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The name of President Obama came into play this afternoon at the political corruption trial of former governor Rod Blagojevich as an associate of political fund-raiser Tony Rezko testified that Rezko asked him to write a $10,000 check to Friends of Obama. The Chicago Sun-Times reported in January 2008 that Glenview businessman Joseph Aramanda, who is testifying today, made the donation as part of a scheme orchestrated by Rezko. Aramanda gave $10,000 in campaign cash to Obama’s U.S. Senate campaign on March 5, 2004, according to records. The money came from part of a finder’s fee Aramanda received, but did...

Ousted Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich saw his one-time best friend take the stand and air details of how they and others schemed to use the governor's political heft as a cash cow. Blagojevich, 53, is on trial facing 24 charges of corruption, racketeering, bribery and fraud stemming from his efforts in the fall of 2008 to trade President Barack Obama's vacant US Senate seat for campaign cash or a new job. On the second day of the trial, jurors heard from Lon Monk, one of Blagojevich's closest friends and a former law school associate. Monk testified that four people in...

CHICAGO (AP) – A week before one of ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's closest advisers was to go to prison for fraud, the commercial roofing contractor died at a Chicago hospital, and the mayor of a town where he was found said the death was being investigated as a suicide. An autopsy was planned Sunday for Christopher G. Kelly, 51, who was discovered Friday night in a lumber yard parking lot in Country Club Hills, a town just southwest of Chicago. Kelly died Saturday morning, authorities said. Advertisement Abelink Summer Connection Showdown Kelly grew up in Champaign and graduated from Central...

Two sources with knowledge of the situation told the Tribune today they have been notified that Christopher Kelly, a key figure in the federal corruption probe into former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is dead. The Cook County medical examiner’s office today confirmed that a body identified as Christopher Kelly was brought to the morgue from Stroger Hospital. The office would not provide any details, including his age, address and manner of death, because the family had not yet arrived at the office. Kelly’s attorney, Michael Monico, declined to comment today when reached by a Tribune reporter. Kelly is a former confidant...

Convoy stopped. Fairly light exchange of fire right now. Chris Kelly reporting.