Feds: 'Significant' Blago court filing this afternoon
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald announced a court filing will come late this afternoon related to a "significant criminal matter," as the public awaits a formal indictment of ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich and perhaps others on corruption charges.
A source familiar with the investigation said the indictment is expected to involve the ex-governor and others.
A statement from Fitzgerald's office indicates there will not be a news conference or court hearings following the release of the court filing. The grand jury investigating Blagojevich is expected to hold its final meeting today before an April 7 court-imposed deadline for Fitzgerald to deliver a formal indictment.
Meanwhile, Blagojevich is believed to be vacationing in Disney World. His spokesman, Glenn Selig, declined to say where the governor was, but he said he wasn't in Chicago.
Blagojevich's December arrest was based on a criminal complaint founded on wiretap recordings of the governor allegedly trying to auction off for personal gain a Senate appointment, state help selling Wrigley Field, legislation, contracts and a grant to a children's hospital.
"Gov. Blagojevich has taken us to a truly new low," Fitzgerald said in December, in announcing the original charges against the then-sitting governor.
An indictment is now needed to move forward with the case, which started with a multifaceted investigation that began in earnest in 2003 shortly after Blagojevich was elected to his first term.
Following Blagojevich's arrest on two felony corruption counts, federal investigators pursued interviews with numerous witnesses, including some politicians including U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, who Blagojevich appointed after his arrest under a firestorm of criticism.
The federal grand jury, according to published reports, also dug into Patti Blagojevich's real estate dealings as investigators ratcheted up pressure on inner circle members already arrested or convicted in corruption and tax evasion schemes.
As a candidate, Blagojevich raised the most campaign cash in state history as he rose to Illinois' highest office by vilifying the previous governor, Republican George Ryan, who now sits in federal prison for corruption.
Refusing after his arrest to step down, Blagojevich was ousted from office in Illinois' first impeachment conviction in late January.
The governor made a political career out of hammering lawmakers and portraying them as corrupt, yet in the end found no defenders at the state Capitol. The Senate voted to convict him and prevent him from ever running for office again with no dissenting votes despite Blagojevich's last-ditch, impassioned plea on the chamber's floor and a national media blitz.
Since his removal from office, Blagojevich has struggled to persuade the public of his innocence as he writes a book he hopes to publish this fall. He even hosted a two-hour AM radio program recently.
Meanwhile, his family has circled the wagons with Chicago Alderman Dick Mell - who helped rocket his son-in-law's political career only to later have a nasty falling out - coming to his daughter's defense.