A federal jury on Saturday convicted one of Gov. Jim Edgar's biggest campaign donors of using bribes including cash-stuffed envelopes and lobster dinners to arrange a state contract that cheated taxpayers out of more than $7 million.
A second contributor was found not guilty.Edgar was not accused of wrongdoing, but the eight-week trial cast a shadow on his administration as he considered whether to seek re-election in 1998, run for the U.S. Senate or retire from politics.
Edgar, a Republican, testified that campaign contributions are not linked to state contracts. He was the first governor in Illinois to testify in a criminal trial in 75 years.