Reporting with Lark Turner
Rod Blagojevich continues to attempt to unravel the impact of the prosecution's case with regard to tollway allegations.
Road-building executive Gerald Krozel had testified that Blagojevich hit him up for money at the same time Krozel asked him for a major $1.8 billion tollway improvement package.
"I felt there was a connection between the two," Krozel previously testified in the prosecution's case. "If I couldn't raise money, there wouldn't be a tollway bill."
Blagojevich's explanation, given today, is quite different.
The ex-governor said he simply explained to Krozel in that 2008 meeting that an ethics bill would prohibit Krozel from legally giving him money after the end of the year.
"The good news for you and the bad news for me is that you can't contribute money," Blagojevich said he told Krozel. "Whatever you can do to help us during this campaign fund-raising cycle ... I would be appreciative of it."
"I may have said something like, 'this is your last hurrah,' he continued.
"And he was very supportive and said he'd do the best he can, to raise money."
Blagojevich's lawyer, Aaron Goldstein asked: "During this meeting, did you demand that he fund-raise for you?"
"No," Blagojevich said.
Goldstein: "Communicate that in order for him to get any of these tollway plans he had to fund-raise?"
Blagojevich: "No."
To bad they don't subpoena Bill Graham from the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association (IRTBA)
I'm sure he could tell the jury plenty with regards to Rod Blagojevich's fund raising efforts. He's another guy who conveniently disappeared.