The head of the state authority involved in talks about the possible sale of Wrigley Field said Wednesday that he and the authority’s executive director have been interviewed by federal agents in the corruption investigation of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
William Brandt, chairman of the Illinois Finance Authority, said he met with federal agents in late January or early February to answer their questions about the Wrigley Field deal. Brandt said agents also separately interviewed the authority’s John Filan.
“They wanted the story of Wrigley Field from the people who were there,” Brandt said. Brandt said he told agents that he had no idea that Blagojevich allegedly plotted to withhold state financial support for the Wrigley deal if Tribune Co. refused to fire members of the Chicago Tribune’s editorial board, which had been critical of how he ran the state. Tribune Co. owns RedEye, the Tribune, Wrigley Field and the Cubs.
