Rod R Blagojevich

At least one sign in Illinois -- welcoming drivers to the state's International Port District -- still proclaims Rod R. Blagojevich to be governor. After Blagojevich was impeached and ousted from office following his arrest on federal corruption charges, Gov. Pat Quinn called for a cleansing of the Blagojevich name from signs across the state. The 32 such signs above Illinois Tollway plazas were removed immediately.

U.S. Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) will not be charged with perjury for statements he made before an Illinois House impeachment committee because there isn't enough evidence to support the charge, the state prosecutor investigating the case said. Burris was appointed to President Obama's vacant Senate seat by then-Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, who was arrested by the FBI on corruption charges. Burris still faces an investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee, which is looking into the circumstances of his appointment.

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was the target of an alleged extortion attempt by former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the Chicago Tribune has learned. The federal indictment issued Thursday includes a charge that Blagojevich tried to shake down "Congressman A" for campaign cash. A White House aide confirmed that it was Emanuel, who was then representing Chicago's North Side. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity.

Former Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, his brother and a former top fundraiser were among six men indicted Thursday on political corruption charges, the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago announced. The sweeping indictment comes four months after Blagojevich was arrested and charged with engaging in pay-to-play politics in a major federal complaint that accused the Democrat of trading state jobs, contracts and regulatory favors for campaign contributions.

Tribune Co. Chairman Sam Zell hired well-known defense lawyer Anton Valukas and was interviewed in January by federal prosecutors as a "potential witness" in the criminal investigation of former Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, the company acknowledged Wednesday. Zell could not be reached for comment; company officials did not respond to questions about details of his interview with the U.S. attorney's office. Valukas is a former U.S.

A sports business consultant hired by Tribune Co. to help with a possible sale of Wrigley Field to the state of Illinois commiserated over declining newspaper quality with a top aide to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and sought a spot on Chicago's 2016 Olympic panel to help the since-ousted governor, e-mails released Monday showed. Marc Ganis was retained by Tribune Co.