Tuesday, June 29, 2010
 
sponsored by

Defense takes a crack at Blago ex-aide Harris

Send a link to a friend

[June 29, 2010]  CHICAGO -- Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich often said he stayed away from Springfield to keep away from typical Illinois politics.

But the governor's former top aide John Harris on Monday said during cross-examination that Blagojevich was really trying to avoid the state's campaign finance laws.

"The governor did not engage in campaign solicitation from the governor's office, which is why he spent so much time (in Chicago)," Harris testified.

After a week of silence, the defense finally got a chance to fire back at Harris, who during his week on the stand has painted an unflattering picture of the former Illinois governor.

Sam Adam Sr. tried to poke holes in Harris' claim that Blagojevich was a money-hungry politician eager to cash in on his office by asking him about an ethics policy initiated by the governor's office.

"The governor instructed (Illinois General Counsel Bill) Quinlan to draw up an executive order preventing members of the governor's family from doing state business, correct?" he asked Harris.

"Yes," Harris replied.

Nursing Homes

Adam cited that executive order to address Harris' testimony that Blagojevich tried to use his influence to help Patti get a job. Harris said the former first lady was never employed by a company conducting state business during his tenure.

The defense is attempting to distance Blagojevich from his image as a corrupt politician. While Harris affirmed several of the governor's anti-corruption directives, he also told the court about Blagojevich behind the scenes.

So when Adam asked Harris about Blagojevich's self-imposed campaign finance restrictions, he was sure to include the ways in which Blagojevich dodged those rules.

"We generally avoided discussions of campaign fundraising on government phones, on government time," Harris said, as Blagojevich looked at his former top adviser.

But, Harris continued, that "is why he spent so much time at his campaign headquarters on Ravenswood (Street in Chicago) or his home."

Blagojevich's image has taken a beating in the past week. The prosecution has drawn Blagojevich as an absentee governor, more interested in personal advancement than the people of Illinois.

Former Deputy Governor Bradley Tusk testified last week that he often made bill-signing decisions for the governor. Tusk's testimony may have been damaging to Blagojevich's work ethic. But Harris raised questions about why Blagojevich was not around in the first place.

Adam treaded lightly in his approach to Harris. Much of the cross-examination focused on policy details surrounding the governor's decision, rather than the FBI wiretaps Harris walked the jury through during the prosecution's examination.

[to top of second column]

The defense has argued Blagojevich's decisions were strictly political, no different than any other officeholder. Adam suggested to the jury that Blagojevich was just thinking aloud when he mentioned exchanging a U.S. Senate appointment for a Cabinet position, ambassadorship or private-sector job.

"You're not suggesting (these were) serious plans?" Adam asked.

"We were talking options, yes," Harris said.

The witness later added that he thought Blagojevich would get an emissary to forward such demands to President Barack Obama, but the governor "declined to direct me to do so."

Adam also sought to raise doubts among jurors about Harris' credibility, using his initial interactions with the FBI on Dec. 8, 2008.

"Did you ever consider yourself a special (legal) counsel to the governor?" he asked.

"No," Harris replied.

"But didn't you tell the FBI you couldn't talk to them because of your attorney-client privilege with the governor?" Adam followed up.

"Yes," he said. "I was not sure if I was breaching attorney-client privilege because we had been in briefs with legal staff."

Adam jumped on this testimony until Harris testified that he invoked attorney-client privilege because he "wanted to end the conversation."

The governor's brother Rob is also on trial in connection with bribery charges. Defense attorney Cheryl Schroeder tried to distance the elder Blagojevich from the alleged conspiracy to sell Obama's former Senate seat. She maintained a steady refrain about the tapes played before the court.

"Rob was not a party to (the) conversation, was he?" she asked Harris. "No one interjected his opinion?"

"No," he replied on each occasion.

Harris has been on the stand for more than 24 hours, beginning last week, and he may not be finished yet. He is testifying against his former boss in exchange for a reduced sentence on a bribery charge.

Blagojevich faces up to 415 years in prison if convicted of more than 20 counts of corruption.

[Illinois Statehouse News; By BILL McMORRIS]

< Top Stories index

Back to top


 

News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching and Learning | Home and Family | Tourism | Obituaries

Community | Perspectives | Law and Courts | Leisure Time | Spiritual Life | Health and Fitness | Teen Scene
Calendar | Letters to the Editor