US Attorney Says He's Ready to Retry Blagojevich

Chron.com ^ | 8/17/2010 | MICHAEL TARM and DON BABWIN

[ex-Texan]

CHICAGO — U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald says the government is getting ready for a retrial against ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (blah-GOY'-uh-vich).

Fitzgerald spoke to reporters on Tuesday after a jury found Blagojevich guilty of one count of lying to federal agents. The judge declared a mistrial in the other 23 counts against him.

Fitzgerald thanked the jury for their service and said he didn't have any other comment.

Prosecutors had accused Blagojevich of trying to sell or trade President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat among other allegations. Blagojevich had maintained that he did no wrongdoing.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. * * *

[ex-Texan]

This will be another nail for 0's coffin. All we need now is for the prosecutor to convince Blago to rat Obama out in return for partial immunity. I know that will never happen but I'm still hopeful. Everybody needs a little bit of hope. And change. Ca-ching! LOL. LOL !

[mainsail that]

Sorry but you lost, badly.

[circlecity]

Hopefully it will be a new judge and he/she will let Blago intoduce a lot of the “0bama” evidence the last judge refused to admit.

[j.argese]

jackass

[gunsequalfreedom]

Somebody explain “double jeopardy” to me, not the game show but the prohibition against being tried twice for the same crime.

[bmwcyle]

Fitzgerald is an idiot.

[RC2]

What did he lie about to the agents?

[FlingWingFlyer]

Hey Fitz! How ‘bout giving the rest of us out here a break for a while. We can only take so much stupidity and incompetence at one time.

[ex-Texan]

*Ping* !

[John Daniels]

Did anyone here see Blagojevich on Celebirty Apprentice? Funniest thing ever! Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7QCVtXvbZo

[doc1019]

US Attorney Says He's Ready to Retry Blagojevich

Why not, he did such a bang-up job this time around. /s

[Thank You Rush]

I think Fitzgerald is a bigger jerk than Blago. Look at what he did to Scooter Libby simply to prove he could. He put together all these counts against Blago and couldn’t prove them? He’s going to retire on these cases which in my opinion were pretty weak.

[circlecity]

"Somebody explain “double jeopardy” to me, not the game show but the prohibition against being tried twice for the same crime."

It doesn't apply when there's been a mistrial declared due to a hung jury.

[guitarplayer1953]

"Blagojevich of trying to sell or trade President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat"

Is this not what congress did with the health care bill did they not sell and trade favors to pass the bill?

[PA-RIVER]

This is why Obama was in Chicago when the trial started.

Blago has been promised a hung jury if he keeps quiet.

Fitzgerald, face facts, the kenyan bastard scumbag owns the jury.

[mainsail that]

“What did he lie about to the agents?”

---

“The count on which Blagojevich was convicted, one of the less serious counts against Blagojevich, included accusations that he lied to federal agents when he said he did not track campaign contributions and kept a “firewall” between political campaigns and government work. It carries a sentence of up to five years in prison. “

[screaminsunshine]

I would arrest Fitzgerald.

[ntmxx]

This was nothing more than political class hit job;

Blagojevich should/must appeal and run for election again; obviously the government does not like the cut of his jib and color of his sail.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Somebody explain “double jeopardy” to me..

If you're found innocent, you can't be retried on the same charge.

Mis-trials don't count, because there was no finding.

Practically speaking, you can be hit with related charges if the government is really after you, but not the same one twice.

[WellyP]

Give him 5 years and a big fine! He’ll talk if he isn’t afraid of dying!