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Blagojevich soap opera comes to a screeching halt

June 29, 2011
St. Louis Post Dispatch

There were times during the past 30 months when it seemed like the Rod Blagojevich case had slipped down the rabbit hole, falling from the level of deadly serious political corruption to national joke.

That ended Monday when a jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago returned guilty verdicts on 17 of 20 charges of wire fraud, attempted extortion, bribery and conspiracy against the 54-year-old former Illinois governor.

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For Illinois, Blagojevich Is Only the Latest to Fall

June 29, 2011
New York Times

By MONICA DAVEY

CHICAGO — After jurors this week convicted Rod R. Blagojevich, the former governor of Illinois, of trying to sell his appointment of a replacement in the United States Senate for President Obama, they were asked what they had come to think of politicians in their home state.

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Prosecutor: Rod Blagojevich a liar and a swindler, his testimony ‘absurd’

June 9, 2011
Chicago Sun-Times

BY LARK TURNER  AND NATASHA KORECKI Chicago Sun-Times

Her words were sharp, emphatic and clear.

Rod Blagojevich was a liar. A cheat. A swindler. His testimony was “absurd” and “ludicrous.”

Hands behind her back, Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Hamilton took great care to speak plainly to the jurors who soon will decide the former governor’s fate.

A stoic Blagojevich sat up straight, hands folded, face blank as Hamilton painted the damning picture.
 

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Blagojevich closing arguments possible today

June 8, 2011
WBEZ

Robert Wildeboer

(WBEZ/Robert Wildeboer)

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich leaving court.

Attorneys for Rod Blagojevich have rested their defense case in the corruption retrial of the former Illinois governor. 

Defense attorneys rested Wednesday morning after calling former U.S. Rep. Bill Lipinski to the witness stand.  Lipinski testified that he didn't ask fellow U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) for a campaign contribution for Rod Blagojevich.

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Blagojevich portrayed as desperate and corrupt as closing arguments begin

June 8, 2011
Chicago Tribune

Prosecutor takes jurors step by step through the charges

By Jeff Coen and Bob Secter, Tribune reporters

A prosecutor pointed jurors to a trove of government wiretaps as closing arguments began Wednesday at Rod Blagojevich's corruption retrial, saying the undercover recordings prove his guilt by revealing what the then-governor said "when he thought that no one else was listening."

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Rod Blagojevich says Senate trade would have been ‘a favor worth doing’

June 7, 2011
Chicago Sun-Times

By NATASHA KORECKI,  DAVE McKINNEY AND LARK TURNER Chicago Sun-Times

Federal prosecutors on Monday worked to paint Rod Blagojevich as a liar by using the ex-governor’s own words — on tape and from the witness stand.

With fewer fireworks than last week, Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Schar covered five major alleged shakedown schemes, including one for the Senate Seat.

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Blagojevich trial has taught us about ex-gov

June 7, 2011
Chicago Sun-Times

CAROL MARIN

Has it been a lucky seven days on the witness stand for Rod Blagojevich, or a kamikaze crapshoot?

It goes without saying that the decision to testify in his federal retrial has been the gamble of all gambles for our former governor.

In his first trial last summer, Blagojevich swore he would take the stand. But he didn’t. His lawyers claimed that was because the feds had failed to make their case.

That turned out to be almost true.

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Feds Begin Clash With Blagojevich

June 3, 2011
Chicago News Cooperative

by KARI LYDERSEN and IDALMY CARRERA

Two-and-a-half years after Rod Blagojevich’s arrest on federal corruption charges, government prosecutors late Thursday seized their first opportunity to question the former governor before a jury.

“Mr. Blagojevich, you are a convicted liar, correct?” Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Schar asked.

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Inside Blagojevich's mind of 'golden' opportunities.

June 3, 2011
Chicago Tribune

By Eric Zorn

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich gave a leaden answer to the "effing golden" question Wednesday when his attorney gently asked him to explain his most famous declaration.

"I was saying this opportunity is effing golden and that's what I was saying," Blagojevich testified, essentially reiterating what's heard in an often-played surveillance recording about his power to appoint a U.S. senator: "I've got this thing and it's (effing) golden And I'm just not giving it up for (effing) nothing."
 

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Prosecutors grill Blagojevich

June 2, 2011
Daily Herald

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich admitted on the stand Thursday that he’s a convicted liar.

By Karen Hawkins and Michael Tarm,  Associated Press
A prosecutor who waited years to grill Rod Blagojevich on a witness stand struck hard and fast Thursday when he finally got his chance.

"Mr. Blagojevich, you are a convicted liar, correct?" lead prosecutor Reid Schar asked, raising his voice as he stepped up and delivered his first question to the ousted Illinois governor.
 

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