| | Blago: 'I will fight!'
 A defiant Rod Blagojevich spoke publicly for the first time Friday, emphatically declaring his innocence and vowing to stay in office and fight the public corruption charges leveled against him.
In a brief statement to reporters Friday afternoon, the Illinois governor took no questions and offered no details on his claims of innocence.
"I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing," said Blagojevich, a Democrat who is accused of attempting to sell Barack Obama's senate seat.
Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has also accused the governor of extorting a children's hospital and of using his influence to try to get a Chicago Tribune editor fired. Blagojevich lashed out at his critics and vowed that he would not resign from office.
"I will fight. I will fight. I will fight. Until I take my last breath," he said. "I have done nothing wrong."
Blagojevich accused his critics of making their case in "30 second sound bytes" on TV. He didn't mention the 76-page affidavit that outlines several incriminating conversations caught on FBI wiretaps.
The feds heard Blagojevich discussing attempts to solicit campaign contributions or other favors in exchange for appointing one candidate or another to Obama's seat, and the affidavit outlined his alleged scheme to withhold state aid from the Tribune Co., which was attempting to sell Wrigley Field, until a member of the Chicago Tribune's editorial board was fired.
Blagojevich did not address any of these specific charges, but promised that he would.
"I want to assure everyone who's here and everyone who's listening that I intend to answer every allegation that comes my way," he said. "However, I plan to answer them in an appropriate forum, in a court of law."
After expressing confidence he would be "vindicated," Blagojevich rushed from the room, ignoring reporters' shouted questions.
This video is from CNN.com, broadcast Dec. 19, 2008.
Download video via RawReplay.com
|
