Rod Blagojevich

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Blago Jurors Have Settled on Only 2 Counts

Judge wants them to keep deliberating

(Newser) - The Rod Blagojevich jury continues to be stuck: On its 12th day of deliberations, jurors informed the judge that they've settled on only two counts (it's not clear which ones), remain deadlocked on 11 others, and haven't even begun deliberating the remaining 11 related to wire fraud charges. The judge...

Blagojevich Jury: We're Stumped

Jurors tell judge they're deadlocked on some counts

(Newser) - If you were locked in a room for 11 days talking about nothing but Rod Blagojevich, you'd probably be a little confused, too. The jurors in his corruption case told the judge today they can't reach agreement on some of the 24 counts against him and wondered what they should...

Blago Lawyer's Closing: My Client's an Idiot

Prosecutor rejects 'not the sharpest knife in drawer' defense

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich’s defense attorney took an odd tack in his closing argument yesterday, arguing, basically, that the governor had been too stupid to do anything but follow the advice of his staff. “He ain’t corrupt,” and he “never intended to bribe or extort anyone,”...

Blago Lawyer Walks Off the Job

After dispute over closing argument, Sam Adam Jr. departs

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich's lawyer left a federal courthouse in Chicago today without delivering his closing argument after the judge threatened to cite him for contempt of court, the Tribune reports . Sam Adam Jr. wanted to tell jurors about witnesses the government didn't call and planned to contend that their testimony would...

Blago Spent Whopping $400K on Clothes

 Blago Spent 
 Whopping 
 $400K on 
 Clothes 
paging imelda marcos
Jul 2, 2010 7:41 AM CDT

Blago Spent Whopping $400K on Clothes

Prosecutor accuses Patti of paying for it with suspect Rezko money

(Newser) - Looking as good as Rod Blagojevich does ain’t cheap. The ex-governor and his wife spent $400,000 on clothes while in office or running for it, according to testimony from a government financial analyst at Blagojevich’s corruption trial yesterday. Prosecutors followed that up by playing a wiretap tape...

'Senator Oprah' Sounded Good to Blago

Then-gov considered media titan to succeed Obama as senator

(Newser) - As Rod Blagojevich considered possible successors to Barack Obama as US senator from Illinois, he came up with one name "no one can assail": Oprah Winfrey. As the former governor's corruption trial dragged on today in Chicago, prosecutors played a tape from December 2008—after Obama confidant Valerie Jarrett...

Blago's Lawyer: 'The Guy Ain't Corrupt!&quot; He's a Dupe!
Blago's Lawyer: 'The Guy Ain't Corrupt!' He's a Dupe!
trial opener
Jun 9, 2010 8:24 AM CDT

Blago's Lawyer: 'The Guy Ain't Corrupt!' He's a Dupe!

He was taken in by 'the Bernie Madoff of Chicago,' Tony Rezko

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich is an honest man who "didn't take a dime" of illegal money and simply trusted the wrong people to handle his fundraising, the former Illinois governor's attorney said yesterday in a theatrical opening statement at Blago's corruption trial. "The guy ain't corrupt," said attorney Sam...

Judge Bars Blagojevich From Tweeting in Court

But he can still talk to the press

(Newser) - Geez, now Rod Blagojevich is going to have sit still during his corruption trial. The judge today blocked his perfectly rational plan to issue live tweets from the courtroom, reports the Chicago Tribune . Judge Zagel didn't bar Blagojevich from making his many public statements before and after the proceedings, though...

Blago Defense Can't Subpoena Obama

Ex-governor's lawyers want president to testify in corruption trial

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich will not be permitted to subpoena President Obama as he defends himself against charges that he tried to sell or barter Obama's vacant Senate seat after the 2008 presidential election. The judge in the former governor's forthcoming corruption trial did leave to door open to calling the president...

Blago Accidentally Reveals Allegations Against Obama

Screw-up reveals redacted info

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich's defense team asked the judge to subpoena Barack Obama yesterday with a motion that was supposed to be heavily redacted. But whoever redacted it did a lousy job; the blacked out text could be easily read just by copying and pasting it, as Capital Fax revealed. Here's what...

Blago Judge: No Head-Butting in My Court

Ex-governor is colorful as ever in courtroom

(Newser) - The judge in the Rod Blagojevich trial doesn't intend to let the pugnacious former Illinois governor turn it into a grudge match with his nemesis, US attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. After a day of Blago antics —a rant in which he called prosecutors 'cowards and liars," challenged Fitzgerald to...

