The conservative group Judicial Watch announced Monday it filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to make public the FBI's notes of the interviews concerning the criminal investigation of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, D-Ill.
In 2011, Blagojevich was convicted on more than a dozen corruption charges for trying to sell President Barack Obama's former seat in the Senate for campaign contributions and other perks, The Hill reported. He is currently serving a 14-year sentence in a federal prison.
As part of the probe, the FBI interviewed several high-profile figures, including Obama and his aides Valerie Jarrett and Rahm Emanuel, who is currently mayor of Chicago.
Judicial Watch had previously filed a lawsuit to gain access to the material, but the request was denied, citing the ongoing court proceedings.
But now that the district court has resentenced him, Judicial Watch argued the public should not have to wait any longer to see the interview summaries, the group said in its filing.
The group acknowledged Blagojevich has appealed the resentencing to the same appellate court that previously upheld the same sentence, but insisted "under the circumstances it cannot be said that the release of the requested records could reasonably be expected to interfere with what is left of Blagojevich's criminal prosecution."
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement: "The FBI interviewed Barack Obama eight years ago about the selling of his Senate seat. The American people should finally get to see these FBI interview reports. The public has a right to know precisely how Obama and his senior White House advisors Emanuel and Jarrett responded to Blagojevich's corrupt attempts sell Obama's Senate seat," per The Daily Caller.
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