Since his arrest Rod Blagojevich has transformed himself from the two-term Governor of Illinois into a ubiquitous clown whose antics are making his former constituents cringe.
Yesterday Mr Blagojevich, 53, began what may have to be the greatest performance of his life when he went on trial on 24 counts ranging from racketeering and extortion to bribery and mail fraud. Perhaps the most eye-catching charge is the allegation that he tried to sell Barack Obama’s former US Senate seat in Illinois. If convicted, Mr Blagojevich could be sentenced to 415 years behind bars.
As the trial starts one thing is clear: Mr Blagojevich has ignored the defence lawyer’s standard advice to his client to shut up.
[More]
Updates: