Jury convicts ex-Gov. Blagojevich at retrial
CHICAGO (AP) - Blagojevich had faced 20 charges, including that he sought to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat...
CHICAGO (AP) — A jury has convicted Rod Blagojevich of trying to sell or trade President Barack Obama’s old Senate seat and other corruption charges.
Jurors delivered their verdicts Monday after deliberating for nine days.
Blagojevich had faced 20 charges, including that he sought to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat and schemed to shake down executives for campaign donations.
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Blagojevich 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. Prosecutors opted to try him again.
Blagojevich already faces up to five years for the lying conviction.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
