Prosecutors seek to release Blago's calls
'LOBBYIST 1' | Feds recorded cell phone of Blagojevich's former top aide Lon Monk
Federal authorities had an additional, previously undisclosed wiretap in their investigation of Gov. Blagojevich -- on the cellular telephone of someone in the governor's inner circle.
A new prosecution court filing indicates that, in November, authorities tapped the cell phone of "Lobbyist 1" -- identified by the Chicago Sun-Times as Lon Monk, a longtime friend and college classmate of Blagojevich who was the governor's first-term chief of staff.
(Sun-Times file)
Monk later headed the governor's re-election campaign, then became a fund-raiser and state lobbyist.
Previously, prosecutors had revealed only that the governor's home phone was tapped and two bugs were placed at his campaign office in Chicago.
The new revelation means investigators captured more secret recordings than previously disclosed. It comes as prosecutors seek to release portions of four recordings to an Illinois House panel looking into impeaching the governor.
Prosecutors asked Chief U.S. District Judge James Holderman on Monday to release excerpts of the recordings from recent months that deal with Blagojevich's alleged efforts to get campaign contributions in exchange for signing a bill that directed casino revenue to horse-racing interests. The conversations appear to involve Blagojevich, his brother Robert Blagojevich, who heads the governor's campaign fund, a campaign contributor and Monk, according to the criminal com- plaint.
Holderman will take up the issue next week.
Blagojevich is charged with conspiring to trade official actions for campaign cash.
Prosecutors called the selected recordings "evidence of a criminal offense that the government was authorized to monitor under the wiretap order."
Appearing before the House panel weighing Blagojevich's impeachment, Ed Genson, the governor's lawyer, said Monday he didn't know yet whether he would oppose the release of the recordings.
"If the tapes are illegal, I don't offer them to anyone," Genson said. "If the tapes are legal, I welcome the committee to look at them."
On Monday, Robert Blagojevich's lawyer, Michael Ettinger, said he's worried his client's words could be taken out of context.
"I'm concerned about playing four tapes and then redacting certain parts of them," Ettinger said. "I don't want him in a false light in the public eye."
House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), who also chairs the impeachment committee, said that if the governor was caught on tape asking for a contribution in exchange for government action and a lobbyist is heard agreeing to do so, "Then, I think there is no question the governor has offered something governmental for value received for Citizens for Blagojevich. And I think that's clearly illegal."