*** UPDATE *** Blagojevich’s defense lawyers have made a motion to scrap jury selection and start all over because of “overwhelming bias.” Natasha Korecki Tweeted U.S. District Judge James Zagel’s response…
judge says if jury pool is tainted, it’s b/c ex-gov wouldn’t shut up.
Heh.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* It turns out that the Illinois State Police was secretly working with the FBI in the days leading up to Rod Blagojevich’s arrest. Blagojevich had ordered that his campaign office be swept for bugs. But the Sun-Times reveals today that the coppers faked the sweep and told Blagojevich no bugs existed in order to deliberately hide the FBI’s snooping…
The revelation appeared to stun Rod and Patti Blagojevich in a recent interview.
“Wow,” Rod Blagojevich said, describing his State Police security detail as “quasi-family.” […]
In an interview, Blagojevich said he regretted naming [Illinois State Police Director Larry Trent, who worked closely with the FBI]. He distanced himself from the bug sweeps, saying he didn’t order them himself, adding: “They were routine.”
Yeah. Sweeping the governor’s campaign office for listening devices is “routine” in a year when he’s not campaigning. Sure.
More…
[Former ISP Director Terry Gainer] said the fact Blagojevich seemed surprised at the State Police’s role in the federal probe showed a distorted view of what the law-enforcement agency’s purpose really is all about.
“That’s where some elected leaders get it wrong. You are not loyal to the person. You are loyal to the office,” Gainer said. “Again, policemen are supposed to remember they took that oath and put the badge on. You don’t owe blind allegiance to those elected officials.”
Go read the whole thing. Heh.
* Meanwhile, the former governor’s attorneys are already playing the race card…
The lawyers clashed briefly over Juror 213, an African-American woman whom Zagel wound up cutting because she was busy trying to run a medical transport company and has two sons with felony convictions whom she is trying to keep out of further trouble.
Blagojevich’s attorney, Sheldon Sorosky, grew upset because the woman was only one of two prospective jurors to note on written questionnaires that Blagojevich was innocent until proven guilty. Sorosky said he thought maybe the government was fearful of that opinion and pointed out the woman was a “person of color.”
Assistant U.S. Atty. Reid Schar reacted strongly to any insinuation that race was a factor in the selection process.
“I don’t know what it is with Mr. Sorosky today, but the attacks on the government aren’t getting us anywhere,” Schar said.
Zagel said he did not believe race was a factor in the government’s request that the woman be bounced by the judge.
And the class card…
After the government asked Zagel to dismiss an unemployed man who said he spends his days watching reruns of “The Beverly Hillbillies” and who struggled to express himself during his interview, defense attorney Sheldon Sorosky bristled.
“Maybe he didn’t speak King’s English . . . but we would be developing a class standard if we don’t let him serve,” Sorosky said. He added that prosecutors seemed to want only people who could “be depicted in a Norman Rockwell painting” as jurors.
Dropping his characteristic formality, prosecutor Reid Schar turned to Sorosky and said angrily, “Shelly, go ahead and argue your point but don’t misinterpret what I’m saying.”
In the end, Zagel dismissed the man on the grounds that he “seems to be entirely detached from reality.”
* Related…
* Summary of the Blagojevich charges
* 3 points each side could hammer in Blagojevich trial
* Young attorney set to open Blagojevich defense
* Increased financial hardship exclusions could change nature of juries
- wordslinger - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 6:55 am:
–In the end, Zagel dismissed the man on the grounds that he “seems to be entirely detached from reality.”–
Isn’t Blago entitled to a jury of his peers?
What channel are the Hillbillies on, anyway?
- Gregor - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 7:31 am:
Slinger, I thought it, you said it:-)
As far as Rod thinking the Protection detail were “like family”, his wife didn’t seem to think so -I remember reading about her not allowing them to come into the house to use the bathroom when on duty.
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 8:25 am:
Doesn’t using the ISP to conduct sweeps at a CAMPAIGN office constitute use of state resources for personal gain? Other State workers have been fired for less.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 8:30 am:
Word, They are on Me TV-non cable-I think-
Jury of his peers, Bwaha
- Bill - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 8:48 am:
==Other State workers have been fired for less.==
Yeah and Rod was fired for a lot less. For nothing, in fact.
- MOON - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 9:27 am:
BILL
Are you saying that Blago was unjustly removed from office? Please give more details regarding your opinion on this matter. Thanks
- Leave a light on George - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 9:34 am:
Reel the fish in Bill.
- Bill - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 9:39 am:
lol
- amalia - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 10:23 am:
say what you will about Blago, Mr. Sorosky has a reputation for being a nice person, and a competent lawyer.
- Dan Bureaucrat - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 10:44 am:
We’re laughing really hard at Wordslinger’s post over here. Okay, back to work…
- Bring Back Boone's - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 10:55 am:
===In the end, Zagel dismissed the man on the grounds that he “seems to be entirely detached from reality.”===
Has Zagel made a favorable ruling for the defense yet? Seems more and more like Zsgel is doing everything in his power to lock this one up for the G.
- Hawkeye - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 11:09 am:
Comment of the Year Wordslinger. Well played, sir.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 11:15 am:
Sorosky is not a showboater but a good, competent attorney who quietly gets the job done. The Assistant US Attorney might find getting overly aggressive with him to be a detriment to proving his case.
- Shore - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 12:08 pm:
The sun times is a nice newspaper, but I am really unbelievably sick of the stories and relentless coverage of blagojevich. There are so many stories right now that are more important and areas that are in more need of reporting than this bum, the trial and the details of the investigation. The breathless coverage of this, it’s just enough. Their op-ed page could also use a scrubbing, there are a lot of old tired voices there (jesse jackson, laura washington) that really contribute nothing to our discussion and have no new fresh perspectives on the city, the decisionmakers or its future. it’s a new era in chicago, it’s time for them to get voices that are more relevant to the moment and covering stories that have more impact on peoples day to day lives.
I really don’t care nor do most at this point about the blago saga nor do I feel anything for his wife or family. between this trial and the obama campaign, there’s really nothing of serious policy discussion there and there needs to be.
- Rich Miller - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 12:11 pm:
shore, you must not have lived through it, then.
- zatoichi - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 12:13 pm:
Rod’s shocked the quasi-family wasn’t as supportive as he thought? Guess the shared vision was not shared by the employees. Who’d a thought that?
- girlawyer - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 12:43 pm:
Seems like I remember a pre-arrest story that the state police who guarded the family home were not allowed to use any bathroom in the house. They had to go down to a gas station as I recall. I guess that warm family feeling only went so far.
- Quizzical - Monday, May 2, 11 @ 11:41 pm:
Patti says the ISP detail “had tears in their eyes” when they would no longer help the Blagoofs get their kids to school? Really?