JUDGE IN CORRUPTION TRIAL GIVING BLAGO THE BUSINESS

Well, rack up another ruling in the corruption trial of Rod Blagojevich that looks conspicuously like an overt attempt by Judge James Zagel to protect Barack Obama and his administration. After the prosecution rested its case on July 13th, Team Blago went to work on the 14th, presenting 38 taped recordings it wanted to be played for jurors.

Zagel ruled on 20 of the tapes and he approved only two of them.

Via the Chicago Tribune

U.S. District Judge James Zagel at times seemed to search for new ways to call the recordings irrelevant to Blagojevich's corruption trial.

"Excluded on the grounds of uselessness," he said of one transcript.

"It's basically professional politician's chatter," he said of another.

As Zagel invents ways to rule against any attempt by Blago to suck Obama, Emanuel, and Jarrett into this scandal, it reminded me of the NFL Referee that invented a new penalty.