Quite a day yesterday. Prosecutors showed that Blagojevich, after saying he would never pursue Jesse Jackson for the senate. did just that after learning that an Indian businessman offered $1.5 million in exchange for Jesse Jackson Jr. being named to the senate. Prosecutors showed transcripts of Blagojevich directing his brother - "here's what you got to do" - saying there was an urgency and "assume the whole world is watching."
The afternoon was spent with the defense doing damage control but the damage was done. And for the afternoon, in testimony that prompted government objection after objection that were sustained by the judge, Blagojevich talked too much, too fast and too rehearsed.
When it was all over, Blagojevich left the stand and went to the prosecution table and attempted to shake Schar's hand. Schar turned the other way and walked to a sidebar. After the sidebar, the Judge explained to the jury that the prosecutors are instructed not to have contact with the defendant.
And so went the day. Unlike Blagojevich, he did not come to the microphone and speak to the press. (perhaps he remembered that in the first words of the cross the prosecutors brought up how in the last trial he when he went right downstairs and talked about the testimony). Instead he went outside and signed autographs
Stay tuned to my live updates from the courtroom on Twitter (@Msjournalist)today. The defense is expected to call two witnesses, the government will call rebuttal witnesses and then the government will begin the closing arguments. The defense will do their close tomorrow and then it goes to the jury. The jury has agreed to work on Friday.
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