Blagojevich Could Decide Future By Monday

Blagojevich Could Decide Future By Monday

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who finished a tumultuous work week with a visit to a federal courthouse, may announce his decision on whether or not to resign from office as early as Monday, the Chicago Sun-Times, citing an anonymous "source close to the governor" reports:

"He was blindsided by this," the source said. "He needs some time to digest what's going on. He's going to make his position clear shortly."

On Friday, in his first public comments since his arrest, the governor did not rule out the possibility he might resign. As he left the federal courthouse after a visit to the pretrial services office, a reporter asked the governor, "Do you have anything to say to the people of Illinois?"

He replied, "I will at the appropriate time. Absolutely."

"Are you going to resign?" the reporter asked.

"I'll have a lot to say at the appropriate time," Blagojevich answered.

The Sun-Times also notes that Blagojevich retained high-profile criminal defense lawyer Ed Genson Friday. Genson, who recently defended R&B singer R. Kelly and disgraced media baron Conrad Black, "typically doesn't represent clients who plan to plead guilty," according to the Sun-Times.

Blagojevich's hiring of a prominent attorney had been expected since he first appeared in court Tuesday with lawyer Sheldon Sorosky, a family friend with little experience in high-wattage cases.

Read all about Blagojevich on HuffPost's Rod Blagojevich BigNews page.

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