December 22, 2008
But we sure are for their case against him. Blagojevich is strapped for cash so he had his lawyer, Edward Genson (who defended R. Kelly) petition for taxpayer funded defense for blago in his criminal trial and possible impeachment. The logic being Lisa Madigan as Illinois' chief law enforcement officer, has a duty to represent the governor. But she can't exactly do so after she went to the IL Supreme Court to declare him unfit. So does she have an obligation to defend him? If so, then she cannot and therefore the state should pay for Blagojevich's defense. Evidently his $3.6M campaign funds are about to be frozen by Fitzgerald and he can't exactly go out and ask for more. And Rezko is sitting in solitary unable to raise or direct money to him. I suppose he could sell his house to the highest bidder.
So many interesting twists to this story and the election in general. I had no politics was like this or the media. How long have people put up with propaganda?
Chicago SunTimes DAVID MCKINNEY:
State law requires the attorney general "defend all actions and proceedings against any state officer, in his official capacity, in any of the courts of this state or the United States."
But [Anne] Spillane [Madigan's Chief of Staff ] noted that ongoing impeachment proceedings don't constitute an action in "court," as the law lays out. Nor is the House's inquiry related to Blagojevich in his "official capacity".
"A suit is against a state official in his official capacity when the state, not the individual, is the 'real party in interest.' That is not the case in impeachment proceedings".
That provision of the law, she said, "therefore cannot entitle the governor to legal representation at the State's expense in the proceedings before the House of Representatives.
GENSON: "As a sitting governor he is entitled to be represented by the attorney general. He happens to have an attorney general who files things against him, so that's not appropriate. We can't very well ask her to defend him for this. And if he has an obligation to be defended by her, I felt that they should pay -- they being the state of Illinois.
He said previous he took the case because "he takes cases that are fun". He clearly knew he wasn't going to get paid by the taxpayers or blagojevich...not that he needs it.
And the next twist?
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