* As if the Democratic Party doesn’t have enough problems, Rod Blagojevich now wants his trial moved to September - the heart of the fall campaign season…
Lawyers for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich are seeking to delay the start of his trial next summer, court records show.
The attorneys want the the trial moved from June to September to give them time to review a ruling expected in the spring from the U.S. Supreme Court on the “honest services” provision of the federal mail fraud statute.
That statute criminalizes conduct in which public officials–and others–breach the “honest services” they owe to the public or under their contracts.
“While a subsequent filing will challenge the integration of ‘intangible rights-honest services,’ this court will judicially note that the U.S. Supreme Court has a trio of (such) cases on its docket,” the motion states.
The Supremes could strike down the honest services law, or at least part of its application, so Blagojevich does have a point.
But the political impact of a September trial would be even bigger than if it was held in June, as scheduled. The guy is just so unpredictable and hates Pat Quinn and the rest of the Democratic establishment so much that he’s liable to say or do anything during the election.
* Meanwhile…
Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher and former Bear Terry “Tank” Johnson are among those who wrote letters late last year praising the character of former Chicago Ald. Edward Vrdolyak before he was sentenced to probation for fraud in a controversial decision by a federal judge.
Documents made public this week show Johnson and Urlacher wrote letters to U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur, who sentenced Vrodlyak to 5 years of probation in February. Vrdolyak had been captured on an undercover recording discussing a plan to collect a bogus finder’s fee in a corrupt real estate sale. […]
Johnson — now with the Cincinnati Bengals — wrote that he was friends with the former alderman while Johnson was in Chicago. Johnson was in court here last month testifying in the case of his childhood friend’s murder in a River North nightclub. He admitted lying to police because he feared further legal trouble could end his football career. […]
Urlacher wrote that he met Vrdolyak through Vrdolyak’s youngest son, Eddie. He wrote that he felt like part of the family.
…Adding… The photo used by NBC5 Chicago on their Blagojevich trial date story seems pretty appropriate…
- wordslinger - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 10:53 am:
Blago does have a point. And you know he would love to be the center of attention in September and October.
If it happens, good day for the state GOP.
- Nikoli - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 10:56 am:
Oh man, a September trial would be the GOP’s dream come true.
Although, pushing it back would mean the GOP TV commercial guys would have to work really quickly to get the courtroom footage of Blagojevich talking about his buddies for their ads. Keeping it in June means we would get to hear those inevitable juicy tidbits all summer/fall long.
- wordslinger - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 10:57 am:
Nikoli, no courtroom footage — audio or video — in fed trials. Just sketch artists.
- bored now - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 11:04 am:
how about december? that ought to give both sides plenty of time to prepare their cases…
- VanillaMan - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 11:05 am:
HALF WIT - Cher, “Half Breed”, enhanced by VanillaMan
Our state’s motto is, “What’s in it for me?”
My party’s people are ashamed of me
Democrats say that I broke the law
Republicans say that I earned a jail stall
Half-wit, that’s all I ever heard
Half-wit, how I learned to hate the word
Half-wit, he’s so dumb they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born
My father helped make the steel for this town
I built The Oil Pipeline, washing dishes down
The other guys would always laughed at me
“Hide petty cash - this guy’s a catastrophe”
Half-wit, the professors would always whine
Half-wit, when I went to Pepperdine
Half-wit, he’s so corrupt they warned
Befriended Vrdolyak and Mell and married his first-born
I went to Congress, then got elected Gov
My campaigns are winners, I got plenty of love
But I stopped taxes, stopped them dead in their track
Madigan impeached me, shoved a knife in my back
Half-wit, the guards shout at me
Half-wit, that’s all I’ll ever be
Half-wit, but what’s really got me cryin’
My cell mate is Former Governor Ryan!
- Anon - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 11:14 am:
==Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher and former Bear Terry “Tank” Johnson are among those who wrote letters late last year praising the character of former Chicago Ald. Edward Vrdolyak==
Who in their right mind thought letters from those two clowns would actually help? Especially Tank Johnson?!
- Nikoli - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 11:21 am:
Wordslinger- That’s even better! Now the ad men can cherry pick the good quotes, hire an artist to draw the opponent in the same art style as the courtroom drawings, and bring in the “scary voice” guy to read the quotes while talking about how Blago was friends with .
- Nikoli - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 11:22 am:
Oops… apparently, I must have done something wrong with my last comment…
the end should read “talking about how Blago was friends with INSERT DEM CANDIDATE”.
- Jaded - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 11:37 am:
You might want to update your Vrdolyak post Rich as the author of the article changed it to correctly reflect that Johnson now plays for the Bengals.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 11:39 am:
Thanks. Done.
