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* It appears that the attorneys in the Rod Blagojevich trial are under a judicial gag order…
Since last week — and after the jury began its deliberations — there have been four sealed filings in the case, beginning with a prosecution filing that came one day after a media appearance by a former Blagojevich attorney. Lawyers tied to the trial who usually freely discuss it have since late last week kept their mouths tightly shut.
The filings came after attorney Sam Adam Jr. last week, as jury talks were under way, went on TV and radio predicting “20 not guilty verdicts” for his onetime client. Early last week, two Blagojevich lawyers appeared on “Chicago Tonight.”
On June 16, lawyers were summoned to U.S. District Judge James Zagel’s chambers for a private meeting. Also in the courthouse was Adam, who was not part of the retrial but still a listed attorney on the case. Afterward, the typically talkative Adam would not answer questions about the Blagojevich case. A few times when asked a question, he’d put his hand over his mouth.
“I MUST decline to comment,” Adam repeatedly said. “I cannot tell you why.”
Another defense lawyer, Michael Ettinger, who also still has an appearance on file in the case — and typically answers questions about the trial — responded similarly.
* The Question: Who else in Illinois politics would you like to see placed under a gag order? Explain.
Snark is, of course, highly encouraged.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 10:52 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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Mike Madigan-
Gerry McCarthy
Ed Burke
Pretty much everyone
Comment by Wumpus Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 10:55 am
Pat Quinn - I can’t afford his next idea to spend more money.
Comment by A.B. Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:01 am
Rahm!
Comment by Kerfuffle Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:07 am
All members of the General Assembly, only because I want to see how a legislature would function if it was composed completely of mimes.
Comment by RFR Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:14 am
Quinn, reissued before every press conference and media event he holds.
Comment by South Side Mike Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:16 am
Oh so many, but the first two that occur to me are Jack Franks and Mike Quigley. Self-promoting gasbags who seem to believe in nothing but their own power.
Comment by A Naughty Moose Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:23 am
Why, Blago!
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:27 am
I would institute a “must-talk” order for MJM, by which Madigan must tell us for one week the interworkings of his thought processes.
Examples:
What he means when he says “you’ll be fine” with the follow-up of what he means in that context.
How he can usually predict the reactions of others, leading to him being 3-4 steps ahead and what is that person’s specific “tell”
What is a “tell” Madigan tries to supress - Smiling? Smirk and look away? Looking at certain person when answering about something?
Lastly, when is MJM tweaking someone, when is he mad, and his thinking on the affects of that person - re: how far does he go in being a “velvet hammer”
THAT would be interesting: A “must-talk” order on the Speaker…
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:32 am
Dick Durbin. The guy would go completely bonkers if someone pointed a news media microphone or camera at him and he couldn’t open his mouth.
Comment by Hunterdon Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:40 am
Sandoval. Just check out his diatribe in the video link on this blog (third one down). And that’s him on a good day.
Comment by phocion Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:41 am
Rod and Patty Blagojevich, any attorney named Adams, Jesse Jackson, Any reporter from FOX, Any member of the Tea Party, Ed Burke,
All legislators and PQ should be affixed with an electronic device that immediately renders them mute when they are not telling the truth.
When they show up to campaign.
Sarah Palin, Newt Gingerich, Tim Pawlenty, and Palin mini-me, Michele Bachmann.
Comment by Irish Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:48 am
Quinn and Durbin, hands down.
I am still counting on the attendants at Club Fed to silence Blagojevich for awhile, so I left him off the list.
Comment by Esquire Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:49 am
Richard Pearson
Comment by Deep South Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:49 am
To the “Question”
A gag order goes into effect on any and all politicians (notice I typed politicians because this is a political pet-peeve) who take it upon themselves to “tout” a program that has existed for decades and this caretaker must “tout” that they are doing their job, while spinning it as “new” for the agency, office, etc. C’mon, you can do better than that.
Also, a gag order for any politician who takes over a program or creates a program with no real benefit but to produce press releases, stating … that they are doing that program. You want to do something substantial, or it does provide significant good, press pop it till the cows come home … 5 press releases about going from 4 forms to 3 forms of a “benefit”, which in reality should have 1 form should get a gag order.
The last gag order is for the “moths” … any politician who MUST comment to hear themselves comment. Example you say?
“I have no farms in my district, I am not on any Ag committeess, and I truly know nothing about the bill … but … lemme say this …”
Political gadflies get NOWHERE … I mean, you would never think that being a political gadly would eventually get you to be a …oh I dunno … governor …
All “moths to the camera lights” - gag order.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:50 am
Richard Pearson….over the top rhetoric…tired of hearing it - over and over. Try something that’s gonna win your side support instead of driving it away.
