Posted on 02/10/2010 10:57:57 AM PST by opentalk
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich — famously caught on tape calling a U.S. Senate seat appointment (bleepin’) golden — said today he wants to make sure that the jury that will hear the corruption case against him gets to hear that recording.
And Blagojevich, rather than back away from the tapes that attracted national attention, said he is “laying down the gauntlet” and also wants his future jury to hear everything else he was caught saying on secret FBI wiretaps.
“I’ve instructed my lawyers to petition the court, petition so that every second, every minute, every hour that the government secretly taped me is provided to both sides to be heard and played in court,” Blagojevich said minutes after pleading not guilty in a federal courtroom in Chicago to a new indictment in his case.
“And I challenge the government, I challenge the government: If you are on the side of truth and justice as you say you are, and if this was a crime spree like you claim it was, then don’t hide behind technicalities,” Blagojevich said. “Play all the tapes. Play all the tapes. Play the truth, and play the whole truth.”
Later, Blagojevich’s lawyer, Sam Adam Jr., pulled back a bit from that, saying that the former governor wants every tape played that’s relevant to his corruption case.
“We are saying either side can play any minute of any tape that they wish to play,” Adam said.
Blagojevich said he thinks he can contest the original finding that there was probable cause to believe a crime was committed, which allowed the wiretaps to be placed in the first place.
Still, he pleaded not guilty to a revised indictment today, said he will waive any challenge to the playing of the tapes and will ask that the tapes be played at his June corruption trial in federal court in Chicago.
“I enter a plea of innocent to each and every charge,” the former governor, dressed in a dark suit and red tie, told U.S. District Judge James Zagel.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office had no comment on Blagojevich’s remarks.
Previoiusly, prosecutors have alluded to the hundreds of hours of recordings that have been publicly viewed as a point of strength in their case.
Last week, a federal grand jury in Chicago re-indicted Blagojevich, adding eight new counts to his corruption case. That makes 24 charges the ex-governor now faces.
The new charges were crafted to keep the case on track even if the U.S. Supreme Court decides in a separate case to gut the federal “honest services” law that also was a key to the original charges against Blagojevich.
The former governor faces accusations that include trying to sell an appointment ti fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Obama.
Other allegations include charges that Blagojevich tried to extort Obama White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, then a congressman representing Chicago’s Northwest Side. Blagojevich is accused of holding up grant money to a school in Emanuel’s district because Emanuel’s brother hadn't held a campaign fund-raiser for Blagojevich.
LOL!
OTOH they all know where the bodies are buried....My guess is Alex G. will be taken down too, if the Daley machine starts to tumble.
Remember it's mob vs. communist vs. A-Am and that they team up with each other: two against one when it meets their need. Re read Maggie's post with that in mind. Jr = A Am group.
If the mob starts to be targeted who will stand with them? Who will join with the other group to target them....No honor among thieves.
He’s scum, but I hope he takes a lot of other scum down with him.
Not good for them, Rahm will need to take another trip to Kenya.
My, my, my...imagine if they really DID play all the tapes.
Would there be ANYONE left standing?
Great post
I think if they play ALL of the tapes, it will become evident that THE “O” group were trying to pressure Blank-O (In between four letter words) and that Blank-O was trying to head them off by suggesting he might give the position to their opposition (JJJ) or someone else not on their list.
Think O will come out looking worse than Blank-O...Remember they were rivals from the git go.
DO IT!
Christians, don’t forget to pray, in Jesus Holy Name, for his protection!!!
Doesn’t he have a right to a copy of the tapes that he can play for America?
LOL. I just love that Andy Stern was deeply involved.
He made the most trips to the WH!!!!
Obama’s Eligibility to be President is disussed in the wiretaps. That is the reason Blago wants them all to be released. There is a discussion of exposing Obama’s birth citizenship. This is why Emanuel high tailed it to Kenya.
Obama’s Eligibility to be President is disussed in the wiretaps. That is the reason Blago wants them all to be released. There is a discussion of exposing Obama’s birth citizenship. This is why Emanuel high tailed it to Kenya.
Chicago, politicos, unions, corruption, bribes/payoffs, and dead bodies.
Who’d a thunk.
“Obama’s Eligibility to be President is disussed in the wiretaps. That is the reason Blago wants them all to be released. There is a discussion of exposing Obama’s birth citizenship. This is why Emanuel high tailed it to Kenya.”
Christmas break, 2008.
Didn’t know it’s on the wiretaps. Do you have a source?
Any idea which team RE is loyal to?
“Obama’s Eligibility to be President is disussed in the wiretaps. That is the reason Blago wants them all to be released. There is a discussion of exposing Obama’s birth citizenship. This is why Emanuel high tailed it to Kenya.”
- - - -
My jaw just dropped.
Blank-O has more connections to the Mob (mell-Daley) branch than the Communist or AA group. My guess is that they (the mob) know where he was born.
December 23 at 2:09PM
Rahm Emanuel Catching the Rains Down in Africa
POSTED BY: Dennis DiClaudio
###
With the Obama offices just about to release something that resembles information about its alleged ties to Rod Blagojevich’s office, soon-to-be Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is making a break for it…
Incoming White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel left on Tuesday for a “long planned family vacation in Africa,” a transition official confirmed to the Huffington Post…
Transition officials did not specify where in Africa he went, though another source said the family would be going on a safari. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting choice for a holiday vacation.
At least Emanuel was smart enough to chose an actual other continent.
Barack Obama made the very common mistake of assuming he was leaving the country by going to Hawaii.
http://www.indecisionforever.com/2008/12/23/rahm-emanuel-catching-the-rains-down-in-africa/
Referenced article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/23/emanuel-heads-to-africa-a_n_153096.html
Long planned African trip, my aching......
Yeah ... further reference
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/12/obama-blagojevi.html
What a coinkydinky .. JUST as the -0 team released
its report on its dealings on -0’s old seat and
Blago’s dealings .. everyone disappears .. and
the enforcer? Where else ... Affffffrica, of course.
;)
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