Rahm:President Elect Barack Obama wanted Valerie Jarrett
UPDATE: 2:57 p.m.
Blagojevich defense attorney Sheldon Sorosky began their cross-examination of Wyma. Sorosky asked Wyma about his background.
Wyma said David Axelrod introduced Wyma to Blagojevich when he was in Congress, and Axelrod suggested Wyma be Blagojevich’s Congressional chief of staff. Wyma held the position for three and a half years and left on good terms with Blagojevich.
Wyma said he then went on to work for New York Senator Charles Schumer. Wyma left his job with Schumer to come back to Illinois in 2002 and work for Blagojevich’s gubernatorial primary campaign leading up to Blagojevich’s first term as governor.
In 2002, Sorosky asked if Wyma had any relationship with Mayor Daley; Wyma said no. When Sorosky tried to ask if Wyma had any relationship with Jesse Jackson, Jr. or if Blagojevich was Wyma’s political god father, the prosecution objected and the judge sustained.
Sorosky tried to ask Wyma if he ever asked Blagojevich for a position in his administration and about why went to work as a lobbyist, but the prosecution objected two both questions and the judge sustained.
Wyma said he opened his lobbying firm in spring 2003. Wyma explained a lobbyist works with companies on how to be “more effective” with the government regarding how legislative issues might affect their business.
When asked, Wyma testified he made “better than $1 million” in his first year with his lobbying firm.
Wyma Knows! but will he be questioned in a way that he tells what he knows?
Pay to Play the Chicago Way! Thanks for the update. It sounds like Wyma may be the key to this whole deal.