News Local/State

Blagojevich Brother: I Was Fed’s `Pawn’ To Get Then-Governor

 

The brother of imprisoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich says in a new book that prosecutors tried to use him as a pawn to get his sibling on charges that he attempted to sell President Barack Obama's old Senate seat.

Robert Blagojevich's publisher gave The Associated Press an advance copy of the book. It's set for an April release.
 
Rod Blagojevich was convicted of corruption at a 2011 retrial and is serving a 14-year prison term.
 
The book claims prosecutor Reid Schar proposed reducing or dismissing charges against Robert if he talked his brother into pleading guilty before their joint 2010 trial.
 
Charges were dropped against the Tennessee businessman after that trial deadlocked. But he says it cost him his reputation and nearly $1 million in legal bills.