More Time OK'd For Blagojevich Indictment

Judge Gives Prosecutors 3 Months To Gather Evidence In Corruption Case Against Illinois Gov.

(AP)  A federal judge on Monday gave prosecutors an additional three months to obtain a corruption indictment against Gov. Rod Blagojevich, saying the complexity of the case against him makes it "unreasonable" to expect the indictment sooner.

Chief Judge James F. Holderman's decision to grant the extension was expected, came without any opposition from defense attorneys and didn't indicate any slowdown in the government's corruption investigation of Blagojevich and his administration.

Holderman also has been asked to decide whether redacted versions of secretly made FBI recordings of Blagojevich can be given to an Illinois House committee working to determine whether there is enough evidence to impeach Blagojevich. A hearing was planned for Monday afternoon.

Holderman said the case against Blagojevich is too complex to expect a speedy indictment.

"The ends of justice served by the extension outweigh the best interests of the public and the defendants to a speedy trial," the judge said.

Blagojevich, 52, is charged in a federal criminal complaint filed last month with an array of offenses, including a plot to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama following his election as president. The governor says he is innocent.

Blagojevich and former chief of staff John Harris also are charged with plotting to squeeze potential campaign contributors for money illegally and trying to get the Chicago Tribune to fire editorial writers calling for the governor's impeachment.

Federal prosecutors have 30 days after filing such a complaint to replace it with a grand jury indictment, which would allow them to take the case to trial.

The deadline for an indictment against Blagojevich would have run out Wednesday. Holderman extended the deadline to April 7.

According to an FBI affidavit attached to the complaint, Blagojevich described his power to appoint a senator to fill the seat as a "golden" thing and vowed to get something in return — a Cabinet post, a high-paying job after leaving office, a position for his wife or campaign cash — in exchange.

Authorities also allege in the affidavit that Blagojevich schemed to withhold $8 million in aid to a children's hospital until the head of the hospital made a sizable campaign contribution. He allegedly used the power of the governor's office to pressure roadbuilders and someone interested in casino legislation for political donations.

Blagojevich also discussed with Harris the possibility of holding up financial aid to the Tribune in its efforts to sell Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, unless the editorial writers were fired, the affidavit said. According to the FBI recordings, the governor pressed Harris to apply the pressure in meetings with a financial adviser to the newspaper company.

Illinois House members investigating whether the governor should be impeached are reviewing evidence they've heard in hearings since Dec. 16. Members say a committee vote on whether to recommend impeaching the governor could come Wednesday or Thursday.

Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris, a former Illinois attorney general, to Obama's Senate seat despite Democratic leaders' pledge not to seat anyone named by the governor facing federal corruption charges.

On Monday, the governor made a less controversial move regarding another job made vacant by the presidential election, setting a special election April 7 to fill the congressional seat Rahm Emanuel is vacating to become Obama's chief of staff. The primary will be March 3.

[harbinger09]

Posted by nolalou at 05:23 PM : Jan 05, 2009


They can''t let Blago go, because he has NEVER been charged. In the case you mentioned, the man had already been charged with murdering his wife? Or was he not charged for 2 years?

It is not that they should not pursue real and usable info against Blago if they can find it and not make it up---it is that they cannot charge a person or even imply guilt if they have no evidence or case to indict. That is called malicious prosecution.

Certainly, if someone were to accuse you of something, and the government wanted to ruin your career --you would want them to actually have proof before the ruination commenced. In Blago''s case, they have little to nothing. The tapes where he makes the pay to play comments mean NOTHING if they don''t have evidence that he followed through. They need evidence of bribes or favors done and it just can''t be hearsay from Blago enemies. Sort of like if you say (in a fit of anger) that you are going to kill someone--they are just words unless you hire an undercover officer, accrue weapons, poisons or some other means--saying something is not a crime--unless there are results to show your true intent. Fitz has nothing--and now they need more time, so he can find something or else HE will be in hot water and for some reason, the Dems want Blago out--guilty or not.

[erasmus606]

Blago gonna sing like a canary!
Doo dah, doo dah!
Blago gonna sing like a canary!
Oh de doo dah day.

Blago gonna sing all day,
Blago gonna sing all night!
Demmycrats gotta SHUT HIM UP,
All the live long day.

Demmycrats gonna DRAG THEIR FEET
Doo dah, doo dah!
Demmycrats gonna DRAG THEIR FEET
Day dowanna hear da canary sing.

CUZ THEIR NAME IS IN THE SONGGGGGGG!

And that''''s the truth-th-th-th-th...

