Blago Lawyers Up

Clinging to the wreckage of his political career, indicted Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois first took advice from three priests, then went shopping for a lawyer. Top of his list: Ed Genson, who defended singer R. Kelly from child sex charges and the newspaper magnate Conrad Black from fraud charges. Genson, who is not exactly publicity shy, is hesitant about taking on the Blago rap. “We’ll make our mutual decision on Monday,” he said. Genson has enjoyed mixed results. While he managed to reduce Kelly’s 21 counts of having sexual intercourse with a minor down to a single charge of soliciting a minor for child pornography, then an acquittal, Lord Black of Crossharbour did not fare so well. He is currently serving a 78-month sentence in federal prison, he had to pay back his company Hollinger $6.1 million, and paid a fine of $125,000.