POLITICAL DUD: The Corruption Trial of Rod Blagojevich was supposed to be Explosive - What Happened?
Ever since impeached Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested on December 9th, 2008 he has not only maintained his innocence but insisted repeatedly that he would expose the truth on the stand. After the prosecution rested its case weeks earlier than expected, Blagojevich's defense team rested after only two days – and without the testimony of the defendant who assured the public it would hear his story.
Many expected the defense to call well known figures such as: Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett, Harry Reid, Dick Durbin, Jesse Jackson Jr., and Tony Rezko as witnesses. Several of them had been issued subpoenas. In April, Blagojevich defense Attorneys filed a motion to subpoena the testimony of Barack Obama. That motion was rejected by the judge but many were taken aback when none of those listed above were called to testify.
Are these normal happenings in a trial of this magnitude? High-profile criminal attorney, Rene Sandler is available for interviews to discuss this anti-climactic change of events. The judge in the trial made several rulings that seemed to be overly favorable to the president, whose name came up throughout the prosecution's case. On one recording, Blagojevich was heard telling his then Chief of Staff, John Harris that “This guy's (Obama) is more Tony'd up than I am,” indicating that Obama has more extensive ties to Tony Rezko than Blagojevich did.
Much of what jurors heard on the recorded tapes included references to Rahm Emanuel and Barack Obama. One thing that was corroborated by both mulitple witnesses and the recordings was that Obama had sent emissaries to Blagojevich in an attempt to get Valerie Jarrett appointed to the seat. This conflicted directly with what the White House had maintained in the past. In fact, at a press conference on the day of Blagojevich's arrest, Obama said he had “no contact with the governor”.
A large part of the prosecution's case involved hours of recorded phone conversations on which Blagojevich was heard working through scenarios that would enable him to capitalize on the Senate seat soon to be vacated by then president-elect Barack Obama.
As the jury is set to hear closing arguments much sooner than anyone expected, many people who anticipated an explosive trial carrying the potential to shake the political landscape to the core, are left asking questions about how it could be so anti-climactic. Was a political deal cut? Is there going to be a pre-agreed upon Presidential pardon of Blagojevich? Will any of the evidence in this trial be used in a future Obama Impeachment hearing?
THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES SHOULD BE USEFUL FOR SHOW PREP:
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/07/blagojevich_trial_early_end_a.html
ABOUT RENE (pronounced REE-nee) SANDLER, ESQ.:
Rene Sandler, Esq. has fought on behalf of her clients in courts throughout the State of Maryland for more than a decade. Ms. Sandler was recently named as a top trial lawyer in Washingtonian Magazine, which listed the top 1% of attorneys in 28 legal specialties in the Washington Metropolitan area.
Ms. Sandler regularly handles high profile criminal cases in Maryland and has been featured in Washingtonian Magazine and a variety of local and national newspapers and magazines and is currently a popular talk show guest. Ms. Sandler has been recognized through the Montgomery County Office of the Public Defender (The same county where the DC Sniper John Allen Muhammad was tried) as a private attorney possessing outstanding trial skills and commitment to her clients and for fighting injustice.
Rene Sandler, Esq. is the Chair of the prestigious School Education Committee through the Montgomery County Bar Foundation, which partners with Montgomery County Public Schools to bring educational programs to the schools on such topics as school violence, gangs, forensic evidence, juvenile justice system, and the legal system as a whole. Recently, the Montgomery County Bar Association honored Ms. Sandler for her tireless work on this Committee and for developing and implementing programs for both Montgomery County students and parents through the Montgomery County Public Schools Parent Academy.
Ms. Sandler began her legal career as a law clerk to the Hon. S. Michael Pincus, in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County. Thereafter, she joined the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office where she prosecuted hundreds of major felonies, misdemeanors, and serious traffic cases and regularly tried cases before juries. Ms. Sandler has been in private practice since 1996.
In addition to practicing law, Ms. Sandler is an adjunct law professor where she teaches law practice management. Rene Sandler, Esq. is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, Montgomery County Bar Association, member and former Board of Director of the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys Association, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Montgomery County Bar Association Nominations and Elections Committee and Chair of the School Education Committee.
Ms. Sandler practices in the areas of criminal defense, serious traffic offenses, juvenile crime, child protective services investigations, personal injury, appellate law and protective orders in domestic violence cases. Ms. Sandler maintains her knowledge of cutting-edge issues and legal developments by regularly attending continuing legal education courses, seminars and other training. Ms. Sandler teaches continuing legal education courses to attorneys on the topics of protective orders and criminal law and has recently published an article for attorneys on the collateral consequences of protective orders.
Ms. Sandler also volunteers each year as a judge for the Maryland High School Mock Trial competitions.