Wiretaps of Gov. Blagojevich’s home phone and his former chief of staff's cell phone allowed the world to hear for the first time this afternoon Blagojevich’s own voice allegedly discussing a shakedown of a potential campaign contributor.
Lon Monk, now a lobbyist, says on one of the tapes he got in the “face” of the potential contributor, horse racing executive John Johnston.
“I'm telling you, he's gonna be good for it. I got in his face,” Monk tells the governor during a 9:09 a.m. call on Dec. 4, 2008.
Anticipation built in the moments before tapes were played for the first time in the Senate trial. The chamber grew quiet.
As senators listened to the four brief conversations, one senator chewed on his pen and looked ahead. Sen. Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora), smiled and shook his head as he heard the governor’s brother, Robert, tell Blagojevich that Johnston was “good for it” — an apparent reference to a $100,000 campaign contribution.
Most senators squinted and looked ahead, trying to listen without transcripts, which were handed out later.
Democrat Jeff Schoenberg (D-Evanston), listening to the fourth tape between Monk and the governor, put his hand over his lip, smirked and shook his head.
In a surprise, Blagojevich says on the call, “I feel like there’s somebody else who’s holding him [Johnston] back” — an apparent reference to Johnston not yet giving the money to the governor's campaign fund.
Monk replies “No.”
“I believe it’s Chris,” Blagojevich says. That could be a reference to the governor’s friend and fund raiser, Chris Kelly.
“No, No,” Monk replies.
“Well what took, you know a whole year,” Blagojevich continues. “You know what I mean? Hey Lon . . .”
Monk then cuts Blagojevich off, “No, I don’t think he’s been talking to Chris,” Monk says.
If the person being referred to on the tape is Kelly — who was mentioned repeatedly during last year's corruption trial of Tony Rezko — it raises the possibility of dissension in the ranks of Blagojevich's fund-raising operation. Blagojevich has maintained that Kelly is one of his closest friends.
Reaction to the recordings was swift.
“It sounds like a couple of organized crime figures out preparing to break some kneecaps. It’s just horrible. It’s nauseating. It’s sickening,” said Sen. Dan Cronin (R-Elmhurst).
Via: The Chicago Sun-Times
No comments:
Post a Comment