Blago

[Cannon Shell]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...ich&mg=com-wsj

"An ex-aide to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich testified this week that President Barack Obama knew Mr. Blagojevich wanted a plum job in the administration in exchange for appointing a politically palatable person to fill Mr. Obama's vacated Senate seat.

John Harris, Mr. Blagojevich's former chief of staff, testified in the ex-governor's corruption trial in federal District Court here this week that Mr. Obama was aware Mr. Blagojevich was working to leverage the Senate seat into a cabinet position for himself.

He also said Mr. Blagojevich believed that if he appointed to the Senate Mr. Obama's longtime friend Valerie Jarrett, Mr. Blagojevich would get a top job. Ms. Jarrett had been working on the Obama presidential campaign before accepting her current position as a senior White House advisor.

"The president understands that the governor would be willing to make the appointment of Valerie Jarrett as long as he gets what he's asked for," Mr. Harris told the court Wednesday.

The White House declined to comment Thursday on testimony regarding Mr. Obama and Ms. Jarrett. Mr. Blagojevich's attorneys will cross-examine Mr. Harris next week.

In court filings, Mr. Blagojevich's defense team asked presiding Judge James B. Zagel to order the government to hand over interviews the Federal Bureau of Investigation "conducted with President Obama regarding this case."

The defense team's filings said that, contrary to White House statements, Mr. Obama had "direct knowledge and communication with emissaries and others regarding the appointment to his Senate seat."

Mr. Blagojevich's lawyers tried to subpoena Mr. Obama earlier this year but Judge Zagel refused to allow it. Other White House aides, including Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, have been subpoenaed.

Mr. Harris, who has pleaded guilty to wire fraud as part of an agreement to testify against Mr. Blagojevich, has been on the witness stand since Monday. Throughout his testimony, the government has played secretly recorded conversations among Mr. Blagojevich, Mr. Harris and others that touched on which positions the former governor might be eligible for, and which Mr. Obama could grant.

In one conversation, Mr. Harris said "Obama would do" ambassadorships. "He would?" Mr. Blagojevich asked on the tape. "Okay. I'm interested. How about India?"