A federal judge asked by Chicago news outlets to make public a key document

A federal judge asked by Chicago news outlets to make public a key documentA federal judge was asked by Chicago news outlets on Thursday to make public a key document filed in the case of impeached former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

A motion was filed by the news outlets in U. S. District Court asking Judge James Zagel to unseal a so-called Santiago proffer in the Blagojevich case.

The proffer is usually a roadmap in which prosecutors lay out the bulk of their case, often connecting the dots among alleged co-conspirators, offering motives and details and explaining what witnesses are expected to say at trial.

The Chicago Sun-Times has reported that Federal prosecutors filed the proffer Monday under seal in "an abundance of caution," saying they didn't want new details to be made public without the defense and the judge having a say in whether the details should be released.

Lawyers for the news outlets, including the Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune, argued "there is no valid reason to seal any part of the proffer in this case and to do so would be out of line with precedent in this courthouse and in violation of the public's First Amendment and common-law right of access."

The Sun-Times said that the issue is expected to be raised Friday during an already scheduled court hearing in the Blagojevich case. (With Inputs from Agencies)