[Posted by Barton Lorimor]
* Ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s former chief of staff Alonzo Monk entered a new guilty plea in federal court this morning. The Sun-Times reports…
Monk, 51, admitted to attempting to extort a horse-racing businessman for a campaign contribution in exchange for getting a bill signed.
Monk is cooperating with investigators and pleaded guilty again after prosecutors filed new charges, crafted to deal with a possible future ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that experts say could strike down of the federal “honest services” fraud statute.
Monk has agreed to serve 24 months in prison.
Monk is reportedly going to testify against his former employer. The Tribune has more…
Monk is expected to testify that Blagojevich and three of his closest friends - including Monk - schemed from the outset of his administration to enrich themselves by leveraging the powers of Blagojevich’s office.
Monk is expected to tell the jury how the four — a group that also included key fundraisers Christopher Kelly and Antoin “Tony” Rezko — planned to bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions they could split up when Blagojevich left office.
*** UPDATE *** 12:45 p.m. President Obama will not be served….
The judge overseeing the corruption case against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich has denied a defense motion to issue a subpoena for the testimony of President Barack Obama.
U.S. District Judge James Zagel said he does not believe Obama’s testimony would be material to the charges.
Zagel said the defense motion fell “very short” of demonstrating a need to subpoena the president.
LIVE session coverage...
- Stones - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 10:49 am:
Another nail in the coffin.
- Anonymous - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 11:03 am:
Ruh roh Blago
- siriusly - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 11:03 am:
Again, these are the more serious charges with more concrete evidence against Blago. I don’t know why the MSM continues to chase his “kitty” about the Senate seat baloney.
24 months is that a lot or a little? Does this mean he’s being rewarded for his cooperation or not?
- Deep South - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 11:10 am:
I agree with siriusly, the whole senate seat thing is the least of Blago’s worries. But it is about the only thing that makes of national interest…I mean, it brings Obama, Axlerod, and many others into the story.
- Steve - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 11:13 am:
Question for anyone out there. Why didn’t the Feds wait until after the trial to have Monk sentenced? Why go into the trial with Monk as a convicted felon?
- VanillaMan - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 11:16 am:
Good. I’m glad that Monk will get his.
With every judicial sentence placed upon those who once made governmental decisions costing us millions, we get one step closer to setting a standard in state government that reaffirms our laws. It is good to sentence politicians to jails.
NEXT!
- nick - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 11:28 am:
steve - i dont think he has been sentenced yet. if he was already sentenced he could decide not to testify at the trial and still only serve 24 months. i believe the 24 months is the agreed time he will serve for testifying.
- cassandra - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 11:36 am:
The only solution to this public financing of political campaigns.
VM is right….next! Given the huge rewards (to the greedy and corrupt) in the present system, there are no doubt many “nexts” developing as we speak.
- wordslinger - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 12:22 pm:
I think 24 months is a fairly stiff sentence for cooperating. His lawyers, at least, believe the charge is pretty strong to advise a deal with time and a flip.
- Bill - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 12:34 pm:
Et tu, Monk?
- Gregor - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 12:43 pm:
Bill, you unfairly criticized my comment about this very case the other day as completely wrong and uninformed, so kindly explain for us today how this one is also Madigan’s fault. Your loyalty to the sith lord was once touching; now it is just creepy.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 1:03 pm:
===Monk is reportedly going to testify against his former employer===
Not to quibble but Monk’s former employer is the State of Illinois. Shouldn’t this be changed to “the former governor” or “Rod Blagojevich”?
- Vote Quimby! - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 1:05 pm:
==Not to quibble==
It is quibbling :-) But “supervisor” or “hirer” would have been more accurate.
Wake up, Blago….that “coffee” you smell is a sentence many times longer than Monk agreed to!
- Ghost - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 1:09 pm:
=== Monk is expected to tell the jury how the four — a group that also included key fundraisers Christopher Kelly and Antoin “Tony” Rezko — planned to bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions they could split up when Blagojevich left office.=====
But Rod says he is inncocent and will be vindicated…..
- Pat Robertson - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 1:12 pm:
==The only solution to this public financing of political campaigns. ==
Giving the thieves a bigger pot to steal from is a solution to theft?
- dupage dan - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 1:26 pm:
RB & company are going to try to throw everything into this trial including the kitchen sink. I hope Zagel stays in top form - no imitations of Ito, please.
- Anon - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 1:44 pm:
Lon Monk is a deceit man who put in himself in bad position. Enouigh with the bashing. As far as the plea goes, he has actually not pled guilty yet. A recommendation from the Feds will be given for the 24 month sentence. They will be able to invoke on cross that Monk has agreed to cooperation with the Feds. That will be far game, but they will not be able to say that he is a Convicted Felon. There must be a conviction before they can use this in federal court.
- Team Sleep - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 1:45 pm:
This is a good, cautionary tale for future high-level employees who think they need to serve the master regardless of ethics. Mr. Monk was well-connected and could have gotten a lucrative job much earlier than he chose to. I feel no empathy for him. I don’t know about the sentence, though.
I still think Sam Adam needs to subpoena Val Jarrett, Rahm Emanuel & Dave Axelrod. Why not? If the judge denies the Obama subpoena, let Obama’s peeps answer the fed’s questions.
- BigTwich - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 1:58 pm:
“let Obama’s peeps answer the fed’s questions.”
The feds do not have questions. Rod has questions and they do not relate to the case against him.
- Anon - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 2:08 pm:
Obama’s peeps testimony is likely to be ruled not relevant by the judge. It is all out of court hearsay. Not likely there going to be showing up anytime soon so don’t hold your breathe.
- Leave a light on George - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 2:27 pm:
Robert the train hasn’t yet left the station but it is warming up, You best get on board.
- Anonymous - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 3:10 pm:
I wish just once the TV talk show clowns would ask Blago about his other charges, and all his cronies that have been found guilty/pled guilty and will testify against him. Just a matter of time, and it will be sweet.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 5:43 pm:
Lon Monk is a deceit man
I think you meant “decent”, but I like the typo better :-)
- wordslinger - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 6:24 pm:
Once again, Zagel is not impressed by the Blago and Adam Freak Show. They have to re-think their “strategy.” Zagel’s been to a few too many rodeos for these guys.
- DuPage Dave - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 7:16 pm:
Anyone who rank into Mr. Monk during his brief tenure in state government knew him to be a scoundrel (which is the least offensive word I’ve heard describing him). It is tempting to enjoy too much the downfall of someone like him. It’s better to save one’s schadenfreud for Blago himself.
- Sheridan Road - Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 8:43 pm:
34 days and no one’s listening.