Tryon Reacts to Blago Verdict

With a much more simplified and focused case to consider regarding the conduct of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, jurors on Monday convicted Blagojevich on 17 counts of wire fraud, extortion and bribery, found him not guilty on one count, and were unable to reach a unanimous decision on two other counts.

State Representative Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) said he was not at all surprised to hear the verdicts.

“The former governor has had his day in court and this time his own words helped jurors convict him on 17 of the counts against him,” Tryon said. “From attempting to sell the vacant U.S. Senate seat of President Obama for personal gain, to trying to trade his signature on legislation for campaign contributions, corruption by this Democrat Governor was unlike anything we have ever seen in Illinois.”

As a participant in the actions taken by the General Assembly last year to remove Blagojevich from office, Tryon said he hopes that with Monday’s verdicts, Rod Blagojevich and the shame he has brought on the State of Illinois can finally be put in the past.

“Now that the jurors have spoken, we need to begin the process of restoring Illinoisans’ faith in their elected officials,” Tryon said. “We all need to do everything possible to make sure that abuses like those for which the former governor was convicted never occur again.”

Monday’s 17 guilty verdicts will accompany the one guilty verdict of lying to the FBI that came out of Blagojevich’s first corruption trial.