 "If I thought the governor was embarking on a course of action that
would immediately harm or irreparably damage him, I would try to
intervene or stop him," Harris testified on Wednesday afternoon
during Blagojevich's federal corruption trial.So when Blagojevich
asked him to strong-arm a leading Chicago newspaper, Harris refused
to comply.
"You need to make wholesale changes."
In a call with Blagojevich recorded on Nov. 6, 2008, that was the
message Harris promised to deliver to representatives of Chicago
Tribune owner Sam Zell.
Blagojevich was furious about the paper's negative editorials at
the time of the call, and he was not shy about sharing that
frustration with Harris.
But Harris never delivered the message.
"I thought it was wrong to do so," he testified. "I wasn't
comfortable delivering that directive."
The governor's office had been working with Zell to sell the
Tribune-owned Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field -- a deal worth
hundreds of millions of dollars.
Harris said Blagojevich wanted him to threaten the businessman's
representatives with "derailing" the deal if the Tribune did not
fire members of the paper's editorial board.
But Harris said he did not always balk at the governor's alleged
shakedowns.
The star prosecution witness could be heard later in the
conversation giving Blagojevich tips on how to use President Barack
Obama's former U.S. Senate seat to get a Cabinet position in the
administration.
Obama wanted the governor to appoint his friend, businesswoman
Valerie Jarrett, to the seat. But Blagojevich said such a move would
come with a price
The former governor just could not figure out that price, so he
turned to Harris for advice.
Harris told his boss to "get blunt" with Obama allies when
negotiating a Jarrett appointment.
He even gave Blagojevich some talking points to use in potential
negotiations with labor leader and self-declared Obama
representative Tom Balanoff, president of the Service Employees
International Union Illinois Council and vice president of its
International Executive Board.
"(Say), how does this help me with the unfinished business (in
Springfield) and my family?" Harris said on the tape.
"That's good," Blagojevich replied.
[to top of second column]
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Harris testified that he was referring to Blagojevich's trouble
getting legislation passed with Illinois House Speaker Michael
Madigan, as well as his own financial security.
Harris said Blagojevich was plotting to use Illinois Attorney
General Lisa Madigan to convince Obama that the governor was
considering other "credible alternatives" to the seat.
The tapes would seem to indicate Blagojevich was hoping Obama
would reward him with a Cabinet post of some sort or a job in the
private sector for sacrificing the benefits of a Madigan
appointment.
Harris' testified about Blagojevich's intense desire to leave
political office behind.
The prosecution's most recent tapes demonstrate that Blagojevich
had begun to come to terms with the notion that Obama could refuse
to appoint him to his Cabinet.
The tapes show Blagojevich considered working with Obama
supporters at the SEIU -- one of the biggest labor unions in the
country -- to land him or his wife, Patti, a lucrative
private-sector job.
Harris said Blagojevich wanted to work with Balanoff and Obama to
replace the head of an existing political foundation, such as the
union's Change to Win campaign.
"I think (your request) comes across very reasonably," Harris
said on tape. "You're not being crass or overtly bargaining."
Harris is testifying against his old boss in exchange for a
reduced sentence on a bribery charge he pleaded guilty to earlier
this year.
Blagojevich faces up to 415 years in prison of convicted of more
than 20 counts of corruption.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BILL McMORRIS]
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