Blago Retrial: Daily Journal 6/7

Follow Ward Room on Twitter to keep up-to-date with action in the courtroom.

Read live blogs of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's first, second, third, fourth and fifth days
on the stand.

4:30 p.m.: Blagojevich says nary a word to the media as he leaves the courthouse, but he stops to sign autographs.

3:55 p.m.: As Blagojevich was leaving the witness stand, he reached out to shake attorney Reid Schar's hand. Schar declined. Zagel later instructed the jury that this wasn't a snub. Lawyers are instructed to not have any contact with the defendant.

3:47 p.m.: Final defense witnesses are not ready. They will be called tomorrow. The government's closing arguments could come in the afternoon, followed by the defense team's on Thursday. If that's the case, the jury could deliberate on Friday. Judge Zagel wants them to become "engaged in deliberations" before the weekend.

3:39 p.m.: Blagojevich is done testifying. He spent nearly 27 hours on the witness stand over seven days. The defense they have two more witnesses to call.

2:21 p.m.: Reporter Susan Berger notes that five spectators are sleeping during Atty. Goldstein's tedious line of questioning. She also notes the Patti Blagojevich didn't return to court after lunch.

2:08 p.m.: Blagojevich says if he had come to a decision about appointing Valerie Jarrett to the Senate, it would of been David Axelrod he needed to call.

2 p.m.: Government objects 10 times in about as many minutes.

1:51 p.m.: Back in court, Blagojevich says he didn't appoint anyone to the Senate for Emanuel.

12:36 p.m.: "This conversation needs to end because people are hungry," Zagel says. Lunch break begins.

12:31 p.m.: Zagel sides with prosecutors and blocks the Emanuel tape from being played.

12:25 p.m.: Defense attorneys want to play the tape of Rahm Emanuel asking Blagojevich for a favor, but prosecutors object.

12:20 p.m.: Blagojevich makes a crack about the Cubs, but jurors don't crack a smile.

12:17 p.m.: "I never asked Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. for a fundraiser. Everybody knows he never raises money for anybody," Blagojevich says.

12:09 p.m.: Blagojevich says he uses the word "tangible" a lot.

12:02 p.m.: "I don't want to admonish you in front of the jury," Zagel says.

12:01 p.m.: Before redirect begins Judge Zagel warns that Blagojevich must "stop talking" when the government objects. Unlike the cross-examination when he ingored his own attorneys.

11:50 a.m.: Cross-examination ends. Blagojevich steps off the stand. [Read more here ...]

11:49 a.m.: Blagojevich says he wanted to cancel Nayak meeting about the $1.5 meeting because of a "crisis," but he went ahead with dedicating a Cubs sign that day.

11:48 a.m.: "Proud of those words. Meant do things right," Blagojevich says, explaining why he said "assume the whole world is listening" before Nayak meeting.

11:42 a.m.: As prosecutors continue questioning Blagojevich about Jackson, the former governor talks over the attorneys to explain.

11:34 a.m.: "Political tangible support is not fundraising," Blagojevich says.

11:31 a.m : "I was giving Fred a sense of what they were doing," Blagojevich says, explaining why he was telling his adviser about $1.5 million in "up front support."

11:22 p.m.: "No amount of reasonable arguments was going to make me pick [Jackson], Blagojevich says.

11:20 a.m.: "I viewed it as illegal," Blagojevich said of a Jackson supporter offering him a bribe for the Senate appointment. "I never stopped to think of it as a bribe or not a bribe."

11:19 a.m.: "Yes, In exchange": Blagojevich concedes the $1.5M in "political support" from the Indian community was in exchange for naming Jackson to the Senate.

11:12 a.m.: Blagojevich denies asking Jackson for a campaign donation in 2002, then denying Sandi Jackson a job when Jackson never gave him the money.

11:10 a.m.: Next topic: Blagojevich's feelings about Jesse Jackson Jr. "Fair to say you are not a big fan?" "Yes," Blagojevich says.

10:54 a.m.: 15-minute break. Prosecutors could wrap up their cross-examination of Blagojevich by this afternoon.

10:32 a.m.: Prosecutors: "That whole time [from Oct. 27th to Dec. 8th], you did nothing to move the $6 billion tollway bill forward."

10:29 a.m.: Blagojevich testifies that on Oct. 27 he no longer expected money from Krozel. Phone calls show he continues to ask about the $100,000 until Dec. 8.

10:27 a.m.: Schar again uses quotes from wiretap tapes of Blagojevich to remind him about how he checked in several times about whether Krozel had given the money.

10:25 a.m.: Blagojevich denies the meeting with Krozel was to solicit campaign cash, though it's listed at the top of a fundraising chart.

10:17 a.m.: Blagojevich is having a tough time answering some of Schar's questions. He says: "I was talking so much, I forgot your question."

10:05 a.m. Prosecutors focus on a meeting Blagojevich had with Krozel. They're trying to get him to say he alluded to the $6 billion tollway plan.

10:04 a.m.: First topic: allegations the former governor tried to shake down Illinois Roadbuilders in exchange for campaign donations. Blagojevich previously testified he didn't shake down, threaten or demand campaign contributions from construction executive Gerald Krozel or Roadbuilders.

10 a.m.: Day 3 of cross-examination of Rod Blagojevich begins.

What To Expect Today:

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich takes the stand for another day of cross-examination. On Monday, Blagojevich was again on the hot seat as the prosecution continued to grill him, often using his own taped words against him in the corruption trial.

Prosecutor Reid Schar continued to try and hammer away at Blagojevich's credibility and focused on the most serious charge, that the former governor tried to get a high-ranking appointment in Pres. Barack Obama's cabinet by naming someone such as Valerie Jarrett to the vacated Senate seat.