Comment by Deep South Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:50 am
Quinn, and we’d be doing him a favor by forcing him to keep his mouth shut.
Comment by Wensicia Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 11:59 am
Rod - we’ve heard enough fairy tales
Durbin - just spouts the party line these days
Quinn - doesn’t have a clue what’s he going to say … until he does
A certain Sox fan who shall rename nameless
(you asked for the snark!)
Comment by Retired Non-Union Guy Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 12:04 pm
Any legislator who chronically speaks about cutting the budget but does not introduce legislation that specifically does so.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 12:16 pm
Can a gag order be placed on Fritchey’s Facebook postings?
Comment by in absentia Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 12:18 pm
CTU President Karen Lewis until she writes 10,000 times on the black board that she will never again say the words “teachers strike” or “average salary” or “average pension.” The latter two may be used if she includes the words “cherry picked.”
Comment by Cook County Commoner Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 12:21 pm
how ’bout a gag order and a soft media blackout for US Rep Aaron Schock! Growing tired of his simple minded talking points (seem to be straight from the TP lit )and even more tired of seeing his image, shirt on or off, on and in everything from magazines, to blogs, to cable ‘news’ broadcasts… usually ‘entertainment tonite’, Colbert Report (they do a good job of making fun of him and the is he or sin’t he thing), and the idiotic talking head shows on Fox.
Comment by JavaJ Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 12:33 pm
Governor Quinn, with the gag order limited to, say, a month after he makes a decision, so when the inevitable flip flop occurs, no one knows he changed his mind, and he’ll be better off with the gag order.
Comment by Robert Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 12:58 pm
Anyone who either refers to themselves or calls anyone else a “patriot.”
Anyone who claims we need to get “get back to the constitutional principles this country was founded on” and then demonstrates they don’t know anything about the Constitution.
Any network that uses as their slogan “Fair and Balanced” when they so obviously are anything but.
Anyone who clamors for budget cuts, then complains when something they are about is cut.
Quinn, because he never makes any sense anyway.
Madigan, because you just can’t keep that guy away from a microphone.
Jack Franks, because if any more hot air leaks out of him you could hook up a hose and fly a balloon.
Comment by TwoFeetThick Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 1:06 pm
Um, “are about” should read “care about.” Cut me some slack, I’m typing on a Blackberry.
Comment by TwoFeetThick Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 1:09 pm
John Kass.
Then I’d start a pool on how long before his head explodes.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 1:21 pm
@Cook County Commoner -
I’m not sure how you “cherry pick” an average teacher’s salary, or pension for that matter.
The former is published by the Board of Education in the School Report Card.
The latter is what it is, and surely if the stat were incorrect, my good friend Becky Carroll would correct the record.
Dividing the total paid out by the pension system in a given year by the total number of beneficiaries seems pretty straight forward.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 1:24 pm
Any legislator who uses the word “draconian” when talking about proposed budget cuts. I’m so sick of that over-the-top word that politicians use, presumably because it sounds impressive at 4 syllables. Please, pull out the Thesaurus and find a new word.
Comment by Anonymous ZZZ Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 1:26 pm
Amen to John Kass …
Anyone using “Combine” & (D - How You Doin’) in a writing piece to seem “in the KNOW” - Gag order
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 1:27 pm
Anyone who uses the word ‘transparency’.
Comment by Wensicia Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 1:33 pm
Any of the Republicans who were less than helpful to Bill Brady, and then “beef” about their districts and the “process” - gag order.
And along those lines - any Republicans who are STILL complaining about the Jim Ryan, Kirk Dillard, DuPage “theory”, but say nothing about losing in the general election. - gag order!
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 1:33 pm
Tom “would you like some cheese to go with that whine” Cross.
Comment by 1776 Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 1:40 pm
@in absentia - that’s the easiest one of all. Don’t read his stuff if you don’t want to. You must’ve chosen to follow him, so you can’t really complain about it.
Comment by Gymocrat Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 1:55 pm
Rep. Rosemary Mulligan on the House floor. Her voice has the grating quality of nails on a chalkboard.
Comment by reform Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 2:01 pm
Blago, no explanation needed.
Hawk Harrelson
Colin Cowherd
Jim Leach
Comment by Dan Shields a Voter Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 2:51 pm
Luis Guitierez and Flager.
Comment by Wumpus Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 2:59 pm
@AZZZ -
I prefer “irresponsible” to “draconian.”
One could argue that draconian cuts are necessary, but it’s tough to defend “irresponsible.”
Also, if you call the cuts “irresponsible,” you position yourself as being for “responsible” cuts.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Jun 24, 11 @ 3:54 pm