After 14 days of deliberation, a jury in Illinois found Former Democratic Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich guilty on one count of lying to federal agents. One count out of a possible 24. On the other 23 counts, the jury was hung. The judge will declare a mistrial, and federal prosecutors say they will retry the case.
Until then, until we have fresh Blagojevich news, we highly recommend you listen to the wiretap tapes yourself. The Department of Justice has made them and their corresponding transcripts available online here.
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on the blagosaga: what surprises me is how anyone can find this severely beaten deadhorse to be of any interest. the definitive test for political addiction should be anyone saying they find the blago trial to be fascinating.
Far too typical.
Yeah @vetxcl. Sadly if you drive around here in Chicago you will see signs everywhere saying "free Blago" or other such slogans. When he was entering the trial people were lined up all around the courthouse trying to get his signature and carrying supportive signs. I'm actually surprised he was convicted of anything because of how much support he has here (or at least seems to have; granted I can only speak for what I've seen and heard). Maybe that's why the jury was unable to come to any further of a verdict and why it took them so long to render anything in the first place? I'll be a lot happier when I can stop having nightmares about that beaver pelt hair-do of his. =)
I'm betting at least one more charge would have stood if that idiot would have taken the stand. Open mouth, insert foot. Blago's lawyers must know of his shoe leather addiction.
Why didn't the so called judge let testimoney from Rom, or our dear leader be heard? Maybe Blago would have gone free on all counts. Real hard to tell when the Regime is in charge. Why not let Rom and Axlerod be heard? are they too important to this country?...or too important to Dear Leader's legitimacy.
That's Rham not Rom please.
I wish this guy would just GO AWAY. I don't care where--just leave. Perhaps he can move to Alaska (nothing against the Alaskans) and spend his time reading Kipling to Sarah Palin. That is, of course, when she is not flapping her trap. The so called "news" in this country has turned into a 3-ring circus and a reality show ala Jersey Shore. I feel like the prophecy set forth in the movie Idiocracy is going to come true. Intelligent people out there--procreate! And fast! And often!
micro geek, i love that image, reading kipling to sara palin. i am imagining a movie version featuring katie couric? as blago with the camera focused on palin the entire time and the facial contortions of palin as blago (couric) says "i had six faithful serving men, they taught me all i knew - their names were what and where and when and how and why and who" or blago(played by couric again) saying to palin, who still gets all the camera, "our tea kettle had a leak - not fixing it made it worse - we haven't had tea [party] for a week - bottom's fallen out of our universe"
HaHa! Thanks for the morning laugh. Blago went through a phase where he found some poem to recite during every press conference and interview. Kipling was an oft referenced poet. You could almost here half the reporters' thoughts spewing out as "WTF?" and the other half as "Ok, we get it, you're smart, now just answer the questions." At least if he had been put on the stand, it might not have been too informative, but would have undoubtedly been entertaining.
"let him who is not guilty cast the first stone" or to way it with another put "let him who is not guilty stone the cast first -- the whole thing would be funnier or more news worthy if it didn't take place in chicago - to quote that master of eloquence, Eric Cantor, (or was it canter or Kanter) "COME ON"
My mind thinks too literally in the morning--I just had a vision of Blago throwing stones as he walked from the courthouse steps. But yeah, you're right. Consider said stones dropped. And yes, there are plenty of Illinoisans who wish this was some other state's problem. Like maybe Wyoming. Yeah, when's the last time they were in the limelight? Sharing the wealth means sharing the filth. If only Blago was former governor-turned-reality show-celeb from Wyoming.
For some reason I always sympathized with Blago. It did strike me as just the way politics usually works, trading favors one way or another - what was so bad or so unusual? It seems like the jury felt the same way I did. I don't hold his hairdo against him. If he wants to be an Elvis look-alike, that's his business.
Unfortunately, Tony, you are probably right in that this is how politics works. He just happened to get caught. But don't sympathize too much--it can drain you of your energy.
Apparently one rogue juror is responsible for this result. As one of the other jurors said, the charges that could be backed up by audio tape were easy to decide, and all but the one rogue juror saw that Blago was guilty. I'm hopeful that he will face trial again, and be nailed to the wall this time.
I've gotten so cynical, I just don't know if the "nailers" are any less corrupt than the "nailed". At least Blago is an honest sleaze.
That is what they said about Governor Edwin Edwards of Louisiana.
thanks for the show.
I guess that "rogue juror" and I must just be on the same wavelength.