[1] In addition to a reputation for secrecy that was noted by the Associated Press,[2] Blagojevich was the subject of political, legal, and personal controversies similar to those of his predecessor, Republican Governor George Ryan.
[9] Mell said publicly at the time that Blagojevich's chief fundraiser had traded state jobs for campaign contributions, but recanted after threat of a lawsuit.
[11] On December 30, 2005, it was reported that a leasing deal reached for occupants of the rebuilt Illinois Tollway oasis had come under investigation by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.
[13] In September 2006, news outlets began reporting that Blagojevich had accepted a $1,500 check from Mike Ascaridis, whom the governor described as one of his closest friends, in 2003.
[17] On October 2, 2006, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that a company that contributed close to $120,000 to Blagojevich's 2002 gubernatorial campaign won a no-bid contract.
[24] On October 11, 2006, Antonin "Tony" Rezko and Stuart Levine, both of whom were fundraisers for Blagojevich and Barack Obama, were indicted for participation in a scheme to obtain kickbacks from investment firms seeking business from two state boards.
Anita Mahajan owned a urinalysis company that held a no-bid contract with the state Department of Children and Family Services.
"[31] In January, 2009, Kelly, pleaded guilty to the tax charges, and in June, at 50, was sentenced to 37 months in prison, fined $7,500, and ordered to pay more than $600,000 in restitution.
He was allowed to stay free on bail pending a September trial "in which he is charged with paying an unnamed consultant $450,000 in kickbacks to get $8.5 million in inflated roofing contracts from two airlines at O'Hare International Airport," according to a report.
Levine mentioned Blagojevich by name at least 30 times in one day of testimony, and said under oath that the governor told him, "[Y]ou stick with us and you'll do very well for yourself".
[41] The first signs of Rezko's willingness to give information to the authorities came with the October 30, 2008 indictment of longtime Illinois power broker and Blagojevich fund-raiser William Cellini.
[44] In early October 2008, reports surfaced that another federal investigation was being conducted into whether Rezko had paid for the $90,000 renovation of Blagojevich's Chicago home.
[49] In January 2009 then-Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich revealed that he had considered naming talk show host Oprah Winfrey as his first choice[50] to fill the United States Senate seat previously occupied by President Barack Obama.
Christensen and the Business Manager of Elevator Constructors Local 55, Roderick Gillis were reappointed to their same board positions in 2007 by Governor Blagojevich.
[65] State senator Chris Lauzen, head of the legislature's audit committee, noted that the cost was more than a teacher's annual salary.
It is specifically alleged that he attempted to benefit financially from his sole authority to fill the US Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.
[82] If he could receive nothing for the seat, the complaint says, Blagojevich considered appointing himself, to position himself for a 2016 presidential run and to give himself increased resources to mount any potential legal defense.
[82] According to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, Blagojevich threatened to revoke funds to Children's Memorial Hospital after its chief executive officer did not give a $50,000 contribution to the governor's campaign.
Patrick Fitzgerald, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, described the corruption as "the most staggering crime spree in office I have ever seen.
[82] At least two of the Senate Candidates mentioned in transcripts were revealed, Jesse Jackson Jr[88] for Blagojevich, and Lisa Madigan, Illinois Attorney General.
Federal authorities named Jackson as the candidate who was alleged as sending an "emissary" to offer Blagojevich $500,000 in campaign contributions in return for the US Senate seat.
Jackson denied the claim, stating, "I never sent a message or an emissary to the governor to make an offer, to plead my case or to propose a deal about a U.S. Senate seat, period.
[98] On December 10, all 50 remaining Senate Democrats signed a letter calling for Blagojevich to resign and demanding that he not appoint a replacement for Obama.
The letter also said that if Blagojevich did appoint a successor, "we would be forced to exercise our Constitutional authority under Article I, Section 5, to determine whether such a person should be seated"—seemingly indicating that any Blagojevich-appointed replacement would not be allowed to serve.
"[86] In October 2007, The Chicago Tribune published an editorial encouraging passage of a constitutional amendment that would allow the power of recalling state officials, specifically Blagojevich.
[104] The newspaper wrote that since Blagojevich would probably not resign and lawmakers probably would not impeach him, "So the realistic question becomes this: Given the multiple ineptitudes of Rod Blagojevich -- his reckless financial stewardship, his dictatorial antics, his penchant for creating political enemies -- should citizens create a new way to terminate a chief executive who won't, or can't, do his job?...
[107] In the plea agreement, Ata admitted to meeting with Rezko several times regarding fundraising efforts for Blagojevich's campaign, and discussing the possibility of a position with a state agency in return for the contributions.
[109] The governor's office issued another denial, and continued to deny that Blagojevich was "Public Official A", despite Judge St. Eve's earlier confirmation.
Fritchey, the representative from Blagojevich's home district in Chicago, explained that "We now find ourselves in a very different environment, where an individual has pled guilty to being a co-conspirator in transactions involving the governor.
[113][114] On December 15, 2008, Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan announced that he was taking steps to initiate impeachment proceedings against Blagojevich.