Governor wants U.S. attorney off case

CHICAGO, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich wants outspoken U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald off his corruption case, court records say.

Attorneys for the governor asked a federal judge in a sealed motion to keep Fitzgerald and his team from prosecuting the case, The Chicago Tribune said Friday. They cited Fitzgerald's use of language as he made allegations that Blagojevich had tried to sell a U.S. Senate.

In announcing the indictment, the usually reserved Fitzgerald charged the governor "has been arrested in the middle of what we can only describe as a political corruption crime spree."

However, veteran Chicago criminal defense attorneys said it was unlikely Fitzgerald would be sidelined for inflammatory language.

The attorneys said that while they are restricted from voicing personal beliefs before a jury, it's a different matter when announcing an indictment.