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Blagojevich was in a position to offer something he figured Zell wanted. Zell needed “the proceeds from the sale of the Cubs to pay down debt associated with the Tribune Company acquisition” — that’s the $13 billion in total debt that prompted the Tribune Company Monday to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. And the Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) could possibly help the sale along by offering financial assistance “relating to the financing or sale of Wrigley Field.” (Everything I’m quoting here, as well as the narrative itself, comes from the complaint.)
Which allegedly suggested a quid pro quo. “During the course of this investigation, agents have intercepted a series of communications regarding the efforts of [Blagojevich and Harris] to corruptly use the power and influence of the Office of the Governor to cause the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members as a condition of State of Illinois financial assistance in connection with Wrigley Field.”
Later, according to the complaint, the two of them began talking about McCormick specifically. Harris told the governor that in talks with the financial adviser he’d “singled out McCormick as somebody who was the most biased and unfair. Blagojevich called McCormick a “bad guy” and asked Harris if the financial advisor “is on top of this, right?”
