Blagojevich's Fundraising Shakedowns Detailed (John Wyma is Individual A)

[maddezmom]

Blagojevich's Fundraising Shakedowns Detailed
POSTED: 01:34 PM ET, 12/10/2008 by Derek Kravitz
TAGS: Congress, FBI, Rod Blagojevich, federal courts



Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, center, leaves his home through a back alley Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008, a day after being arrested on federal corruption charges. (By Mark Carlson / AP)

What ultimately led to federal conspiracy and bribery charges against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (aside from well-placed wiretaps)? Federal agents say it wasn't the elaborate scheme for an ambassadorship or notions that he would sell President-elect Barack Obama's now-vacant Senate seat.

It was the shakedowns.

Since October, the FBI has conducted several interviews with longtime fundraiser John Wyma, chairman of the Friends of Blagojevich campaign committee (Wyma is dubbed "Individual A" in court documents - PDF). He told federal agents that the governor was making a strong push to collect at least $2.5 million in campaign cash by Jan. 1, when stricter new ethics laws take effect in Illinois.

With Wyma's help, federal agents allegedly caught the two-term governor not only trying to raise cash from wealthy donors in exchange for favors, but threatening to withhold state money and projects if he didn't get what he wanted.

At one point, Blagojevich allegedly instructed a lobbyist to approach and solicit $500,000 in campaign money from an unnamed highway contractor (The Chicago Sun-Times says at least one of the lobbyists the governor dealt with was former chief of staff Alonzo Monk). That highway contractor stood to benefit from a $1.8 billion project to build new interchanges and "green lanes" in Illinois, an initiative announced in October.

more:http://voices.washingtonpost.com/washingtonpostinvestigations/2008/12/the_governors_shakedowns.html?hpid=topnews

[WCGreen]

1. I guess Blago thought the Green Lanes are the Money Lanes...

[razors edge]

2. Just curious here

but I am assuming some of his people were in on this and helping him do these shakedowns.

Doesn't that also qualify as a RICO violation?

[Jennicut]

3. Obama pushed for the stronger ethics laws while running for president

He called Emil Jones and pushed him to support it. Ironic that old Blago was trying to escape from the new laws.