From the Chicago Tribune, July 20, 2009:

“Former Blago chief of staff postpones guilty plea”

“CHICAGO – An attorney accused of scheming with former Gov. Rod Blagojevich to use the governor’s office as a vehicle for making money postponed Monday his plan to plead guilty to federal corruption charges.

Alonzo Monk, 50, Blagojevich’s law school roommate and first chief of staff in the governor’s office, is now set to plead guilty at an Aug. 11 hearing.

Monk attorney Michael J. Shepard of San Francisco declined to comment on the reason for the delay. Other attorneys in the case said there was no reason to suspect the snag was anything that couldn’t be ironed out.

The one-time chief of staff has been cooperating with federal prosecutors in hopes of getting a lighter sentence. Plea negotiations can be complicated and delays are common.”

“The indictment also says Monk schemed with Blagojevich, convicted influence peddler Tony Rezko and others to use the governor’s office to squeeze individuals wanting to do business with the state for payoffs.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-blagojevichindict,0,7994509.story