Lobbying

Change to Win: Blagojevich Never Approached Us

Labor coalition Change to Win said this afternoon that it was never approached by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) or his associates about the governor’s alleged three-way scheme to obtain a high-paying job within the organization by appointing Valerie Jarrett to President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), meanwhile, has denied any wrongdoing after the complaint alleged that Blagojevich met with an SEIU official to discuss Jarrett’s potential appointment.

“No one connected with Change to Win ever considered, discussed or promised any position at Change to Win to Governor Blagojevich, his staff or his advisers. In the affidavit released by the United States Attorney, a position at Change to Win is discussed only in conversations between the governor and his advisers,” Change to Win Communications Director Greg Denier said in a written statement issued to reporters this afternoon.

“The first time Change to Win learned of any of the matters raised in the criminal complaint was with today