Judge Won't Gag Blago

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They could sell tickets when former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich finally testifies in his own defense in the  public corruption trial currently playing out in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division (U.S.A. v. Rod Blagojevich, Case No. 1:08-cr-00888).

In the meantime, the ersatz Chicago tourist attraction is drawing its share of publicity, the latest being an 18-page government motion to limit extrajudicial comments filed by prosecutors seeking a court order to stifle the chatty Blago's remarks about his trial and the testimony of his one-time best friend, chief of staff and star prosecution witness Alonzo Monk.  Prosecutors want Blago and his attorney enjoined from making public comments about the legal proceedings, citing the former governor's Blagojevich on Trial blog comments that Monk lied on the stand.

Judge James Zagel told both sides to confer over the weekend and work out the parameters of permissible public comments by the defendant. Judge Zagel considers a court order banning public remarks a last option.

"TUOL" considers it only fair that Judge Zagel impose a gag order on Blago, given that Blago's appearances on Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice, The View and elsewhere made countless viewers gag.