Blagojevich's Former Chief Of Staff, John Harris, Pleads Guilty, Now Cooperating With Prosecutors

CHICAGO — A former chief of staff to Rod Blagojevich pleaded guilty Wednesday to taking part in a scheme to use President Barack Obama's Senate seat as leverage to get the then-governor into a high-paying job. John Harris, 47, also promised that he would be a government witness if _ as expected _ Blagojevich goes to trial on federal racketeering conspiracy charges. Harris became the first of four Blagojevich co-defendants to plead guilty and promise to testify for the government. Another former chief of staff to the governor, Alonzo Monk, is cooperating and has served notice that he intends to plead guilty later this month.

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, Randall Samborn, declined to comment. Harris also left the courthouse without commenting. In his signed plea agreement, Harris said he had numerous discussions with Blagojevich beginning in October 2008 about the possibility that Obama would be elected president and how the governor would then be able to fill his Senate seat. After a Nov. 6 meeting with an official of the Service Employees International Union, Blagojevich allegedly told Harris and others that he had asked to be appointed secretary of Health and Human Service in the Obama administration in exchange for the Senate seat. The idea was that the union would push Obama to choose him.

{ I don't know that I can trust a guy who has made a plea deal. A person like that will say anything to save their own behind. }