Blagojevich to Make Statement 3PM ET

By Jeralyn, Section Corruption Cases
Posted on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 10:52:01 AM EST
Tags: Rod Blagojevich (all tags)

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Ed Gensen, Gov. Rod Blagojevich's lawyer, can't be happy that his client is going to make a public statement today, but it seems like Blagojevich is just itching to defend himself in the court of public opinion.

“I can’t wait to begin to tell my side of the story and to address you guys and, most importantly, the people of Illinois. That’s who I’m dying to talk to,” he said. “There’s a time and place for everything. That day will soon be here and you might know more about that today, maybe no later than tomorrow.”

No one will be listening more intently than the prosecutors in Fitzgerald's office.

As a general rule, defense lawyers hate it when their clients insist on talking to the media. Our prisons are filled with people who thought if they could only tell their side of the story, the cops would see it their way. It rarely happens.

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Blagojevich to Make Statement 3PM ET | 22 comments (22 topical)

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Politicians and stockbrokers (none / 0) (#1)
by Steve M on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 10:55:53 AM EST

always think they can BS their way out of any situation. It's how they're used to functioning in everyday life and they can't comprehend that the rules might be different in a legal setting. It can be very frustrating as a lawyer, but at the end of the day, you can provide advice but you sure can't force anyone to take it.

: Stockbrokers? (none / 0) (#5)
by andgarden on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 11:05:23 AM EST

Go figure.

: And both of my kids (none / 0) (#19)
by Cream City on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 04:06:35 PM EST

thought that way.
But then, they grew up.

My first guess (none / 0) (#2)
by Fabian on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 11:02:39 AM EST

is that this is about his "fitness for office" and the impeachment proceedings against him. Those two issues will catch up with him faster than the federal charges will.

Sounds like a play for public sentiment and thus, for time.

if the cops had seen it their way, (none / 0) (#3)
by cpinva on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 11:03:02 AM EST

they probably wouldn't have been arrested to begin with. but hey, what do i know, not being and attorney or gov.?

Will he be taking questions (none / 0) (#4)
by scribe on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 11:04:19 AM EST

or just reading a statement?

What of his lawyer challenging the legality of the wiretaps (I have my doubts about how far that will go, given the history of thoroughness Fitzgerald displays....)?

The only client whose speaking out I can even remotely come to accept as having been justified (though, were I his lawyer I still would have counseled against it) was Lawyer Tamm, in Isikoff's Newsweek article on warrantless wiretapping published last weekend. That was greymail on 'roids - the story revealed information highly pertinent to the ongoing civil cases, named names and indicated the names knew they were breaking the law. And, more importantly, Tamm has not yet been charged - so in effect he's negotiating silence for no charges.

As to Blago, he's well past that point and, more importantly, not that bright.

If the only criminal activity... (none / 0) (#7)
by EL seattle on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 11:33:31 AM EST

...that's discussed in any of the wiretap conversations is activity by Blagojevich or for Blagojevich, he's just digging himself a deeper hole. But since he was part of conversations, he'd probably know if similar activity by other politicians was discussed and recorded.

Maybe he's planning to portray himself as a scapegoat? Someone who's playing by the corrupt rules of a corrupt system, just like "Politician X", "Lobbyist Y", and "Millionaire Z", whose names would also be in the complete transcripts?

I guess we'll find out soon enough.

CNN says (none / 0) (#8)
by lilburro on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 02:02:06 PM EST

his statement might last only 60-90 seconds??!

He said the devil made him do it. (none / 0) (#9)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 02:08:52 PM EST

Is he entering rehab? (none / 0) (#10)
by Steve M on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 02:10:54 PM EST

He has that quality about him (none / 0) (#17)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 02:59:44 PM EST

doesn't he?


: Or is he volunteering (none / 0) (#20)
by Cream City on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 04:08:18 PM EST

for an Extreme Makeover?!
Has that man's barber never met a pair of thinning shears?

So he's not resigning (none / 0) (#11)
by andgarden on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 02:12:36 PM EST

Impeachment trial, here we come.

You expected him to? (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by Fabian on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 02:49:25 PM EST

The thought didn't even cross my mind. Blagojevich doesn't seem likely to cave unless a really, really big carrot is offered to him.


: No, I didn't (5.00 / 2) (#15)
by andgarden on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 02:54:41 PM EST

but I rather hoped he would.
IL lacking that second Senator could hurt in some instances.

How will they try him? (none / 0) (#16)
by Steve M on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 02:57:39 PM EST

Fitzgerald is not turning over those wiretaps until he is good and ready. Will they just try and convict him based upon what's been in the newspapers?


They sure could (none / 0) (#18)
by andgarden on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 03:12:05 PM EST

His trial before the Senate doesn't have to be fair, does it?


No (none / 0) (#22)
by Steve M on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 10:00:44 PM EST

but it cannot be an obvious sham if it is to have any legitimacy. Surely they don't expect to just say "here's what's been alleged about you in the newspapers."


: Well, what's your goal? (none / 0) (#23)
by andgarden on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 10:36:37 PM EST

As a partisan, I want him out of office ASAP. That's why I expect Illinois Republicans to suddenly be concerned that he gets due process.

Gunga Din... (none / 0) (#12)
by jedimom on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 02:48:32 PM EST

For a minute there I thought he was going into:
"if you don't talk horse trading as a politician then you're a better man than I am Gunga Din...."

video up.. (none / 0) (#14)
by jedimom on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 02:50:32 PM EST

here

advocacy? (none / 0) (#21)
by diogenes on Fri Dec 19, 2008 at 07:18:16 PM EST

Usually people here advocate in favor of the criminal defendent. With Blago (no released evidence, no released proof, possible illegal wiretaps, no prosecution of anyone he was talking to), not so much advocacy. Has everyone joined the Diogenes/Queen of Hearts "Sentence First, Trial Later" brigade?