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| State governor held in US probe | State governor held in US probe |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been arrested, accused of trying to trade the Senate seat left vacant by US President-elect Barack Obama. | Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been arrested, accused of trying to trade the Senate seat left vacant by US President-elect Barack Obama. |
| Mr Blagojevich, as governor, has sole authority to select a successor to Mr Obama as junior Illinois senator. | Mr Blagojevich, as governor, has sole authority to select a successor to Mr Obama as junior Illinois senator. |
| FBI investigators said telephone intercepts showed he was trying to sell or trade the seat for personal benefit. | FBI investigators said telephone intercepts showed he was trying to sell or trade the seat for personal benefit. |
| There has been no official word from Mr Blagojevich's office, although he has denied previous corruption allegations. | There has been no official word from Mr Blagojevich's office, although he has denied previous corruption allegations. |
| Mr Blagojevich has since been released on bail, the Associated Press news agency reports. | Mr Blagojevich has since been released on bail, the Associated Press news agency reports. |
| Federal investigators, who have been working on a case against Mr Blagojevich for several years, have now charged him with a number of offences including soliciting a bribe. | Federal investigators, who have been working on a case against Mr Blagojevich for several years, have now charged him with a number of offences including soliciting a bribe. |
| The charges relate to a variety of corruption schemes in which the governor was allegedly involved, including so-called "pay to play" deals - the doling out of jobs, contracts and appointments in return for campaign contributions. | The charges relate to a variety of corruption schemes in which the governor was allegedly involved, including so-called "pay to play" deals - the doling out of jobs, contracts and appointments in return for campaign contributions. |
| Mr Obama said he was "saddened and sobered" by the case, but insisted he had had no contact with the governor over the Senate seat. | Mr Obama said he was "saddened and sobered" by the case, but insisted he had had no contact with the governor over the Senate seat. |
| Wiretaps | Wiretaps |
| The US Attorney's Office released a 76-page FBI affidavit detailing the charges against Mr Blagojevich, which includes transcripts of his telephone conversations intercepted by court-authorised wiretaps over the last month. | The US Attorney's Office released a 76-page FBI affidavit detailing the charges against Mr Blagojevich, which includes transcripts of his telephone conversations intercepted by court-authorised wiretaps over the last month. |
| In the conversations, the Democratic governor allegedly discussed offering Mr Obama's Senate seat in return for getting a well-paid position at a non-profit organisation or a group affiliated with trades unions, according to the affidavit. | In the conversations, the Democratic governor allegedly discussed offering Mr Obama's Senate seat in return for getting a well-paid position at a non-profit organisation or a group affiliated with trades unions, according to the affidavit. |
| In the transcripts, on 3 November Mr Blagojevich said the seat was a "[expletive] valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing". | In the transcripts, on 3 November Mr Blagojevich said the seat was a "[expletive] valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing". |
| The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald Profile: Rod Blagojevich | The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald Profile: Rod Blagojevich |
| The day after the presidential election, according to the affidavit, Mr Blagojevich was recorded as saying: "I've got this thing and it's [expletive] golden, and uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing." | The day after the presidential election, according to the affidavit, Mr Blagojevich was recorded as saying: "I've got this thing and it's [expletive] golden, and uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing." |
| He also allegedly talked about getting his wife Patti placed on a corporate board. | He also allegedly talked about getting his wife Patti placed on a corporate board. |
| Mr Blagojevich has also been charged with illegally threatening to block state aid to the company that owns the Chicago Tribune newspaper. | Mr Blagojevich has also been charged with illegally threatening to block state aid to the company that owns the Chicago Tribune newspaper. |
| Mr Blagojevich allegedly demanded that the company fire members of its editorial board in return for financial assistance in the sale of Wrigley Field, a Chicago sports stadium. | Mr Blagojevich allegedly demanded that the company fire members of its editorial board in return for financial assistance in the sale of Wrigley Field, a Chicago sports stadium. |
| The governor's chief of staff, John Harris, has also been arrested. | The governor's chief of staff, John Harris, has also been arrested. |
| 'New low' | 'New low' |
| At a press conference, Patrick Fitzgerald, the US lawyer in charge of the investigation, described Mr Blagojevich's actions as a "corruption crime spree". | At a press conference, Patrick Fitzgerald, the US lawyer in charge of the investigation, described Mr Blagojevich's actions as a "corruption crime spree". |
| And he said that the allegations represented a "truly new low" and a "sad day for government" in Illinois. | And he said that the allegations represented a "truly new low" and a "sad day for government" in Illinois. |
| "The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave," he added. | "The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave," he added. |
| Mr Fitzgerald stressed that there were no allegations in the case against Mr Obama or his transition team. | Mr Fitzgerald stressed that there were no allegations in the case against Mr Obama or his transition team. |
| Mr Fitzgerald has been involved in a number of high-profile prosecutions in recent years. | Mr Fitzgerald has been involved in a number of high-profile prosecutions in recent years. |
| He led the case against the former vice-presidential chief of staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, as well as heading up the investigation into media tycoon Conrad Black. | He led the case against the former vice-presidential chief of staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, as well as heading up the investigation into media tycoon Conrad Black. |
| The prosecutor was also involved in the corruption trial of Mr Blagojevich's predecessor as Illinois governor, George Ryan. | The prosecutor was also involved in the corruption trial of Mr Blagojevich's predecessor as Illinois governor, George Ryan. |
| Three of the state's governors have been jailed on corruption charges in the last 35 years. | Three of the state's governors have been jailed on corruption charges in the last 35 years. |