Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested on criminal charges on Tuesday, for trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by fellow Democrat President-elect Barack Obama. Blagojevich intended to secure board appointments for his wife—making the Senate seat a packaged deal, according to FinancialWeek.
He was seeking a substantial salary for himself at a nonprofit foundation or union affiliated organization. He intended to secure at least one spot on a corporate board for his wife, expecting an annual salary of $150,000. He also expected promises of campaign cash and a cabinet or ambassadorship in exchange for his Senate choice, according to the FBI affidavit.
“Many, including myself, thought that the recent conviction of a former governor would usher in a new era of honesty and reform in Illinois politics,” Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said in a statement.
The mail and wire fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison while the bribery charge has a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Each count carries a maximum fine of $250,000, according to Reuters.