Blagojevich's Brother Calls Conviction A 'Family Tragedy'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Rod Blagojevich's brother, Robert, called Monday's verdict a "family tragedy on many levels."
"Rod and Patti have much to deal with and process," he told CBS 2 by telephone. "I am personally very sad for my brother."
In a live interview with WBBM Newsradio 780's afternoon anchors Keith Johnson and Steve Grzanich, Robert Blagojevich added that how ever you feel about the politics or the crimes, the verdicts have caused a family tragedy.
He said the conviction is "an ordeal that (Rod Blagojevich's family is) going to have to come to grips with and face."
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Robert Blagojevich asks that people give his brother's family the space to deal.
"Rod and Patti are very attentive, caring, loving parents. Rod is a doting father," he said. "There's no handbook to give you some direction on how to deal with this."
Robert Blagojevich was a co-defendant in the first trial against his brother. The jury deadlocked on the counts involving Robert, and prosecutors later dismissed all charges against him.
Robert Blagojevich, a businessman from Nashville, had been charged with four counts, for allegedly helping his brother with some of his alleged schemes. Among them was the scheme to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama in 2008, of which Rod Blagojevich was convicted Monday.
Robert joined his younger brother's campaign in August 2008 as the head of the Friends of Blagojevich campaign fund. He was accused of scheming with his brother to squeeze U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. for campaign cash in exchange for appointing Jackson to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.
