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Ex-Blagojevich Aide Testifies to Pressure to Enlist Emanuel for Fundraiser
Then-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich or a top staff member pushed to get Rahm Emanuel to hold a fundraiser for the governor while Emanuel, then a congressman, sought a state grant for a charter school in his district, a former Blagojevich aide testified.
The request came in 2006, John Wyma, 43, a former chief of staff to governor, told a jury today at Blagojevich’s federal criminal trial in Chicago. Wyma, who is now a lobbyist, said he wasn’t sure whether request came from the governor or his chief of staff. Emanuel is now chief of staff to President Barack Obama.
“The timing was bad,” Wyma said. “To ask to have a fundraiser while he had an unresolved state issue was poor judgment.” Wyma said he didn’t reach out of to Emanuel until after the question of the grant had been resolved.
Wyma is one more prosecution witness whose testimony is aimed to show Blogojevich repeatedly sought to link campaign funds to official acts.
A twice elected Democrat, Blagojevich, 53, is accused of trying to trade his power to appoint a U.S. senator to succeed Obama in return for campaign cash or personal favors.
He also allegedly sought a campaign contribution from an Illinois horse track operator in exchange for a promise to sign a bill diverting casino revenue to the racing industry, and tried to tie a pediatric physician reimbursement rate increase to a $50,000 donation from the head of a children’s hospital.
Blagojevich Defense
Blagojevich has said he is innocent of “each and every charge.” The ex-governor will testify in his own defense, one of his attorneys, Sam Adam Sr., told trial judge James B. Zagel today. The trial started on June 3.
Witnesses including Wyma and the governor’s former chiefs of staff Lon Monk and John Harris have testified about pressures to raise campaign money for the governor. The Emanuel fundraiser request might have came from Monk, Wyma said.
Emanuel’s brother, Ari, is co-chief executive officer of the William Morris Agency, a Beverly Hills talent firm. Rahm Emanuel has been subpoenaed by the defense to testify at the Blagojevich trial.
Wyma testified under a grant of prosecutorial immunity.
Prosecutors have said they may rest their case as soon as today. If they do, Zagel said he’ll send home the jury until July 19, giving the governor’s lawyers time to prepare their case.
With the jurors outside the courtroom, defense attorney Adam previewed the ex-governor’s defense strategy for the judge, seeking the court’s opinion on whether the evidence he hoped to use would be allowed.
‘Lack of Willfulness’
“The defense in this case is a lack of willfulness,” Adam said. “The defense has a right to show he did not intend to commit a crime.”
While Adam said Blagojevich relied on the advice of people on his staff, some of whom are or were attorneys, the judge said the only way such “advice of counsel” evidence could be heard is through the testimony of the those advisers.
The case is U.S. v. Blagojevich, 08cr888, in the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago).
To contact the reporter on this story: Andrew M. Harris in Chicago at aharris16@bloomberg.net
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