Rahm Emanuel Was Blagojevich Extortion Target, Official Says
Blagojevich, 52, a Democrat, was indicted yesterday by a Chicago federal grand jury on 16 counts including racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion conspiracy and attempted extortion. He was impeached and removed from office in January for abusing his power.
In the indictment is an allegation titled “Attempted Extortion of United States Congressman A.” It said that in 2006, when the congressman asked the governors office about the status of a $2 million grant for a publicly supported school in his district, Blagojevich told his chief of staff to freeze the grant pending further instructions.
When another official asked about the status of the grant, Blagojevich allegedly responded that the congressmans brother needed to hold a fundraiser for the governor. The governor also instructed a lobbyist to inform the congressman of that decision, the indictment said.
A White House official, who asked not to be identified, confirmed today that Emanuel, a Democrat from Illinois, was that congressman. Emanuel, 49, represented a Chicago-based House district for six years until he assumed his Obama administration post in January.
Blagojevich, in a statement yesterday, denied the Justice Departments allegations.
I Am Innocent
“I am innocent. I now will fight in the courts to clear my name,” he said. If convicted of the racketeering or wire-fraud charges, the former governor could be sentenced to as much as 20 years in prison. In December, he was charged with trying to trade the U.S. Senate seat that Obama vacated upon winning the presidency for campaign cash or other favors.
The White House aide said Blagojevich was asking for Emanuels brother, Ari Emanuel, to host a fundraiser for Blagojevich. The school for which the $2 million grant was being sought was Chicago Academy High School, the aide said.
Rahm Emanuel, who is with the president at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Strasbourg, France, was unavailable for comment, the aide said. Emanuel succeeded Blagojevich as the congressional districts representative in the 2002 election, in which Blagojevich won the governorship.
The fundraiser was never held, according to the 75-page indictment. Ari Emanuel is the founder of Endeavor, a New York- based talent agency, and serves on the board of the rock concert and theater promotion firm Live Nation Inc. of Beverly Hills.
Randall Samborn, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald in Chicago, didnt immediately return a call seeking comment.