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Thursday, April 22, 2010

Ousted governor speaks to reporters about his trial and those wiretaps!

I know I'm late as it was news since Tuesday afternoon. But then it deserves comment especially for the fallout from it. Below is the full press conference although I've only watched select soundbites from it. It's almost six minutes long.
 

Don't want to watch six minutes of this crap, then you can watch this AP video of what Blago said on Tuesday. You will only be watching close to two minutes of his comments.

Want a round-up, go over and read this post over at the CapFax from Wednesday morning. You can also read this post at Marathon Pundit.

What can I say? From what I have seen he is only replaying the same arguments that he has since after he was arrested and shortly before he was impeached.

This is all about wanting him gone for a tax increase. Blago would have a point if and only if the state was in better financial shape under his administration than it is under Pat Quinn. Unfortunately it wasn't!

According to this post from Breitbart's Big Journalism from approximately four days ago the current financial condition of Illinois wasn't totally Blago's fault. It can be said however that Blago certainly didn't help the situation either!

Oh I almost forgot to add that the federal judge presiding over his federal trial is getting tough with him!
Judge James Zagel cited an example from the world of boxing Wednesday, saying he couldn't allow the legal equivalent of head butts to take place at the trial.

Head butts are considered a dirty tactic in the prize fight ring.

Zagel spoke a day after a news conference at which Blagojevich angrily called prosecutors "cowards and liars" and challenged U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to come to court and meet him face to face.

Fitzgerald wasn't in court, and Blagojevich's remark wasn't addressed directly at the hearing.
Knowing Blago's history good luck on attempting to reign him in!

Also Rich Miller has another round-up today with more on Blagojevich's comments from Tuesday and more reason why Judge Zagel laid down the law with the Ousted governor:
Blagojevich had challenged U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to allow the jury to hear every recording made by federal investigators, arguing in fiery remarks Tuesday that they would prove his innocence.

That's not the way it works, U.S. District Judge James Zagel explained, using the calm tone of a parent explaining to a toddler why he can't eat too many cupcakes.

Blagojevich can't insist on playing just any tape, and Fitzgerald doesn't get to decide either, the judge said. It's like boxing — there are rules, he noted. The rules say you can't shove, bite, kick or head-butt your opponent.

"Those rules are enforced by the referee, not by the boxers. I am that referee, no one else," Zagel told lawyers in the case and Blagojevich, who stood directly in front of the bench, nodding slightly at times. "I will not permit the legal equivalent of head butts."

In other words, the judge ultimately will decide which undercover tapes the jury will hear. Zagel said he would not allow jurors hearing the months-long trial to have their time "needlessly consumed" by evidence that is either contrary to the rules or simply irrelevant.

He directed Blagojevich's lawyers to give him by May 14 a list of the tapes they would like to play at the trial, set to start June 3. Blagojevich is accused of using his office to enrich himself and close associates, going so far as to try to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. The judge also decided that Blagojevich will stand trial with his brother who ran his campaign fund, Robert Blagojevich, denying a motion to give them a separate trial.

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