Legal observers around Chicago are dismissing attempts by Rod Blagojevich’s attorneys to cancel his upcoming retrial.

Blagojevich’s attorneys filed a motion saying a re-trial would be costly to taxpayers and they say since Congress is in the middle of a dispute over the federal budget, the judge should cancel the former governor’s retrial. The attorneys also write that they haven’t been paid by the government for their work.

Dan Cotter is a former U.S. prosecutor.

“I give them points for originality, but I don’t think it’s much of an argument. I’ve certainly never heard it before,” Cotter said.

Cotter says their motion could be useful in delaying the trial, which is scheduled to begin April 20.

Blagojevich’s attorneys say he should be sentenced immediately for the one count he was found guilty of in his first trial: lying to the FBI.