Blagojevich convicted of lying to feds

[MNeagle]

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/CRIME/08/17/blagojevich.trial/story.blagojevich.gi.jpg

Chicago, Illinois (CNN) -- Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was convicted of a relatively minor charge -- giving a false statement to federal investigators -- but the jury hung on 23 other counts.

Jurors deliberated for 14 days but could not reach a unanimous verdict on the most serious corruption counts. Jurors also could not decide on the charges against Blagojevich's brother, Robert.

Legal analysts said the result was a victory for Blagojevich and his defense.

Attorneys and spectators filed into the courtroom shortly before 5 p.m. ET to hear the verdicts in the corruption trial.

U.S. District Judge James Zagel said earlier in the day that there was a "possibility" of a verdict soon and asked that the defendants remain within a half-hour travel distance from the courthouse.

Jurors had two questions for Zagel on Tuesday. First, they asked for a copy of the oath they took when they were sent to deliberate. For that oath, jurors were asked, "Do each of you solemnly swear that you will well and truly try, and true deliverance make, in the case now in trial and render a true verdict according to the law and the evidence, so help you God?"

The second question was, "If we do not reach a consensus of a specific count, do we leave it blank or report the votes split?" Zagel told jurors if they cannot reach a unanimous verdict on any count, they should write a single statement on each count and each juror should sign the verdict form.

Last week, the jury sent a note to Zagel indicating they were far from reaching a decision. The panel has decided on only two of the 24 counts against Blagojevich, the note said. Jurors failed to agree on 11 counts and had yet to consider 11 others involving wire fraud charges. Zagel encouraged them to continue deliberating and vote on each charge.

The former governor faces charges including racketeering, wire fraud, attempted extortion and bribery. A two-term Democrat, he was removed from office in January 2009 amid accusations that he attempted to sell the U.S. Senate seat that had been occupied by Barack Obama before Obama was elected president.

In one conversation recorded by federal agents, Blagojevich told an aide, "I've got this thing, and it's [expletive] golden. I'm just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing."

Conviction on the counts of wire fraud, racketeering and attempted extortion could each bring a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, while a conviction on the count of solicitation of bribery would carry a maximum sentence of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000. The maximum penalty for bribery conspiracy and false statements is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Blagojevich's brother, Robert, is standing trial with him on four of the charges.

Robert Blagojevich testified that his brother was "trying to politically work something to his benefit" in handling the Senate appointment but was thinking in terms of political horse-trading, not corruption.

"It didn't seem out of the ordinary, because Obama was taking a lot of people from Illinois with him to D.C.," said Robert Blagojevich, who raised money for his brother. He said the governor "was interested in the idea of being the head of Health and Human Services."

While awaiting trial, the ousted governor asserted his innocence in interviews and on Twitter, as well as during his appearances on the "Celebrity Apprentice" reality show.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/17/blagojevich.trial/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

[Phoenix]

Lesson: NEVER TALK TO THE FEDS

[palani]

Morpheus: I've seen an agent punch through a concrete wall; men have emptied entire clips at them and hit nothing but air; yet, their strength, and their speed, are still based in a world that is built on rules. Because of that, they will never be as strong, or as fast, as *you* can be.

[RJB]

Blagojevich convicted of lying to feds Anything you say can and will be MISCONSTRUED against you...

Blago always struck me as a pompous ass, but I'm actually glad he was for the most part cleared. I always get suspicious when a politician gets pinched for something they all do.

[hoarder]

Any politician who gets smeared by the media and prosecuted is NOT an insider. Our rulers like to go through these little "fall guy" exercises occasionally to fortify the illusion of justice and accountability.

[dysgenic]

Watching the MSN can be an eyeopening experience. Recently I watched a piece on Blago that transparently attempted to smear him for the purposes of convicting him in the public court of opinion. During the piece, they played certain of the tapes. The tapes certainly make him look like an ass, but demonstrated absolutely zero guilt or even the possibility of guilt. Since you know they were offering the best they've got, I can safely say that the guy did absolutely nothing wrong and deserves to be acquitted. Pretty coincidental they decided to go after him the same week that he took on a major bank, huh?

dys

[Phoenix]

Blagojevich convicted of lying to feds Anything you say can and will be MISCONSTRUED against you...

Blago always struck me as a pompous ass, but I'm actually glad he was for the most part cleared. I always get suspicious when a politician gets pinched for something they all do.


When he stood up to Bank of America, I was willing to give him every benefit of the doubt and leniency, too.

He was arrested the day after he said the State of Illinois would no longer do business with BofA.

