Rod Blagojevich

I was elected the first Democratic governor in Illinois in November 2002 after 26 years of Republican governors. I first learned that they began to look into my administration and people around me in December of 2003. And I had been governor for 10 months and they were already looking. And I knew it, which meant we got to be super extra careful because these people are scrutinizing us.

On the one hand, I felt good. That puts pressure on people around me. People are doing work for me to do the legal things and not cross lines. I never imagined that the FBI and the Department of Justice... And these U.S. attorneys who come out of the best schools would be so corrupt and dishonest. I felt like, OK, they'll look and see how we do things.

On the one hand, I felt good. That puts pressure on people around me. People are doing work for me to do the legal things and not cross lines. I never imagined that the FBI and the Department of Justice... And these U.S. attorneys who come out of the best schools would be so corrupt and dishonest. I felt like, OK, they'll look and see how we do things.

On the one hand, I felt good. That puts pressure on people around me. People are doing work for me to do the legal things and not cross lines. I never imagined that the FBI and the Department of Justice... And these U.S. attorneys who come out of the best schools would be so corrupt and dishonest. I felt like, OK, they'll look and see how we do things.

If we make some mistakes along the way, we'll make adjustments. So they chased me for five years. And by the time they taped my phones, it was no surprise. There was all kinds of pressure at that time because they'd gotten a guy. who was close to me and Obama, a guy by the name of Tony Oresko, who they probably convicted him of things that weren't crimes either.

If we make some mistakes along the way, we'll make adjustments. So they chased me for five years. And by the time they taped my phones, it was no surprise. There was all kinds of pressure at that time because they'd gotten a guy. who was close to me and Obama, a guy by the name of Tony Oresko, who they probably convicted him of things that weren't crimes either.

If we make some mistakes along the way, we'll make adjustments. So they chased me for five years. And by the time they taped my phones, it was no surprise. There was all kinds of pressure at that time because they'd gotten a guy. who was close to me and Obama, a guy by the name of Tony Oresko, who they probably convicted him of things that weren't crimes either.

They were squeezing him to say things about me and Obama. He wouldn't do it. They put him into solitary confinement for three years to get him to invent crimes against us. He wouldn't do it. This guy's a stand-up guy. Obama sold him out, and he did more for Obama than he ever did for me. But I knew all of that.

They were squeezing him to say things about me and Obama. He wouldn't do it. They put him into solitary confinement for three years to get him to invent crimes against us. He wouldn't do it. This guy's a stand-up guy. Obama sold him out, and he did more for Obama than he ever did for me. But I knew all of that.

They were squeezing him to say things about me and Obama. He wouldn't do it. They put him into solitary confinement for three years to get him to invent crimes against us. He wouldn't do it. This guy's a stand-up guy. Obama sold him out, and he did more for Obama than he ever did for me. But I knew all of that.

And so at the time when they began wiretapping my phones, which was late October 2008, everything I talked about doing with regard to the appointment of Obama's successor to the United States Senate, I felt it was very possible they were listening. How could they not? Because they were chasing me. They so much wanted to get me. And Obama and I both were in their crosshairs in the very beginning.

And so at the time when they began wiretapping my phones, which was late October 2008, everything I talked about doing with regard to the appointment of Obama's successor to the United States Senate, I felt it was very possible they were listening. How could they not? Because they were chasing me. They so much wanted to get me. And Obama and I both were in their crosshairs in the very beginning.

And so at the time when they began wiretapping my phones, which was late October 2008, everything I talked about doing with regard to the appointment of Obama's successor to the United States Senate, I felt it was very possible they were listening. How could they not? Because they were chasing me. They so much wanted to get me. And Obama and I both were in their crosshairs in the very beginning.

But I think the politics of it changed as his political fortunes improved and he looked like he was going to be the next president. And these people, these U.S. attorneys get appointed by the president. And these were Bush-appointed, Cheney-appointed prosecutors. And it's very unusual that the previous administration's prosecutors stay in office.

But I think the politics of it changed as his political fortunes improved and he looked like he was going to be the next president. And these people, these U.S. attorneys get appointed by the president. And these were Bush-appointed, Cheney-appointed prosecutors. And it's very unusual that the previous administration's prosecutors stay in office.

But I think the politics of it changed as his political fortunes improved and he looked like he was going to be the next president. And these people, these U.S. attorneys get appointed by the president. And these were Bush-appointed, Cheney-appointed prosecutors. And it's very unusual that the previous administration's prosecutors stay in office.

When the new president comes in, they leave, as you see with Trump and the other parties, people come in. But these people stayed in. And when they arrested me,

When the new president comes in, they leave, as you see with Trump and the other parties, people come in. But these people stayed in. And when they arrested me,

When the new president comes in, they leave, as you see with Trump and the other parties, people come in. But these people stayed in. And when they arrested me,

What they wanted me to do was to basically say that I was guilty of trying to sell a Senate seat, and I was trying to sell it to another guilty party, who was the guy who started the whole thing, by the name of Barack Obama, who wanted to buy that Senate seat, because that's where the whole thing began. It was Obama on election night.