Blagojevich faces tough trial in Senate

[BlueJessamine]

Source: AP News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Gov. Rod Blagojevich will face long odds, and perhaps some legal twists, in the Illinois Senate trial that will decide whether he'll keep his job or be tossed out of office.

It may be called a trial and involve the trappings of a courtroom, from a judge to exhibits and objections, but experts point out that the event will be political, not legal. The senators are free to base their decisions on old feuds and popular opinion if they want, rather than fine points of the law.

Still, some of the charges do involve fine points. Did a prescription-drug program violate pharmacy inspection laws? Did state agencies properly account for money they transferred to another state agency?

If Blagojevich loses the trial, he stands little chance of getting the verdict overturned by the courts, which shy away from tinkering with the impeachment process.

And if he testifies to defend himself, Blagojevich could find his words used against him by the federal prosecutors pursuing criminal charges against him.



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jd27z6VF1bFGPps1mT6cuvXZbSVwD95KG26O0

[bluestatecowboys]

1. If you're Blago's lawyer . . .

If you're Blago's lawyer, what kind of case do you put on during the removal trial, knowing that you may still have to represent this joker in a federal criminal trial down the road?

[Posteritatis]

7. If you're Blago's lawyer, getting a lawyer of your own might be smart at this point too

If he goes down in court I doubt he's doing it alone.

[No Elephants]

10. If you're Blago's lawyer, you tell him to face reality, get his priorities straight and

use all his resources to try to stay out of federal prison.

Trying to save his governor's position or his political career at this point is a waste of time and he may say things in the impeachment that get used against him in the fedeeral criminal case.

[Buzz Clik]

2. Blago is toast.

[Faygo Kid]

5. Bye, Rod. You could resign, but of course you're a psychopath.

Who doesn't give a rat's ass about the people of Illinois. I think you would make a great curator of the George W. Bush Presidential Library.

[bluestateguy]

3. and just think, he can make it all stop by tendering his resignation

nt

[BlueJessamine]

4. this is interesting:

Bradley Simon, a former federal prosecutor, suggested Blagojevich argue that the impeachment process should be stopped because it's interfering with the criminal case. If the Senate trial goes forward anyway, he said, that might help Blagojevich on the criminal side.

"If, in fact, the impeachment proceedings make it impossible for him to get a fair trial, I think it would not be a frivolous motion for his lawyers to move to dismiss the indictment," said Simon, now a New York defense attorney specializing in white collar crime.

[Piewhacket]

6. Simon is pulling everybody's leg...

Sensational... but an impeachment is a remedial measure to protect the state.

Ask Simon to say _exactly_ how the impeachment trial prevents Blago from getting
a fair criminal trial? More like vice-versa, yes? But the house already decided
the impeachment should proceed by 114 to 1. So how is the criminal trial impacted?

Ask Simon to be particular and when, during his babbling his blue eyes turn brown,
you'll know hes got to the really stupid and frivolous part and done tilted out
his fullosh*t-o-meter.

[davsand]

8. The Senate can "convict" on one thing and he's out of office.

That leaves quite a bit of fodder for the Feds to play with that will have never been in the public. From what I can tell of the comments, Blag is in some serious hot water over the health facilities planning board and extorting money from hospitals. If they play the tapes of him extorting money from the Children's Hospital it will NOT go over well, and will probably be enough to get him booted.

Blago has earned zero love from any of the legislators, and as a result this trial is probably gonna be extremely ugly. I think there are quite a few in the Senate that are harboring enough ill will that Blag will go out with an almost unanimous vote.


Just sayin...


Laura

[No Elephants]

9. In Blago's shoes, I'd resign from the Governorship and focus on the criminal defense. He's

not going to avoid conviction in the impeachment, which is not bound by things like the proof beyond a shadow of a doubt standard. He's political career is OVAH. The best thing he can do for himself at this point is try to stay out of jail. And that is from a purely selfish point of view. I don't expect him to worry about the people, voters and taxpayers of Illinois getting a fair shake.

[marshall]

11. He should push for a mistrial due to "executive privilege"

He's pretty toasted on the issues not related to the Senate seat. The lawyer needs to focus on the Senate seat stuff, calling for everyone from Obama on down to testify. When the new White House balks at being dragged into this mess and claims executive privilege, the lawyer should then press for a mistrial.