Free Republic

Going to a comic convention is tons of fun, and getting your photo taken with a celeb can totally make one's day! But ask yourself this question: When is a picture with disgraced ex-governor Rod Blagojevich much better than one taken with hottie cylon-babe Tricia Helfer? Check out this cartoon and see for yourself!

CHICAGO (AP) - The juror who was the lone holdout on some counts at former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich's political corruption trial has said she had a responsibility to follow her conscience and that she stands by her vote. "I could never live with myself if I went along with the rest of the jury," JoAnn Chiakulas told the Chicago Tribune in her first media interview since the trial ended. "I didn't believe it was the correct vote for me."

E-mails and other records of Dr. Eric Whitaker -- one of President Obama's best friends -- have been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury... The investigation involves "faith-based initiatives" and health-awareness campaigns funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health when Whitaker ran the agency for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich... Obama has said he recommended Whitaker for that job, which Whitaker landed in April 2003. The president's friend resigned in October 2007 to join Obama's wife, Michelle, as an executive at the University of Chicago Medical Center. On Friday, Whitaker defended his work as the state's former top health official,...

Ya gotta see it to believe it.

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Sunday that he would call a host of high-profile witnesses -- including White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel -- to testify if he is retried on corruption charges. Blagojevich, in a combative interview on "Fox News Sunday," said he was ready for a second trial on charges that he tried to sell President Barack Obama's former Senate seat. Federal prosecutors have vowed to retry Blagojevich after a jury deadlocked on all but one of 24 criminal counts the government brought against the fiery Democrat.

Former Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich recognizes that daunting challenges await as prosecutors prepare to mount a new effort to convict him on corruption charges, but he told ABC News Friday he sees a triumphant political comeback in his future that will be no less dramatic than the one pulled off by Winston Churchill. Snip Blagojevich told ABC News that shortly after his 2008 arrest, investigators tried to convince him to offer damaging information on "folks in higher places" in exchange for lenience. Blagojevich said that Obama, even more than himself, had a longstanding, close association with Antoin "Tony" Rezko,...

On the one hand, I don’t believe a word he says, including “and” and “the.” And if you pay close attention, you’ll see that he never suggests that The One is guilty of anything, merely that the feds wanted to know if he was. On the other hand, if there’s even a remote possibility that he knows something incriminating — and given the fact that he’s produced no evidence thus far that Obama’s guilty of anything (except lying, natch), I’m guessing that he doesn’t — this is hotter than the Rima Fakih video. By the way, if you’re in Chicago...

Elvis Presley impersonators and a colorful inflatable bounce house are making for a festive auction of items connected to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. A life-sized statue of Elvis Presley and a neon "Governor Blagojevich" sign were among the hot items available Thursday after a suburban Chicago storage facility evicted material being stored by Blagojevich's campaign fund. The statue sold for $20,500. Other items included a $120 plaque rewarding Blagojevich for political leadership.

Chicago (AP) -- Former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich says all he's guilty of is some "political horse trading" and that if that's a crime, prosecutors need to charge every politician in America. . . .

<p>John Grover, 52, a juror from Joliet, said he grew so frustrated after three days of deliberating on the same charge that he yelled at the woman who refused to join the other 11 in agreeing to convict.</p> <p>"I gave her a piece of my mind," Grover said. "If it wasn't for that one lady, we'd have had him convicted on probably 80 percent of (the indictment)."</p>

Chicago - Jurors who handed down a single guilty verdict against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich have said there was one hold out who kept them from convicting Blagojevich of one of the most serious allegations: that he tried to sell an appointment to the U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama. Sources tell CBS 2 News that the holdout juror is Jo Ann Chiakulas, a retired state employee. She used to work for the Illinois Department of Public Health, had been a director of teen counseling for the Chicago Urban League

A juror in the corruption trial of Rod Blagojevich says the panel was deadlocked 11-1 in favor of convicting the former Illinois governor of trying to sell or trade President Obama's former Senate seat. Juror Erik Sarnello of Itasca, Ill., said a female holdout "just didn't see what we all saw." The 21-year-old Sarnello said the counts around the Senate seat were "the most obvious." The jury convicted Blagojevich Tuesday of a lesser charge, lying to federal agents, but could not reach an agreement on the remaining 23 charges.

CHICAGO – "Blago on Trial, The Sequel" promises to be as circus-like and nearly as expensive as the first trial of the former Illinois governor. And in a state with a huge budget deficit, some people would prefer not to see it at all. But the next round could also look different if prosecutors adjust their strategy after listening to jurors who deadlocked on all but one charge against Rod Blagojevich. And despite their defiance after the verdict, defense attorneys could offer a few surprises too — if they are still on the job. Could prosecutors decide to call witnesses...

Share We’ve all been wondering how in the world Blago could have escaped the other 23 counts he was charged with. Today, it has been revealed it was an 11:1 vote and the holdout was a woman who could not be swayed. Chicago Local News writes: “Overall, I’d say everyone was pretty respectful. In the beginning, it was a little more heated, a lot more emotions, voting was defensive. And then we checked ourselves and took emotion out of it,” said Sarnello. “To me, it was pretty clear where we were gonna end about the third day.” They ended in...

Moments after a rare setback, a chastened U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald was acting nothing like the swaggering prosecutor who just 20 months earlier proclaimed he had arrested a sitting governor to stop a political crime spree. -snip- Fitzgerald's reticence stood in sharp contrast to the reaction of Blagojevich's father-and-son defense team. Sam Adam and his son Sam Adam Jr. launched into a diatribe against the city's longest-serving U.S. attorney after hearing the jury's verdict, calling him "nuts" and accusing him of running a "banana republic." In what clearly will become their mantra in the months leading up to a promised...

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...

A federal judge says he intends to declare a mistrial on the remaining counts in the political corruption trial of ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (blah-GOY'-uh-vich). The jury found Blagojevich guilty of one count of lying to federal agents. There were 23 other counts against Blagojevich and four against his brother. The jury delivered its verdict on Tuesday.

Former governor Rod Blagojevich was found guilty on only one of 24 counts against him. The jury appears hung on the others. The guilty verdict was on Count 24: providing false statements to officers. After the reading, the jury was thanked and asked to return to the jury room. *snip* Before the verdict was read, Judge Zagel said that there may not be verdicts in all 24 counts with which Blagojevich is charged -- and that any counts dealing with forfeiture will be dealt with on Wednesday morning.

CHICAGO (AP) -- A federal judge says he intends to declare a mistrial on the remaining counts in the political corruption trial of ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (blah-GOY'-uh-vich). The jury found Blagojevich guilty of one count of lying to federal agents. There were 23 other counts against Blagojevich and four against his brother.

Lawyers in the Rod Blagojevich corruption trial have been summoned back to the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse by U.S. District Judge James Zagel and are beginning to congregate in his courtroom this afternoon. Blagojevich and his brother, Robert, have also been told to come to the courthouse, and the former governor was seen leaving his home around 3:15 p.m. It is not yet clear what prompted this, but it comes after the jury sent a note this morning to the judge that indicated it might be getting close to concluding its deliberations. In the note, jurors asked for two things: a...