OK, wife and I were talking about this . They keep talking about the 'millions' it would cost to retry Blago. The prosecutor is getting paid anyway, whether he there or back in the office picking his nose. Same for public defender (if he goes that route), the judge, bailifs, etc. The only new cost directly related to the trial would be Blago's lawyer, if the court ok'ed paying for it, and jury expenses. Even if you Do factor in pay for the judge, lawyers, etc, prorated over the month or two for the new trial can't be that bad. Where do they get the 'several million' price tag from?

 

From the liberals who want to keep spending government money?

Hope Stewart grills him on The Daily Show tonight.

OK, wife and I were talking about this . They keep talking about the 'millions' it would cost to retry Blago. The prosecutor is getting paid anyway, whether he there or back in the office picking his nose. Same for public defender (if he goes that route), the judge, bailifs, etc. The only new cost directly related to the trial would be Blago's lawyer, if the court ok'ed paying for it, and jury expenses. Even if you Do factor in pay for the judge, lawyers, etc, prorated over the month or two for the new trial can't be that bad. Where do they get the 'several million' price tag from?

Its really not an added expense, as you state - its a choice of priorities. Re-try Blago, or do something else. And since I don't know what else is on the docket that is being pushed back, I can't really make a good call on whether or not it makes sense from that perspective.

 

My instinct though, is that its worth it - to send a message, but also, because the multiple 11-1 jury counts tell me they can probably get it done.

 

Basically yes. The defense hardly presented a case.

 

Wow. What a waste of effort.

Was the final defense talk to the jury this simple?: "Ladies and gents of the jury, my client is an idiot. He, in fact, is a moron, who runs his mouth and for some reason has a huge ego despite that ridiculous haircut. This man is not a criminal. He is ego driven, but basically stupid and harmless to society. He's also now out of money and out of office, so let him go. Thank you, jury."

 

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich won't be facing a retrial until next year.

 

Federal Judge James Zagel said Thursday that he'll set a retrial date for early January. Zagel says the trial won't begin any earlier than Jan. 4. But he didn't immediately set a specific date.

 

The new trial date was discussed after federal prosecutors announced that they will not retry the former governor's brother, Robert Blagojevich. The Nashville, Tenn., businessman had been accused of scheming with his brother to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama's old Senate seat and squeeze people for campaign donations.

 

A jury last week deadlocked on the four counts against Robert Blagojevich and 23 of 24 counts against the former governor. They've denied any wrongdoing.

Link

Serious question that I know not the answer to: How does Blago support himself, wife and kids now?

You'd think he'd be out of jack having good lawyers, etc., working on keeping him out of jail.

 

His book doesn't figure to sell much, does it? Nobody wants to read him yapping about how great he is and how innocent he is.

If you are a slimy, smarmy Governor, are you required by law to hire a slimy, smarmy lawyer? He did a good job if so!

Serious question that I know not the answer to: How does Blago support himself, wife and kids now?

You'd think he'd be out of jack having good lawyers, etc., working on keeping him out of jail.

 

His book doesn't figure to sell much, does it? Nobody wants to read him yapping about how great he is and how innocent he is.

A lot of his legal fees could still be coming out of his campaign funds, depending on how the government ruled on that (Usually they let people continue to use them). His family's been used to about a $250k a year salary. Between TV appearances and even a weak book deal, he probably could cover that. Link

 

His book deal was also somewhere in the 6 figures.

For some reason that book does not interest me.

I picture him being a big windbag.

For some reason that book does not interest me.

I picture him being a big windbag.

This book would contain more baseless propaganda than a Bin Laden tape.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_...enate-seat.html

 

Well that was the evidence I was talking about all along. Strange that now it comes out. Well unless of course youre Rahm Emmanuel and hoping to be the next Mayor and consider Jesse Jr. a challenger.

 

But I love conspiracy.

Blago himself finished up a week of testifying today.

Blago himself finished up a week of testifying today.

 

I dunno if anyone else is following this, but from what i'm hearing/reading, he's basically making himself out to be a slimeball politician that was just doing his job. With a jury comprised of almost all females, I don't think that's the best tactic.

There's a verdict

 

Amy Jacobson

Deadlocked on 2 of the 20 counts. Verdict will be read around 12:30

@joshtpm - BLAGOJEVICH JURY REACHES UNANIMOUS VERDICT ON 18 OF 20 COUNTS

@joshtpm - BLAGOJEVICH JURY REACHES UNANIMOUS VERDICT ON 18 OF 20 COUNTS

 

Thanks. Once again I learn of major breaking new from Soxtalk (I'm not sure what that says about me, or if its good or bad).

Count 1) Guilty

Count 2) Guilty

Count 3) Guilty

Count 4) Guilty

Count 5) Guilty

Count 6) Guilty

Count 7) Guilty

Count 8) Guilty

Count 9) Guilty (Racetrack shakedown)

Count 10) Guilty (senate seat shakedown)

Count 11) No verdict (Rahm's brother)

Count 12) Guilty (school shakedown)

Count 13) Guilty

Count 14) Guilty

Count 15) Guilty

Count 16) No verdict

Count 17) Not Guilty (tollway authority shakedown)

Count 18) Guilty

Count 19) Guilty

Count 20) Guilty

Down Goes Blago!

lol demolished

He Gawn!

 

He Gawn!

 

I went with Bla-gone!

Notable quotes about verdict

 

“What happened?”

— Blagojevich to defense attorney Sheldon Sorosky after finding out he was found guilty on 17 of 20 corruption charges.

 

“He was personable. It made it hard to separate that from what we actually had to do as jurors.”

—Juror 103

 

“The problem was with some of his explanations. It reminded me of a little kid who gets his hand caught in a cookie jar. He says, ‘Mommy I wasn’t taking the cookies. I was just trying to protect them and to count them.’”

— Richard Kling, professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law who watched much of the trial, on Blagojevich’s testimony.

Please educate me ...

 

a.) Will Blago be able to appeal? If not, why not? He won the first trial and govtment got another trial.

b.) Do you feel Blago is a big-time crook or was his crime small in nature?

c.) Will he go to a real prison?

d.) Is the mop haired Blago a likeable guy to you all or a douche?

 

 

My take is he's guilty and kind of dumb. I don't really see his appeal to voters. Is it the hair?

I would think he would have the right to appeal though.

Please educate me ...

 

a.) Will Blago be able to appeal? If not, why not? He won the first trial and govtment got another trial.

b.) Do you feel Blago is a big-time crook or was his crime small in nature?

c.) Will he go to a real prison?

d.) Is the mop haired Blago a likeable guy to you all or a douche?

 

 

My take is he's guilty and kind of dumb. I don't really see his appeal to voters. Is it the hair?

I would think he would have the right to appeal though.

Yes he will be able to appeal, but there's not a whole lot of reason to expect him to have success by doing so.

 

I think he's about as corrupt as any Illinois chief executive has been in my lifetime, how's that for part b.?

 

Of course he won't go to a real prison. He'll go to the minimum security type we send white collar criminals to.