[Phoenix]

December 8, 2008:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52Pl_maYkQQ


December 9, 2008:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Rod_Blagojevich_mug_shot.jpg/556px-Rod_Blagojevich_mug_shot.jpg

[Dogman]

Verdicts in 18 of the 20 counts against him.

Guilty= 18

Innocent= 0

Hung counts =2

He is going to spend some quality time at a club fed resort. For maybe most of the rest of his life! And trying not to Pick up soap in the shower. :o

For now free on bond , until sentencing.




Jury reaches verdict in Blagojevich trial

By the CNN Wire Staff
June 27, 2011 1:30 p.m. EDT

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/POLITICS/06/27/blagojevich.trial/story.rod.blagojevich.mug.usm.jpg

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, shown in a 2008 booking photo, is accused of public corruption.

Chicago (CNN) -- The jury considering corruption charges against former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has reached verdicts in 18 of the 20 counts against him, a court clerk said Monday.

The jury is expected to return its verdicts Monday afternoon.

Charges against Blagojevich include trying to peddle the U.S. Senate seat held by Barack Obama before he resigned to become president. Blagojevich has denied any intention of bribery.

Last August, after a two-month trial and 14 days of deliberation, jurors deadlocked on 23 of the 24 charges Blagojevich had faced. They found him guilty on one count of lying to FBI investigators, a conviction that could carry a prison sentence of five years. http://www.cnn.com/video/crime/2010/08/18/is.blagojevich.conviction.insession.640x360.jpg201 0: Blagojevich convicted on one count
http://www.cnn.com/video/us/2011/06/10/bts.blagojevich.statement.wls.640x360.jpgJune 2011: Blagojevich case goes to jury


The accusation that Blagojevich tried to profit as he considered whom to appoint to succeed Obama, among other allegations, prompted his impeachment by Illinois' House of Representatives and his removal from office by the state Senate in 2009.

Ten of the counts against him in the current trial are wire fraud. The other 10 involve extortion and bribery. Most of the counts have a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Blagojevich, 54, was taken into federal custody in December 2008, less than two years into his second term as governor. A federal grand jury indicted in him April 2009.

At the time of his arrest, prosecutors said court-authorized wiretaps caught Blagojevich offering Obama's Senate seat in exchange for personal gain, including a job with a non-profit or union organization, corporate board posts for his wife, campaign contributions or a post in Obama's administration.

He expressed frustration, according to prosecutors, that Obama transition officials were "not willing to give me anything except appreciation."
"I've got this thing and it's [expletive] golden, and, uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing. I'm not gonna do it," prosecutors quoted Blagojevich as saying.

Blagojevich also considered appointing himself to the post, mulling whether he might be better off being indicted as a senator rather than governor, and saying contacts he would make in the federal job would benefit him later, according to prosecutors.

Aside from the charges of trying to sell the Senate seat, prosecutors also accused Blagojevich of using his position to obtain financial benefits for himself, his family and his campaign in exchange for jobs, contracts and appointments to state boards to supporters.

They accused Blagojevich of acelerating the scheme in 2008 to accumulate funds before a new state ethics law would have limited his ability to raise money from people and companies that were doing business with the state.
Along with Blagojevich, prosecutors charged his brother, Robert Blagojevich, with one count of wire fraud, one count of extortion conspiracy, one count of attempted extortion and one count of bribery conspiracy in connection with his brother's alleged Senate-seat-selling plan.

But a week after jurors came back deadlocked on most of the counts against Rod Blagojevich and all of the charges against his brother, prosecutors dropped charges against Robert Blagojevich but said they would retry the former governor.

Blagojevich's defense argued that he just liked to talk and that he ended up with nothing. Attorney Aaron Goldstein said the "law is about intent," CNN affiliate WLS has reported. Goldstein said the prosecution hadn't met its burden of proof.

The former Cook County assistant prosecutor, state representative and Golden Gloves boxer has remained in the public eye since his removal from office, appearing in a Chicago comedy show, releasing an autobiography, and competing on the TV show "Celebrity Apprentice."

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/06/27/blagojevich.trial/

[palani]

Does this mean Rahm Emanuel gets put in prison too? After all, Manta.com has him registered as a dba for Rod Blago ....

http://www.manta.com/c/mm53s5b/congressman-rahm-emanuel


Congressman Rahm Emanuel Business Information
Congressman Rahm Emanuel also does business as Congressman Rod R Blagojevich, United States House Of Representatives .

[EE_]

I don't like Blago, but for him to push it this far, combined with his case being tied up with NObama (Obama, who is a complete fraud with no known history)...I'd say he was railroaded and is innocent.

