Blago Still Seeks Obama As Witness

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Apr 22, 2010 5:40PM

Lawyers for former governor Rod Blagojevich said last winter they hoped to call President Obama to the witness stand to testify at the ex-gov's trial. They made that hope official today as they moved in court today to issue President Obama with a trial subpoena to have him testify. The feds interviewed Obama before he was sworn in to get any information he might have on the alleged attempt to sale his vacated U.S. Senate seat. Natash Korecki reports for the Sun-Times:

Experts have told the Sun-Times that while presidents are subject to be called to trial -- President Bill Clinton gave a videotaped deposition in a civil case -- the White House can cite everything from national security to schedule conflicts to avoid the witness chair. Blagojevich's lawyers would have to persuade Judge James Zagel that written or video testimony was no substitute.

Obama addressed the issue repeatedly in December 2008 and there's no indication he plans to testify in the upcoming trial, scheduled to start June 3.