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Harris to testify against Blagojevich as Cellini stays in the game

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Illinois

* More trouble for Blagojevich…

Ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s former chief of staff has agreed to be a witness against his old boss and plans to work out a plea deal as early as next month, his lawyer said Thursday.

John Harris, arrested in December along with Blagojevich, is likely to plead guilty to one wire fraud count. He would be the first person, out of four others charged with the ex-governor, to become a government witness.

Harris was only charged with one count of wire fraud, so the feds haven’t dropped anything - although some details might possibly have been handled before the indictment. The wire fraud count carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years , so he could still be looking at some time.

Here’s the count…

[Harris and Blagojevich] did knowingly cause to be transmitted by means of wire and radio communication in interstate commerce signals and sounds, namely a phone call between ROD BLAGOJEVICH and HARRIS, in Chicago, Illinois, and Advisor A, in Washington, D.C., in which ROD BLAGOJEVICH, HARRIS, and Advisor A discussed financial benefits which ROD BLAGOJEVICH could request in exchange for the appointment of Senate Candidate B to the United States Senate;

In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 1346.

* As you already know, Bill Cellini is trying hard to separate himself from the Blagojevich trial…

Prosecutors took the existing Cellini case and, on April 2, added a far-reaching 19-count indictment against Blagojevich and others. The move helped prosecutors in effect pick their judge — U.S. District Judge James Zagel — to oversee the Blagojevich matter.

[Cellini defense attorney Dan Webb] said he believed the original charges against Cellini would result in a two-week trial. “We’re now swept into a six-month case,” Webb complained to Zagel.

Zagel said he didn’t think the trial would take six months and that he’d decide later whether to allow separate trials for certain defendants.

But CBS2 reported yesterday that the trial would, indeed last six months. Not sure if that’s a mistake or what.

* The SJ-R reports that Cellini is still active…

Cellini remains executive director of the Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association, the Illinois Association of Wastewater Agencies, the Illinois Concrete Pipe Association and PCI (Precast Concrete Institute) of Illinois and Wisconsin.

“The board of directors of each of the associations have known Bill for a long time,” said Marvin Traylor, who works with Cellini in Springfield and is director of engineering and research of all four associations. “They recognize that the allegations have nothing to do with association business and have taken the position that they will believe he’s innocent until he has his day in court.”

The story also detailed Cellini’s former lobbying client list, which included Chicago HMO - Stu Levine’s outfit.

Cellini withdrew his name from the lobbyist list in late 2003…

…new ethics legislation barred lobbyists or their spouses from serving on state boards or commissions. He said he stepped out of the way to allow his wife, Julie Cellini, to remain chair of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency board of trustees.

But was he still lobbying?

Leone questions whether it was appropriate for Cellini not to be registered in recent years, given federal allegations that suggest Cellini attempted to influence the Teachers’ Retirement System.

Cellini wasn’t the only one who decided to simply stop being a “registered” lobbyist after that “reform” law passed. There should’ve been an investigation of this mass exodus, but nobody ever did it. Paging Attorney General Lisa Madigan: Where were you on this?

* Related…

* Rod Blagojevich case: 3 co-defendants enter not-guilty pleas

* Three more not guilty pleas in Blagojevich case

* Harris, Kelly, Cellini plead not guilty

* He pleaded guilty in Blago-related scheme. Now he blogs…

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Apr 17, 09 @ 11:20 am

Comments

Springfield Republicans aren’t distancing themselves from Cellini in the least. They must have learned nothing from what happened to their party after George Ryan.

Comment by Sango Friday, Apr 17, 09 @ 11:26 am
Geez, when your chief of staff is going to testify against you, and you’re on tape, what’s your defense? The conversations are taken out of context and he’s lying?

Yikes, good luck with that.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Apr 17, 09 @ 11:28 am
Well, looks like another “Up Day” for Blago!

Comment by How Ironic Friday, Apr 17, 09 @ 11:46 am
They’ll all go down. I can’t believe it will take over 2 more years. But look at Hurtgen. He was indicted in 2005, I think, and guilty in 2009 (without a trial).

The next question is where else will this go? Is Chicago City Hall is concerned.

Comment by GlenView Friday, Apr 17, 09 @ 11:48 am
Wait until Kelly talks. There are kids in law school today that will be approaching retirement before all the indictments, trials, and appeals are concluded.

Comment by Leave a light on George Friday, Apr 17, 09 @ 11:53 am
Leone questions whether it was appropriate for Cellini not to be registered in recent years, given federal allegations that suggest Cellini attempted to influence the Teachers’ Retirement System.

How would you like to be Tony Leone after publicly questioning one of your old teammates in front of the home crowd? Unlike most of the players in Sangamon GOP poltics, he must feel like the Pope’s reach has shortened. I bet those dinner conversations at the Pasfield House will be animated!

Comment by Narcoleptic Friday, Apr 17, 09 @ 12:24 pm
Leone has not been a darling of the Sangamon County Republicans for over a decade. He was too close to Ryan and Ryan was not chummy with Cellini.

Comment by PPHS Friday, Apr 17, 09 @ 12:36 pm
–PPHS

I wondered about that. There seemed to be an edge to Tony’s comment.

Comment by Narcoleptic Friday, Apr 17, 09 @ 12:41 pm
I wonder what’s going on with the Trib part of the allegations? Harris talked to Larsen as well.

Comment by lincoln street Friday, Apr 17, 09 @ 12:53 pm
Why is no one asking why Jesse White / Tony Leone does not refer names to the Ill AG as to living persons no longer registering to lobby? The Illinois AG, like any other prosecutor, has to act on information given to that office for review.

But this becomes a political question, and as such it virtually answers itself. Dragging AG Lisa Madigan’s name down because of this SoS situation is totally unfair.

Comment by Capitol View Friday, Apr 17, 09 @ 1:55 pm
Awesome !!!!!
Costa Rica is looking real good !

Comment by Northside Bunker Friday, Apr 17, 09 @ 2:11 pm