The press is reporting here, here, here, and here, that Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been found guilty of 17 counts, not guilty on one count, and two counts with no verdict. This was the second trial, the first ending in a hung jury except for one count. The jury was out this time for 10 days. Blagojevich did not testify in the first trial, but did testify this time.
A second trial was an enormous benefit to the government. They had the opportunity to re-evaluate their case and to see that keeping it simple was the smarter choice. They also had the conviction on one count to allow them to start cross-examination against him with the "convicted felon question."
Why is it that so many Illinois Governors wind up as convicted felons? (e.g. Otto Kerner, Dan Walker, George Ryan, and Rod Blagojevich).
(esp)
Addendum – Doug Berman, Sentencing Law and Policy Blog here
MattBray.net 
6 responses to “Blagojevich Found Guilty on 17 of 20 counts – Joining The Illinois Governor Convicted Felon Club”
Walker was convicted after he was governor. He wasn’t my favorite, but he was also not an “Establishment Democrat” and he got no protection from the state politicos. I believe he was convicted of lying on a loan application. Not in the same class with Kerner, Ryan, and Blago.
Disclaimer: a few years ago I acquired former Gov Walker as an email correspondent [we exchange emails perhaps once a month.] and he seems to me to be a very nice person, overall. I can’t vouch for Kerner, but neither Ryan nor especially BLago struck me this way.
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Why not spare everyone the trouble in Illinois and simply drag each new governor off to the slammer as soon as the tally of votes is final?
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The only job saved or created in Illinois in this bad economy is prison guard to former governors.
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Trivia question: Excepting the current governor of Illinois, who was the last Democrat elected Governor of Illinois who was not later convicted of a felony? In what decade did he serve?
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Good news for Rod. He was acquitted on three counts.
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Once the United States Attorney focuses on someone they will be convicted of something. The U. S. Attorney has a huge sword with a lot of power and it is not unheard of for prosecutors to intimidate witnesses, threaten subjects, release secret information to the press – in other words, they will do anything to win. It is certainly not about truth and justice. It is only about numbers and using people as a stepping stone for their career. Truth and justice does not enter into the equation at all but who will get the prosecutor the most press and the biggest return.
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