The prosecution in the Rod Blagojevich corruption trial has wrapped up its closing argument, ending with the allegation that the former governor tried to extort a campaign donation from Children’s Memorial Hospital chief, Patrick Magoon. Robert Blagojevich’s attorney Michael Ettinger is now speaking to the jury.
“You have a tremendous amount of information,” prosecutor Chris Niewoehner told the jury, “but I am going to contrast that with Patrick Magoon. Patrick Magoon didn’t know anything behind the scene.”
Following lunch, Niewoehner wrapped up enumerating counts the government is charging Rod Blagojevich with.
In explaining the racketeering charges, Niewoehner says: “The things that bring all these together is the defendant, and his desire to use state power to benefit him – money, campaign contributions.”
Niewoehner explains that the false statement charge is the only count that requires the defendant to have “willfully” committed the act. But he tells jurors that shouldn’t throw them off.
“[Blagojevich] is a former prosecutor being asked questions by the FBI,” Niewoehner said. “He knew that it would be against the law for him to lie to the FBI.”
The prosecutor continued: “You should think of each count separately, but you should consider the evidence together.”
“It’s all the same person, and you’ve heard so much evidence about who that person was.”