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Blagojevich loses bid to force prosecutor Fitzgerald from case

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] A judge for the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on Friday rejected an attempt by former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich to have US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald of the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois removed from his federal corruption case. The ruling by Judge James Holderman denied Blagojevich's request to disqualify Fitzgerald from the case. Blagojevich had argued that Fitzgerald should be removed from the case for making biased and inflammatory remarks during a January press conference. In January, the Illinois State Senate voted unanimously to convict Blagojevich of abuse of power and remove him from office. Blagojevich is the first Illinois governor to be impeached and removed from office. Earlier that month, the Illinois House of Representatives voted 114-1 to impeach. Blagojevich had boycotted the impeachment proceedings against him, appearing only at the end of the Senate hearings to make a final plea to remain in office. Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris were arrested in December by federal agents on charges of corruption. Both Blagojevich and Harris have been charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery. They are accused of conspiring to sell or trade the senate seat left vacant by President Barack Obama, obtaining illegal campaign contributions, and threatening to withhold assistance to the Chicago Tribune with the sale of Wrigley Field unless two editorial writers who had been critical of Blagojevich were fired. Harris resigned his position after the arrest, but Blagojevich refused to resign.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on March 07, 2009 (boomark / email).