Former Illinois Governor Blagojevich Indicted
Aaron Blake - The Hill
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) was indicted Thursday by the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago, bringing to a head a lengthy federal investigation into the recently deposed governor.
The indictment has been expected for months, since federal officials said the governor had been caught trying to auction off President Obama's former Senate seat. Blagojevich was tasked with picking a replacement.
Though the indictment is not surprising, its reinserts the situation into the national dialogue, even as Obama and two members of the state's congressional delegation would rather leave it behind them.
Blagojevich has maintained his innocence throughout the process, despite damning evidence to the contrary, including tapes of his phone conversations.
The governor was arrested in early December and has since been accused of numerous pay-to-play schemes. He was impeached and removed from office by the state Senate two months ago.
But before the state legislature could act, Blagojevich spurned the requests of Democratic leaders by appointing Roland Burris to Obama's former seat.
Burris was seated, over the objections of those Democratic leaders.
Later, he was revealed to have tried to raise money for Blagojevich while he sought an appointment.
The man Blagojevich controversially appointed to the Senate says it doesn't concern him and that Blagojevich is the one who will have to "deal with it."
"It has nothing to do with me," Burris said. "The governor has his own problems and the law will take its course in reference to what he did. If he did anything wrong, the law will take care of the problem."
The indictment could also pose problems for Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), who like Burris sought the appointment. Federal documents say an "emissary" for Jackson promised to raise $1 million for Blagojevich in exchange for the appointment.
Jackson has said he never authorized anybody to make such an offer.
He has lain low in recent months but is still eyeing higher office, including a possible run for Burris's Senate seat next year.
The state Republican Party circulated a release before the indictment seeking to tie numerous Illinois Democrats to the governor, including state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D), who is already running for the seat.
Republicans hope Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) will get in the race, and Kirk has said he will decide soon.