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| More Tapes Played at Blagojevich Retrial |
(IRN)-Frustrated with voters, former Governor Rod Blagojevich is heard on a profanity-laced FBI recording ranting about his next move.
The conversations were played for jurors as Robert Greenlee, a former deputy governor under Blagojevich, testified about the governor's demands for information about ambassadorships and earnings for someone in the non-profit sector. The prosecution contends Blagojevich wanted to trade an appointment to the U.S. Senate for a job in those fields.
"Oh, the people are gonna f***ing be mad and the f***ing newspapers are gonna rip me for this?," Blagojevich is heard recapping for Greenlee a conversation he earlier had with political consultant Doug Scofield. "I f***ing busted my ass and pissed people off and gave your grandmother a free f***ing ride on a bus. Okay? I gave your f***ing baby a chance to have health care. I fought every one of those assholes including every special interest out there, who can make my life easier and better, because they wanna raise taxes on you and I won't, I, I fight them and keep them from doing it. And what do I get for that? Only thirteen percent of you all out there think I'm doing a good job. So f*** all of you. Not to mention the fact that I'm a f***ing, criminal investigations and my family's in jeopardy."
Greenlee also testified that Blagojevich had told him that someone with ties to U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Chicago) had approached him with an offer of pay to play, a promise to raise a million dollars in campaign donations if Jackson was appointed to the U.S. Senate.
Besides the former governor's potty mouth, the defense Wednesday entered a motion for a mistral. Attorneys for Blagojevich contend that federal Judge James Zagel is not allowing them to properly cross examine government witnesses.
Attorney Lauren Kaeseberg cited the Constitution and argued that the defense was "being cut off at the knees" and were made to look like "buffoons" in front of jurors. The defense has been bombarded by prosecution objections throughout cross examinations. Zagel denied the request, saying that this was the government's "turn at bat" and the defense would have their turn later.
Prosecutors Wednesday continued to focus on their claim that Blagojevich schemed to sell or trade a U.S. Senate Seat, one of five different crimes the government is trying to prove Blagojevich committed.
(Source: Illinois Radio Network) |
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| 05 12 11 by Newsroom |
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