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(CNN) -- Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is in federal custody on corruption charges, a law enforcement official said Tuesday.
Rod Blagojevich is currently serving his second term as governor of Illinois.

Rod Blagojevich is currently serving his second term as governor of Illinois.

Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, are charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's office for the Northern District of Illinois.

Both men are expected in U.S. District Court in Chicago later Tuesday.

A news conference is expected at noon ET.

Federal prosecutors say Blagojevich, Harris and others conspired to gain financial benefits in appointing President-elect Barack Obama's Senate replacement, according to the statement.

"The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement. "They allege that Blagojevich put a 'for sale' sign on the naming of a United States Senator; involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism."

According to the statement, Blagojevich is alleged to have discussed obtaining:

# a substantial salary for himself at either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions;

# a spot for his wife on paid corporate boards, where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year;

# promises of campaign funds -- including cash up front;

# a Cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.

The Obama transition team is aware that Blagojevich is in federal custody, but has no comment, according to a senior Democratic source.
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The statement also alleges that Blagojevich and others tried to illegally obtain campaign contributions.

Blagojevich, Harris and others are also alleged to have withheld state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field. The statement says this was done to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members who were critical of Blagojevich.

Blagojevich, who turns 52 on Wednesday, is in his second four-year term as Illinois governor. His term ends in January 2011.

Before being elected governor, he served as a U.S. congressman for Illinois' 5th district from 1997 until 2003, according to his online biography. He and his wife, Patti, have two daughters.

Blagojevich announced last month that he was forming a panel to review candidates to fill Obama's Senate seat.

Several Illinois Democrats -- including Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth, a former congressional candidate who now serves in Blagojevich's administration -- have been mentioned as possible Senate replacements for Obama.

 

I was JUST reading that sh*t! Wow...some people have such big balls... Too bad their brains don't compare....I guess he must have really thought he could get away with...preparing for a 2016 presidental race? What a jackass. Within the last 35 years, three other Illinois governers have served/are serving prison time...yikes.

 

What about the state of Illinios makes people want to be crooks? Are they trying to be modern day gangsters? When are they going to bring back the speakeasy?

 

Called the Cook County Mentality. They forget that there is more to the State than the City of Chicago and COOK COUNTY. I did a quick search and something like 80% of ALL CRIMINALS in the IL Prisons are from Cook County. Also all of our leaders that hold big offices are from Chicago maybe in 2010 we can FINALLY GET SOMEONE FROM SOUTH OF I-80 into office. Herre would be the best Idea Wall off Cook county and tell them flat out YOU SURVIVE ON WHAT YOU PRODUCE IN FOOD AND OTHER STUFF. A week and they would all be DEAD.

 

Wow..heard the story this morning on the radio..right now i'm streaming 780 wbbm for the latest..

 

Illinois sucks. That's why I'm buying a house in Vegas!

 

vegas sucks, too. it's too overpopulated and saturated with bullshit, con artists, and it's way too expensive.

 

Everyone thinks its expensive, but its really not.

 

Yeah drive 2 blocks off the strip and Vegas is a S-hole.

 

I'm not here to defend Vegas, but, I've been 2 blocks off the strip and it's fine. No proof it sucks. I should post a google map showing it.

West of 15 sucks in places, and you have to go a mile east of the strip to get in a crappy neighborhood.

Every town has a bad side. Syncro, go park at the EZ8 some night off 7th street

I'm moving to Henderson if I do. No state tax! Woo Hoo! But the weekend tourists jam it up pretty bad.