Witness says Blagojevich wondered how much businessmen might pay for Obama’s Senate seat

more images

more images

more images

more images

Witness: Blagojevich wondered value of Senate seat

CHICAGO — Rod Blagojevich wondered how much money prominent businessmen — including one-time U.S. Senate candidate Blair Hull — might be willing to contribute to his campaign in exchange for Barack Obama’s Senate seat, the ousted governor’s former chief of staff testified Tuesday.

John Harris said at Blagojevich’s federal corruption trial that the conversation occurred shortly before Obama was elected president.

That conversation, he said, marked the first time that Blagojevich talked specifically about tying the appointment to a contribution — and that both he and Blagojevich’s ethics officer told the governor that he should not even joke about it.

As governor, Blagojevich would be responsible for appointing someone to fill the empty Senate seat if Obama won the presidency. Harris described an earlier car ride with Blagojevich on Oct. 6, 2008, during which the governor turned to him and broached the topic.

“What do you think I can get for the Senate seat?” Harris recalled Blagojevich as saying.

Harris said he asked, “For you?” and that Blagojevich said yes. Harris said he told Blagojevich, “You can get an ally or reward an ally.”

Before that, Blagojevich talked in general terms about what he could get for the seat, Harris said. He also talked about appointing himself or appointing then-Senate President Emil Jones, Harris said.

Harris spoke steadily and deliberately, looking straight ahead and displaying no apparent emotion. He is testifying in return for leniency after pleading guilty to wire fraud in the case.

Blagojevich, 53, has pleaded not guilty to scheming to sell or trade the appointment to Obama’s seat. He has also pleaded not guilty to plotting to launch a racketeering scheme using the powers of the governor’s office.

If convicted, Blagojevich could face up to $6 million in fines and a sentence of 415 years in prison, although he is certain to get much less under federal guidelines.

The former governor took feverish notes during Harris’ testimony, several times frowning and shaking his head disapprovingly.

His brother, Nashville, Tenn., businessman Robert Blagojevich, 54, has pleaded not guilty to taking part in the alleged scheme to sell the Senate seat and to plotting to illegally pressure a racetrack owner for a $100,000 campaign contribution.

Harris testified that while Blagojevich didn’t talk specifically about money during the car ride, he did days later in a meeting with Harris and Bill Quinlan, his general counsel. Harris said both he and Quinlan warned Blagojevich that he couldn’t talk about that at all, with Quinlan becoming particularly agitated.

Quinlan, Harris said, told the governor: “You can’t even joke about things like that.”

In a wire tap recording played in court, Blagojevich and Harris could be heard in a conversation the day before the election, devising strategies about getting something out of the Senate seat.

At one point, Blagojevich can be heard saying, “How about U.N. ambassador?”

Harris says skeptically, “I don’t think so.”

On the tape, Blagojevich laughs at Harris’ response, then adds wistfully — “Sure, that’d be cool.”

Throwing out other credible candidates and apparently to gain bargaining power, Blagojevich asks, “Should we leak it to (the media) about Lisa Madigan?”

Madigan, the Illinois attorney general, is the daughter of Michael Madigan, the powerful House speaker. Blagojevich has said that he was considering appointing Lisa Madigan to get her father to push through tax cuts, a health care package and a jobs bill.

Harris testified that Blagojevich didn’t consider Lisa Madigan a serious candidate for the seat — but only wanted her name floated to leverage their bargaining power as Obama preferred his friend Valerie Jarrett.

During the conversation, Blagojevich sounds excited by the prospect of getting something in return for the appointment.

“This is good,” he tells Harris at one point. Another time, he says, “I could get something for that couldn’t I?”