With the final selection of jury members expected to be completed yesterday, the stage was set for opening statements in the federal corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his brother Rob.
Prosecutors from U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s office were expected to lay out for jurors their evidence in clearest detail yet.
Blagojevich faces 24 charges while his brother faces five.
In prior court documents, prosecutors alleged that the promise of personal financial benefits drove Blagojevich’s decision in 2003 to choose Bear, Stearns & Co. to run the books on the state’s general obligation pension bond sale and to give his go-ahead on the day of pricing to issue the full $10 billion authorization.
The pension obligation bond pay-to-play scheme marks just one in a series of arrangements in which the Democratic governor and his advisers sought to use their influence to steer state business and contracts for personal profit.
The General Assembly removed Blagojevich from office in 2009 January following his arrest a month earlier when prosecutors alleged he had attempted to profit from his power to appoint a U.S. Senate replacement for President Obama after the national election.
Blagojevich also allegedly sought to leverage his support for a $1.8 billion construction program by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority in fall 2008 for campaign contributions from construction contractors.
The charges also include a scheme to shake down an Illinois racetrack owner for $100,000 in campaign contributions in exchange for Blagojevich’s support on legislation that would have benefitted racetracks.
The governor’s representatives are also charged with seeking to shake down Children’s Memorial Hospital for political contributions in exchange for state grant support.
