Reply #20: There had to be more than just the scheming

[merh]

one would think the gov has evidence of blago relaying his price to those he was trying to bribe (eg testimony of someone in Obama's admin who was told he expected to be rewarded for the appointment of O's preferred candidate). The 7th Circuit requires proof that the accused acted with specific intent to commit the offense and that the accused took a substantial step toward its completion. (See the Pattern Criminal Federal Jury Instructions for the 7th Circuit, page 54, @ http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/Rules/pjury.pdf

That means that sitting around and bragging about what you are going to demand or what you claim to have demanded is not sufficient, there has to be more than that. There has to be some step taken by the accused to actually commit the crime, as in contact with those that they were trying to shake down.