ROD BLAGO RETRIAL #2

The defense and prosecution in the corruption trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich presented their final witnesses Wednesday, trying to poke holes in and dispute testimony previously heard by the jury.A construction executive who testified for the prosecution said at a meeting with Blagojevich, the governor boasted, "I'm the best damn governor in the history of the U.S."The prosecution began closing arguments on Wednesday afternoon and will finish on Thursday morning. The case could go to the jury on Thursday.Among the final witnesses was former Rep. Bill Lipinski, who disputed testimony from Jesse Jackson Jr., though the prosecution got Lipinski to admit on cross-examination that he doesn't remember every person he talked to in 2002.The defense called two more witnesses after Lipinski, a state officer who testified about the Chicago Academy grant and an FBI Agent who interviewed Gerald Krozel and testified Krozel said he did not feel pressure for fundraising when the FBI asked Dec. 9, 2008. The prosecution called construction executives Richard Olsen and Eric Madsen, who met with Blagojevich as Krozel's new bosses in Sept. 2008.The prosecution's closing arguments were expected to take four hours Wednesday afternoon, the defense had asked for an hour and a half and will likely begin Thursday morning and then the prosecution’s rebuttal was likely to take about an hour. The judge gave both sides four hours. After jury instruction, the jury was likely to begin deliberations Thursday afternoon.