SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - David Ellis, legislative prosecutor in the Illinois Senate impeachment trial of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, broke away from his presentation of evidence against the governor to offer a few factors in his favor.

Ellis noted that some senators (including Sen. Bill Haine, D-Alton) had asked whether they were hearing all the evidence, including any factors that might lend credence to Blagojevich’s public claims that he was only trying to cut deals for the people of Illinois, and not for his own personal gain, as alleged.

Ellis outlined a few items from the federal case that he said “are probably favorable to the governor.” These include conversations in which the feds recorded Blagojevich in conversations denying to people he knows that he has engaged in any illegal activities.

It also included instances in which Blagojevich was talking about how to fill President Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat, and was indicating that the criterion he was focused on was “the candidates’ ability to benefit the state of Illinois.”

“I think that could at least be considered favorable to the governor,” Ellis told the state Senate chamber.

He then went on to continue presenting the evidence against Blagojevich — including numerous alleged instances in which he talked openly of profiting personally from the U.S. Senate appointment and from other officials activities.

(Right now, they’re going over what some believe is the most shocking tidbit: That he tried to extort a $50,000 campaign contribution from a Chicago children’s hospital, threatening to withhold state funds from the hospital if he didn’t get it.)