The corruption trial of ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich for allegedly trying to sell President Barack Obama's old Senate seat is a distant but unwelcome headache for the White House.
Obama hasn't been accused of wrongdoing and neither have his allies, but top administration aides have been subpoenaed. It's another problem in a tough congressional election year for Obama, who's already dealing with the Gulf oil spill and a lagging economy.
Obama's political opponents will certainly try to tie him to Blagojevich's alleged shenanigans. But Democratic consultant Chris Lehane says Blagojevich has credibility issues, and he predicts Obama won't suffer long-term damage because of the trial.
Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to charges including scheming to sell the Senate seat and racketeering.
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