Blagojevich: 'This is about a government prosecutor out of control'
Speaking to reporters in the lobby of the federal courthouse after the verdict in his corruption trial, Rod Blagojevich blasted U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and his team of prosecutors and vowed to carry on the fight the prove his innocence. His wife, Patti, wore a somber look as the two held hands. Here is an edited transcript of his remarks:
"Let me also say to the people of Illinois that from the very beginning when this all happened, I told them that I did not let them down, I didn't break any laws, I didn't do anything wrong. The government, the federal government and this particular prosecutor did everything he could to target me and prosecute me, persecute me, put pressure on my family, try to take our home, take me away from our kids and arrest me in the early morning hours on December the 9th with Patti and me in our bedroom and our little Annie in bed with us, a sitting governor, and that very prosecutor said he was stopping a crime spree before it happened.' Well this jury just shows you notwithstanding the effect this government and the power and the resources that they bring to bear, this jury just shows you, that notwithstanding the fact that the government threw everything but the kitchen sink at me, that on every count except for one, on every charge except for one, they could not prove that I did anything wrong, that I did break, that I did break any laws, except for one nebulous charge from five years ago, a conversation that I had with the FBI where the FBI - and I agreed to that interview - refused to allow me to have a court reporter in the room. I want the people of Illinois to know I did not lie to the FBI. I've told the truth from the very beginning.
"This is a persecution. We have police officers who are being gunned down on the streets. We have children who can't play in front of their homes in the summertime because they might get gunned down and we have a prosecutor who has wasted and wants to spend tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer money to keep persecuting me, persecuting my family, take me away from my little girls, as well as take my home away from us.
"But I want to thank the men and women of this jury for what they came up with. Most people say you can't fight city hall, and most people have said from the very beginning when the federal government and these prosecutors come after you like they did me, and they threw everything they could at me, 24 charges that I have said from the beginning are false and the jury agreed that the government did not prove its case. And let me also point out, let me also point out that we didn't even put a defense on and the government couldn't prove its case.
"And so Patti and I, Patti and I are going to continue the fight because this fight is a lot bigger than just me and my family. This is a fight for the very freedoms that we as Americans enjoy. The right to be able to be innocent. The right to be able to do your job and to not be lied about. And so we're going to continue the fight. And again I just want to express my gratitude to the men and women of the jury and remind the people of Illinois I didn't let you down. The jury has shown the government couldn't prove that I did anything wrong. We're going to appeal that lying decision and we're hopeful that the law is on our side with regard to that.''
When he arrived at his Ravenswood Manor home Tuesday evening, Blagojevich again spoke to reporters:
"What the jury decided today is that I didn't let the people of Illinois down. This is about a government prosecutor out of control. Someone for whatever motivation is trying to keep me from my kids, trying to take my home from us and the jury on 96 percent showed that there was nothing.
"I didn't do anything wrong. I said all along that when there was an opportunity to show that I didn't do anything wrong that it would be shown.
"Here you have a government that uses all its resources at its disposal. Tens of millions of dollars. They told you they were stopping a crime spree before it happens. And ultimately when they had a chance to prove their case, they couldn't prove it. There was no crime spree. There was no corruption. I have been lied about and you have been lied to.''
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