‘How’s my tie?’ Blagojevich asks outside court

CHICAGO (AP) — If Rod Blagojevich is feeling sheepish about recent testimony that he spent lavishly on clothes, it hasn’t shown.

As he headed to his corruption trial today, he referred to revelations last week that he and his wife shelled out more than $400,000 on high-end suits, ties, furs and other clothes.

Smiling and flipping the lapels of his shimmering gray suit and matching neckwear, he asked spectators waiting to get into the courtroom, “How’s my tie?”

Someone in the crowd responded, “Looks good.” Blagojevich laughed and continued into the courtroom.

Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to charges that he schemed to launch a racketeering operation in the governor’s office and to sell or trade President Obama’s former Senate seat.