Senate hears censored Blagojevich on tape

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Jan. 27 (UPI) -- State senators in the impeachment of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich heard taped talk Tuesday of a gambling bill and an alleged link to a campaign donation.

Also Tuesday, they heard an FBI special agent testify to the accuracy of covert federal tapes at the center of criminal corruption charges against the governor, the Chicago Tribune reported.

FBI Special Agent Daniel Cain wrote the affidavit that accompanied the criminal complaint against Blagojevich released when he was arrested Dec. 9. The affidavit recaps covert recordings in which investigators allege Blagojevich discussed selling President Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat in expletive-laced conversations with aides and allies.

Senators listened to about six minutes of tape dealing with the governor's discussion of the legislation sans the colorful language, the newspaper reported. During the wiretaps in November and December, the report said, four individuals were captured in the four conversations -- Blagojevich; his brother and head fundraiser, Rob Blagojevich; Lon Monk, lobbyist and former Blagojevich chief of staff; and John Johnston, president of Balmoral Park racetrack.

Senators heard Blagoejvich speaking with his brother and Monk about campaign contributions from Johnston, the report said.

Blagojevich, meanwhile, continued his long-distance criticism of the proceedings from television talk show studios in New York.

"I did nothing wrong," Blagojevich said in-studio on CBS' "The Early Show," adding he expected to be "out of work in the near future" as the impeachment trial entered its second day in the Illinois Capitol.

He said he wasn't trying to soften a potential jury pool in case he's indicted on federal corruption charges. Instead, he said he was appealing to senators to change rules governing the impeachment so he could call witnesses and air all the audiotapes made covertly by federal officials.