Category Archives: Blagojevich trial

Citizen Wells open thread May 28, Blagojevich trial, Obama attorneys, US Economy

Citizen Wells open thread May 28, Blagojevich trial, Obama attorneys, US Economy

US Economy from yesterday

https://citizenwells.com/2010/05/27/us-economy-grew-less-than-reported-3-percent-not-3-2-percent-smaller-gains-in-consumer-and-business-spending-european-debt-risks/

Blagojevich trial deadline for prosecutors

https://citizenwells.com/2010/05/27/blagojevich-trial-may-28-2010-deadline-us-supreme-court-justice-john-paul-stevens-gave-federal-prosecutors-one-week-may-28-2010-deadline-will-prosecutors-respond-will-blagojevich-trial-be-delaye/

Look for these articles soon.

Numbers on Google manipulation of Citizen Wells articles

Revisit of Obama attorneys Perkins Coie help in keeping birth certificate and college records hidden.

Obama Attorneys facts

Mainstream media lies, Far left lies, Congressmen lies, Truth must be spread throughout the land, Iraq, Obama eligibility, Blagojevich trial

Mainstream media lies, Far left lies, Congressmen lies, Truth must be spread

“Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.”…Proverbs  23:9

“Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.”…Mark Twain?

What I am about to write is much larger than the initial facts I am about to present. The efforts of the mainstream media, the far left, people in power such as congressmen and yes, outside influences, have rivaled the efforts of Big Brother in George Orwell’s “1984” to replace the truth with lies or remove the truth altogether.

What I am about to write is neither praise or disdain for George W Bush. It is about presenting the truth and dispelling lies. The catalyst for this article was a conversation this morning with a friend, a decent, hard working American. He was concerned about Iraq, our reasons for being there and believed that George W Bush was totally to blame. The following articles were presented early in 2008. The traffic on this blog was dramatically lower then. Perhaps more people will read this.

From Citizen Wells February 23, 2008.

Below are some of the justifications for the Iraq War. What are your reactions to these quotes with 20/20 hindsight? Were we justified to invade Iraq? Were these statements credible and based on credible intelligence? Did Saddam Hussein use weapons of mass destruction? Respond with your comments.

1.  “We must stop Saddam from ever again jeopardizing the
stability and security of his neighbors with weapons of mass
destruction.”  “The chemical weapons Saddam has used and the biological weapons we know he has tested pay no attention to borders and nationalities.”

2.  “If diplomacy runs out, we have reserved the right to use
force and if we do so it will be substantial.”

3.  “No one has done what Saddam Hussein has done, or is thinking of doing.  He is producing weapons of mass destruction, and he is qualitatively and quantitatively different from other dictators.”

4.  “What we are doing is so that you all can sleep at night.  I am very proud of what we are doing.  We are the greatest nation in the world and what we are doing is being the indispensable nation, willing to make the world safe for our children and grandchildren, and for nations who follow the rules.”

5.  “Saddam (Hussein) must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world with nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons.”

6.  “If Saddam can cripple the weapons inspections sytem and get away with it, he would conclude the international community, led by the United States, has simply lost its will.  He would surmise that he has free rein to rebuild his arsenal of destruction.”

7.  “Earlier today I ordered America’s armed forces to strike
military and security targets in Iraq.  They are joined by British forces.  Their mission is to attack Iraq’s nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors.  While other countires also had weapons of mass desctuction, Hussein is in a different category because he has used such weapons
against his own people and against his neighbors.

8.  “Along with Prime minister (Tony)Blair of Great Britain, I made it equally clear that if Saddam failed to cooperate fully we would be prepared to act without delay, diplomacy or warning.”

9.  “The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new Iraqi goverment — a government ready to live in peace with its neighbors, a government that respects the rights of its people.”

10.  “But once more, the United States has proven that although we are never eager to use force, when we must act in America’s vital interests, we will do so.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/iraq-war-justification-iraq-war-reasons-can-we-justify-hillary-clinton-john-mccain-barrack-obama/

From Citizen Wells March 9, 2008.

The prior article was referred to.

“This post was a list of 10 quotes regarding Saddam Hussein. I did not provide the source of the quotes at that time. Many people, for whatever reason, believe only George W Bush took the posture indicated in the quotes, when in reality, the entire Clinton administration believed that Saddam Hussein had WMD, had used them on his own people, posed a real threat and that the US was ready to stop him. All of the quotes from the original post came from the Clinton Administration. Below are the original quotes, followed by the source and the dates. Also, below, I have supplied the links to the CNN articles that contain the quotes. Interesting, isn’t it? Think of all the lies that have been told about George W Bush and the acceptance of revisionist history.”

http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9802/01/iraq/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9802/18/town.meeting.folo/

http://www.cnn.com/US/9812/16/clinton.iraq.speech/

The first article may have been scrubbed. I can find no evidence of it now on CNN. This was posted early in the history of this blog, before I was more aware of internet scrubbing and Orwellian rewrites.

Second article

“U.S. policy on Iraq draws fire in Ohio”

“Albright was drowned out at one point by a group chanting, “One, two, three, four, we don’t want your racist war,” as she tried to explain U.S. policy to the audience of 6,000.

