Key witness, former chief of staff, testifies at corruption trial of ex-Ill. Gov. Blagojevich

more images

more images

Former top aide takes stand at Blagojevich trial

CHICAGO — A key aide who was by the side of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich through most of his political career took the stand in his corruption trial Wednesday to testify against his old law school roommate.

Alonzo Monk is considered a key witness. Prosecutors say he was part of a tight group around Blagojevich who pressed companies for campaign cash on Blagojevich’s behalf. Monk pleaded guilty to conspiring to shake down a racetrack owner for a large campaign contribution and is testifying as part of the plea deal.

In his early testimony, Monk acknowledged that he was testifying in the hopes of getting a lighter sentence and talked about how he met and became friends with Blagojevich.

Prosecutors will most likely ask him about how Blagojevich and his closest advisers allegedly planned to use his power as governor in order to make money.

Blagojevich and his wife, Patti, watched Monk intently and the former governor scribbled away taking notes.

Defense attorney Sam Adam Jr. had said in his opening statement that Monk duped Blagojevich, who had no part of any alleged misdeeds. Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to scheming to profit illegally from his power to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama and squeeze people for campaign contributions.

If convicted, Blagojevich could receive up to 415 years in prison and fines totaling $6 million.

Monk was a Los Angeles sports agent when Blagojevich, then a congressman from a district on Chicago’s north side, called him to Washington to work in his office. Monk went on to manage Blagojevich’s campaigns.

In his opening statement on Tuesday, defense attorney Sam Adam Jr. had portrayed Monk as someone who had dazzled and befriended Blagojevich as a younger man, and then duped and betrayed him when he was governor.

“This case today is the governor’s fault. … Governor, it’s your fault,” the flamboyant attorney said about his client. “The governor’s judgment is horrible. He trusted Lon Monk.”

The former governor’s brother, Robert Blagojevich, 54, a Nashville, Tenn., businessman, has pleaded not guilty to taking part in the plot to sell the Senate seat and to scheming to illegally pressure a racetrack owner, who wanted the governor’s signature on legislation involving the tracks, for campaign money.

An FBI agent was the government’s first witness. Special agent Dan Cain led the federal investigation into alleged wrongdoing by Blagojevich and members of his inner circle that first resulted in the conviction of key Blagojevich fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko.

Cain explained how the investigation yielded thousands of wiretap conversations.

In cross examination, one of Blagojevich’s defense attorneys, Aaron Goldstein, pressed Cain on his description of Blagojevich’s successful campaign fundraising efforts over the years.

“Did one penny go to the personal account of Rod Blagojevich?” Goldstein asked.

“I didn’t analyze those details,” Cain responded.

Goldstein’s question echoed opening statements by the defense Tuesday that Blagojevich never participated in any illegal activity and never profited personally from it.