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 "I got this thing and it's f------ golden and I'm not just giving it
up for f------," the speaker played.
Court was dismissed soon
after and Blagojevich left the courthouse with his normal wink,
smile and wave, seemingly oblivious to the stark words he spoke
regarding President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.
It was a different picture inside the courtroom.
The former governor sat alone at the defense table -- his wife,
Patti, absent for the first time since his trial began early this
month. His face went flush as new tapes and testimony took a more
aggressive tone.
Labor leader Tom Balanoff did not mince words as he related some
rather unflattering conversations with Blagojevich to the court.
Balanoff said Blagojevich had some pretty specific guidelines for
replacing Obama in the Senate -- guidelines which U.S. Rep. Jan
Schakowsky didn't quite meet.
"If she had any ancestors that came over on slave ships, she'd be
fine," Blagojevich allegedly told Balanoff at a Nov. 24, 2008,
meeting after the labor leader recommended the congresswoman for the
seat. Schakowsky is white.
Balanoff, who at that time headed Chicago's Service Employees
International Union, raised the prospect of a Schakowsky appointment
after learning that Obama friend Valerie Jarrett, an
African-American, had elected to take a job at the White House.
Former Blagojevich Chief of Staff John Harris said he and his
former boss considered the labor leader their emissary to the White
House, a claim Balanoff denied on the stand.
He did, however, admit that he approached the governor on the
president's behalf -- specifically for Jarrett -- on Nov. 12.
"Obama said he was not going to take a public position (on who he
wanted for the seat)," he said. "I told him I would reach out to
Blagojevich."
Balanoff noted that he did not "advocate" for Jarrett, he "merely
raised her name." But the consequences for not naming Jarrett were
rather high for mere name-dropping. Balanoff told the court that the
union planned to end its political support for Blagojevich if
Jarrett did not get the appointment.
The union was a big supporter of Blagojevich throughout his
political career, endorsing him in the 2002 and 2006 gubernatorial
elections. That is not the case anymore.
"Would you have supported him, knowing what you know now?" lead
prosecutor Reid Schar asked.
"No," Balanoff said, offering no further explanation.
The Schakowsky discussion represented a U-turn from a previous
discussion between labor leaders and Blagojevich.
Former Deputy Gov. Doug Scofield helped arrange a Nov. 3 meeting
between the governor, Balanoff and Andy Stern, who was then the
union president.
Scofield testified that Balanoff and Stern suggested to the
governor that it would be appropriate to replace Obama with another
African-American.
Blagojevich took that message to heart, telling Balanoff at the
Nov. 24 meeting that he would only consider appointing an
African-American to the seat, fearing political fallout from
replacing Obama with someone of another race.
[to top of second column]
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He would change his mind within days, according to the defense,
when he began to seriously consider Illinois Attorney General Lisa
Madigan, in order to win political cooperation from her father,
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. The best way to achieve
that, the defense said, was to gain major national political allies
-- an easy task if he considered a Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.
appointment.
And that is when the defense suffered another setback.
Harris testified that Blagojevich had only begun considering
Jackson Jr. -- whom he had previously ruled out -- for money's sake.
"My understanding was that the only thing that had changed was
with the third parties offering campaign contributions," Harris
said, who did not specifically name any individuals tied to the
alleged contributions
That statement provided the defense with an opening to question
Harris about a wiretap taped on Dec. 4, which the prosecution had
not elected to play. Once the prosecution opened the door to
Blagojevich's motives, federal Judge James Zagel entertained the
defense's request to play the tape.
After the jury left the courtroom, Blagojevich's sharp voice
emerged from the courtroom speakers as it has numerous times over
the week.
But the governor's colorful language was singing a different tune
than the self-concern jurors have heard throughout the week.
"If I'm going to p--- o-- the black community (with a Lisa
Madigan pick), I want public works programs, I want health care here
and no raising taxes," Blagojevich said in the conversation.
Speaker Madigan had blocked the governor's attempts to achieve
these legislative goals.
"They do that, I'll hold my nose and (appoint Madigan),"
Blagojevich said.
It seemed a strategic victory for the defense.
Zagel, however, dismissed the tape as hearsay.
Cross-examination is limited to evidence admitted during direct
examination, unless the defense can prove evidence exists that
refutes the witness's prior testimony.
Zagel ruled that the defense offered an alternate explanation
rather than actual refutation of Harris' testimony. The witness only
stated what he believed Blagojevich's motives to be for a Jackson
appointment, according to the judge.
The move inspired Blagojevich's first public statement in more
than a week.
"When my lawyers attempted to play a tape that will begin the
process of actually exonerating me, the prosecution objected," he
said. "I can't wait to testify ... and clarify some of these
conversations and tell the people of Illinois what exactly was on my
mind and what I was trying to do."
Zagel told the defense the tape could be played when Blagojevich
takes the stand later this summer.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BILL McMORRIS] |
