Blagojevich Subpoenas Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

[Geee]

Politico:

Blagojevich subpoenas Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

By JONATHAN ALLEN | 5/14/10 4:21 PM EDT

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) has been subpoenaed by the defense in former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s corruption trial, adding the onetime Senate hopeful to a long list of federal officials Blagojevich’s team wants to put on the witness stand.

The former governor faces charges of a broad range of corruption-related offenses, including conspiring to sell the Senate seat left open when Barack Obama won the presidency. Jackson, one of several candidates for the Senate appointment, has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

“Of course, I will comply with this compulsory order of the court and testify at trial, if necessary,” Jackson said in a statement released to POLITICO. "If and when I am called, I will tell the truth and say under oath what I've said again and again since this shocking scandal first broke. I did nothing wrong and never authorized or engaged in any scheme related to the then-vacant Senate seat.”

Prosecutors say in court documents that Blagojevich and his brother, Robert Blagojevich, planned to try to cut a deal with a person identified as “Individual P” to name Jackson to the Senate seat in exchange for campaign contributions — but ultimately canceled a meeting scheduled for that purpose.

Blagojevich is also accused of attempting to secure a post-gubernatorial job in exchange for naming White House adviser Valerie Jarrett — referred to as “Senate Candidate B” — to the Senate seat.

Blagojevich’s defense team has been on a subpoena spree of late: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) have received subpoenas. U.S. District Judge James Zagel ruled last month that the former governor’s lawyers could not compel testimony from Obama.

In a January 2009 interview with CNN anchor Campbell Brown, Blagojevich made clear that he believes the testimony of other public officials will exonerate him.

“If I can bring [Obama’s] chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, in to testify … if I can bring Valerie Jarrett, a top staffer to President Obama in to testify, if I can bring Congressman Jackson, Sen. Durbin, Sen. Reid, Sen. [Robert] Menendez (D-N.J.) and a whole series of other people — in fact, every single person I talked to about the Senate seat, then I can clear my name … and fairness and justice will prevail,” Blagojevich said at the time. Blagojevich was hoping to get testimony to fight impeachment proceedings in the Illinois Legislature. He was unsuccessful in his effort to present a defense with those witnesses and ultimately removed from office.

Of the 16 individuals accused by prosecutors of engaging in a conspiracy to commit offenses ranging from racketeering to bribery, none was a member of Congress or high-ranking administration official.

Jackson met with Blagojevich to discuss the Senate seat on Dec 8, 2008, the day before the governor was arrested.

“I presented my record, my qualifications and my vision. Despite what he may have been looking for, that’s all I had to offer. And, that’s what we discussed,” Jackson said Dec. 10, 2008.

Jackson also said he’d been informed by U.S. attorneys that he was not a target of their investigation.

“They shared with me that I am not a target of the investigation and that I am not accused of any misconduct.”.

[Casino67]

Talk about a circus. All they need now is Judge Ito.