A federal jury in Chicago on Tuesday convicted ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on just one count but deadlocked on 23 others, including the allegation that he tried to sell President Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat.
The former governor could face up to five years in prison on the one conviction, lying to federal agents. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said his office planned to retry the case soon.
“For all practical purposes, we are in the mode of being close to jury selection for a retrial,” Fitzgerald said.
Outside the courthouse, Blagojevich insisted, “I didn’t break any laws.”
“Let me also say this to the people of Illinois — that from the very beginning this all happened, I told them I did not let them down,” he said.
Blagojevich, 53, said he would appeal the single conviction on what he called a “nebulous” charge.
“I didn’t break any laws,”he said. “I did not lie to the FBI.”
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