Blago: "They're Just Hanging Me"

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: In The News

(CBS)

In a defiant press conference this afternoon, impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich complained that his state Senate trial scheduled to begin Monday lacks "fundamental fairness."

Blagojevich, who has been accused of corruption and charged with trying to effectively sell the Senate seat vacated by President Obama, said the state Senate rules don't allow him to call witnesses or effectively defend himself. He is boycotting the proceedings unless the rules are changed.

"I'm not getting a fair trial," he said. "They're just hanging me."

The governor said he would call witnesses such as White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., and Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett if given the opportunity. He has been impeached by the Illinois House but not the Senate.

(AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

Blagojevich said he was "eager" to defend himself and called on newspaper editorial boards – including the editorial board at the Chicago Tribune – to pressure the state Senate to change its rules, which prohibit testimony that federal prosecutors say could jeopardize their criminal case against the governor. Among the allegations against Blagojevich is that he sought the firing of a Tribune editorial writer.

The governor said this afternoon that he was being denied "the presumption of innocence." He compared his situation to that of a cowboy charged with stealing a horse in the old west who gets a sham trial before being hanged.

Here are part of Blagojevich's cowboy-related comments: "[Under state Senate rules] if the cowboy charged with stealing a horse was charged with doing that in town, but in fact on the date and time that he apparently stole the horse in town he was on the ranch with six other cowboys, herdin' cattle and ropin' steers, and then he expects that when his day comes to go to court he can bring those six cowboys to say it wasn't him 'cause he wasn't in town he was on the ranch herdin' cattle, even if he could bring those cowboys into say that, under these rules, under 8B, it wouldn't matter."

(AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Earlier today, the Associated Press reported that the governor compared the emotional strain on him and his family over the charges to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

"Dec. 9 to my family, to us, to me, is what Pearl Harbor Day was to the United States," he said. "It was a complete surprise, completely unexpected. And just like the United States prevailed in that, we'll prevail in this."

Chicago mayor Richard Daley for the second time referred to Blagojevich as "cuckoo" on Friday. The governor is reportedly considering asking the courts to stop the "sham" proceedings in the state Senate.

The press conference was the first step in a planned media blitz by Blagojevich, who is hoping to head off his removal from office. He claims that efforts to remove him are tied to his work to help the people of Illinois.

"Political figures in Illinois are just waiting to get me out of the way [so they can] raise the income tax," he said Friday. He added that the impeachment trial is "all about" his willingness to take on a failed system in order to help people.

Notes the AP: "The governor twisted facts or exaggerated them to support his version of events."

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by jt_lancer January 25, 2009 8:43 PM EST: Illinois voters just LOVE to elect corrupt officials. It''s like a participant sport for them.; Reply to this comment


by jabailo January 25, 2009 5:17 AM EST: This guy is worth his weight in gold for Q ratings. Why get rid of him? We need something to entertain us while we''re on the dole.; Reply to this comment


by biomegaly January 24, 2009 11:05 PM EST: I hope the IL senate impeaches as well. I''m sure they will. That being said, I can''t believe the arrogance of this man. He has got some nerve behaving this way. He should admit what he did and ask IL to forgive him. How many more are there in our government who are just willing to forget about all of us and only focus on themselves? It''s sick, just sick. Blago, admit it, you did it. Go away mad if you must, but just go away.; Reply to this comment


by wlmrtpatriot January 24, 2009 3:48 PM EST: Speaking of Ted Kennedy, more people have died in Ted Kennedy''''s car than in all of the nuclear accidents in the entire United States.

Posted by ROYSTOLL2 at 11:53 AM : Jan 24, 2009

Thanks for posting that. I never thought of it that way, but it''s probably true. What sh*tty people we have governing our lives. We need a change and guess what..We don''t have it yet.; Reply to this comment


by roystoll2 January 24, 2009 3:40 PM EST: flasunjky- Hey I was just pointing out a historical fact and if you are that vindictive. . .you''ve got to be a liberal!; Reply to this comment


by flsunjnky January 24, 2009 3:10 PM EST: Hey, ROYSTOLL2, too bad you haven''t spent some time in that car!; Reply to this comment


by msmabuse January 24, 2009 3:07 PM EST: Sorry wrong forum!!!!; Reply to this comment


by msmabuse January 24, 2009 3:06 PM EST: When brown can hang around!!??
WHt the hell did this mean in tht speach?
That the mexicans are just living off of the system.
and dont send them all back because we need them to watch our kids.; Reply to this comment


by actornaught January 24, 2009 3:00 PM EST: ...after I proved it WRONG.
Posted by repo_man_08 at 11:48 AM : Jan 24, 2009

You''ve proven nothing except that you can do twisted rants about what other people are saying.

You made a statement about not wanting people to "diver[t]" from Blago being on trial, and then YOU go all over the map and political history to make loopy irrelevant statements.

You''re too far out there, and too clueless for this.; Reply to this comment


by roystoll2 January 24, 2009 2:53 PM EST: Speaking of Ted Kennedy, more people have died in Ted Kennedy''s car than in all of the nuclear accidents in the entire United States.; Reply to this comment