Even more interesting to me than the fact that Blago’s defense attorneys are refusing to defend him in the impeachment trial…
The legal team that has represented embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich in impeachment proceedings in Springfield has stepped down in protest before the governor’s trial in the Illinois Senate, the Tribune has learned.
Blagojevich’s lawyers said the process has become "fundamentally unfair" because they have had too little time to prepare for the Senate trial and have been denied subpoena power to call their own witnesses.
The governor’s lawyers had been asked to file an appearance on his behalf by Monday. The Senate trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 26.
In a statement, attorney Sam Adam and his son, Samuel E. Adam, said they couldn’t in good conscience represent the governor in a Senate trial "without any due process of law, fundamental fairness or the most basic right to confront one’s accusers."
"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," the statement said.
Edward Genson, another Blagojevich attorney, said he also is recusing himself from representing the governor before the Senate and agreed the trial would be unfair.
"I had never committed to the Senate trial, and I will not file an appearance," Genson said.
That’s interesting–though likely just a stunt to prevent the impeachment from going off smoothly.
But even more interesting is the notion that Sam Adam Jr.–the guy who brokered Burris’ appointment to the Senate–is refusing to represent "his client."
That’s because just a few weeks ago, Genson insisted to the IL legislative committee that Adam was not, in fact, part of the defense team. If he wasn’t part of the defense team, then how could he be stepping down now?