Deputy governor is 'Senate Candidate 4'
Illinois Deputy Governor Louanner Peters was identified Thursday as one of the Senate candidates that Gov. Rod Blagojevich was accused of using to his political benefit in a sweeping corruption scandal.
A person familiar with the criminal complaint filed against Blagojevich revealed that Peters was "Senate Candidate 4." The person was not authorized to talk publicly about the complaint and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
Candidate 1 has been identified as Valerie Jarrett, President-elect Barack Obama's friend and incoming senior White House adviser. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has acknowledged she is Senate candidate 2. U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. has been identified as Senate candidate 5. Candidate 3 has not been identified publicly.
In the complaint, FBI agents capture Blagojevich in a lively exchange on Nov. 10 with an adviser and consultant.
Blagojevich said he would put Candidate 4 in Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat instead of Candidate 1, if the governor did not get something in return.
A profane Blagojevich states that he will put Peters in the Senate "before I just give" Jarrett the seat and "I don't get anything."
The complaint identified Senate Candidate 4 only as a "deputy governor."
Peters did not immediately return a call for comment.
Peters was named deputy governor in December 2006. She was previously Blagojevich's deputy chief of staff for social services and deputy campaign manager. Before joining Blagojevich, she spent 10 years in Washington, D.C.
Peters is the latest name with the governor's office to surface in connection with the complaint against Blagojevich, who was arrested Tuesday along with his chief of staff. Both face federal corruption charges that they put Obama's Senate seat up for sale.
The complaint is dotted with unidentified people whose names are trickling out. On Wednesday, deputy governor Bob Greenlee resigned in the wake of the scandal. The AP learned that Greenlee was "Deputy Governor A" in the criminal complaint. The deputy governor was deeply involved in the scheme to strong-arm the Tribune, prosecutors said.
In the complaint, Blagojevich clearly believes Peters can serve his purposes.
One week after the election, Blagojevich said if he appointed Peters to the Senate seat and he got impeached, he could count on her.
"If things got hot, to give (the Senate seat) up and let me parachute over there," Blagojevich is quoted as saying.
In response, his chief of staff said: "You can count on (Senate Candidate 4) to do that."
Later in the conversation, Blagojevich said he knew Obama wanted Jarrett for the Senate seat but "they're not willing to give me anything except appreciation. (Expletive) them."