Blago judge denies request to see Obama interview notes
The judge presiding over former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's upcoming retrial has rejected a request from defense attorneys to let them see summaries of any FBI interviews with President Barack Obama.
Among the charges Blagojevich faces is that he sought to sell or trade an appointment to Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat for campaign cash or a top job. Obama has never been accused of any wrongdoing in the case.
Judge James Zagel said at a Thursday status hearing he's read the summaries and nothing in them is relevant to Blagojevich's defense.
Zagel denied a similar request before Blagojevich's first trial.
The retrial is set to start Wednesday.
Zagel on Thursday also denied a request to delay the trial by several weeks to give defense attorneys more time to prepare.