Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich has been indicted by federal prosecutors, the AP reports."According to a statement issued by the Justice Department, Blagojevich will be charged along with his brother, two former aides and two business associates," reports Roll Call.
“'Since 2002, even before he was first elected governor that November, and continuing until he was arrested on Dec. 9, 2008, former Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and a circle of his closest aides and advisors allegedly engaged in a wide-ranging scheme to deprive the people of Illinois of honest government,' Patrick Fitzgerald, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, said in a statement."
The AP continues: "A federal grand jury handed down the 19-count indictment against Blagojevich, his brother, two former aides and two businessmen on Thursday. It accuses Blagojevich of corruption involving billions of dollars in state pension bonds. FBI agents arrested the Chicago Democrat in December on allegations that also include trying to auction off President Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat.""All six defendants will be arraigned on dates yet to be determined before U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel in Federal Court in Chicago," said the Department of Justice in a press release. "Blagojevich was charged with 11 counts of wire fraud, two counts of attempted extortion, and one count each of racketeering conspiracy, extortion conspiracy, and making false statements. The specific counts and maximum penalties each defendant is facing are listed separately."
The Department of Justice made a full copy of the indictment available online.
As The Chicago Sun-Times earlier reported, "Blagojevich’s indictment is highly anticipated, and it’s no secret that there is a Tuesday deadline to return the charges. The grand jury considering the matter meets on Thursdays.
"Blagojevich and his then chief of staff John Harris were arrested Dec. 9 on corruption charges. Blagojevich was accused in a criminal complaint of trying to sell President Obama’s open Senate seat. He was also accused of trying to shakedown firms seeking state business for campaign cash before a Jan. 1 law went into effect banning the practice. Charges also included an alleged plot to have Chicago Tribune editorial board members fired in exchange for helping Tribune Co. structure a state-backed deal to sell Wrigley Field."
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald did not hold a press conference when the indictment was released, The Washington Post reports, nor will Blagojevich be making any court appearance today.
On Wednesday, The Sun-Times reported that the former governor would not be in town when the indictment was handed down as he had taken his family on a trip to Disney World.
The Sun-Times said that Blagojevich "checked into a resort earlier [Wednesday] and is expected to be at one of the theme parks [Thursday} if an indictment comes down. The timing of an out-of-town escape was likely no accident. Blagojevich knew an indictment was likely to be returned this week because the grand jury had an April 7 deadline (Tuesday) to return it."
