Judge denies Blagojevich motion for mistrial

A judge on Wednesday rejected a request from Rod Blagojevich's attorneys to declare a mistrial at the former Illinois governor's political corruption retrial on the grounds that prosecutors have disrupted their case with near-constant objections during cross-examinations.

Blagojevich defense attorney Lauren Kaeseberg sought the mistrial, saying the objections — nearly 150 for one witness alone — were keeping the defense from conducting any meaningful cross-examinations.

"The defense is being cut off at the knees," Kaeseberg said, standing before Judge James Zagel. "We're looking like buffoons who don't know what we are doing. We do know what we're doing."

In denying the motion, Zagel said the grounds were too general, and he noted that the defense will have a chance to put on its own case once the prosecution rests.

"This is a case that can be best tried, in my judgment, if the government takes its turn, and then you take your turn," Zagel said. "And part of that is based on the fact that I have a little better idea what your turn might probably involve because I've tried this before."

When Kaeseberg challenged the ruling, Zagel cut her off. "I have made my ruling," she said.

Defense attorneys in Blagojevich's first trial last summer didn't present a single witness. That trial ended with jurors deadlocked on all but one charge. They convicted him of lying to the FBI.

Blagojevich faces 20 charges this time around, including that he tried to sell or trade President Barack Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat for campaign cash or a top job. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Also Wednesday, prosecutors played recordings of Blagojevich on the day of the 2008 presidential election. His excitement at the possibility of benefiting from Obama's victory is tempered by foul-mouthed angst at his political fortunes.

He tells his deputy governor, Bob Greenlee, that his "upward trajectory" had been "stalled, if not ... terminally wounded by Obama," and that he planned henceforth to put his wife and children first "for a change."

Later in the expletive-heavy recordings, Blagojevich redirects his rant at voters, whom he describes as ungrateful for all his hard work as governor. He points out that he oversaw the introduction of health care for children and free public transportation for seniors.

As jurors listened, Blagojevich kept his head lowered at the defense table, appearing sheepish. At least one juror smiled as the then-governor laid into his Illinois constituents, complaining that he only had a 13 percent approval rating.

Greenlee was on the witness stand Wednesday as the recordings were played. As the burly, boy-faced Greenlee sat down in the witness box, Blagojevich shook his head in apparent disapproval as his former close confidant.

Another Wednesday witness was the state's former international trade director, Rajinder Bedi, who testified that an Indian businessman offered to raise money for Blagojevich in exchange for him naming U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to Obama's Senate seat. Jackson has not been charged with any wrongdoing.