* As you already know, Rod Blagojevich and his lawyers claim there is a missing tape of a conversation that Rahm Emanuel allegedly had with a top Blagojevich staffer the day before Blagojevich’s arrest which would, if exposed, exonerate him…

The lawyers say there is a “missing” recording from a Dec. 8, 2008, phone call between a Blagojevich aide and Rahm Emanuel, then the White House chief of staff.

Blagojevich says Emanuel, now running for mayor of Chicago, offered a deal to give [Attorney General Lisa Madigan] the seat and help the governor pass a legislative package. Last week, Emanuel said an internal administration probe found “nothing inappropriate or any deal-making.”

Even if the tape existed, this would signify nothing. As I’ve said many times before, Blagojevich knew the FBI was taping his conversations, so in my opinion he was most likely attempting to create an alibi for accusations that he tried to sell the Obama US Senate seat by announcing a Madigan appointment. He was busted before he could pull it off.

* Anyway, as it turns out, there is no such tape…

In a statement filed Monday, prosecutor Reid Schar said such a recording does not exist, and that if the conversation took place, it happened on a phone line which was not tapped.

“As the defendant well knows, from reviewing the discovery” said Schar, “there is no missing recording.”

Back to the drawing board, boys.

* Related…

* IDOT hiring case in hands of federal jury