Free Republic

A key witness who testified against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich at his summer corruption trial was charged Friday with shoplifting at a Northwest Side store. Rajinder Bedi, 58, is accused of stealing $166 in merchandise from the Home Depot in the 6200 block of North Lincoln. Bedi, who is charged with felony retail theft, did not return a phone message. Bedi had been the $118,000-a-year managing director of the state's Office of Trade and Investment in Blagojevich's administration. Bedi testified under immunity in July at Blagojevich's trial on the ex-governor's alleged efforts to sell President Obama's former Senate seat. Prosecutors...

Report: Jackson Backers Sought Cash For Obama Post CHICAGO (CBS) ― Businessmen with ties to both Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson discussed raising $1 million for Blagojevich to help persuade him to appoint Jackson to President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, according to a published report. Citing unnamed sources, the Chicago Tribune reports in a story for Friday's editions that businessman Raghuveer Nayak and Blagojevich aide Rajinder Bedi told attendees at an Oct. 31 meeting that they needed to raise the money for the governor to ensure Jackson's appointment. "Raghu said he needed to raise a...