 This week, Blagojevich launched a nationwide media tour, including
stops on NBC, Fox News and Comedy Central's "The Daily Show."On
"Fox News Sunday," Blagojevich said he could return to the political
arena if his legal problems subsided.
"If you're asking me, do I believe that there's a potential
political comeback in the future, when I'm vindicated in this case,
absolutely I do," the former Illinois governor said to talk show
host Chris Wallace.
If Blagojevich attempted a return to politics, he would have to
run for federal office or an office in another state.
State lawmakers removed Blagojevich from office in January 2009
and forbade him from ever running for local or state office in
Illinois.
State Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, was one of those lawmakers
who voted for Blagojevich's expulsion. Righter said the recent
Blagojevich statement is consistent with his actions while governor.
"Anyone who's been paying attention at all these past six years
have heard, quite frankly, the former governor make a lot of
ridiculous statements, some of which are a blatant denial of
reality," he said.
State Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson, D-Olympia Fields, also voted to
remove Blagojevich. She said the former governor was trying to gain
support before a possible retrial.
"Right now, we take everything he says with a grain of salt," she
said. "This is about making sure the people who get seated on the
next jury, I guess, feel sorry for him."
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Blagojevich embarked on a similar nationwide media tour before
the beginning of his recently concluded corruption trial.
A report from the research arm of Congress indicated that
convicted felons are not automatically disqualified from being
members of Congress. The report goes on to say that rules within
both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate determine
membership.
Last week saw the conclusion of Blagojevich's corruption trial,
in which jurors could not decide on 23 of the 24 corruption counts
in question.
Jurors did convict Blagojevich of lying to federal agents, which
carries a maximum punishment of five years in prison. Federal
prosecutors have already indicated they intend to retry the former
Illinois governor on the 23 remaining counts.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By KEVIN LEE]
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