Posted by txgrouch2008 at 09:22 PM : Jan 05, 2009


YIKES!

I''d rather hear Aerosmith or Queen.

[billrich11]

if you voted republiCON in the last election you are
completely Un American
Posted by pythoncharly at 07:24 PM : Jan 05, 2009

========================

Hey knumbnuts, can there be any doubt about the fact you wouldn''t know what a real American looked like even if one were to break a boot off in your azz.

[cbscrash072]

Blagojevich hasn''t been charged with anything. Therefore his appointment is legal. To bad he wasn''t charged that would start the clock and they would have to give him a speedy trial. I think the clock should have started the moment the prosecutor opened his mouth to the public. I like Blagojevich mostly because he needs a couple of those multi story mining dump trucks to carry his balls.

[nolalou]

Blagojevich could not be embarassed into resigning, so now they have to find a crime to pin on him. Saying they need more time to get an indictment is the equivalent of saying he is innocent.
Posted by random_radar

Oh great, another MORON! Saying they need more time IS NOT EQUIVILANT TO SAYING HE IS INNOCENT! We had a murder case here involving a TV sports announcer accused of killing his wife that dragged out 2 years, yet he eventualy was found guilty! Under your logic, they should just let ''em go if they can''t do it quick! I repeat, your a f-ing MORON!

[pvperson]

I thought they said they had an airtight case, why do they need 3 months more to "fine tune" their evidence. Either the man tried to sell the seat or not, this is getting to look more political and less criminal everyday.

[noloyalisti]

They are making such a big deal about this little man when you have the Bush Crime Family killers like Cheney, Rove and Rice out on the streets. Go figure.

[notblue]

randomradar would you apply that logic to the hated Bush? just curious.

[truth_police]

This is a RUSE (counterfeit) CBS Comments page. Only people who actually SUBMIT an opinion or comment can see any of these comments. And if they migrate away to another webpage afterwards, they cannot get back to this so-called ''comments'' page where these opinions are posted, UNLESS they submit another opinion. The only way to access this ''comments'' page is to submit an opinion. 99 percent of the article readers do not submit opinions, but like me, they want to read other''s comments. So 99.99 percent of the people who read the subject article cannot see your comments. Your opinion has, for all practical purposes, been completely stifled, silenced, censored, smothered, muzzled, gagged, suffocated by CBS. YOU''VE BEEN DUPED ... SUCKER-PUNCHED right out of the ring. Shuttled off to a sound-proof booth where essentially no one can hear you. When I submit an opinion I want the same audience the article had or why bother. Like most people, I''m not interested in being shuttled off to a sound-proof booth where my opinion is effectively muzzled, silenced. Here you are talking to empty seats. What good is it to have a "Readers'' Comments" section when there is no realistic way for readers of the article to access the comments? CBS is defrauding you with a ruse, counterfeit comments webpage.

[random_radar]

Blagojevich could not be embarassed into resigning, so now they have to find a crime to pin on him. Saying they need more time to get an indictment is the equivalent of saying he is innocent.

The only complexity in the case is the problem of no crime being committed. But fortunately the government has ways of making everyone appear to be a criminal, so they just need some time to work on it.

I am not defending Blagojevich''s lack of ethics, but I will always defend truth and justice for all. Our best defence against tyranny and oppression is to oppose it everywhere we see it.

If we pick and choose who we accord justice too, we have become tyrants.

[william_lerd]

More dumpocrapic bull *****! When dumpocraps get in trouble point your finger at the nearest republican to make people think the dumpocrapic crooks aren''''t CROOKS!


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Posted by TexHillGirl
==============================
More projecting.

[william_lerd]

Blago: I AM INNOCENT!

O''''bungler: I AM INNOCENT!

Trump, re-trump, trump, re-trump...what a political game and soap opera coming out the Chicago political ghetto!


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Posted by TexHillGirl
==========================
Bush and Cheney dont even have to try to fool their republican supporters. They can say "We are crooks" and you all would say "Big deal".

[william_lerd]

Quite Simple, You need time to go over information. Several people came up after the indictment, and the US Attorney needs time to sort through witness''''s. Give it time


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Posted by DJ_Houston
======================
But needs to rush in front of the cameras for a grandstanding.

[william_lerd]

Fitzgerald, that Blagojevich actually conspired to appoint HIMSELF as U.S. Senator from Illinois to replace Obama, sounds particularly "complex". Especially given Fitzgerald''''''''s past performance.


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Posted by samael2014 at 02:19 PM : Jan 05, 2009
===============================
But republicans wanted Palin to name herself to the Senate if Stevens, a convicted felon, would have won. Hilariously two faced.