Trump to Blago: You're Fired!

'The plan for the presentation was, we haven't got a (bleepin') plan'

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich is having a bit of trouble holding down a job these days. The former Illinois governor was fired last night on Celebrity Apprentice after turning in his latest "display of cluelessness, evasion, and arrogance," writes Maureen Ryan in the Chicago Tribune . The gov over-delegated, was unable...

100 Unsexiest Men of 2010
 100 Unsexiest Men of 2010 
Apr 4, 2010 12:52 PM CDT

100 Unsexiest Men of 2010

What a shocker: Tiger Woods made the list

(Newser) - Some guys are unsexy just because they’re not sexy; others are unsexy because they cheat on their Oscar-winning wives with tattooed strippers (hello, No. 6). Whatever the reason, the Boston Phoenix lists the 100 unsexiest men of 2010. Some highlights:
  • No. 100, Justin Bieber: “Twenty-something mall skanks: It
...

Illinois' Political Culture Is Even Worse Than NY's

But scandals in both states makes it a close race, notes Gail Collins

(Newser) - Illinois and New York both have such awful political cultures that it's tough to decide which state is the biggest loser, writes Gail Collins. Both states have governors who were forced out by scandals and whose successors are mired in controversy, although at least Eliot Spitzer isn't going to be...

Blagojevich Sorry for 'Blacker Than Obama' Remark

Ex-gov says comment was 'stupid, stupid, stupid'

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich took back his claim that he is "blacker than Barack Obama," explaining that he was speaking metaphorically. "What I said was stupid, stupid, stupid," the ex-governor said in Illinois today. But he took advantage of the publicity his off-the-wall comment garnered to register his...

Blago: I'm Blacker Than Barack
 Blago: 
 I'm Blacker 
 Than Barack 


'I saw it all growing up'
Jan 11, 2010 7:28 AM CST

Blago: I'm Blacker Than Barack

Ex-Illinois gov shined shoes, thank you very much

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich has a knack for dropping F-bombs and soundbites as outlandish as his hair, and his latest interview—a wide-ranging doozy with Esquire —is no exception. The disgraced-but-unabashed ex-gov tells the mag he's "blacker than Barack Obama," that he's innocent ("Where the f--- is Woodward...

Blago Will Vie for Celebrity Apprentice Title

 Blago Will Vie 
 for Celebrity 
 Apprentice Title 
versus BRET MICHAELS, SINBAD
Jan 4, 2010 11:18 AM CST

Blago Will Vie for Celebrity Apprentice Title

Darryl Strawberry, Cyndi Lauper, Sharon Osbourne will also compete

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich will join some adequately B-list company on the new season of Celebrity Apprentice, which premiers in March. Also appearing on the Trump spectacular: Darryl Strawberry, Bret Michaels, Sinbad, Cyndi Lauper, Sharon Osbourne, and Selita Ebanks, among others. James Poniewozik is excited, he writes in Time . The Blago-Trump faceoff...

Blagojevich Defense Wants Obama to Testify

Lawyers seek investigators' interviews with Obama, Emanuel

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich's lawyers may attempt to get President Obama to testify in the former Illinois governor's corruption trial. The Blagojevich defense team has sought access to federal investigators' interviews with Obama and Rahm Emanuel conducted last year in order to determine whether to call the president or his chief of...

Ethics Panel Slaps Burris on the Wrist

 Ethics Panel 
 Slaps Burris 
 on the Wrist 

BLAGO FALLOUT
Nov 20, 2009 11:47 AM CST

Ethics Panel Slaps Burris on the Wrist

'Letter of admonition' cites fibs surrounding Blagojevich

(Newser) - The Senate Ethics Committee today issued a “public letter of qualified admonition,” its gentlest censure, to Roland Burris. The Illinois Democrat had been required to come clean about his dealings with then-governor Rod Blagojevich before his appointment to replace Barack Obama, which he did—before amending his testimony....

Burris: It's Public Option or Nothing
 Burris: It's 
 Public Option 
 or Nothing 
Payback Time
Oct 19, 2009 8:28 AM CDT

Burris: It's Public Option or Nothing

Vows not to vote for a bill without it

(Newser) - For Democrats determined to get a health care bill, Sen. Roland Burris is like the house guest who couldn't be refused, won't soon be leaving, and poses a plausible threat of ruining holiday dinner. Suddenly, he can no longer be ignored. Rod Blagojevich's appointee says he'll only vote for a...

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