Former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich once said nothing could prove him guilty of corruption — his day in court would be his exoneration. On Tuesday, prosecutors released transcripts they hope will make him eat those words.
Jurors finally got a look at wiretaps transcripts prosecutors allege are proof of a Blago-led shakedown. The tapes feature Blagojevich and his brother Rob speaking about Rod’s alleged plan to sign a 2008 horseracing bill in exchange for a campaign donation of $100,000 from Maywood Track owner John Johnston.
Gov. Blagojevich: ” I got a call into Lon (Monk). What, what about the Johnston’s, they come in with their money today?”
Rob Blagojevich: “He thought maybe he might. I did, Lon did call me back after I spoke with you and ah, he was gonna see, ah, Johnny today and he thought he was gonna get some money.”
But Blagojevich never got the money. The conversations were held just days before he was arrested.
Earlier this month, Blagojevich said the playing of the wiretaps would lead to his exoneration. His attorney, Sam Adam, said the tapes would prove he was only doing what other politicians normally do. Even after the trial recessed Tuesday, Adam defended the ex-Guv: “The Governor’s here charged with, what you say, attempted extortion. Who did he attempt to extort? He couldn’t name one person. He couldn’t name one thing. He couldn’t name one dollar.”