CHICAGO Jurors in the corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich asked the judge Monday for a transcript of the entire testimony from a former deputy governor who was a prosecution witness.
Former deputy governor Bradley Tusk had testified that Blagojevich had planned to hold up a $2 million grant to a school in then-U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuels district until the congressmans Hollywood-agent brother held a fundraiser for him.
Tusk had testified that he ignored a Blagojevich directive to deliver the message to Emanuel � because, he said, he thought the plan was both illegal and unethical.
After initially saying he was inclined to provide the transcript, Judge James B. Zagel said he was willing to hear more from defense attorneys later Monday about their objections to the move. If the judge grants their request, it wasnt immediately clear how soon they would receive the transcripts.
Jurors had returned to court Monday for their 13th day of deliberations. They created a stir last week with a note to Zagel signaling theyre stuck on several of the 24 counts against Blagojevich. They say theyve agreed to only two. Zagel told them to deliberate further on wire fraud counts that they had not considered.
But the note they sent Monday suggested that jurors may be looking at the first and broadest count against Blagojevich, that he engaged in racketeering. Part of that count deals with the school grant. They may also be looking at a separate count of attempted extortion.
Tusk said he started hearing from Emanuel and his staff in 2006 about the need to quickly get the grant to build a sports field. Tusk said when he talked to Blagojevich, the governor said he wouldnt release the money until Emanuels brother had the fundraiser.
Afterward, Tusk said he complained to the chief ethics officer in Blagojevichs office.
I believe I used the phrase, You need to get your client under control, Tusk said. He said he would take care of it.
Nothing in the indictment of Blagojevich suggested that Emanuel � now President Barack Obamas chief of staff � was actually threatened.
Blagojevich, 53, has pleaded not guilty to all 24 counts, including charges he tried to sell or trade Obamas old Senate seat for a top job or campaign cash. His 54-year-old brother, Robert Blagojevich, a Nashville, Tenn., businessman, faces four counts and also pleaded not guilty.
Neither defendant was required to attend the hearing Monday.
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