Progress Illinois

As the prosecution in the Rod Blagojevich federal corruption trial prepares to rest its case against the former governor this week, Judge James Zagel told both sides that he will wait to call the jury back until the start of next week to give the defense team time to prepare their witnesses. The Blagojevich camp plans to argue that the former governor was given bad advice from attorneys who worked in the governor's office.

In court today, Blagojevich's former chief of staff and fundraiser John Wyma testified that he became uncomfortable with the level of fundraising the Blagojevich camp engaged in during 2008.

At the Blagojevich corruption trial today, the defense argued that then-deputy governor Bob Greenlee -- not Rod Blagojevich -- came up with the idea of holding hostage state-financing help for the Tribune Co.'s sale of Wrigley Field unless the Chicago Tribune editorial board eased its criticism of the Blagojevich administration.

Rajinder Bedi, a prominent businessman in Chicago's Indian community and a former state employee under Rod Blagojevich, testified in court yesterday that he met with Rep. Jesse Jackson in October 2008 to discuss both the congressman's interest in the vacant U.S. Senate seat and how much money Bedi would raise for the governor if he was appointed. Jackson has not been charged in the corruption case and has denied knowledge of or involvement in the alleged scheme.

On tapes heard in the courtroom yesterday, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich said any appointment he made to the vacant U.S. Senate seat in 2008 must satisfy three criteria.