When the news broke that Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday morning by FBI agents on federal corruption charges - aka trying to sell President-elect Obama's Senate seat (among other things) - our first thought was, "How exactly do you sell a Senate seat?"
The second was, "Who would buy it?"
The answer to the first question, according to a Department of Justice press release Tuesday morning, is that Blagojevich allegedly discussed obtaining the following things in exchange for Obama's old job:
"- a substantial salary for himself at a either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions;
- placing his wife on paid corporate boards where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year;
- promises of campaign funds - including cash up front; and
- a cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself."
So, who could, or more importantly would, be able to deliver on such things? The short answer is: We don't know.
The long answer is: There are 76 pages of an FBI affidavit to read through if you want to guess at it.
According to a press release from U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's office and FBI documents, Blagojevich was looking at a few people fill Obama's seat, each identified as Senate Candidate 1, 2, 3, or so forth. The U.S. Attorney office's press release immediately points to "Senate Candidate 5," saying "Blagojevich allegedly told an advisor that he might "get some (money) up front, maybe" from number 5.
So, if you're into speculation, the FBI affidavit -- complete with excerpts from the wiretaps -- can give you clues for guessing who "Candidate 5" might be.
Here are a few key excerpts if your holiday shopping plans, work, kids or whatever preclude you from reading the whole 70-something pages:
Blagojevich thought Senate Candidate 5 could deliver something immediately:
"Later on December 4, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke to Fundraiser A. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated he was "elevating" Senate Candidate 5 on the list of candidates for the open Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated he might be able to cut a deal with Senate Candidate 5 that provided ROD BLAGOJEVICH with something "tangible up front."
Blagojevich said he had a history with Senate Candidate 5 not following through on promises:
"ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Fundraiser A to tell Individual D that ROD BLAGOJEVICH had a problem with Senate Candidate 5 just promising to help ROD BLAGOJEVICH because ROD BLAGOJEVICH had a prior bad experience with Senate Candidate 5 not keeping his word."
Blagojevich believed Senate Candidate 5 could raise money or deliver money:
"On December 4, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke to Advisor B and informed Advisor B that he was giving Senate Candidate 5 greater consideration for the Senate seat because, among other reasons, if ROD BLAGOJEVICH ran for re-election Senate Candidate 5 would "raise[] money" for ROD BLAGOJEVICH, although ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he might "get some (money) up front, maybe" from Senate Candidate 5 to insure Senate Candidate 5 kept his promise about raising money for ROD BLAGOJEVICH. (In a recorded conversation on October 31, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH described an earlier approach by an associate of Senate Candidate Five as follows: "We were approached 'pay to play.' That, you know, he'd raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator.")"
Blagojevich said he was getting a lot of pressure not to appoint Senate Candidate 5:
"ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Fundraiser A to tell Individual D that Senate Candidate 5 was very much a realistic candidate for the open Senate seat, but that ROD BLAGOJEVICH was getting "a lot of pressure" not to appoint Senate Candidate 5."
The Democratic governor of Illinois in the United States, Rod Blagojevich, 51, along with his chief of staff John Harris, 46, were arrested Tuesday morning by the FBI on federal corruption charges.
Rod Blagojevich. 
The ''Chicago Tribune'' reports that federal agents raided Blagojevich's home this morning and took him into federal custody. The arrest comes after a three-year investigation into Blagojevich's "pay-to-play politics."

Specifically, the Department of Justice alleged that Blagojevich attempted to sell the Senate seat previously held by President-elect Barack Obama. Blagojevich, as governor, has the sole authority to appoint someone to complete Obama's term. Authorities believe the process to select a new senator was tainted after authorities secretly recorded several of Blagojevich's conversations. They believe that he was attempting to sell the seat in exchange for financial benefit for himself and his wife.

Documents from the FBI and from U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald identify the people whom Blagojevich was considering as Senate Candidates 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. According to Fitzgerald's press release, Blagojevich told an advisor that he wanted to "get some (money) up front, maybe."

In Illinois, a new state ethics law will take effect on January 1, 2009, so Blagojevich was trying to embezzle as much money as he could before that date, said Fitzgerald.

Authorities also believe that Blagojevich was trying to withhold state financial assistance from the owner of the ''Tribune'', the Tribune Company, which recently filed for bankruptcy protection. They allege he was trying to get members of the editorial board of the ''Chicago Tribune'' fired by threatening to complicate the sale of Wrigley Field by Tribune Company.

On December 8, Blagojevich responded to the reports that federal authorities had wiretapped his phone conversations, saying that "I should say if anybody wants to tape my conversations, go right ahead, feel free to do it. I can tell you that whatever I say is always lawful and the things I'm interested in are always lawful."

If convicted, Blagojevich could face up to 30 years in prison and $500,000 in fines.

This is not the first time in Illinois history that a governor has been arrested for corruption charges. In 2006, George Ryan was indicted and is now serving a 6½-year prison term.