said Don Rose, a longtime political strategist in Chicago. "He's got to be completely off his rocker to be talking like that at a time when he knows the feds are looking at him. ... He's out there like he's talking to his wife in bed."
He added: "I think this is beyond ordinary sanity. We're talking about something clinical here. This is beyond logic. It's beyond greed as we know it."
He also scoffed at the notion that Blagojevich had any chance of obtaining a post in Obama's Cabinet.
"I consider myself a student of corruption, but I've never heard of this kind of thing going on," Rose said. "The way he's talking about it is lunacy. ... `Maybe they'll make me secretary of health and human services.' Who's going to hire this guy?"
Paul Green, a political scientist at Roosevelt University, said: "If you're under so much scrutiny by an unbelievably dedicated U.S. attorney's office, why would you risk it all? This is a case less about politics and more about social psychology. ... A hard-nosed Illinois politician wouldn't even dream of doing this, considering the situation."
One of the most intriguing aspects of the story was that Blagojevich was elected as Mr. Clean, promising to clean up state government. His predecessor, Republican Gov. George Ryan, is behind bars for graft.
Blagojevich "had everything going for him," Green said. "He could have been the Serbian Obama. He was young, handsome, articulate."
In court papers, prosecutors said Blagojevich also tried to strong-arm political contributions in exchange for jobs and contracts, and tried to use his authority to get editorial writers from the Chicago Tribune who criticized him fired.
He also discussed getting his wife, Patti, who has been in the real estate business, on corporate boards where she could earn up to $150,000 a year.
Some of the most shocking conversations came in the days before and after Obama's victory, when Blagojevich seemed intent on capitalizing on his role in choosing the president-elect's successor in the Senate.
According to court papers, on Nov. 3, the day before the election, Blagojevich talked with someone identified only as Deputy Governor A about the Senate seat, and said: "If ... they're not going to offer anything of any value, then I might just take it" _ that is, make himself senator.
That same day, he talked tough, and said he intended to "drive a hard bargain" to get what he wants.
Later, he noted the seat is a "(expletive) valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing."
On Election Day, as crowds were gathering in Grant Park to celebrate Obama's victory, Blagojevich spoke with John Harris, his chief of staff, who also has been charged in the case. The governor likened himself to a sports agent shopping a free agent to teams, and said, "How much are you offering, (president-elect)?"
Days later, according to the documents, Blagojevich said he was willing to "trade" that Senate seat for the position of the secretary of health and human Services in Obama's Cabinet. There is no indication that Obama ever considered him.
In another conversation, though, the governor seemed aware he was not going to get a Cabinet post or an ambassadorship, noting all the negative publicity swirling around him.
In the documents, Blagojevich raised the possibility of starting a nonprofit organization and perhaps getting someone such as billionaire investor Warren Buffett or someone else to help.
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SHARON COHEN | December 9, 2008 11:54 PM EST |
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