Inherit The Windbag: Prosecution Smells The Finish Line

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Jul 13, 2010 2:20PM

It's another quick-hits edition of the Blago Trial Wrap-Up.

On-the-Court action:

• Brother Robert Blagojevich's attorney kept distancing Rob from Rod, pointing out that Rob was noticeably absent during a lot of these alleged meetings in which Rod made pitches for what he wanted in return for the seat.
• Under cross-examination, former Deputy Gov. Robert Greenlee claimed he, like others, often just told the governor what he wanted to hear (in this case, in reference to Blago's Tribune-directed rage). His cross also led to some in-depth grammar explorations. Judge Zagel, however, did not approve. Zagel also denied a defense motion to impeach Greenlee as a witness for denying saying something that the FBI caught on one of the tapes.
• The defense also tried to pin more blame on Greenlee, saying he "lied" to Blago and that Blago took that advice because of Greenlee's background. This is all laying groundwork for the defense case in which they'll insist that Blago was the recipient of bad advice from his inner circle.
• More cross focused on which Senate possibility was real and which was a decoy: Lisa Madigan or Jesse Jackson, Jr.? Greenlee is heard on a tape apparently backing the idea of Madigan but told the jury he had been confused during the conversation and that he really believed Jackson to be real candidate and that Jackson would get the seat in exchange for campaign donations to Blago.
• When asked if he moved ahead on some issues without getting Blago's input, Greenlee said, "If I had waited for approval from Gov. Blagojevich before I did anything with my job, the state would have ground to a halt."
• The day ended with Judge Zagel ruling that the prosecution's request to break down Blago's legal bills for the jury is relevant to showing Blago had debt and a need for money in late 2008.

Off-the-Court action:

• With the prosecution slated to wrap up their case very soon, possibly this afternoon, the defense has asked for a week's delay in the trial. They claim they told their witnesses to be prepped for early-August and the prosecution's speedy case has left the defense in a lurch. And they're not happy. Sam Adam Sr. told reporters yesterday: "A fair trial is destroyed. We told our witnesses we'd be in touch late August. All of a sudden, the government cuts their case short ... They misled us. They misled the court."
• Judge Zagel still hasn't ruled whether or not jurors names will be made public and it could set the stage for a full hearing on the matter later this month.
• The Sun-Times' Natasha Korecki continues to break down the case like no one else in town, including this interesting article which raises the question: are prosecutors actually making their case successfully or was Blago all talk, no walk?