Blago to construction contractor: I'll help you for $100,000

In last month's criminal complaint against since-impeached Governor Rod Blagojevich, an attempted shakedown of a construction contractor, "Individual B," is described. The Chicago Sun-Times fills in some details.

Michael Vondra -- construction magnate and asphalt kingpin -- is working on a new business deal with BP, the gasoline behemoth.

And he wanted Gov. Blagojevich to help him out with state environmental regulators.

Construction magnate Michael Vondra wanted embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich to help him out with state environment regulators in connection with his new business deal with BP.

Vondra and the governor talked about the deal last Oct. 6 in the governor's North Side campaign office -- not knowing federal agents were eavesdropping.

The gangster-governor's next move was to solicit Vondra, who has not been charged with wrongdoing, for a $100,000 campaign contribution. There was some urgency to Blago's request--new ethics rules took effect on January 1 that prevent political contributions from contractors.

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