Dec. 05--President Barack Obama's close friend Eric Whitaker will be in a federal courtroom Monday as a judge considers whether the former state public health director should be designated a hostile witness in a multimillion-dollar state grant fraud trial of a Chicago couple, a U.S. Attorney's spokeswoman said Thursday.
Whitaker is not charged with a crime, but prosecutors have sought to have him declared a hostile witness, saying he has not fully cooperated in their case. Prosecutors also have alleged Whitaker has refused to answer questions "concerning his personal relationship" with a former chief of staff.
On trial are Leon and Karin Dingle, who face charges of money laundering, mail fraud and conspiracy to defraud the state over faith-based grants doled out under now-imprisoned ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The trial has been going on for weeks.
A hostile witness designation would give prosecutors more leeway in questioning Whitaker before jurors in the Dingle case. But U.S. Judge Richard Mills ruled he wanted to observe Whitaker himself before deciding whether to tag him with the hostile witness designation.
On Monday, Mills will oversee the hearing outside the presence of the jury to determine whether Whitaker qualifies as a hostile witness -- a rare designation in federal court. Then prosecutors will decide whether to call Whitaker in the case to testify in front of the jury as a witness in the Dingle case.
A Whitaker spokeswoman has said he would be appear if called, saying previously that Whitaker has cooperated.
The former chief of staff snared in the investigation is Quinshaunta Golden, who has pleaded guilty to bribery, theft and obstruction of justice.
