Blagojevich information withheld from impeachment panel
U.S. Atty. Fitzgerald says the Illinois Legislature's probe could compromise his federal case. Obama's team prepares to release its report saying it had no improper contacts with Blagojevich.
As the transition team of President-elect Barack Obama prepared today to release its investigation into staff contacts with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, federal prosecutors asked a state panel to limit its examination of whether to impeach the governor, who faces corruption charges.
In a letter this morning, U. S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald declined to give the committee of the Illinois Legislature any of the information his office has gathered in preparing charges against Blagojevich, arguing that the release could compromise the federal probe.
The governor is accused of trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by Obama and of trying to force the Chicago Tribune to fire an unfriendly editorial page editor in exchange for helping the financially ailing Tribune Co. -- which owns the Los Angeles Times as well -- sell some assets.
Fitzgerald's decision comes as the Obama camp readies the public presentation of its investigation into staff contacts with Blagojevich's office.
The internal report is said to exonerate all of the president-elect's staff of any wrongdoing in connection with the Blagojevich charges. Vice President-elect Joe Biden told reporters this morning that the report would show no inappropriate contacts between Obama staffers and the governor's office.
Even though Fitzgerald has said there was no evidence of wrongdoing by Obama, the charges against Blagojevich became a minor political cloud for the incoming administration. The president-elect has been forced to deal with the issue at almost every news conference he has held to announce his Cabinet.
Obama insisted there were no improper contacts with the governor's office. The report, however, could expand on the role of Rahm Emanuel, named to become Obama's chief of staff.
There were media reports that Emanuel, who took over the congressional seat once held by Blagojevich in 2002, had contacted the governor's office to discuss who should be named to replace Obama. Blagojevich reportedly believed Emanuel was advocating Obama friend Valerie Jarrett for the Senate seat.
Obama is vacationing in Hawaii and is not expected to comment on the report.
The U.S. attorney's office had been secretly recording Blagojevich's calls since October. It was unknown if Emanuel was on any of the tapes. Neither lawyers for Blagojevich nor the Obama team have had access to tapes.
Blagojevich expressed frustration in one conversation taped by the FBI that Obama and his advisors weren't "willing to give me anything except appreciation."
michael.muskal@latimes.com
