10 I Monday, Aug. 23, 2010
Blagojevich won’t rule out return to politics
By the Associated Press
CHICAGO Former Illinois
Gov. Rod Blagojevich thinks a
future in politics is still a possibili
ty
Blagojevich said he won’t rule
out another run for political office
if federal prosecutors fail to con
vict him at a second trial, accord
ing to an interview on "Fox News
Sunday.”
His comments came days after
he was convicted of lying to feder
al agents. Jurors, however, dead
locked on 23 other more serious
charges, including that he had
tried to sell President Barack
Obama's old Senate seat.
Federal prosecutors have said
they will retry Blagojevich on
those charges, but the former gov
ernor insisted that he will be vindi
cated.
A federal judge has scheduled a
Thursday hearing to decide the
manner and timing of a retrial.
“l didn’t lie to the FBI. And I’m
not lying to you, and I’m not lying
to the people,” Blagojevich told
The
tPaper
Plate
‘Visit
psucollegian
talk show host Chris Wallace.
When Wallace asked
Blagojevich if he would run for
office again, he answered, “If
you’re asking me, do I believe that
there’s a potential political come
back in the future, when I’m vindi
cated in this case, absolutely I do.”
Blagojevich’s appearance on
the talk show was part of a media
blitz that began Friday when he
appeared on NBC’s “Today” show.
The appearances seem intended
to appeal, at least in part, to any
one who might end up on a second
jury.
It was widely believed that
media appearances Blagojevich
made before his first trial, includ
ing on the “The Celebrity
Apprentice” reality show, were
attempts to influence potential
jurors.
Blagojevich appeared on “Fox
News Sunday” by video feed from
Chicago. Wallace noted that
Blagojevich originally was sup
posed to be in the studio in
Washington with him but had
stayed in Chicago to appear at a
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comics convention where he
posed for photographs and signed
autographs.
Blagojevich said he needed the
$5O he received for each auto
graph to support his family. But he
also said it was “a way to get out
among the people,” presumably
including some who could be on
another jury.
The former governor repeated
ly insisted that he had been
involved in nothing more than
“political horse trading” and that
he didn’t tiy to trade political
appointments and other favors for
campaign contributions.
But when Wallace pressed him,
asking whether he had talked
about getting money from U.S.
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.’s support
ers before appointing Jackson to
the Senate, Blagojevich side
stepped the question.
Blagojevich’s older brother,
Robert Blagojevich, a Nashville,
Tenn., businessman, was charged
with him.
The 23 counts on which jurors
deadlocked included four involv-
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, second from left, and his wife
Patti leave Chicago's Federal Court building with his attorneys Aug. 17.
ing Robert Blagojevich. number of prominent Democrats,
As he did before his first trial, including White House adviser
Blagojevich said he would testify Rahm Emmanuel and Senate
and that his attorneys would call a Majority Leader Harry Reid.
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