Longtime friend outlines Blagojevich's role in hatching allegedly illicit deals

ChicagoTribune.com ^ | June 9, 2010 | Bob Secter and Jeff Coen

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Since meeting in law school, Rod Blagojevich and Alonzo "Lon" Monk had been the closest of friends. They roomed together, partied together, jogged together, vacationed together and worked together.

So when Monk first walked into court Wednesday to testify against Blagojevich at his corruption trial, the former governor gave his longtime buddy a stare-down that lasted for minutes and silently screamed betrayal.

Monk, who managed Blagojevich's campaigns for governor and for a time also served as his chief of staff, put Blagojevich in the room on more than one occasion when key members of his brain trust were hatching allegedly illicit deals aimed at lining their — and his — pockets.

As Monk recalled it, one of those sessions took place in late summer or early fall of 2003 in a conference room at the North Side office of developer Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a top fundraiser for Blagojevich who later was convicted of corruption. In addition to Monk, Rezko and Blagojevich, also on hand was Christopher Kelly, another top fundraiser for the governor, but the men referred to each other in the secret meetings as "1, 2, 3 and 4," according to Monk.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Blago to Rezko to Obama. These Chicago pols are all linked. And Blago's "former" inside hatchet men including this Monk character and Blagojevich chief of staff John Harris (who also used to be Mayor Daley's chief of staff) are singing like canaries. Harris has already been (quietly) convicted.

[patriotspride]

” Blago to Rezko to Obama”

Lets see if Blago gives us this one to save his skin.........