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Blagojevich Consults With Chicago Legal Heavyweight

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The Associated Press

Published: December 14, 2008

CHICAGO - Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich met with a renowned Chicago criminal lawyer Saturday as he weighed legal options for fighting a scandal that has left his career in tatters and disrupted President-elect Barack Obama's White House transition.

The Democratic governor had a four-hour meeting with Ed Genson in the lawyer's downtown office Saturday. Genson has defended newspaper baron Conrad Black, R&B singer R. Kelly and numerous public figures on corruption charges, earning a reputation as the lawyer big shots call when they get in a bind in Chicago.

Genson confirmed the two met but wouldn't discuss details of their dialogue. When asked if he would take the case, Genson said: "We'll make our mutual decision on Monday."

Blagojevich has brushed back calls for his resignation after he was charged with trying to sell Obama's Senate seat.

The scandal continued to hound Reps. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Rahm Emanuel, Obama's choice for chief of staff. About a dozen protesters stood outside Jackson's office Saturday demanding his resignation, and Republicans called for more information from Obama about Emanuel's role in the Senate selection process.

The Chicago Tribune reported that Emanuel had conversations - captured on wiretaps - before the election with the Blagojevich administration about who would replace Obama in the Senate. The report did not suggest any deal-making in the conversations, and Obama has strongly denied that anyone on his team committed wrongdoing.

Jackson was identified as one of the candidates Blagojevich was considering to replace Obama, and a criminal complaint said his supporters were willing to raise $1.5 million for the governor to make the appointment happen.

The Legislature could start impeachment proceedings on the governor Monday, and the Illinois Supreme Court could act on a request by Attorney General Lisa Madigan to strip him of his powers.

The governor has not made any public comments about his future.
Chicago defense attorney and former assistant U.S. attorney Ron Safer said the prospect of trading a resignation in a plea deal with federal prosecutors may be far-fetched, but said Blagojevich's nature seems to be a self-serving one in which he gains a personal advantage from every action he takes.

Safer sized up the prospect from his perspective as a former prosecutor: "If he came in and said,...'I want to plead guilty. I want to cooperate. I want to accept responsibility. I'm going to resign my office,' all of those would indicate to me acceptance and would be relevant to me as a prosecutor."

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