One Week Down in Blago Trial

After an explosive first week, the Rod Blagojevich trial is taking the weekend off.

Jurors will need the time to digest.

The week started with a rhetorical fourish when Blagojevich's lawyer Sam Adam Jr. stomped around the courtroom telling jurors that Blagojevich was innocent because he never took a dime.

“This is the biggest  political corruption case in history,” Blagojevich's lawyer, Sam Adam Jr., thundered to the jury.  “And what do they tell you?  He’s broke; doesn’t have a dime!”

In a bombastic performance that saw the attorney criss-cross the courtroom, pound his fist, clap his hands, joke, guffaw, and even swear (albeit in the context of a quote), Adam Jr. declared that Rod Blagojevich was an honest man -- and a fool.

"That man there is as honest as the day is long," Adam Jr. said, pointing at Blagojevich. "You'll know it in your gut ... All you're going to see is he made a mistake. His judgment is horrible, horrible, horrible."

Adam Jr.'s style contrasted the prosecution's calm, measured performance.

Next up, the witnesses.

The prosecution called on Blagojevich's old buddy and former chief of staff Alonzo "Lon" Monk.

Monk testified about the political machinations behind deciding who would be appointed to President Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

Monk contends Blagojevich told him of an alleged deal under which a lawmaker would stop passage of an ethics bill if Blagojevich would appoint him to the seat. Monk says the governor was eager to stop the bill, which would have sharply limited his ability to raise campaign funds.

The ousted governor has pleaded not guilty to charges that accuse him -- among other things -- of scheming to get a payoff by using his power as governor to fill Obama's seat.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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