Blago was talking with the Obama team...
abcnews.go.com
Blagojevich Wanted Obama Cabinet Appointment, Well-Paying Job, or Campaign Money, FBI Says
The FBI says Blagojevich wanted an appointment to the Obama cabinet as Secretary of Health and Human Services, a well-paying job, or huge campaign contributions as the price for naming Obama's successor.
Blagojevich was overheard by the FBI saying "I want to make money," complaining he was "financially hurting."
Blagojevich also sought a high paying job for his wife, according to the FBI. "Is there a play here, with these guys, with her" to work for a firm in Washington or New York, he reportedly asked.
The FBI affidavit said Blagojevich had been told by an adviser "the president-elect can get Rod Blagojevich's wife on paid corporate boards in exchange for naming the president-elect's pick to the Senate."
Told by two other advisers he has to "suck it up" for two years, the FBI says it heard Blagojevich complain he has to give this "motherf***er [the president-elect] his senator. F*** him. For nothing? F*** him."
The governor is heard saying he will pick another candidate "before I just give f***ing [Senate Candidate l] a f***ing Senate seat and I don't get anything."
According to the affidavit, one candidate for the senate seat, identified as Senate Candidate 5, promised to "raise money" for Blagojevich. The governor described, in a recorded call, an earlier approach by an associate of Senate Candidate 5.
"We were approached 'pay to play.' That, you know he'd raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator," Blagojevich was quoted as saying.
The affidavit said Blagojevich was interested in a high-paying position with an organization affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), called Change to Win, and that he suggested in a conversation with a SEIU official on Nov. 12, 2008 that Obama wanted other people to be considered for the Senate seat besides Senate Candidate 1. Previous phone conversations indicated that Blagojevich knew the SEIU official "was an emissary to discuss Senate Candidate 1's interest in the Senate seat," the affidavit said.
"HARRIS suggested that SEIU Official make ROD BLAGOJEVICH the head of Change to Win and, in exchange, the President-elect could help Change to Win with its legislative agenda on a national level," noted the affidavit.
SEIU has denied any involvement, saying in a statement, "We have no reason to believe that SEIU or any SEIU official was involved in any wrongdoing." |
