Blagojevich tells his version of what's on the tapes

[Geee]

Chicago Tribune:

In a second day on the witness stand at his corruption retrial, Rod Blagojevich began to give jurors on Friday his explanation for secretly recorded conversations of him allegedly scheming to leverage the powers of the governor's office for campaign cash.

Blagojevich's version of events is seemingly built around the notion that virtually every close and trusted confidant he had in politics and government had let him down. And if he feared that explanation stopped short of satisfying jurors, there was more.


"A lot of times my words outpace my ideas and good judgment," testified Blagojevich, who contended, though, that he would quickly correct himself and not act out on his initial thoughts.

Blagojevich spent the half-day session Friday discussing just one of the alleged shakedown schemes of which he stands accused — that he pressed horseracing executive John Johnston for a $100,000 campaign contribution to sign a 2008 bill that would bolster the state's racing industry with casino funds.

Blagojevich, who resumes testifying Tuesday, could be on the stand for an extended period — he has yet to address the marquee charge that he tried to sell a U.S. Senate seat. It is unclear when prosecutors will get their shot at cross-examining him.

At issue for much of the day was why Blagojevich did not sign the horseracing bill if not for the lack of a campaign contribution.

[NCTexan]

One of the reader comments makes a good point...

 

I don't for a minute think Blago is innocent. Nor do I doubt for a minute that Jesse Jackson Jr. tried to have his friends buy him Obama's Senate seat. This is politics. JJJ is damn lucky his father is who he is. Otherwise, he'd be looking to stand trial as well.

 

Blago's a whipping horse for all that is wrong with Chicago politics. But whipping this one horse and letting the others run free isn't going to change anything. If you want to call that justice, go ahead.

[Geee]

New defense at Rod Blagojevich trial: Blame his dead friend

 

 

In his second day on the witness stand, Rod Blagojevich on Friday raised a new defense to a shakedown allegation by resurrecting the name of a now-deceased friend.

 

On the same day, Blagojevich also explained his propensity to spout off on tapes played for the jury. He said he wouldn’t actually follow up on the things he said.

 

“A lot of my words outpace my ideas and good judgment, or my imperfect judgment.” Blagojevich said. “They came out of me fast, but then I had a chance to think about it.”

 

With regard to a shakedown allegation involving horseracing legislation, Blagojevich said he believed the late Christopher Kelly was playing him in 2008 and wanted to pressure him to sign a bill that would boost the industry.

 

Blagojevich said he feared Kelly, already charged with tax fraud at the time, wanted the bill passed because he hoped it could help him win a Presidential pardon.

 

How?

 

According to Blagojevich, Kelly had hoped horseracing executive George Steinbrenner, who then lived in Tampa, Fla., would talk to then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who had the ear of his brother, then-President George Bush.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/5630463-417/new-defense-at-rod-blagojevich-trial-blame-his-dead-friend.html

[Valin]

How can you tell Rod Blagojevich (or as I call him prisoner #914-338-193) is lying?

Are his lips moving? If so then there's a very good chance he's lying.