Sneed: Blago cut off from everyone but family

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The Blago file …

Is Rod practicing a form of solitary confinement?

Sneed is told jailed former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who now faces re-sentencing from U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel, has basically shut himself off from all but his family.

“He has shut everybody but his family down,” said attorney Sam Adam Jr., Blago’s brazen and colorful former chief counsel, who defended Blago in his first public corruption trial.

Though the jury from Blago’s first trial deadlocked on multiple counts, the second trial resulted in a conviction and a 14-year sentence.

“I believe he has been told in prison it is important to shut the outside world off when you have been given a significantly large sentence,” Adam told Sneed. “Time goes by faster in prison then, and it’s a way to get used to doing hard time.”

• Backshot:In July, a three-judge panel from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals tossed out five of Blago’s corruption convictions — making him eligible for re-sentencing.

• Buckshot:On Monday, a request by Blago’s lawyers seeking to delay the re-sentencing hearing until the U.S. Supreme Court had a chance to decide whether to hear Blago’s appeal was denied.

“My dad and I used to send him letters, but he is no longer responding to them. We used to send him books, but we stopped doing that because communication had stopped.

“I really have an affection for him. It’s all very sad.”

“Rod is now a devotee of the Bible and his world is all about the family,” said a Blago source.

OPINION

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Trump stump …

Hair scare: GOP presidential frontrunner Donald J. Trump, who personally told Sneed he would consider combing his hair back if elected to office because it would be easier to handle without all the hair goop, invited a woman in Greenville, S.C., Thursday to yank his hair — stating: “I don’t wear a toupee — it’s my hair.”

Stump bump …

In … and out?

Attorney Sam Adam, Jr., who had formed an exploratory committee last November to run against Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, tells Sneed he will make up his mind next week whether to seek office.

“The truth of the matter is there is a lot of pressure for me to do it, but my wife is really not for it,” he said.

“Right now, it looks like I won’t run, but I still have one last piece to put together. I’ll let you know.”

Over . . . and out, Sam?

The Schock shock …

Ex-Congressman Aaron Schock, the target of a federal grand jury probe for alleged mismanagement of his campaign funds, “is feeling good about the case,” said a top Sneed source who bumped into Schock recently.

“He told me he was in the process of turning over thousands of financial records to the feds and he feels really confident in his attorney George Terwilliger, a former U.S. Justice department attorney,” the source said.

“He hasn’t been doing much of anything — except being involved in his legal woes. Hanging around Peoria. Hanging out with his dad. He was spotted at the swimming pool a week ago Sunday at the Peoria country club. He has a high level of confidence he has done nothing wrong . . . and said he has just hired a former U.S. attorney from Central Illinois.”

Sneed exclusive …

The dynamic duo of wham and bam!

Watch for Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Ald. Ed Burke (14th) to ask the City Council to create a task force to stem the heroin crisis in Chicago.

“Cook County ranked first in the nation for heroin use among arrestees in 2011,” said Burke, who cites the Arrestee Drug Use Monitoring Program for the shocking statistics.

• Fact:The City Council resolution would create an advisory task force — titled the Chicago Task Force Against Heroin — to make recommendations to the City Council’s Committee on Finance, which is chaired by Burke.

• Factors:Chicago’s task force would focus on law enforcement efforts to target the sales and distribution of heroin in the City, avoidance of overdoses, public health awareness and treatment for heroin users.

Sneedlings …

Friday’s birthdays: Jack Black, 46; Quvenzhane Wallis, 12, and Luis Guzman, 59.

Follow Sneed on Twitter: @Sneedlings

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