Sam Zell

Zell interviewed by feds in Blagojevich case

Tribune acknowledged that chairman Sam Zell was interviewed in January by federal prosecutors as a "potential witness" in the criminal investigation of former Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich. Zell also hired well-known Chicago defense lawyer Anton Valukas to represent him. Valukas is a former U.S. Attorney "who specializes in white-collar criminal investigations and major civil cases," says the Chicago Tribune in a story tonight on the L.A. Times website. According to telephone logs, Zell placed a call to Blagojevich on Dec. 8, the day before the governor's arrest. Zell's people said it was a courtesy call about Tribune's decision to enter bankruptcy.

Speaking of Zell: L.A. journalist Patrick Burke has posted a video piece at Current.com on "the Zell effect" at the L.A. Times that quotes me, Mark Lacter, LAT reporter Howard Blume and former Times reporters Henry Weinstein and William Lobdell.


More by Kevin Roderick:
Standing up to Harvey Weinstein
The Media
LA Times gets a top editor with nothing but questions
LA Observed Notes: Harvey Weinstein stripped bare
LA Observed Notes: Photos of the homeless, photos that found homes
Recent Sam Zell stories on LA Observed:
Sad but true: Sam Zell writing a book called 'Gravedancer'
New CEO named at Tribune, old publisher at Times
Tribune exits bankruptcy after four years, ending Sam Zell era *
Judge says he will OK Tribune's plan for ending bankruptcy
Finally, some good Sam Zell news
Zell throws a hundred grand Karl Rove's way
Times employees' suit over Zell deal officially wrapped
Tribune has paid $231 million in bankruptcy fees so far
Previous story: When the Times was in the Valley *

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