Fitzgerald: Blagojevich Extorted Tribune over Wrigley

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, speaking at a news conference on the criminal complaint against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) this afternoon, said Blagojevich had, according to the complaint, extorted the now-bankrupt Chicago Tribune for positive media coverage by threatening to block the Tribune Company’s sale of Wrigley Field.

“If the Tribune Company wanted to sell its ballfield, Wrigley, the price was to fire certain editors,” Fitzgerald said at today’s conference.

As part of its investigation the Department of Justice placed taps on Blagojevich’s home and office phones. Fitzgerald said the department had obtained recordings of Blagojevich swearing and ranting about the Tribune’s editors in a phone conversation, saying “get us some editorial support.”

The Tribune Company has been planning a sale of Wrigley Field and the Chicago Cubs for some time.