* John Wyma’s attorney has released a statement…

An attorney for one of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s closest friends denied Friday that his client ever wore a wire or made recordings of the governor for the FBI and was unaware of any such recordings.

“Any allegation or insinuation to the contrary is simply untrue,” Zachary T. Fardon, attorney for lobbyist and Blagojevich friend John Wyma, said in a statement.

His statement followed a report in Friday’s Chicago Tribune that Wyma has cooperated with federal investigators in their probe of corruption in the Blagojevich administration and quoted unnamed sources as saying that the assistance provided by Wyma “helped lead to recordings of the governor and others.”

The Tribune never reported that Wyma had worn a wire or made recordings.

Fardon declined to answer questions as to whether his client, a former Blagojevich staff aide who is now a lobbyist, was cooperating with the government.

* Here’s the original Tribune copy, which was somewhat artfully worded…

As part of this undercover effort, one of the governor’s closest confidants and former aides cooperated with investigators, and that assistance helped lead to recordings of the governor and others, sources said.

Some of us initially interpreted that wrong, including myself, unfortunately. Thanks to Fardon for clearing it up.