Blagojevich defense rests without White House witnesses

The White House appears to have avoided any major entanglement in the Blagojevich trial.

None of the officials who were expected to testify will take the stand as witnesses for the former governor's defense. 

Rod Blagojevich's legal team told the judge presiding over his corruption trial Wednesday morning that not only will he not testify in his own defense, but they rested their case without calling a single witness, according to the Chicago Tribune. 

Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel had been expected to testify. Blagojevich is on trial for allegedly seeking compensation in exchange for appointing a successor to President Obama's Senate seat.