[osoab]

I don't like Blago, but for him to push it this far, combined with his case being tied up with NObama (Obama, who is a complete fraud with no known history)...I'd say he was railroaded and is innocent.


I don't know about innocent, but I see everything the dumbass did as identical to the rest of the game being played. He just pissed off the wrong person/group and the shit storm ensued.

Funny how it was easy to keep everyone in lockstep for this whole thing.
Even with the local media, not one politician/big wig that I saw ever stepped up to back Blago. His demise came from the top.

[Neuro]

Does this mean Rahm Emanuel gets put in prison too? After all, Manta.com has him registered as a dba for Rod Blago ....

http://www.manta.com/c/mm53s5b/congressman-rahm-emanuel
He'll get put in prison the day Pigs can fly. He is untouchable.

[osoab]

Excellent missive.

Blago's Saga (http://informationliberation.com/?id=37589)




by Becky Akers
http://informationliberation.com/space.gif
Punishing politicians for corruption is like scolding the Black Death for killing folks.

So we can empathize with the fury, despair and "why-me?" shock that must have roiled Illinois’ former Congresscriminal and governor, Rod Blagojevich, at his arrest, trial, and conviction, let alone his sentencing last week on nebulous charges that boil down to … governing. Show me the politician who doesn’t swap favors and peddle influence as tirelessly as normal people breathe.

Despite the preening of Blago’s smug prosecutor, self-righteous judge and the State’s cheerleaders in the media, condemning the poor slob to 14 years’ imprisonment is equivalent to exterminating one rat out of the millions spreading plague in medieval Europe: it’s the teeniest, tiniest start on curing what ails us. Judge James Zagel should round up the rest of the elected or appointed leeches and herd them off to the pokey, too, then follow and lock the door behind himself.

Fascinating questions have shadowed this circus from the start, primarily whom Blago angered. And what does he know about Obummer ("The White House declined (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/07/us-crime-blagojevich-idUSTRE7B604C20111207) comment on Blagojevich's sentence." You bet it did!)? Or the vile Rahm Emmanuel? Blago’s info is obviously explosive since it requires disgrace so profound the corporate media will continue to ridicule him rather than report whatever he sings. On top of that, Leviathan has forcibly silenced Blago ("In prison, Blagojevich will largely (http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/will-blagojevich-sentence-serve-as-a-warning/article_71696d6d-fc9b-51f3-80fc-d4c112dde2d1.html) be cut off from the outside world"), perhaps permanently: look for him to die there, probably by "suicide."

Not that we should feel sorry for him. Indeed, let us rejoice whenever the insatiable State devours its own – and let us pray it does so more often. Better them than us, first of all. Second, there’s a lot to commend Soviet-style purges: politicians who are free of decency and morality but slaves to the almighty Self might think twice about a career in plunder if the odds favored their winding up in stir or six feet under rather than on a monument somewhere.

Meanwhile, Leviathan’s acolytes unwittingly revealed the beast’s jaw-dropping vanity, perversion, and utter wickedness in their comments at Blago’s sentencing. Consider Judge James Zagel’s pontification (http://www.freep.com/article/20111208/NEWS07/112080628/Ex-Illinois-Gov-Rod-Blagojevich-gets-14-years-in-prison-in-corruption-case): "When it is the governor who goes bad, the fabric of Illinois is torn and disfigured and not easily repaired."

Balderdash! And what staggering megalomania, to presume the State looms so large that a "bad" sponge tears the "fabric" for 12,830,632 Illinoisans (OK, I can see where the cloth’s rent for Blago’s family: his wife – a political critter herself (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-patti-blagojevich-fired-22-jan22,0,5077545.story) as well as the daughter of one (http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/February-2008/Mr-Un-Popularity/) – and his two kids, but not the other 12,830,628 residents). No doubt the good folk of Illinois who continue trying to eke out a living despite their official predators hardly noticed Blago’s sideshow and would’ve shrugged if they had.

I speak from experience. Three years ago, when the Feds caught New York’s Chief Thief, Eliot Spitzer, dallying with unelected prostitutes, his fellow bloodsuckers and their enablers in the media fretted about the impact on us serfs. The New York Times feared we were "in limbo (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/11/nyregion/11cnd-spitzer.html?_r=2&pagewanted=3&ei=5088&en=48a9b297343c4501&ex=1362974400&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin&oref=slogin)." And "State Senator Joseph L. Bruno, the state’s top Republican (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/11/nyregion/11cnd-spitzer.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&ei=5088&en=48a9b297343c4501&ex=1362974400&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss)" – who would resign from office after his own indictment on eight counts (http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2009/01/24/news/doc497a932a63802177832145.txt?viewmode=fullstory) of corruption – babbled, "The important thing for the people of New York State is that people in office do the right thing." What a laugh! As if politicians even recognize the right thing or would do it if they did.