- Dan S, a voter and Cubs Fan - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 11:40 am:
VanillaMan, glad I wasn’t takeing a sip of coffee. Have you considered a collaboration of your talent with “Wierd Al Yakovich”?
- oneman - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 11:44 am:
As with some other stuff involving Rod as a republican I think the words of flounder in animal house puts it best.
Oh boy is this great
Yes a bit petty.
- Will County Woman - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 12:00 pm:
Ha!
I knew there was a reason why I never really liked brian urlacher, apart from his just being overrated as a football player.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 12:23 pm:
Nobody likes Rod, but that photo is just plain mean.
- Gregor - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 12:42 pm:
I bet Cheryle Jackson is not a fan of this Rod idea.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 12:52 pm:
Gregor,
Cheryle Jackson will be watching this from the sidelines like the rest of us next September. Unless of course, she’s called to testify. Rod has a better chance of being acquitted than Jackson has of being nominated for the Senate seat.
- Leave a Light on George - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 1:02 pm:
Gives the feds time for more indictments against Blago cronies.
- wordslinger - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 1:11 pm:
I hear Jay Cutler attempted five times to enter a letter of support for Fast Eddie, but they kept ending up in San Francisco.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 1:12 pm:
Good one, WS.
Man, that was painful to watch last night. If I didn’t know any better I’d think Cutler actually threw the game on purpose.
- wordslinger - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 1:31 pm:
Painful is the word. In sixteen games last year with Denver, Cutler threw 18 picks and was sacked 11 times.
In nine games with the Bears, he has 17 picks and has been sacked 19 times.
A couple of Eastern Illinois roommates might be the answer. Mike Shanahan of Franklin Park and Mike Heimerdinger of DeKalb. Shanahan, of course, was Cutler’s coach in Denver.
It’ll never happen. The Bears would have to eat more than $10 million to get rid of Lovie and Angelo.
And in their storied history, the Bears have only hired one coach (other than Halas) who had previously been an NFL head coach: Paddy Driscoll, who was player/coach for the Chicago Cardinals for a couple of years in the 20s.
With salary caps and floors, coaching is an area where the McCaskeys can save money by hiring inexperience.
- Anon - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 1:35 pm:
To be fair to Cutler, while the two interceptions in the red zone were his fault, the other three were either the receiver’s fault or a blown call that should’ve been pass interference. Having no time to throw the ball thanks to possibly the worst Bears offensive line I’ve ever seen doesn’t help him either.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 1:36 pm:
I agree with that, but those two red zone picks were just horrible. I mean, some 350 pound lineman gets an INT? What the heck was that? Cutler threw it right to the guy.
- Holy Cow! - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 1:48 pm:
If Rod wants to get back at Quinn, Rod should just endorse Quinn. They both were partners in 2 elections and Quinn has kept Rod’s team in tact.
Rod’s team is still running the state.
- Levois - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 1:54 pm:
Why is he licking his lips?
- Pat Collins - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 1:55 pm:
Rod - the gift that keeps giving! Let us hope he continues this series of well timed events
- zatoichi - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 2:45 pm:
Rod’s Gene Simmons impression needs some work.
- Anon - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 3:03 pm:
== I mean, some 350 pound lineman gets an INT? What the heck was that? Cutler threw it right to the guy. ==
Hey, it wasn’t as easy to get it to him as you might think. Give him some credit for threading it between the other 2 or 3 49ers who were right there.
- Loop Lady - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 3:04 pm:
The Bears vs. Giants game was an exercise in mediocracy/futility…..
- Rich Miller - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 3:09 pm:
Anon, that was truly hilarious.
- Anonymous - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 3:45 pm:
===
Rod - the gift that keeps giving! Let us hope he continues this series of well timed events
===
Worth saying again, Pat!!! lol
- Yikes - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 3:55 pm:
If Rod gets his way, Cross gets a HUGE Boost in 2010. Thank God the Speaker has a fine tuned organization and the money advantage.
- Been There - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 3:56 pm:
My bet is this trail doesn’t start in June or September. They always ask for more time and usually get it, at least for awhile. Maybe this judge will demand it move quicker but if there are legitimate reasons he has to agree to extensions. My guess is it starts in 2011.
- Third Generation Chicago Native - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 4:07 pm:
The Bears game was painful to watch last night. It sure does’nt look like they are headed to the playoffs cough, cough
Blagojevich’s trial should be moved closer to Halloween, he is already practicing his clown face.
- Will County Woman - Friday, Nov 13, 09 @ 4:14 pm:
Yikes, I read posts like yours and the old saying “money is the root of all evil” comes to mind immediatetly.