* Rob Blagojevich doesn’t want to go down with his brother’s ship…
An attorney for Blagojevich’s brother, Robert, said Monday that he would seek a separate trial, citing the prejudice his client could face by sitting next to such a controversial figure. […]
“It was basically his decision, not mine,” attorney Michael Ettinger, who represents Robert Blagojevich, said after court of his client’s desire to be tried separately from his brother.
According to a source familiar with the situation, Blagojevich’s brother may have decided to seek a separate trial after the former governor’s lawyers moved to delay the trial, now scheduled to begin June 3.
Rod and Rob weren’t close as adults until the guv asked the brother to come up and run his campaign fundraising operation. Perhaps the brother is now finding out how weird and off-the-wall (and headed for prison) the former governor really is.
* Meanwhile, a federal judge has denied a motion to delay the trial until September…
Lawyers for Blagojevich wanted the delay to see how the Supreme Court would rule on three other cases they said will be a key part of their defense against the charges. The judge denied the request and said the trial will begin in June as scheduled.
Judge James Zagel said he may postpone the start of the trial, but not until September.
“Should there be a Supreme Court decision which affects some of the legal theories of this case it certainly would be foolish to begin something and then have to stop it,” said Sheldon Sorosky, Blagojevich’s attorney.
* Prosecutors joined the defense in a motion to sever Bill Cellini from Rod Blagojevich’s trial and the judge granted it yesterday…
Cellini’s attorney, Dan K. Webb, issued a statement saying the decision to severe his client and possibly try him separately “demonstrates what we have said all along — that there was never any justification for including Bill Cellini in any indictment with former Gov. Blagojevich.”
Webb said Cellini doesn’t know Blagojevich, has never spoken on the phone with the former governor and was unaware of the alleged fundraising scheme.
Cellini was charged in three counts along with former Blagojevich chief fundraiser Christopher G. Kelly, was found dead in what police say was a suicide, just days before he was to start serving eight years in prison.
Prosecutors urged Zagel to drop Cellini from the trial, saying that Kelly had been the key figure who linked him to Blagojevich. They said Kelly’s death had erased much of the “overlap” in evidence between Blagojevich and Cellini.
Dan Webb’s statement on behalf of his client could cause a bit of political heartburn, however…
“Mr. Cellini is a lifelong Republican who supported both Jim Ryan and Judy Barr-Topinka in their campaigns against Rod Blagojevich.”
I’m sure that neither of those current candidates want that fact dredged up again.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 9:12 am:
He’s My Brother - Wainwright, enhanced by VanillaMan
This road is too long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where
Who knows where?
I’m not that dumb
Dumb enough to believe him
He’s just crazy, he’s my brother
So on we go
His welfare is not my concern
All burdens are his to bear
This I’ll swear
For I now know
He would skuttle me
He’s more than guilty, he’s my brother
If he’s laden at all
He’s laden with madness
That f^@$@n’ golden thing
He tried to sell with gladness
Dragging me under
It’ll be a long, long trial
From which he will not return
While he’s on the way to there
He’ll do his hair
But this load
It weighs me down to fall
He lost his marbles, he’s my brother
He’s my brother
He ain’t normal, he’s my brother
- Conservative Republican - Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 9:15 am:
Re: severing the Rod and Rob cases
I don’t think personal feelings factor into this one at all. If the defense is empowered by a severance, then Rob and his lawyers will push for it. It may also be a boost to the Rod defense. Moreover, if you read the indictment, it is clear that Rob and Rod worked hand in glove on the Senate/Children’s Memorial/ other shakedowns. That being said, I can’t see how the motion to sever the cases can succeed.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 9:23 am:
The Cellini Song! Jagger & Richards, enhanced by VanillaMan
I’m free to do what I want, any old time
I’m be with whom I choose, any old time
So hear me, watch me, I love me, yeah, me
I’m free at this time to get what I want
I’m free to sing like a bird, Blago’s doing time
I’ll give the judge my word, I won’t be fined
So hear me, watch me, I love me, yeah, me
And I’m free at this time, to get what I want!
I’m like Fast Eddie, I’m always ready!
I’m free at this time, to deal how I want!
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 9:31 am:
That was kind of a gratuitous smack by Webb at Ryan and Topinka. He could have established Cellini’s GOP bona fides without naming them.
And the truth of the matter is, the fact that Cellini is a lifelong Republican is irrelvant to the case.
- Anon - Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 9:33 am:
If Rod is convicted, are they going to put him in Thomson with the Gitmo crowd? Or would inflicting Rod on them cause a bigger scandal than Abu Graib?
- Obamarama - Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 10:32 am:
===If Rod is convicted, are they going to put him in Thomson with the Gitmo crowd? ===
Yeah, they’re going to send Rod to a DoD-run section of a SuperMax. Get a clue.
- Anon - Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 10:41 am:
As a democrat, I would like to thank Dan Webb and invite him to join the political discussion whenever he wants, and as often as possible.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 11:02 am:
===Perhaps the brother is now finding out how weird and off-the-wall (and headed for prison) the former governor really is.===
Finally. Sheesh, I was wondering when he was going to wake up and smell the coffee on that one. Rob, your brother is a crook and a liar. Do not put your fate in his hands. He doesn’t deserve your loyalty and will not repay it. I would strongly advise you to testify against him if the prosecutors offer you a deal.
- Anon - Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 12:07 pm:
Obamarama — get a sense of humor.
- Anon - Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 1:28 pm:
Does Winston really not know it’s spelled Baar-Topinka? She’s been around a long time.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 2:18 pm:
word, that Webb shot was not only snarky, it was a stretch in the case of JRyan. Cellini’s support there was a mile wide and an inch deep. He was hedging his bets with Blago months before the election.
- Lynn S - Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 11:04 pm:
Cellini’s attorney, Dan K. Webb, issued a statement saying the decision to severe his client and possibly try him separately “demonstrates what we have said all along — that there was never any justification for including Bill Cellini in any indictment with former Gov. Blagojevich.”
Webb said Cellini doesn’t know Blagojevich, has never spoken on the phone with the former governor and was unaware of the alleged fundraising scheme.
Wow, how dumb does Webb think the average juror is? Does he honestly believe a judge would buy this and find Cellini innocent?
It shouldn’t be that hard for the feds to subpeona phone records and find the calls from Blago to Cellini or Cellini to Blago.
Webb smells awfully desperate to me.