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Blago's Chief of Staff Pleads Guilty

Harris to cooperate in trial of former governor

By Don Moseley

| Tuesday, Jul 28, 2009 | Updated 1:18 PM CDT

John Harris, the chief of staff under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, has followed through on his promise to plead guilty and support the prosecution's case against the former governor.

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Harris Pleads Guilty, Will Cooperate With Feds

Smiling at times in court, former Blagojevich Chief of Staff John Harris seemed at-ease with his decision.

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Harris Pleads
Guilty, Will Cooperate...

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John Harris, the former chief of staff to Rod Blagojevich, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of wire fraud.

According to his plea, Harris admits to helping Blagojevich in his attempts to get a financial benefit in return for filling the state's U.S. Senate seat that was vacated by now-President Barack Obama.

In the plea agreement (.pdf), Harris said he will cooperate in the trial of the former governor, as well as any other ongoing government investigations. Harris was also the budget director under Mayor Richard M. Daley, and he also served as a high-ranking official at O'Hare -- which could play into any investigations the government has into hiring at City Hall.

Harris' cooperation could score him a prison sentence of just under thee years, but his attorney hopes it will be "far less" than that.

Attorney Terry Ekl said Harris was admitting only to "one minor count," and he repeatedly tried to talk the governor out of bad decisions.