Posted on 02/10/2010 10:57:57 AM PST by opentalk
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich — famously caught on tape calling a U.S. Senate seat appointment (bleepin’) golden — said today he wants to make sure that the jury that will hear the corruption case against him gets to hear that recording.
And Blagojevich, rather than back away from the tapes that attracted national attention, said he is “laying down the gauntlet” and also wants his future jury to hear everything else he was caught saying on secret FBI wiretaps.
“I’ve instructed my lawyers to petition the court, petition so that every second, every minute, every hour that the government secretly taped me is provided to both sides to be heard and played in court,” Blagojevich said minutes after pleading not guilty in a federal courtroom in Chicago to a new indictment in his case.
“And I challenge the government, I challenge the government: If you are on the side of truth and justice as you say you are, and if this was a crime spree like you claim it was, then don’t hide behind technicalities,” Blagojevich said. “Play all the tapes. Play all the tapes. Play the truth, and play the whole truth.”
Later, Blagojevich’s lawyer, Sam Adam Jr., pulled back a bit from that, saying that the former governor wants every tape played that’s relevant to his corruption case.
“We are saying either side can play any minute of any tape that they wish to play,” Adam said.
Blagojevich said he thinks he can contest the original finding that there was probable cause to believe a crime was committed, which allowed the wiretaps to be placed in the first place.
Still, he pleaded not guilty to a revised indictment today, said he will waive any challenge to the playing of the tapes and will ask that the tapes be played at his June corruption trial in federal court in Chicago.
“I enter a plea of innocent to each and every charge,” the former governor, dressed in a dark suit and red tie, told U.S. District Judge James Zagel.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office had no comment on Blagojevich’s remarks.
Previoiusly, prosecutors have alluded to the hundreds of hours of recordings that have been publicly viewed as a point of strength in their case.
Last week, a federal grand jury in Chicago re-indicted Blagojevich, adding eight new counts to his corruption case. That makes 24 charges the ex-governor now faces.
The new charges were crafted to keep the case on track even if the U.S. Supreme Court decides in a separate case to gut the federal “honest services” law that also was a key to the original charges against Blagojevich.
The former governor faces accusations that include trying to sell an appointment ti fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Obama.
Other allegations include charges that Blagojevich tried to extort Obama White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, then a congressman representing Chicago’s Northwest Side. Blagojevich is accused of holding up grant money to a school in Emanuel’s district because Emanuel’s brother hadn't held a campaign fund-raiser for Blagojevich.
Yes.
Things have taken a turn since I made that gif.
Thanks Meek. I changed it out since there have been some new twists and turns.....
bttt
Thanks bitt. Looks like it’s showtime...
bttt
oh, I feel your pain! we dodged the bullet up here in NE...
we spent more on our new snow blower than our old car, lol.....got our priorities straightened out.....
I just heard BOR with Blago on, and BOR is the most vile Pinhead of all Pinheads. He was trying to frame Blago to spill the beans, yet he probably is gagged by the court!!!
I agree! BOR doesn’t realize than a non answer is an answer!!!!
The effects of global warming can be quite strenuous on ones body.
I hope its Blago that takes down ObamaAxelrodEmanuel. This stsry when it gets to court will damage and weaken the usurpers.
Hope Rezko testifies about his relationship to Obama and especially about the real estate deal wher Rezko sold a portion of his lot - rendering the remaining portion unbuildable - to Obama for a very low price.
Could not possibly have been an arms length transaction.
that’s “widow-maker” snow, MU - be careful!
you could always wait for global warming to ‘remove’ your snow, ya know....
me thinks Blago will never experience male pattern baldness
Fascinating. Any sources?
This could get interesting!
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