CHICAGO — The brother of imprisoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich says in a new book that prosecutors tried to use him as a pawn to get his sibling on charges he sought to sell or trade an appointment to President Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat.

Although charges were eventually dropped against him, Robert Blagojevich, a 59-year-old Tennessee businessman, writes that his refusal to turn on his brother made him “collateral damage” of an overzealous prosecution that cost him his reputation, nearly $1 million in legal bills and a still unrepaired split in the Blagojevich family.

The book, titled “Fundraiser A,” is set for an April release.

— From news service reports


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.