Tag Archives: blagojevich

Connected to Chicago (02-23-2020) Special Guest- Christopher E.K. Pfannkuche

John Dempsey fills in for Bill Cameron this week, and welcomes to the show Christopher E.K. Pfannkuche. Pfannkuche is running for Cook County State’s Attorney. Pfannkuche gives us insight into new developments in the Jussie Smollet case, His thoughts on Kimm Foxx, and insight into the State’s Attorney’s office role.

In this week’s round table segment, John is joined by Ray Long of the Chicago Tribune, and Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times. The Round Table opens up with news this week of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich receiving a Presidential pardon, which freed him from prison early this week…

This weeks Connected to Chicago segment is with Nick Gale. Nick gives us insight into Rod Blagojevich’s release from prison after having his prison sentence commuted by President Trump. Blagojevich was freed after serving eight years of a 14 year sentence.

We look back at how the journey began for Blagojevich and the renewed scrutiny surrounding wire taps that caught Blagojevich talking with current Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Judicial candidate who donned robes barred from taking office

(CHICAGO) The state Supreme Court has suspended the law license of Rhonda Crawford, a candidate for Cook County judge who faces criminal charges for donning judicial robes and allegedly presiding over cases earlier this year.

The ruling by the court also bars Crawford from taking her oath of office is she should win a seat on the bench in next week’s election, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.

Crawford, who is running for a seat in the 1st Judicial Subcircuit, has continued her campaign despite the fallout from her decision to put on judge robes in August and hear three cases in Judge Valerie Turner’s court at the Markham courthouse.

With no opponent on the ballot next Tuesday, Crawford is a virtual lock to win but the order issued Monday by the Supreme Court spells out that she is not to be sworn in.

“[Crawford] is suspended from the practice of law effective immediately and until further order of the court,” the order reads. “And in the event of [Crawford’s] election at the November 8, 2016 general election as a Circuit Judge of Cook County… [she] is enjoined and restrained from taking the judicial oath of office or assuming the office of judge until further order of the court.”

Crawford’s attorney did not return calls from the Sun-Times.

Crawford has admitted to “shadowing” Turner at the judge’s suggestion, and has said she sat in Turner’s chair as the veteran judge decided the last three cases on her call on Aug. 11, play-acting that prompted investigations by both the state Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission and the Cook County State’s Attorney. In October, the ARDC filed a 191-page complaint against Crawford, and prosecutors filed criminal charges of official misconduct, a felony, and false impersonation, a misdemeanor. Turner has been assigned to administrative duties.

Crawford has pleaded not guilty to the charges and held a news conference at which she stated her intention to stay in the race. She has insisted she never claimed to be a judge:

“I did not decide any cases. I did not pronounce any judgments. I did not hand any court papers to the courtroom clerk. I did not sign my name on any judicial orders. I did not tell anyone that I was the judge,” Crawford said in a statement issued in September.

Her opponent in the primary, Maryam Ahmad, is waging a write-in campaign for the general election.

Attorney disciplinary matters often move slowly, but the ARDC in September filed a complaint calling for Crawford’s immediate suspension ahead of the election.

“Obviously, this is a unique situation with the election coming up,” ARDC spokesman Jim Grogan, who noted that if Crawford continues to fight the suspension, the case might drag on for years. Disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who has already spent more than four years in federal prison on corruption charges, still is fighting an “interim” suspension that was filed in 2011, Grogan said.

— Chicago Sun-Times

The Latest: Blagojevich lawyer: Supreme Court appeal likely

(CHICAGO) A lawyer for former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich says now that a judge has declined to lighten Blagojevich’s 14-year prison sentence, he may again appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Defense attorney Leonard Goodman said Tuesday the decision of whether to appeal will be up to Blagojevich, adding “I don’t see why he wouldn’t.”

The high court refused to consider Blagojevich’s corruption conviction earlier this year. At the time, one argument prosecutors made against the appeal being heard was that resentencing and other legal steps needed to play out.

U.S. District Judge James Zagel refused Tuesday to lessen Blagojevich’s sentence after an appeals court threw out some of the counts he was convicted of in 2011.

Blagojevich, who is being held in a prison near Denver, appeared at the hearing via video.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Judge may cut ex-Illinois Gov. Blagojevich’s prison term

(CHICAGO)  A federal judge will decide today whether to cut the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (blah-GOY’-uh-vich), who went to prison in 2012.

Blagojevich was convicted of 18 offenses, including attempting to exchange an appointment to President Barack Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat in exchange for campaign cash.

But he won a resentencing hearing after an appeals court struck down five of the convictions.

 

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.