The Juicy Bits from the federal corruption charges against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH again raised the idea of the 501(c)(4) organization and asked whether “they” (believed be the President-elect and his associates) can get Warren Buffett and others to put $10, $12, or $15 million into the organization. … ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that when he is “no longer Governor” he could go over to the organization.

Go to Zell

The complaint alleges that Blagojevich and Harris were involved in a threat to withhold state funding for a request to help Sam Zell sell Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, unless the Blagojevich-criticizing editorial board of the Chicago Tribune (also a Zell property) was changed.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s wife can be heard in the background telling ROD BLAGOJEVICH to tell Deputy Governor A “to hold up that fucking Cubs shit. ... fuck them.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH asked Deputy Governor A what he thinks of his wife’s idea. Deputy Governor A stated that there is a part of what ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s wife said that he “agree[s] with.” …Deputy Governor A told ROD BLAGOJEVICH that Tribune Owner will say that he does not have anything to do with the editorials, “but I would tell him, look, if you want to get your Cubs thing done get rid of this Tribune.” … ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Deputy Governor A to put together the articles in the Tribune that are on the topic of removing ROD BLAGOJEVICH from office and they will then have someone, like JOHN HARRIS, go to Tribune Owner and say, “We’ve got some decisions to make now.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that “someone should say, ‘get rid of those people.’ ”

If there was any question about what Blagojevich wanted specifically, the allegation puts that to rest:

During a subsequent intercepted call on November 4, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with JOHN HARRIS. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that “our recommendation is fire all those fucking people, get ’em the fuck out of there and get us some editorial support.”

Other Improprieties

It wasn’t all communicated through third parties. The allegation invites us to sit in on this campaign fundraising scene with the governor, convicted fundraiser Tony Rezko, and an office-seeking fundraiser.

After he arrived at [Tony] Rezko’s offices, [Ali] Ata was greeted by Rezko to whom he handed the check in an envelope. Rezko, carrying the check, ushered Ata into a conference room where he met with Rezko and ROD BLAGOJEVICH. Rezko placed the envelope containing Ata’s $25,000 check to ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s campaign on the conference room table between himself and ROD BLAGOJEVICH and stated to ROD BLAGOJEVICH that Ata had been a good supporter and a team player and that Ata would be willing to join ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s administration. ROD BLAGOJEVICH expressed his pleasure and acknowledged that Ata had been a good supporter and good friend. ROD BLAGOJEVICH, in Ata’s presence, asked Rezko if he (Rezko) had talked to Ata about positions in the administration, and Rezko responded that he had.

The attorney also alleges a blatant attempt to extort a large toll to get a toll road built. Infrastructure stimulus proselytizers, beware!