Back home in Tennessee and months after her husband Robert’s charges were dropped, Julie Blagojevich still finds herself haunted from their past as Rod Blagojevich returns to court again.
Last July, Julie Blagojevich was the defense’s first witness to take the stand, as she discussed her strained relationship with Rod and Patti Blagojevich.
After enduring months of being in the public eye, the private Julie Blagojevich said what upsets her most to this day are recordings by federal agents of her and and her husband’s private conversations.
"They eavesdropped on over 1,500 calls of Rob on his cell phone with no probable cause," she said.
She also said the government listened to her and son Alex’s private conversations because federal agents believed the two might be part of the conspiracy. The first time she heard her voice on tape was from a conversation she considered less than relevant, with her sister-in-law, Patti Blagojevich.
"I remember they listened to 23 minutes, I think it was, between conversation of Patti and me and we were talking about Thanksgiving dinner," said Blagojevich.
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office declined to comment on the recordings.
As the Blagojevich family affairs became public, the relationship between the brothers became tense. The relationship between the two wives is no exception.
"I have not heard from Patti since this all began except for one time," said Julie Blagojevich.
She explained that the two couples were not close but maintained a "respectful relationship."
Like night and day, the Blagojevich brothers have little in common. While Rod Blagojevich has taken to the spotlight during the trial and appeared on reality television, as has wife Patti, Robert and Julie Blagojevich took a different road to pay legal fees.
Robert and Julie Blagojevich took a second mortgage on their home and liquidated financial assets.
In all, they estimate the trial cost them close to $1 million.
As for Rod and Patti Blagojevich’s turn on reality TV?
"It made me sad that he had to stoop to that to take care of his family," said Robert Blagojevich.
The couple returned home to Tennessee last September and Robert plans to make the trip back to Chicago to support his brother on trial.
Even though Robert Blagojevich’s charges have been dropped, the couple remains bitter about the process.
"I feel violated," said Julie Blagojevich.
