Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was arrested Tuesday, December 9, for
allegedly trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat,
considered a deal that would make him the head of a 6 million-member union-backed organization
pushing for the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, according to a criminal
complaint.
Using wiretaps, federal authorities said Blagojevich discussed approaching an
official of the Service Employees International Union, one of the seven unions
that joined together in 2005 to create Change to Win, to seek a high-paying job
at Change to Win in exchange for filling the vacant Senate seat with a candidate
believed to be favored by the union.
Change to Win spokesman Greg Denier said in a statement that the organization
first learned of the governor's alleged activities when the complaint was made
public Tuesday.
"No one connected with Change to Win ever considered, discussed
or promised any position at Change to Win to Governor Blagojevich, his staff or
his advisers. In the affidavit released by the United States Attorney, a
position at Change to Win is discussed only in conversations between the
governor and his advisers."
Though an unnamed SEIU official allegedly met with Blagojevich
to discuss his appointment of a Senate candidate, prosecutors did not charge the
union or the official with any wrongdoing.
SEIU spokeswoman Ramona Oliver said in a statement: “We have no reason to
believe that SEIU or any SEIU official was involved in any wrongdoing.”
The Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would make it easier for workers to
join a union, is among labor’s top priorities. It requires companies to
recognize a union when a majority of workers sign cards authorizing one.
Obama’s victory in November provided new momentum to the bill, which was
approved by the House in 2007 but was blocked by Senate Republicans.
A governor’s aide said during wiretapped phone conversations between the
governor and an advisor that Blagojevich, in return for being appointed head of
Change to Win, could then help the Obama administration to pass legislation
favored by the union.
Blagojevich, who complained that he was struggling financially, said he
wanted to make between $250,000 and $300,000. He said he did not want to be
governor for the next two years.
Later, Blagojevich asked if the union could hire his wife at Change to Win
until the governor himself took a position there.
—Jeremy Smerd
Workforce
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