Judge backs release of G-Rod subpoenas over Fitz's objection

On a side note: Inmate number: 18330-424 starts his sentence in the pokey today.

March 3 (Bloomberg) -- Conrad Black, the convicted former chairman of Hollinger International Inc. and a member of the U.K.'s House of Lords, began his 6 1/2-year federal prison sentence in Florida as inmate 18330-424.

More on Rezko's case...

Despite U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's request to block release of subpoenas served on the Blagojevich administration, a Springfield judge on Monday stood by his decision that the documents should be made public.

But it will still be a while before the public gets to find out the full specifics of what Fitzgerald's office is seeking from the governor. Sangamon County Judge Patrick Kelley agreed to keep the federal subpoenas under wraps while lawyers for Blagojevich appeal his decision within in the next 48 hours.

Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said the administration would appeal Kelley’s order. The governor’s office released two subpoenas late Friday that Fitzgerald said could be made public, but has refused to hand over subpoenas the chief federal prosecutor didn’t want released.
Releasing the subpoenas over Fitzgerald’s objection could compromise a federal investigation, Rausch said. "We will continue to honor the U.S. attorney's request regarding release of these documents," she said.

Fitzgerald has said he has evidence of “endemic” hiring fraud in state government under the Blagojevich administration. The U.S. attorney's office also began jury selection Monday in the corruption trial of Antoin “Tony” Rezko, one of the governor’s chief fund-raisers.
The subpoenas released Friday were from spring 2006. One subpoena requests computer records from 17 state agencies and the governor's office; and the other asks for hiring scales for specific jobs with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Department of Corrections.

Jay Stewart, executive director for the Better Government Association, praised Kelly's ruling.

"We're happy Judge Kelley ruled in our favor, and it's a victory of the law over Blagojevich administration spin," Stewart said. "Despite their denials and obfuscation, the public is going to find out what's really going on in the Blagojevich administration."

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/03/judge-backs-rel.html