* We’re gonna have to wait a bit longer…

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s sentencing next month on his sweeping corruption charges has been postponed, according to a court order Monday.

No new date has been set.

The Oct. 6 date has always been tentative, and the postponement is not surprising largely because of Blagojevich’s co-defendant, William Cellini, is scheduled to go on trial next Monday in the same courtroom.

* The Sun-Times offered up an explanation for the delay on Friday…

Rod Blagojevich’s lawyer, Sheldon Sorosky, said [Friday] afternoon that he’s “quite certain” the ex-governor’s sentencing will be delayed.

“Our sentencing date is going to be continued,” Sorosky said, when told of the news that U.S. District Judge James Zagel kept Cellini’s Oct. 3 trial date intact and asked that prosecutors have witnesses ready for Oct. 5. Blagojevich’s sentencing right now is scheduled for Oct. 6. “It’s not going to happen, I’m telling you. It would taint the Cellini jury. I’m quite certain it will be continued.”

Cellini was a onetime co-defendant of Blagojevich. In court today, Cellini lawyer Dan Webb raised questions about publicity from Blagojevich in general affecting his client and asked that potential jurors be questioned individually.

* In related news, the Tribune’s Bill Cellini profile included this bit at the end…

Others who consider Cellini a friend expressed surprise that someone with that much political acumen would ever step over that line.

Former Gov. Jim Edgar, who has known Cellini for 30 years, called him a “very smart guy” who worked hard to lobby on behalf of clients.

“He never asked me to do anything that was illegal,” the former governor said. “When I told him no, he understood and didn’t put any pressure on. I would be surprised if Bill Cellini would do something that was dishonest, and I’d be surprised because he’s pretty smart at knowing the law.”

* The Trib also has a roundup of Cellini’s history…

Cellini and the roads

Cellini’s tenure as the state’s transportation czar led to his longtime leadership of the Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association, a potent source of campaign donations that last spring drew a variety of state officials to its conference in Springfield. Cellini was there, shaking hands and giving his typical greeting: “Hello, Big Guy.”

Cellini and real estate deals

In 1975, Cellini co-founded a real estate development firm that landed government leases and eventually expanded to Chicago with partnerships that included friends of prominent Democrats such as Mayor Richard M. Daley.

Cellini and the teacher pensions

By 1989, Cellini co-founded Commonwealth Realty Advisors, a firm that has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in state teacher pension funds. The trial centers on Cellini’s alleged attempted extortion of the operator of another investment fund who had not made a contribution to Blagojevich’s campaign.

Cellini and the boats

But it was 1990 that brought one of Cellini’s highest-profile successes. Cellini helped pull together the bipartisan group of investors that got one of the state’s first riverboat casino licenses under a law signed by Gov. Jim Thompson.

*** UPDATE 1 *** Judge Zagel has denied all of Rod Blagojevich’s post-trial motions…

A notice posted on the U.S. District Court’s website by Judge James Zagel says “post-trial motions are denied” and offers no explanation. It adds that a written ruling will be issued later.

Defense attorneys filed several motions, including one asking for a new trial. That 158-page motion lambasted the government and the presiding judge for an alleged lack of evenhandedness at trial

*** UPDATE 2 *** Yeah. This will happen…

Former Governor Rod Blagojevich’s lawyers will ask a federal judge to sentence the former governor to no prison time, the ex-governor’s attorney, Shelly Sorosky said today.

Sorosky called Blagojevich a “fit candidate” for probation when his sentencing does happen. Today, U.S. District Judge James Zagel announced the Oct. 6th sentencing date would be delayed. Sorosky predicts it will happen in early November.

“He’s a fit candidate for probation. The taxpayers never lost a dime. Blagojevich never received a dime,” Sorosky said of his client who was convicted on 17 of 20 counts of corruption in June. Blagojevich was convicted of trying to extract a job or campaign contribution in exchange for appointing a replacement to President Obama’s vacant Senate seat.

“And all the talk involving campaign contributions involved regular campaign donors who were just discussing with Blagojevich how much to give or who were big campaign contributors in the past,” Sorosky argued.