Notes on the trial and "conviction" of Ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich

By Jack Brummet
Ethics and Social Mores Editor

What to do when you're facing dozens of charges of criminal corruption (including racketeering, conspiracy, and wire fraud)?  Well, you might appear on a reality TV show like The Apprentice.  Blagojevich was fired by Donald Trump after mismanaging a project (due to his inability to communicate...he cannot use a computer or send text messages, which left his team in the dark).  When reality TV didn't work out, he would make numerous appearances as an Elvis impersonator.  

Voir dire - Everyone seems to be wondering if the attorneys for the prosecution fell down during Voir dire.  "In the United States, it now generally refers to the process by which prospective jurors are questioned about their backgrounds and potential biases before being chosen to sit on a jury." [Wikipedia].  The holdout juror doesn't appear to be a nutcase or fruitcake. . .she seems to have honestly believed that the government had not proved its case except the one count of lying to the FBI.  She would have easily slipped through the voir dire process.  It happens.  It's why we require unanimous verdicts. . .a little insurance for the possibility of reasonable doubt.  Clearly the government will reprosecute this one, perhaps with a less complicated case, and becoming a little more serious about jury selection.

It is Chicago, so some of us wonder if the fix was in with the hold-out jury member?  Or was she mobbed up?  Again, on the surface, she seems legit.  She simply didn't buy the government's case.  And it does look like the prosecution may have cut some corners due to overconfidence in their case. Who can really blame them--he was practically caught with his hand wedged in the cookie jar.



If you're Rod Blagojevich, after you are convicted on one count, and the prosecution announces it's intention to refile on the other 23 cases where the jury hung. . .what then?  Well, The Ex-Gov has mounted a bizarre counterstrike in the media. 

Blagojevich appears to be broke again, and is pondering a return to reality TV as he awaits The Blago Corruption Trial:  The Sequel.
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