University of Utah Student Newspapers--The Chronicle | 2008-12-10 | Page 2

2 Wednesday, December 10,2008 BULLETIN www.dailyutahchronide.com AH stories and photos from The Associated Press 111. governor arrested on corruption charges CHICAGO—Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was roused from bed and arrested TAiesday after prosecutors said he was caught on wiretaps audaciously scheming to sell Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat for cash or a plum job for himself in the new administration. . The 5i-year:old Democrat described his authority to appoint Obama's replacement as "golden" and something he would not give away for free. Nothing in court papers suggested Obama had any part in the discussions. In fact, Blagojevich was overheard complaining at one point that Obama's people are "not going to give me anything except appreciation." He added: "(Expletive) them," Prosecutors did not accuse Obama himself of any wrongdoing or even knowing about the matter. The president-elect said: "I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening." FBI agents arrested the governor before daybreak at his Chicago home and took him away while his family was still asleep, saying the wiretaps convinced them that Blagojevich's "political corruption crime spree" had to be stopped before it was too late. "The Senate seat, as recently as days ago, seemed to be on the verge of being Mostly Sunny 43/30 VJ: • Huntsman Cancer Institute Seminar Series: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. @ HO, 6th floor auditorium -N . > jrfv: • Student Leader Selection Information Session: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. @ Union, ; Collegiate Room J n-"••/ • Men's Basketball vs. California: 6 p.m. ©Huntsman Center ' ' • One World Benefit Concert: 6 p.m. @ Union, Saltair Room , ^ ';..•• ' " - v ; Thursday Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich arrives at theTribuneTower for an interview with CNN on Monday in Chicago. Blagojevich IV.' • 46/33 Mostly Cloudy • Green Resolutions: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. @ Union • Predental Information Session: 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. @ SSB, 380 • Students for Sensible Drug Policy PowWow: 3 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. @ West of the Union Patio ' . - -' • • Occupational Therapy Information Session: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. @ 520 WakaraWay ii <>. M"; PI;:; was arrested Tuesday on charges he brazenly conspired to sell or trade President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder as part of what federal prosecutors called a "political corruption crime spree." auctioned off," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said. "The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave." Federal investigators bugged the governor's campaign offices and tapped his home phone, capturing conversations laced with profanity and tough-guy talk from the governor. Chicago FBI chief Robert Grant said even seasoned investigators were stunned by what they heard, particularly since the governor had known for at least three years that he was under investigation for alleged hiring fraud and clearly realized agents might be listening in. The FBI said in court papers that the governor was overheard conspiring to sell the Senate seat for campaign cash or lucrative jobs for himself or his wife, Patti, a real estate agent. He spoke of using the Senate appointment to land a job with a nonprofit foundation or a union-affiliated group, and even held out hope of getting appointed as Obama's secretary of health and human services or an ambassador. According to court papers, the governor tried to make it known through emissaries, including union officials and fundraisers, that the seat could be had for the right price. Blagojevich allegedly had a salary in mind—$250,000 to $300,000 a year—and also spoke of collecting halfmi Hi fin .and million-dollar political contributions. The governor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. As recently as Monday, he told reporters: "I don't care whether you tape me privately or publicly. I can tell you that whatever I say is always lawful." The governors attorney, Sheldon Sorosky, said he didn't know of any immediate plans for the governor to resign. Blagojevich believes he didn't do anything wrong and asks Illinois residents to have faith in him, Sorosky said. "I suppose we will have to go to trial," Sorosky said. The charges do not identify by name any of the political figures under consideration for the Senate seat, referring to them only as "Candidate 1," "Candidate 2," and so on. Obama: No contact with Blagojevich on his seat WASHINGTON—Though Barack Obama isn't accused of anything, the charges against his home-state not aware of what was happening" concerning any possible dealing about Bjaggjeyich's appointment of ggovernor—clf^fBKWWNWr ^ f j 1 Senate'seat no less—are an unwelcome distraction. And the ultimate fallout is unclear. As Obama works to set up his new administration and deal with a national economic crisis, suddenly he also is spending time and attention trying to distance himself from Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and charges that the governor was trying to sell the now-vacant Senate post. The president-elect was blunt and brief in addressing the case on Tuesday; "I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was CHICAGO—The creditor of a Chicago plant where laid-off employees are conducting a sit-in to demand severance pay said Tuesday it would extend loans to the factory so it could resolve the dispute, but the workers declared their protest unfinished. A resolution seemed nearer as Bank of America, which yanked the plant's financing last week, announced it sent a letter to Republic Windows and Doors offering "a limited amount of additional loans" to resolve its employee claims. About 200 of the 240 laid-off workers had responded to their three days' notice of the plant closing by staging a sit-in and vowing to stay put until assured they would get severance and accrued vacation pay. Lawmakers have criticized Bank of America for cutting off money to the plant after it exhausted its credit line, even though the Charlotte, N.C.