Blagojevich Denied Request To Delay Corruption Trial
March 18, 2010 3:09 p.m. EST
Topics: politics, government, trials, public officials, crime, law and justice, United States
Kris Alingod - AHN News Contributor

Washington, DC, United States (AHN) - Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's request to move his trial to a later date this year has been denied. His corruption trial will begin as scheduled on June 3.

U.S. District Judge James Zagel rejected a motion Wednesday from lawyers of the Democrat to postpone the trial until November so they could have more time to study new evidence and implications of a pending U.S. Supreme Court decision about the constitutionality of the honest services law.

The high court is reviewing three cases challenging the constitutionality of the law that makes it illegal for public officials to deprive taxpayers of their right to honest services. Prosecutors revised the indictment against Blagojevich last month to prevent any problems if the high court strikes down the law, which critics say is too vague.

The new charges against Blagojevich are similar to previous allegations, such as attempting to sell the former Senate seat of President Barack Obama, but are not based on violations of the honest services fraud law. The former governor has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Blagojevich, 53, is currently busy as a contestant in NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice." His career as a reality star kicked off last week, less than a year after he sought Zagel's approval to be part of a Costa Rica-based show on the same network, "I'm a Celebrity?Get Me Out of Here!" His wife appeared on that program on his behalf after the court prohibited him from leaving the United States.

He has released a memoir, "The Governor," that claims White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had asked him if he could appoint a placeholder to the vacant House seat so Emanuel could run for Congress this year.

Blagojevich was impeached last year after a unanimous vote from all 59 members of the Illinois Senate. He was indicted last April on 16 felony counts, including racketeering conspiracy and extortion conspiracy. Also indicted were his brother, Rob, former chief of staff John Harris, associate Alonzo Monk, and fundraisers William Cellini and Christopher Kelly.

Authorities said Blagojevich attempted to raise $100,000 in campaign contributions from a "Racetrack Executive" in return for his signing into law a bill directing a portion of casino revenues to the horse racing industry.

He was said to be looking to receive the campaign contributions before the end of the year because a new ethics law prohibiting political contributions from state contractors was scheduled to take effect on the first day of 2009.

He also allegedly received "substantial campaign fundraising assistance" from individuals seeking the appointment to fill the Senate seat of Obama. The individuals included "Senate Candidate A," whose associate allegedly offered $1.5 million in campaign money in exchange for an appointment.

Blagojevich eventually appointed Sen. Roland Burris, who was investigated by the Senate Ethics Committee and who faced calls to resign due to what critics said were murky circumstances of his appointment.

Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7018145603#ixzz0iapYhvwS