Blago's Trial Takes Center Stage

The Rod Blagojevich corruption trial is set to begin this week and according to reports political fundraiser and real estate developer Tony Rezko may testify as one of the government's top witnesses.

It was, at worst, a minor gaffe. Rep. Mark Kirk apologized this weekend for a mistake in his biography and updated his biography to more accurately represent his war military experience. Originally, the site said that he was given the Navy's prestigious Intelligence Officer of the Year Award when in fact he was given the Navy's Rufus Taylor Intelligence Unit of the Year award.

While it isn't the best story in the world if you are on Kirk's team, it could hardly have broken at a better time. They, not surprisingly, made the amendment to the biography over Memorial Day weekend when very few people were paying attention. Also, Kirk will not be staying in the headlines for very long… since the Rod Blagojevich trial begins this week.

That's right: jury selection in the Rod Blagojevich trial begins on Thursday, 18 months after U.S. Attorney Pat Fitzgerald publicly accused the then governor of Barack Obama's home state of -- to use Fizgerald's own words -- being at the center of a “political corruption crime spree.”

Blagojevich is charged with an impressively diverse set of crimes, including but not limited to accepting quid pro-quo style campaign funds for official acts as governor, and of course, for attempting to sell the president's vacated Senate seat. Blago is also accused of attempting to extort, the head of an Illinois' children's hospital, the executive at a horse racing track, and the heads of the Tribune Company, which, of course, owns the Chicago Tribune.

Blagojevich has vowed to take the stand at his trial. The fiasco will dominate the Chicago media throughout the duration of the trial. And with Blago, you never know what he is going to say.

The most interesting wrinkle of all though, is the fact that according to the Tribune, Tony Rezko may testify as one of the government's top witnesses. Rezko was a top fundraiser for Blagojevich and apparently has been providing the government with information on Blagojevich following his 2008 conviction on corruption charges. This would be like a gift from the God's for the Kirk campaign, since Giannoulias has extensive ties to Rezko and Blagojevich. Expect the Kirk campaign to re-unveil this fabulous campaign spot in Chicago as the trial kicks up.