[william_lerd]

--and it is not the Republicans going after Blago, its his own party. What does Blago know?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by harbinger09
======================
Funny, Fitsgerald was appointed by Bush.

[samael2014]

Chief Judge James Holderman granted the extension Monday, saying the case against Blagojevich is too complex to expect prosecutors to obtain an indictment by a Jan. 7 deadline.

That claim that by former special prosecuter "the American people deserve to see justice, so let''''s just charge Scooter Libbey with impeachment, and say ''''let it go'''' for the rest" Patrick Fitzgerald, that Blagojevich actually conspired to appoint HIMSELF as U.S. Senator from Illinois to replace Obama, sounds particularly "complex". Especially given Fitzgerald''''s past performance.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by samael2014 at 02:19 PM : Jan 05, 2009

Sorry, I meant "charge Scooter Libbey with perjury" above. I wish I could say I was getting ahead of myself with the impeachment charge, but Nancy Pelosi, in an unprecedented act, literally took "impeachment OFF the table" from a due process perspective.

[samael2014]

Chief Judge James Holderman granted the extension Monday, saying the case against Blagojevich is too complex to expect prosecutors to obtain an indictment by a Jan. 7 deadline.

That claim that by former special prosecuter "the American people deserve to see justice, so let''s just charge Scooter Libbey with impeachment, and say ''let it go'' for the rest" Patrick Fitzgerald, that Blagojevich actually conspired to appoint HIMSELF as U.S. Senator from Illinois to replace Obama, sounds particularly "complex". Especially given Fitzgerald''s past performance.

[creeper00]

"Between the right for fellow Senators to not seat a duly and legally appointed replacement Senator for Obama, REGARDLESS of the person''''s personal qualifications and rule of Illinois state law succession, the right for the Speaker of the House to take impeachment OFF the table (in an IRONIC CLASH of credibility) and the President''''s "executive privilege" and executive orders that usurp and subjugate Congressionally enacted law, IS THERE ANYTHING LEFT to the people (assuming the U.S. Constitution IS A MEANINGLESS PIECE OF PAPER?)."

Posted by samael2014 at 01:59 PM : Jan 05, 2009

The short answer is "no". The Constitution has already been designated by George W. Bush as "just a G-D piece of paper". Privacy went out the window on 9/11. Habeus corpus followed shortly thereafter, with freedom of speech on its heels. As for proving you''re actually eligible to run for the office of POTUS, that one never got off the ground.

[harbinger09]

Quite Simple, You need time to go over information. Several people came up after the indictment, and the US Attorney needs time to sort through witness''''s. Give it time

Posted by DJ_Houston at 02:05 PM : Jan 05, 2009


You need to understand the law. A prosecutor has 30 days after an arrest to present his case for indictment. Usually, if the evidence is not there, the case must be dropped and refiled. This is very political and looks like the Dems are trying to eat one of their own The fact is, that if a prosecutor does not have the evidence to file a case, it should be dismissed and a new case must be filed--there are usually NO extensions. This is bs. The only reason this is happening is the Congress and the courts know that most people have no idea how the courts and systems work and so you have no idea when stuff is going on that is suspiscious. They want Blago out of office for some reason--you have to wonder why--and it is not the Republicans going after Blago, its his own party. What does Blago know?

[harbinger09]

TRANSLATION: "We don''t have enough evidence or information to get an indictment, so give us time to manufacture a legitimate case or at least make up the evidence to convict this man"

The fact is, the Prosecutor does not have a case ...yet. Someone saying something on the phone shows nothing more than an idea or a comment. To become a crime, there must be REAL proof to commit such a crime. Real proof usually is a freezer full of money, or favors given, or money transferred or gifts/services rendered. We do not punish or indict or impeach people based on just what they say, but on the results of what they say (because results show their real intent) How many of us have said we would like to kill someone? Imagine being arrested and charged with murder for a crime that never occurred and which most of us did not truly mean.

Fitzgerald has nothing but needs more time to try to get something. If he does not get it or it fails the indictment test--he can be charged with malicious prosecution and get sued as well as severely censured.

Blago may be a loud mouth and indeed may be guilty of trying to sell a seat--but by acting too eagerly the case may have been bungled before it was truly a case. If so, Blago will now know who his real enemies are--who is in on the lynch mob and that they have a federal prosecutor/investigator on a leash.

I hope they do have an election and that the Dems lose the seat to a Republican. After all of this fake bs--that is the LEAST that they deserve.