Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. Is 'Senate Candidate No. 5', Says He Did Nothing Wrong
Chicago Rep. Says He Will Cooperate Fully with the Blagojevich Investigation
Blagojevich Overheard by FBI Saying: 'I Want to Make Money'
Blagojevich was overheard by the FBI saying "I want to make money" and complaining that he was "financially hurting."
Blagojevich also sought a high-paying job for his wife, according to the FBI. "Is there a play here, with these guys, with her" to work for a firm in Washington or New York, he reportedly asked.
The FBI affidavit said Blagojevich had been told by an adviser "the president-elect can get Rod Blagojevich's wife on paid corporate boards in exchange for naming the president-elect's pick to the Senate."
Told by two other advisers he has to "suck it up" for two years, the FBI says, Blagojevich was heard complaining that he has to give this "motherf-- [the president-elect] his senator. F-- him. For nothing? F-- him."
The affidavit said that Blagojevich was interested in a high-paying position with Change to Win, an organization affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and that he suggested in a conversation with a SEIU official on Nov. 12 that Obama wanted other people to be considered for the Senate seat besides Senate Candidate 1. Previous phone conversations indicated that Blagojevich knew the SEIU official "was an emissary to discuss Senate Candidate 1's interest in the Senate seat," the affidavit said.
"Harris suggested that SEIU Official make Rod Blagojevich the head of Change to Win and, in exchange, the President-elect could help Change to Win with its legislative agenda on a national level," noted the affidavit.
SEIU released a statement Wednesday saying that its representatives have been in communication with prosecutors, are fully cooperating, and that "we have no reason to believe that SEIU or any SEIU official was involved in any misconduct relating to the charges against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich."
Change to Win released a statement saying that the organization never "considered, discussed or promised" any position to Blagojevich or his staff and that the group only learned of conversations between the governor and his advisers discussing such a position upon the release of the affidavit today.
The FBI affidavit says Blagojevich thought he might get something "tangible up front" from Senate Candidate 5.
Aware that he was under FBI investigation, Blagojevich apparently considered appointing himself to Obama's Senate seat, the affidavit says. He is quoted as saying, "He will be able to obtain greater resources if he is indicted as a sitting senator as opposed to a sitting governor."
Emma Schwartz, Jake Tapper, and Andy Fies contributed to this report.
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