Far from agonizing over Spitz’s peccadilloes, I suspect most of the state’s victims turned the same jaundiced eye on them as "Elmira Shirkhin (http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/story.html?id=485899eb-50b1-4392-867b-c1730be2dea5), 27, who works in sales," did. She "said she wasn't surprised. ‘It's what you would think politicians would do,' she said … . ‘It's men and power. They think they can do anything and get away with it'…" Bingo. I wager Illinois’ peons boast as much savvy when it comes to sociopaths as New York’s do.

That didn’t keep Zagel from moaning that "The harm [Blago caused] is the erosion (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/08/us/blagojevich-expresses-remorse-in-courtroom-speech.html) of public trust in government." Touching, the concern Our Rulers profess for our alleged faith in them.

Also bewailing Blago’s betrayal of our belief were Illinois’ Attorney General (http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/9305749-452/political-reaction-no-joy-but-blagojevich-had-it-coming.html), its current governor (http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/9305749-452/political-reaction-no-joy-but-blagojevich-had-it-coming.html), and the Assistant U.S. Attorney (http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Despite-contrition-Blagojevich-gets-14-years-2376834.php); as the last put it, "The defendant's … criminal activity (http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Despite-contrition-Blagojevich-gets-14-years-2376834.php) has further eroded the public's confidence in government and government officials."

Oh, get over yourselves. Only morons trust government. For pity’s sake, we’re mature and intelligent enough that you depend entirely on us to pay your bills: give us some credit, you twits.

Others as guilty as Blago but as sanctimonious as the twits rushed to toss us their two cents. Senator Mark Kirk [R-Il] intoned, (http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/9305749-452/political-reaction-no-joy-but-blagojevich-had-it-coming.html) "Judge Zagel’s sentence is a clear warning to all elected officials that public corruption of any form will not be tolerated." Boy, you better hope not, buddy, or you and your accomplices are out of business.

Zagel also confirmed Leviathan’s inverted "morals." He opined that the defendant had done "good things … for people as governor (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/07/blagojevich-sentencing-fo_n_1133588.html)…" Blago was a run-of-the-mill Demopublican, which is to say a socialist and fascist: he tried numerous times to further nationalize Illinois’ medical insurers. That would have netted him another couple centuries in the slammer were I on the bench, but Zagel lauded his theft (http://elmwoodpark.suntimes.com/9313861-417/excerpts-from-zagels-sentencing-the-fabric-of-illinois-is-torn.html): "I do also believe what he did for children’s health was motivated by a true concern for the welfare of children." Or, as the New York Times noted (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/us/politics/blagojevich-faces-sentencing-hearing.html), "his policies for the state – health care insurance for children from poor families and free train and bus rides for older people – had been efforts to help citizens." Robbing all to buy goodies for some ever afflicts statists with warm fuzzies.

Meanwhile, the whole sordid fiasco seems to be nauseating and possibly converting observers. "Connie Wilson, the forewoman (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/08/us/blagojevich-expresses-remorse-in-courtroom-speech.html) from Mr. Blagojevich’s most recent trial [recall that it required two before the Feds nailed their man], said ... "We just don’t want this [corruption] anymore."

Hmmm: no corruption means no government. Welcome to anarchy, ma’am!

[palani]

Remember ... there is no one in prison who did not volunteer to be there.

Allocution is the order of the day if one is on the ball ... "If I appeared to consent I did not consent then and I do not consent now to these procedings."

[Dogman]

Remember ... there is no one in prison who did not volunteer to be there.

Allocution is the order of the day if one is on the ball ... "If I appeared to consent I did not consent then and I do not consent now to these procedings." And if you do not consent, and they find you, you still end up in jail, with your consent or not!

[palani]

And if you do not consent, and they find you, you still end up in jail, with your consent or not!

A lot of people have used allocution to walk away. They have to have your consent. There is no involuntary servitude.

[osoab]

And if you do not consent, and they find you, you still end up in jail, with your consent or not!


A lot of people have used allocution to walk away. They have to have your consent. There is no involuntary servitude.

So what would you do in a situation such as this at the moment the raid occurs?


