Associated Press

APNewsbreak: Gov. says secret evidence should keep subpoenas private
By JOHN O'CONNOR | AP Political Writer
4:49 PM CST, February 8, 2008
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration says it has
new, secret evidence to warrant keeping the public from seeing federal
subpoenas it has received.
Lawyers for the Democrat filed court papers Friday asking a judge to
reverse his ruling of a month ago to release subpoenas from the U.S.
attorney. "Newly discovered evidence" makes it important to keep the
documents secret, they said.
But they also requested to file the documents in secrecy and no
information about them was included in the filing.
The Better Government Association, a public watchdog group, sued in
Sangamon County Circuit Court after Blagojevich aides denied a 2006
Freedom of Information request for subpoenas from U.S. Attorney
Patrick Fitzgerald.
BGA lawyer Don Craven ridiculed the government's request, saying
Blagojevich, who promised open government, now wants "secret evidence
in a secret trial."
Blagojevich attorney William Quinlan did not return a phone call from
The Associated Press.
Judge Patrick Kelley ruled in January that Fitzgerald's office sees no
need for further secrecy because Fitzgerald staff members never
responded when the BGA told them about the lawsuit.
A spokesman for Fitzgerald did not return a call seeking comment.
Fitzgerald told state law enforcement officials in June 2006 that he
is investigating "serious allegations of endemic hiring fraud" in the
way the governor's office chose people for state jobs.
Fitzgerald also is prosecuting Blagojevich friend and fundraiser
Antoin "Tony" Rezko on fraud charges for an alleged scheme to skim
money from investments by state pension systems to raise money for
Blagojevich. Rezko is set to stand trial next month.
Kelley ruled that the subpoenas should stay locked up as long as the
government still has legal options to try to keep them there. The
government also requested Friday that Kelley keep to that decision.