US Supreme Court rejects Blagojevich motion to delay Illinois corruption trial

May 29, 2010

The US Supreme Court has denied Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's request to delay his corruption trial after receiving a statement from the federal government in opposition.

The trial is set to begin on June 3, and many of the charges Blagojevich faces are based on a federal honest-services fraud law. He challenged the constitutionality of this law and argued that the trial should be delayed until the high court decides the issue. The request had already been denied by judges in the lower courts.

The Obama administration argued that there was no need to delay the trial pending the Supreme Court's decision. Shortly afterwards, Justice John Paul Stevens rejected the motion.