Jackson Allies Pledged $6 Million to Blagojevich for His Appointment to Senate

Three months after he took over his brother’s campaign fund, Robert Blagojevich said he was approached with an offer by a longtime fund-raiser to U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.: Then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich would get $6 million in campaign money if he appointed the congressman to Barack Obama’s open U.S. Senate seat.

The offer came from longtime Jackson fund-raiser Raghu Nayak, the man authorities described in charging documents as an emissary of Jackson Jr., Robert Blagojevich said.

Testifying for the defense on Monday, Robert Blagojevich said that at an Oct. 31, 2008, fund-raising meeting, Nayak promised that if Jackson were appointed, $1 million would be raised for Blagojevich by the end of 2008 and then another $5 million would go to Blagojevich after Jackson became senator.
Robert Blagojevich testified that three days earlier, state employee Rajinder Bedi told him of a $1.5 million offer for Jackson’s appointment. Bedi, who testified for the prosecution, said he met with Robert Blagojevich the same day he had a breakfast meeting with Jackson in which Nayak told Jackson he’d raise $1 million for Blagojevich if Jackson were appointed senator.

Robert Blagojevich said he relayed the information from Bedi to his brother.

Read more: (Natasha Korecki and Sarah Ostman, “Blago Brother: $6 Million Offer from Jackson Camp,” Chicago Sun Times, 07/20/2010)