Blagojevich's lawyer asks House for subpoenas
Gov. Blagojevich’s lead lawyer has asked the Illinois House panel weighing whether to impeach the governor to subpoena three high-profile witnesses.
The lawyer, Ed Genson, said Wednesday that testimony by Valerie Jarrett, a top adviser to President-elect Barack Obama; U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), Obama’s incoming chief of staff; and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), would bolster the governor’s contention that he did nothing wrong when it comes to filling Obama’s vacant U.S. Senate Seat.
(AP)
Blagojevich — who has the sole power to appoint Obama’s replacement — was arrested Dec. 9 and accused of putting the seat and other official government actions up for sale.
The announcement of Genson’s request follows Obama’s release of an internal report on Tuesday that concluded that Jarrett — who once had an interest in the seat — Emanuel, Obama or anybody on Obama’s team had not engaged in “inappropriate discussions with the governor or anyone from his office about a ‘deal’ or quid pro quo arrangement in which [Blagojevich] would receive a personal benefit in return for any specific appointment to fill the vacancy.”
Similarly, Jackson has maintained he’s done nothing wrong during his quest to be appointed to the Senate seat.
The Obama transition team and a spokesman for Jackson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), chairwoman of the House impeachment panel, also could not be reached for comment about Genson’s request.
The governor, according to his criminal complaint, is heard in secretly recorded conversations being willing to trade the Senate seat for an ambassadorship, an appointment to Obama’s cabinet, campaign contributions and other personal benefits. The Illinois House began considering whether to impeach the governor after his arrest.
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald on Wednesday was still considering giving the impeachment committee access to secretly recorded conversations of the governor that his office had amassed during its investigation, a legislative source familiar with the matter said.
Fitzgerald had indicated a decision on the recordings would be reached by Wednesday, but his office indicated it was extending that deadline.
The move fueled speculation that Fitzgerald could be amenable to turning over what could be damning evidence of Blagojevich as the committee weighs whether to impeach the governor.