Jesse Jackson Jr.

End Of Blago Case Could Mean House Ethics Probe For Jackson Jr.

Ryan J. Reilly | June 27, 2011, 5:30PM

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich being found guilty on 17 of 20 corruption charges might mean the House Ethics Committee probe into allegations against Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill) could get underway soon.

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Topics: Jesse Jackson Jr., Robert Blagojevich

Robert Blagojevich

Charges Dropped Against Blago's Brother Robert

Ryan J. Reilly | August 26, 2010, 3:49PM

Federal prosecutors will not retry Robert Blagojevich, the brother of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, for two counts of extortion conspiracy and one count each of wire fraud and extortion reports the Chicago Tribune.

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Topics: Illinois, Robert Blagojevich, Rod Blagojevich

Robert Blagojevich

Fellow Juror Says Blago Holdout Would Have Wanted Video in Murder Trial

Ryan J. Reilly | August 18, 2010, 9:28AM

Forget 12 angry men; fellow jurors say it was one stubborn woman who forced a deadlock in the case against former Gov. Rob Blagojevich on the most serious charge against him: that he tried to sell the former Senate seat of President Barack Obama.

"She wanted concrete evidence," 21-year-old criminal justice student Erik Sarnello told reporters. "If it were a murder trial, she would have wanted to see the video of the shooting."

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Topics: Robert Blagojevich, Rod Blagojevich

Rod Blagojevich

Blagojevich Found Guilty On 1 Count Of Lying To FBI

Eric Lach | August 17, 2010, 5:36PM

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been found guilty of only one of the 24 counts in his corruption trial. After deliberating for 14 days, the jury found him guilty only of making false statements to the FBI. The jury is deadlocked on the other 23 counts.

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Topics: Robert Blagojevich, Rod Blagojevich

Rod Blagojevich

Defense Rests In Blagojevich Trial, Calls No Witnesses

Eric Lach | July 21, 2010, 12:37PM

In the end, America's loudest disgraced ex-governor stayed silent. The defense rested its case in Rod Blagojevich's corruption trial today, without putting a single witness on the stand.

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Topics: Corruption, Democrats, Illinois, Robert Blagojevich, Rod Blagojevich

Robert Blagojevich

Today's Moment Of Blago: When Gov't And Fundraising 'Bleed Over'

Eric Lach | July 20, 2010, 6:54PM

Today featured the prosecution's cross-examination of Rod Blagojevich's brother Robert -- and ended with the ex-governor's lawyers saying their client may not take the stand after all. After all this build up, could Blago sit silently through his trial? What happened?

Blagojevich's lawyers say they don't think the prosecutors have proven their case. But The Chicago Sun-Times suggests keeping Rod off the stand may have something to do with Robert's performance during cross examination. "In just the first 10 minutes of cross-examination Monday, Robert Blagojevich, who had overseen the Friends of Blagojevich campaign fund, found himself contradicting his own statements and having to explain a secretly recorded and previously unheard conversation." Today's Moment of Blago comes from Robert, and via the Sun-Times.

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Topics: Corruption, Democrats, Illinois, Robert Blagojevich, Rod Blagojevich

Today's Moment Of Blago

Today's Moment Of Blago: The Sherlock Holmes Defense

Eric Lach | July 19, 2010, 4:31PM

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's defense in his corruption trial began today. A central part of his lawyers' argument is expected to be that Blago is a naive man who got bad advice. Blagojevich himself has spent months in the media spotlight projecting an image -- deliberately or not -- as a smiling oaf. The defense thinks the jury will buy this story. We think it's ripe for comic moments.

In that spirit, we bring you the first installment of Today's Moment of Blago:

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Topics: Corruption, Democrats, Illinois, Robert Blagojevich, Rod Blagojevich, Today's Moment Of Blago