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| -Lurid Crime Tales- |
| Blago trial witness: "I was alarmed by the level of aggressiveness" |
| 2010-07-14 |
| Excerpt Wyma said he already was set to meet with the FBI when he was unnerved by the talk at two fundraising meetings he attended in early October. Blagojevich was stoking up pressure to stockpile money because a new ethics law would soon rein in his ability to raise donations from companies doing business with the state — a fertile avenue for cash. At several points, Wyma said, Blagojevich appeared to link spending on certain state projects to campaign cash from donors likely to benefit from the state help. "If they don't perform, (expletive) 'em," Blagojevich allegedly told Wyma at one point. At a meeting Oct. 8, Wyma said Children's Memorial Hospital came up. The governor, Wyma said, mentioned how he had recently been called by former Cubs manager and ex-hospital board member Dusty Baker about raising Medicaid reimbursement rates to pediatric specialists at the hospital by at least $8 million. The hospital had been seeking the boost for years. Wyma said Blagojevich told him he was going to give the go-ahead — but with a caveat. The governor wanted Children's CEO Patrick Magoon to kick in a $50,000 donation to his campaign, Wyma said. "He was going to give the hospital 8 million bucks and he wanted to get Magoon for 50," Wyma testified the governor said. Wyma said he raised cautionary flags, telling the governor he should wait to put distance between the rate hike and the fundraising request. "What do you mean wait?" Wyma said Blagojevich asked. "How long? Ten days?" |
| Posted by:mom |
| #1 Unfortunately I believe this rare insight into American politics is the norm, rather than the exception. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2010-07-14 13:43 |