Attorneys for Blagojevich Quit Before Senate Trial

2009-01-17 18:40:38 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - Law, News)

Rod Blagojevich attorneys quit before Senate trial

Blagojevich lawyers step down due to claims of an unfair process.

Wired PR News.com — Attorneys Samuel Adam, his son Samuel E. Adam, and Edward Genson have recused themselves from representing Governor Rod Blagojevich in impeachment proceedings underway in Springfield Illinois. As reported by CBS 2 Chicago News, the attorneys stated they are acting in protest of the Senate trial in which they were denied the right to subpoena their own witnesses and were not given adequate time to prepare for trial, which is stated to be a violation of their due process rights.

Blagojevich was arrested December 19 in Chicago and charged with attempting to sell the senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. Lawmakers later voted 114 to 1 to impeach Blagojevich. Blagojevich’s former Chief of Staff, John Harris was also charged. Harris has reportedly begun negotiating with federal investigators and provided information against the governor.

Blagojevich has consistently maintained his innocence. His attorneys are quoted in the CBS report as releasing the statement, “We cannot and will not degrade our client, ourselves, our oaths and our profession as well as the office of the governor, by participating in a Potemkin-like lynching proceeding, thus making it appear that the governor is represented by competent counsel when in fact he is not.” As noted in the report, the protest is only in regards to the senate trial. The group of attorneys will represent Blagojevich in his criminal trial scheduled to start January 26.

Photo Credit: Erik Abderhalden