SEIU Source in Blagojevich Indicment Andy Stern?

Amanda Carpenter | December 09, 2008 4:11 PM

The Politico's Ben Smith is reporting SEIU president Andy Stern is the labor chief implicated in U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's complaint against Illinois Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich.

The SEIU, which endorsed President-elect Barack Obama and spent millions on his behalf, was mentioned several times in the 78-page affidavit.

Blagojevich engaged in discussions with his chief of staff and a unnamed SEIU official about a "three-way" deal to make Blagojevich head of an SEIU-affiliated organization called "Change to Win" in exchange for appointing the SEIU's preferred candidate to Obama's vacated Senate seat. Blagojevich asked he be paid a $250,000-$300,000 salary for the labor slot.

One of the other conditions of the plan was that President-elect Barack Obama would need to support Change to Win's legislative agenda. There were also discussions with the SEIU about getting Warren Buffett to fund a different 501(c)4 that Blagojevich could direct.

On November 12, Blagojevich met with the unnamed SEIU official, who was representing the SEIU's preferred candidate for the Senate.