* Keep in mind that when Rod Blagojevich was allegedly scheming to pad his own pockets, he was campaigning as a reformer who would clean up government…
Even before he was elected governor in 2002, Rod Blagojevich and three of his closest friends schemed about ways to enrich themselves by controlling state government, the former governor’s former chief of staff alleged as part of a plea agreement Tuesday with federal prosecutors.
When Blagojevich took office, his three friends became key players in his administration and met repeatedly with the governor to share moneymaking ideas and get updates on their plans to bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars that they could split up later, former top aide Alonzo “Lon” Monk alleged.
Monk, who also was a groomsman at Blagojevich’s wedding and twice his campaign manager, pleaded guilty in the sweeping corruption case and agreed to testify against the former governor in exchange for a recommended sentence of two years in prison.
Interesting…
Monk said he met with Blagojevich, Rezko and Kelly periodically in the early days of the administration to discuss ways of using state power to make money. But he said the meetings stopped abruptly in 2004 after they learned that FBI agents were questioning big-money campaign contributor Stuart Levine — who later became the government’s star witness at Rezko’s influence peddling trial.
But the lawlessness never stopped…
…[Monk] admits that he schemed with Blagojevich to shake down a racetrack businessman for a $100,000 campaign contribution in exchange for the governor’s signature on a pending piece of legislation.
Rezko, he said, delivered $10,000 in cash payments to him seven to nine times. Monk “understood that the money that Rezko provided was a gift, not a loan,” the plea states.
Monk also claims that Blagojevich, Rezko and Kelly met about making money off of a 62-acre parcel at Roosevelt and Clark that Rezko owned.
“Rezko talked about different ways that [Monk], Blagojevich, and Kelly could benefit from the Roosevelt and Clark Project, such as by having Blagojevich’s wife work on marketing the project or by allowing [Monk] to work on the project after [Monk] left state government,” the plea states.
If you think campaign finance reform would’ve prevented this insanity, you’re wrong…
Monk, who served as liaison with the state’s Office of Management and Budget on the pension deal, alleges that Kelly and Rezko “pushed” him to choose Bear Stearns, which is identified only as “Investment Firm A” in the plea agreement, for the first tranche of bonds.
At the time, the state intended to break up the $10 billion into several sales. Monk understood that Kelly and Rezko were pushing for Bear Stearns because the firm would either make a contribution to Blagojevich or because the governor, Kelly, Rezko, and Monk would “make money.” The firm could not make a direct contribution under regulatory bans on such payments from bond underwriters.
More on that alleged scheme involving Individual A, who is believed to be Springfield consultant Bob Kjellander…
Monk “learned from those conversations that Individual A, who Defendant (Monk) understood either had received or was going to receive money from Investment Firm A for acting as a consultant on the POB (Pension Obligation Bond) deal, was going to give Rezko $500,000 that would be held in a separate account,” the plea agreement states. “Defendant understood that the $500,000 payment was for the help that Rezko had provided to Investment Firm A and Individual A relating to the POB deal, and that the money would later be split between Defendant, (then-Gov. Rod) Blagojevich, Rezko, and Kelly.”
Kjellander in 2003 received $809,000 as a consulting fee for helping Bear Stearns & Co. get the lead underwriting role for the $10 billion bond issue. […]
“I do know that I did not participate in any scheme and I have not committed any crime. I never made any contributions to Mr. Blagojevich’s campaign, and never considered doing so.
“I never gave money to Chris Kelly,” [Kjellander] added. “I have met Mr. Monk and I know Mr. Rezko, but I did not involve myself in any conspiracy to give them money.
Let’s play “Blame the dead guy”…
Blagojevich defense lawyer Sheldon Sorosky called Monk’s allegations “absurd.”
“It’s completely false that Rod Blagojevich ever participated in any meetings or conversations where Tony Rezko and Chris Kelly talked about how they could make money illegally,” Sorosky said.
Read Monk’s plea agreement by clicking here.