* When we first learned that the Rod Blagojevich jury was deadlocked, I was silently hoping that the holdout wasn’t an African-American juror because I knew we’d end up with commentary like this…

It was no surprise to learn that Jo Ann Chiakulas, the juror who refused to convict Rod Blagojevich of selling a U.S. Senate seat, was an African-American. When Blagojevich was governor, blacks were his strongest supporters. By the end of his governorship, they were his only supporters. In late 2008, Blagojevich’s approval rating was 13 percent. Among African-Americans it was 32 percent.

The headline on that piece was: “How Blagojevich Really Tainted the Jury Pool (Hint: Black Folks Like Him!)”

Nevermind that there were four African-Americans on that jury and only one was a lone holdout on some charges. Nevermind that a poll taken the day after his arrest showed 68 percent of black respondents thought Blagojevich should go to prison, about the same level as all respondents 65 and older. There were other retirees on that jury, and the holdout was also retired, but retirees aren’t the object of attack here. And nevermind that the same poll found that black people and males were just two points apart on whether Blagojevich should resign. The holdout was a female, but there were lots of males on that jury. Also, nevermind that the same poll found that almost half of Illinois Republicans - 46 percent - believed it was somewhat or very likely that President-elect Barack Obama was somehow involved in the alleged Blagojevich crimes. And, finally, nevermind that the poll referenced in that above story showed that barely over half of Democrats disapproved of Blagojevich’s job performance near the end of his career.

No. It’s Chicago, so the race card is obviously going to be played by somebody.

And this is just stupid…

Chiakulas was also a state employee, a toxic combination of liberal leanings that made her inclined to support the governor who signed AllKids and tried to pass the Illinois Covered universal health care plan.

Anybody who wrote that doesn’t know much about state employees during Blagojevich’s reign of error. They despised him. Also, the coverage isn’t clear whether she was a state employee under Blagojevich for very long, if at all.

All that having been said, it is no secret that Blagojevich heavily targeted the black vote while he was governor overtly targeted black jurors after his arrest. His choice of lead defense counsel was probably no accident. But, again, three out of four black jurors voted with the overwhelming majority to convict on numerous counts. Tarring an entire race (or religion, or whatever) for the actions of one person seems more than a bit extreme.

But if you really want to read something extreme, stupid and bizarre, click here. Yeesh.

* Meanwhile, this caught my eye last week…

Defense attorney Terry Ekl, who represented Blagojevich chief-of-staff John Harris, said he was surprised Blagojevich wasn’t found guilty on all counts. “What the defense did was really jury nullification. It was not about following the law,” Ekl said. “They said, ‘Well, it was just talk. He’s broke.’ But, that’s what conspiracy is. Even if he just intended to get something, he’s guilty. You probably had two or three jurors who didn’t understand that even just talking is still a crime.”

I agree. But John Banzhaff, a Professor of Public Interest Law at the George Washington University Law School says it’s perfectly OK…

Although many do not realize it, and judges usually refuse to let defense attorneys argue — or even mention — it to members of the jury, jurors have a legal right, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, to refuse to convict for any reason and all, or for no reason at all. Indeed, under the doctrine of jury nullification, jurors may disregard a judge’s instructions and return not guilty verdicts even if the evidence of guilt is overwhelming.

If a jury finds a defendant not guilty because they believe that the law is unjust, there was governmental overreaching, or simply out of sympathy for the accused, that verdict cannot ever be overturned or even reviewed, and the defendant can never be recharged, even if overwhelming evidence eventually comes to light.

* Related…

* Blagojevich on “Fox News Sunday” with Chris Wallace. Transcript

* Blagojevich to juror: Thanks

* Roeper: Blagojevich too batty even for Comic Con

* Blagojevich pulls in $50 an autograph at Comic Con

* Blago’s Elvis statue now in Sugar Grove

* Kadner: Elvis found inside Blagojevich vault

* Hair-raising drama: Opening of the Blagojevich Vault

* Blagojevich won’t rule out return to politics

* Others in Blagojevich probe await fate

* Blagojevich show on the road again

* Marin: Forget TV: Tell it to the jury next time

* McQueary: My layman’s view: Don’t retry Blago

* Erickson: Blagojevich trial reveals the man’s warts

* Finke: Blagojevich remains a political albatross for Illinois Democrats