 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.
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.
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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]
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