Police Face No Punishment After Flash-Banging & Severely Burning Innocent Mother In Illegal No-Knock Raid (http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=37598)


Police in Minneapolis will face no punishment after flash-banging an innocent mother in a "botched" drug raid. Responding to a bogus "tip" the police received, the cops got a judge to sign off on a warrant to search for drugs in the woman's home. The police failed to read the warrant and realize it did not authorize a no-knock raid, so they busted into the home without warning and threw a flash-grenade at an innocent mother of two. She was so severely burned by the flash-grenade, which burns at an astonishing 3,600 degrees, "a portion of her calf muscle was incinerated" and "burned almost to the bone."


"No police officer involved in the raid has been disciplined for the incident, the city confirmed." - KSTP reports (http://kstp.com/article/stories/s2407091.shtml). The police spokesman said the police just need to "learn" from their act of terrorism. How are police supposed to "learn" when they faced zero accountability and zero personal liability? How can police be expected to stop committing crimes when the very citizens they're abusing have to foot the bill for the damages they cause?

Imagine a scenario in which the situation was reversed. A random woman thinks one of these cops is dealing drugs, so being the citizen vigilante she is, she decides to break into the cop's home and throw a flash-grenade at him. She then rummages through his entire house looking for drugs, yet finds nothing. The cop is left traumatized with severe burns and in the ER.

What type of punishment do you think that woman would receive?

Reverse the situation and the cops get off scot-free. They were not held to account, they paid zero in damages, they won't lose their jobs, they faced no personal loss and in fact got paid vacations during the ensuing "investigation!"

Also, please note, this is not the same incident from the recent article "SWAT Team Flash-bangs Grandmother During Botched Drug Raid, Gives Her Heart Attack (http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=36908)," this is a different mother, in a different state. None-the-less, both these cases would be described as "isolated incidents" by their respective para-military police departments.

vid @ link.

[palani]

So what would you do in a situation such as this at the moment the raid occurs?

Duck and cover? The situation is apples and oranges. There is always going to be a remedy. The trick is to figure it out.

[osoab]

Duck and cover? The situation is apples and oranges. There is always going to be a remedy. The trick is to figure it out.


I know it was an extreme example.

So, how about the guy in Alaska that had FBI come in and take another guy with no warrant. They opened the door and they walked right in.
This just occurred. Alexander was the guy the feds were looking for I think. Jammed their cell phones prior to the raid.

[palani]

I know it was an extreme example.

So, how about the guy in Alaska that had FBI come in and take another guy with no warrant. They opened the door and they walked right in.
This just occurred. Alexander was the guy the feds were looking for I think. Jammed their cell phones prior to the raid.

Again, not a Blago prison event.

As to what to do at the time of an event like this ... remember ... contract law runs through everything. Three things to ask for

1) ask for a business card
2) ask if they are a public employee
3) notice them that they are going to hold them in a position as public trustee.

Now as to them giving YOU notice ... notice is the opening salvo in due process. Notice endows you with the right to inquire. Forget staying silent. Inquiring means you ASK QUESTIONS. I have some interesting questions already lined up for the FBI concerning their involvement in a local affair a couple years back. ANYONE showing up at my door noticing me that they are FBI are going to be SHOWERED with many questions. Failure to answer any of them means due process is incomplete. You don't go to hearing until all your questions are answered. If hearing is premature the judge gets put on notice that due process has not been given, a constitutional violation under both the 14th amendment and amendment V.

When you inquire you do not make statements. The first statement you make ("I need a cup of coffee") and your due process is complete and off to hearing you go.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/anncon/html/amdt5bfrag1_user.html#amdt5b_hd1
http://www.law.cornell.edu/anncon/html/amdt14a_user.html#amdt14a_hd19b

[osoab]

Free at last.

Wonder if Rod sings or does he meet an untimely demise?
He is singing a bit in his welcome home speeches.

[Amanda]

When he stood up to Bank of America, I was willing to give him every benefit of the doubt and leniency, too.

He was arrested the day after he said the State of Illinois would no longer do business with BofA.


I was always wondering if this (saying Illinois would no longer do business with Bank of America) was really what this was about....This whole thing seemed strange to me--all of these politicians are dirty in some way, so I always assume that the only reason any of these "scandals" become public is b/c the politician crossed a line somewhere or started to do something for the American people.

[woodman]

I was always wondering if this (saying Illinois would no longer do business with Bank of America) was really what this was about....This whole thing seemed strange to me--all of these politicians are dirty in some way, so I always assume that the only reason any of these "scandals" become public is b/c the politician crossed a line somewhere or started to do something for the American people.
This sort of thing gives them an excuse to sacrifice somebody occasionally. It helps to maintain solidarity.