-based bank itself received $25 billion from the government's financial bailout package. Word of Bank of America's loan offer came as the bank, union representatives and Republic held talks in Chicago on the fifth day of the sit-in. Lean Fried, an organizer for the United Electrical Workers, which represents the Republic workers, said it was too soon to know whether the sit-in would end soon. Workers would have to vote to end the action, but she said there was no such deal as of Tuesday night. Workers have remained defiant, if surprised that their protest has drawn intense nationwide interest, including expressions of support from President-elect Barack Obama. (Presidentelect Barack Obama's comments on the matter are insufficient.at best." In Chicago, U.S. AttorneyPatrick Fitzgerald said prosecutors were making "no allegations" that Obama was aware of any scheming. And Biagojevich himself, in taped conversations cited by prosecutors, suggested that Obama wouldn't be helpful to him. Even if the governor was to appoint a candidate favored by the Obama team, Blagojevich said, "they're not willing to give me anything except appreciation." The two Illinois politicians have never been especially close and have largely operated in different Democratic Party camps in the state. It's Obamk's first big headache since his election last month, and Republicans were anything but eager to let it go away. Said Rep. Eric Cantor of "Virginia, the new GOP House whip: "The serious nature of the crimes listed by federal prosecutors raises questions about the interaction with Gov. Blagojevich, President-elect Obama and other high ranking officials who will be working for the future president." Added Robert M. "Mike" Duncan, chairman of the Republican National Committee: "Americans expect Workers win round in Chicago sit-in •i: 1 0 Wednesday — ( - NEED A CAR? 6 Withoyrtlrsttfm?buy^i^rogramyoudon't'ne,ed Xii- ,'" ~any credit histoi7,or;co^signenand your payment^ .Lcahjae as low'as $7O/mpntb>vithjieLhirig; down. . > i "J^For Information call: Gary- Finance Manager - tem714r791-407^ MC Auto Sales'/Firm DLR#6975> -> ... v . North Salt Late, UT * ; [phone] Cv OAC/ Crossword ACROSS 1 Alternative to whole SHind's mate 9 Truman declaration of 9/2/45 14Crunchy munch ie 15 Dose deliverer 16Nanoand Shuffle 17 Big name in golf shirts 18 After-lunch snack 19 Majestic 20SFght at the ' Texas Capitol 2350-50 chance 24 State of confusion 25Big inits. in news 28 Word after speed or baby 31 Political* columnist Peggy 33 It's done in Maine waters 37One of the Three Rivers 38 Marker, of sorts 39 Junction point 40 Athlete with four ESPY awards 45 With suspicion, old-style 46 Labor Dept. watchdog 47 Fourth notes 48 Pal of Piglet 50 Boots 55 Arithmetic exercise... or what literally occurs in 20-, 33- and 40-Across? 58 Delicate ornament 61 Change of mortgage, informally 62 European wine region 63 Dizzying hangings 64 Peace of mind 65 On the rocks 66 "Awesome P 67 Not very busy 68 Feature of some arenas DOWN 1 Pink-legged wader 2 It can create quite a buzz 3 Larger-than-life figures 4 Figures in statistics 5Eventwitha 16-pound ball 6Banks of TV talk 7 Simon Says player 8 Explode 9 Shrewish sorts 10 PC image format 11 Goofy, e.g. 12 Decay-fighting org. 1 2 ) E(lited b Wil1 y shoru i 9 10 11 13 14 IT 19 ••• 20 23 S3 |S1 S3 40 M t E S3 X) (VW£ 8Y DOUG PtTlftSON 30 Movie trailer, e.g. 32"lt can't bel" 46/35 Partly Cloudy 33 Capital with the Potala Palace 34 Porcine sounds 35 Delray Beach neighbor, for short 36 Act the motherhen 37 Minnesota's St. College 41 Not there yet 42 Gobs and gobs 43 Morning TV staple since 1997 44Rrstnameln raga 49 Fiends of fantasy 51 T o repeat..." 52 Pal of Pancho 53 Clan carving 54 Said with a sneer 55 Loughlin of •90210" 56 Negotiation goal 57*ln that case • 58 Dickens moniker 59N.Y.S.E. event 60 Vise part l' t • Fall Semester 2008 Academic Deadline: Term length and second session classes end , -...**.-;"! • Ski N Shred Red Day: all day ©Snowbird Ski Resort ; V • Red Rocks Preview: 7 p.m. @ Huntsman Center • University of Utah Choirs Holiday Concert: 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. @ Libby GardnerHall .> -. . ; • : . • ,-•/. WORLD Clashes, looting rock Greek cities for 4th night ATHENS, Greece—Masked youths and looters marauded through Greek cities for a fourth night Tuesday, in an explosion of rage triggered by the police shooting of a teenager that has unleashed the most violent riots in a quarter century. IT. The nightly scenes of burning street barricades, looted stores and overr turned cars have threatened to topple the country's increasingly unpopular conservative government, which faces mounting calls for Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis to resign. Police fired tear gas at protesters following the funeral of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, who was laid to rest in an Athens burial attended by about 6,000 people. Violence calmed before dawn Wednesday, but police were braced for more trouble later in the day when labor unions planned rallies during a nationwide strike called to protest the government's economic policies. U.S. Records sought on jet type that killed 4 in crash SAN DIEGO—A high-ranking congressman called on the Marine Corps on Tbesday to release the maintenance records of all fighter jets of the type that lost power and crashed into a San Diegp neighborhood, killing four people. Rep. Duncan Hunter, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said1 the fiery crash Monday of the F/A-18D Hornet fighter as it approached Marine Corps Air Station Miramar was apparently caused by power failure. "My understanding-is that the engines failed, causing the aircraft to lose thrust," said Hunter spokesman Joe Kasper. The crash was probably unrelated to the previous discovery of cracks in hinges on the wings of more than a dozen of the $57 million aircraft, the San Diego-area congressman 'said? v "It is important that we gain a complete understanding of what went wrong," Hunter said in a statement. Corrections , , . , . . and Clarifications The Dec. 9 column "Zombie-like buying defeats holiday spirit" was authored by Ross Solomon. The story was incorrectly attributed. In the Dec. 9 story "Go, Synergy, Revolution parties file for ASUU elections," it was incorrectly stated that the proposed $5 sustainability student fee would fund wind power. The fee would create an allocations board and a revolving loan fund to pay for sustainable projects on campus. The policy of The Daily Utah Chronicle is to correct any error made as soon as possible. If you find something you would like clarified or find unfair, please contact the editor at 801-581-8317. 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