Blagojevich Asks to Make Closing Statement at Impeachment Trial

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected to make a closing statement in his impeachment trial Thursday after boycotting the rest of the proceedings and presenting no defense.

After just three days of testimony, the prosecution has rested and the Senate could vote on whether to remove Blagojevich on Thursday afternoon. David Ellis is scheduled to make his closing arguments Thursday morning.

State Senate President John Cullerton said he's recommended that the Senate allow Blagojevich to speak. That view was supported by the Senate's top Republican, Christine Radogno.

Cullerton said Blagojevich does not intend to answer any questions.

Earlier Wednesday, Cullerton called on the governor to defend himself at trial rather than in a whirlwind of TV news appearances. Blagojevich spent the last few days asserting his innocence in the media in New York City, while senators determined whether to kick him out of office in Springfield, Ill.

But Cullerton told reporters the governor is "lying" to interviewers about the rules of his impeachment trial. Blagojevich's claim that he cannot present any defense before the Senate hearing is untrue, and the governor knows it, Cullerton said.

"I'm pretty sure he's lying about the rules," he said.

Blagojevich was arrested in November and accused by federal prosecutors of trying to sell President Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder.

"If he wants to come down here instead of hiding out in New York, and having Larry King asking questions instead of the senators, I think he's making a mistake," Cullerton said.

"He should come here, and answer the questions and provide the context that he claims these statements are being taken out of," he added.

Meanwhile, as state senators continued to weigh Blagojevich's political fate Wednesday, a steady stream of cardboard file boxes were hauled out of his office at the Illinois State Capitol.

The governor's spokesman told FOX News that "those were not boxes from the governor. There is no 'moving out' taking place."

Impeachment prosecutor David Ellis opened the third day of the impeachment trial with plans to trim his list of witnesses to avoid repeating material.

Radogno, a Republican, urged Ellis to present all the witnesses on his original list. She said senators want to make sure they have all the relevant information so they can reach a fair decision on whether to remove Blagojevich from office.

But Cullerton said there was little need for witnesses who would simply recap material already available in documents or from earlier witnesses.

On Tuesday -- during day two of the impeachment proceedings against the Democratic governor -- Illinois senators listened to Blagojevich's voice captured on a secret government wiretap and heard an FBI agent say the recordings caught one corrupt scheme after another.

One person on the recordings, identified as Blagojevich's brother, Robert, who is his campaign chairman, assures the governor that a horse-racing track owner "is good for it" and just has to decide "what accounts to get it out of."

Another person, lobbyist and former Blagojevich chief of staff Lon Monk, assures him the track owner knows he must keep his "commitment" soon. Blagojevich replies with comments like "good" and "good job."

Senators conducting the impeachment trial listened intently as the fuzzy, indistinct telephone conversations echoed through the room.

The allegation at the center of the tapes is that Blagojevich improperly pressured John Johnston, owner of two Chicago-area harness-racing tracks, to donate money by the end of 2008, when a new ethics law would take effect and restrict donations. Prosecutors say Blagojevich threatened not to sign legislation giving tracks a portion of casino-generated revenue unless he got the donation.

It's not clear whether Johnston ever made a donation; federal prosecutors have seized Blagojevich's campaign records. Johnston has not been charged with any illegal activity, and his attorney denies Johnston ever requested any quid pro quo.

None of the people on the calls specifically mention money. Monk and Robert Blagojevich have not been charged with any crime.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.