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Federal judge allows disclosure of Blagojevich tapes to Senate committee

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

[JURIST] A federal judge ruled Wednesday that recorded conversations between the brother of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, Robert Blagojevich, and Illinois Senator Roland Burris could be released to the US Senate Ethics Committee to be used in the committee's investigation into the appointment of Burris. The recordings, intercepted by the FBI in November during an investigation into Rod Blagojevich, capture Burris offering to write a check to Blagojevich's campaign and discussing how to do it in the name of a third party so as to not raise suspicion. Based on the committee's request, the government applied for authorization to disclose the recordings pursuant to federal law. Holding that the Ethics Committee members are investigative officers under the statute, the court ruled the disclosure to be proper. Roland Burris was appointed to the Senate by former-Governor Blagojevich to replace Barack Obama. Democratic Senate leaders protested Burris's seating, reasoning that anyone appointed by Blagojevich could not effectively serve the people of Illinois. Rod and Robert Blagojevich and four associates were indicted on corruption charges in April by a federal grand jury. 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.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on May 27, 2009 (boomark / email).