Better than Chris Wallace w/John McCain:Berkowitz w/Patrick Collins on Campaign Finance Reform & 21st Century Public Corruption; Cable & Streaming
Jeff Berkowitz: How certain are you that Rod Blagojevich will be convicted?
Patrick Collins [Lead prosecutor in the trial and conviction of former Governor George Ryan]: I am not certain. I mean I think it is a strong case. If you compare the evidence in [George] Ryan and the evidence in Blagojevich, I would...
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From Tonight's Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz, featuring Patrick Collins [Lead prosecutor in the trial and conviction of former Governor George Ryan], airing in the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21
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Jeff Berkowitz: How certain are you that Rod Blagojevich will be convicted?
Patrick Collins [Lead prosecutor in the trial and conviction of former Governor George Ryan]: I am not certain. I mean I think it is a strong case. If you compare the evidence in [George] Ryan and the evidence in Blagojevich, I would take the Blagojevich evidence in a heartbeat. But, I also learned in the Ryan case that it takes one juror to think that the case is not strong and what I see in Rod Blagojevich in his defense is that they are going for one or two jurors who think the government is overbearing, who think the government is overzealous, who think—
Jeff Berkowitz: All the [Blago] publicity and book tour is going for that one juror, right?
Blagojevich as a victim
Patrick Collins: It is going for one or two jurors who think the government-- that Rod Blagojevich is somehow a victim of this. Some people may think that is crazy and laughable. I don’t think that is.
Jeff Berkowitz: …If the Supreme Court knocks down the “honest services,” defense, [oral argument was heard recently], do you think that makes it a much harder case against Rod Blagojevich?
Patrick Collins: I think it makes it a harder case. I don’t know about “much harder,” case. They have a case—
Will the U. S. Supremes strike down the "Honest Services," doctrine
Jeff Berkowitz: …Do you think the Supreme Court will reverse the honest services defense?
Patrick Collins: I would predict many things. That, I wouldn’t predict. They have chosen three cases on honest services. They are going to do something. If they tweak it, I don’t think there is any measurable change in the case. If they gut [the defense], the government has to change gears a little bit. But, they still have a good case.
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Patrick Collins, former Chairman of the now defunct Illinois Reform Commission and former Ass’t U. S. Attorney (N.D. IL); currently a partner heading up the Investigations and White Collar practice at the Chicago office of Perkins, Coie; post game comments made after the taping of “Public Affairs, December 6, 2009.
************************************************
For another partial transcript of the show and a summary of the topics discussed, please go here.
*****************************************************
To watch our show now with Patrick Collins, please go here
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More than 118 of our shows from the last two years are posted on the Public Affairs YouTube page . Now streaming are our most recent shows w/Cong. Danny Davis (D-Chicago, 7th CD), Patrick Collins, former Chairman of the Illinois Reform Commission; Democratic Primary candidates: for State Comptroller, Raja Krishnamoorthi; for U. S. Senate, David Hoffman; for 7th CD, Chicago Ald. Sharon Denise Dixon; [24th Ward]and for State Comptroller, Clint Krislov.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com.
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Patrick Collins [Lead prosecutor in the trial and conviction of former Governor George Ryan]: I am not certain. I mean I think it is a strong case. If you compare the evidence in [George] Ryan and the evidence in Blagojevich, I would...
*****************************
From Tonight's Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz, featuring Patrick Collins [Lead prosecutor in the trial and conviction of former Governor George Ryan], airing in the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21
**************************************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: How certain are you that Rod Blagojevich will be convicted?
Patrick Collins [Lead prosecutor in the trial and conviction of former Governor George Ryan]: I am not certain. I mean I think it is a strong case. If you compare the evidence in [George] Ryan and the evidence in Blagojevich, I would take the Blagojevich evidence in a heartbeat. But, I also learned in the Ryan case that it takes one juror to think that the case is not strong and what I see in Rod Blagojevich in his defense is that they are going for one or two jurors who think the government is overbearing, who think the government is overzealous, who think—
Jeff Berkowitz: All the [Blago] publicity and book tour is going for that one juror, right?
Blagojevich as a victim
Patrick Collins: It is going for one or two jurors who think the government-- that Rod Blagojevich is somehow a victim of this. Some people may think that is crazy and laughable. I don’t think that is.
Jeff Berkowitz: …If the Supreme Court knocks down the “honest services,” defense, [oral argument was heard recently], do you think that makes it a much harder case against Rod Blagojevich?
Patrick Collins: I think it makes it a harder case. I don’t know about “much harder,” case. They have a case—
Will the U. S. Supremes strike down the "Honest Services," doctrine
Jeff Berkowitz: …Do you think the Supreme Court will reverse the honest services defense?
Patrick Collins: I would predict many things. That, I wouldn’t predict. They have chosen three cases on honest services. They are going to do something. If they tweak it, I don’t think there is any measurable change in the case. If they gut [the defense], the government has to change gears a little bit. But, they still have a good case.
**************************************
Patrick Collins, former Chairman of the now defunct Illinois Reform Commission and former Ass’t U. S. Attorney (N.D. IL); currently a partner heading up the Investigations and White Collar practice at the Chicago office of Perkins, Coie; post game comments made after the taping of “Public Affairs, December 6, 2009.
************************************************
For another partial transcript of the show and a summary of the topics discussed, please go here.
*****************************************************
To watch our show now with Patrick Collins, please go here
*******************************************************************
More than 118 of our shows from the last two years are posted on the Public Affairs YouTube page . Now streaming are our most recent shows w/Cong. Danny Davis (D-Chicago, 7th CD), Patrick Collins, former Chairman of the Illinois Reform Commission; Democratic Primary candidates: for State Comptroller, Raja Krishnamoorthi; for U. S. Senate, David Hoffman; for 7th CD, Chicago Ald. Sharon Denise Dixon; [24th Ward]and for State Comptroller, Clint Krislov.
******************* .
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com.
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