May 11, 2009 1:24 pm US/Central
Verdict In Blagojevich Saga Likely 2 Years Away
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich talks to reporters before his arraignment on federal corruption charges on April 14, 2009.
CBS
The Justice Department on Monday suggested the criminal trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich is at least a year and a half away. And an attorney for Blagojevich estimated the trial would take six months.
Blagojevich's defense team suffered a blow Monday when Judge James Zagel OK'd the hiring of only three more lawyers, not the seven that had been requested.
Blagojevich needs more lawyers to read the 1 million pages of government documents and listen to the 400 hours of FBI tape recordings that were dumped on them late last month.
Blagojevich's lawyers have reluctantly agreed to be paid far below the rate some of them usually charge in return for being allowed to tap his $2.3 million campaign fund. But
Zagel previously ruled that the money for the former governor's defense will likely come from taxpayers, instead.
So far Sheldon Sorosky is the only attorney to commit himself in court to represent Blagojevich. Others have been said to be waiting to see if they would be paid.
One lawyer who is likely to join the team is
Sam Adam, a colorful elderly South Sider known for bombastic speeches and a go-for-broke courtroom demeanor.
Adam sat in on Monday's status hearing.
Afterward Adam said his interest in the case stemmed from statements made by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and FBI Chief Bob Grant when Blagojevich was arrested.
"I was personally offended," said Adam, "when they said 'Lincoln would roll over in his grave, and 'if Illinois isn't the most corrupt state then I don't know which is.'"
Judge Zagel said this case is "exceptional," explaining why he OK'd three added lawyers for Blagojevich when he'd never allowed for more than two in all his years on the federal bench.
So-called "super-lawyer" Dan Webb said he will ask that his client lobbyist Bill Cellini be tried separately from Blagojevich.
Judge Zagel admonished Friends of Blagojevich to "wind down" its spending. An attorney said the bulk of its spending is its lease for its headquarters near Irving Park and Ravenswood.
Attorney Mike Monico said he and client Chris Kelly "received a mountain of information" from prosecutors that will take them "many months" to study.
Sorosky asked Zagel for the OK to use the Friends of Blagojevich office space is a headquarters for trial preparation.
The judge said he didn't have the authority to rule one way or the other.
The Ravenswood location was bugged by the FBI. Recordings made there include the now infamous "f***** golden" remark made by Blagojevich referring to his right to appoint Roland Burris to President Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat.
CBS 2 Political Producer Ed Marshall contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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