Tagged: Rod Blagojevich

Updated 1:14 p.m.

Impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich claims he never would have testified at his recent corruption trial had he known the judge would stop him from making certain statements.

Blagojevich made the assertion in an affidavit tagged at the end of a 158-page motion for a new trial filed this week.

He testified for seven days at his retrial. Jurors later convicted him on 17 corruption counts.

Reporting by WBEZ’s Robert Wildeboer used in this report.

Within the next few weeks, attorneys for ousted Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will be asking Judge James Zagel for a mistrial. That’s unlikely to succeed, which means they’ll move on to a higher court. Still, Blagojevich’s testimony could cause problems for an appeal.

Updated 2:24 p.m. with verdict information:

A jury has convicted Rod Blagojevich of nearly all the corruption charges against him, including trying to sell or trade President Barack Obama's old Senate seat.

(See full list of charges and verdicts below with details)

Jurors delivered their verdicts Monday after deliberating nine days.

Blagojevich had faced 20 charges, including the Senate seat allegation and that he schemed to shake down executives for campaign donations. He was convicted on all charges regarding the Senate seat.

He testified for seven days, denying wrongdoing. Prosecutors said he lied and the proof was on FBI wiretaps. Those included a widely parodied clip in which Blagojevich calls the Senate opportunity "f------ golden."

Jurors in his first trial deadlocked on all but one charge, convicting Blagojevich of lying to the FBI.

Blagojevich already faces up to five years for the lying conviction.