The heckling became so intense at one point that Albright interrupted CNN’s Judy Woodruff and said, “Could you tell those people I’ll be happy to talk to them when this is over. I’d like to make my point.”

Similar outbursts greeted Cohen and Berger as they laid out again a U.S. position that is familiar to those who have followed the building crisis in the media.

They said the United States would prefer to see a peaceful resolution and hopes that U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan will make significant progress when he visits with Iraqi officials this weekend.

But if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein doesn’t allow U.N. arms inspectors to have unrestricted access to all weapons sites in Iraq, they reaffirmed that a U.S.-led coalition will respond with military force.”

“”We’ve spent seven years containing him at no loss to U.S. lives,” Cohen said, adding that an attack would reduce the threat of “chemical and biological weapons that will pose a threat to your children and grandchildren for the future.””

“Albright responded, “No one has done what Saddam Hussein has done, or is thinking of doing. He is producing weapons of mass destruction, and he is qualitatively and quantitatively different from other dictators.””

“”As a former university professor,” Albright said, “I suggest, sir, that you study carefully what American foreign policy is. Every one of the violations has been pointed out on what is not right, and I would be happy to spend 50 minutes with you after the forum to explain it.” ”

“”What we are doing,” replied Albright, “is so that you all can sleep at night. I am very proud of what we are doing. We are the greatest nation in the world …”

She stopped as the audience rose and applauded.

“… and what we are doing,” she resumed, “is being the indispensable nation, willing to make the world safe for our children and grandchildren, and for nations who follow the rules.””

Third article

“Clinton: Iraq has abused its last chance”

“From the Oval Office, President Clinton told the nation Wednesday evening why he ordered new military strikes against Iraq.

The president said Iraq’s refusal to cooperate with U.N. weapons inspectors presented a threat to the entire world.

“Saddam (Hussein) must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world with nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons,” Clinton said.

Operation Desert Fox, a strong, sustained series of attacks, will be carried out over several days by U.S. and British forces, Clinton said.

“Earlier today I ordered America’s armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq. They are joined by British forces,” Clinton said.

“Their mission is to attack Iraq’s nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors,” said Clinton.

Clinton also stated that, while other countries also had weapons of mass destruction, Hussein is in a different category because he has used such weapons against his own people and against his neighbors.
‘Without delay, diplomacy or warning’

The Iraqi leader was given a final warning six weeks ago, Clinton said, when Baghdad promised to cooperate with U.N. inspectors at the last minute just as U.S. warplanes were headed its way.

“Along with Prime Minister (Tony) Blair of Great Britain, I made it equally clear that if Saddam failed to cooperate fully we would be prepared to act without delay, diplomacy or warning,” Clinton said.

The president said the report handed in Tuesday by Richard Butler, head of the United Nations Special Commission in charge of finding and destroying Iraqi weapons, was stark and sobering.

Iraq failed to cooperate with the inspectors and placed new restrictions on them, Clinton said. He said Iraqi officials also destroyed records and moved everything, even the furniture, out of suspected sites before inspectors were allowed in.

“Instead of inspectors disarming Saddam, Saddam has disarmed the inspectors,” Clinton said.

“In halting our airstrikes in November, I gave Saddam a chance — not a license. If we turn our backs on his defiance, the credibility of U.S. power as a check against Saddam will be destroyed,” the president explained.
Strikes necessary to stunt weapons programs

Clinton said he made the decision to strike Wednesday with the unanimous agreement of his security advisors.

Timing was important, said the president, because without a strong inspection system in place, Iraq could rebuild its chemical, biological and nuclear programs in a matter of months, not years.

“If Saddam can cripple the weapons inspections system and get away with it, he would conclude the international community, led by the United States, has simply lost its will,” said Clinton. “He would surmise that he has free rein to rebuild his arsenal of destruction.”

Clinton also called Hussein a threat to his people and to the security of the world.

“The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new Iraqi government — a government ready to live in peace with its neighbors, a government that respects the rights of its people,” Clinton said.

Such a change in Baghdad would take time and effort, Clinton said, adding that his administration would work with Iraqi opposition forces.

Clinton also addressed the ongoing impeachment crisis in the White House.

“Saddam Hussein and the other enemies of peace may have thought that the serious debate currently before the House of Representatives would distract Americans or weaken our resolve to face him down,” he said.

“But once more, the United States has proven that although we are never eager to use force, when we must act in America’s vital interests, we will do so.”

 The American people have short memories. This plays into the hands of the Orwellian spin masters.

Why is this so important?

  • The American people must know truth. How else can they make an informed decision.
  • Compare the above reports with what you hear in day to day conversations and from the liars and spin masters.
  • Compare the above with what you have been led to believe about Iraq and now witness how the Blagojevich trial is being spun. Do you believe we are not living “1984?”
  • It is crucial that we continue to inform the American public.
  • The efforts of each person are required. One person can make a difference, especially when there are millions of  “one person.”
  • Share the facts with your friends and associates. Keep it simple. Stick with indisputable facts.

 

Too many people get sucked into arguments that cannot be won. Keep it simple and indisputable.

Obama eligibility.

Why has Obama employed so many private and government attorneys to avoid presenting a legitimate birth certificate and college records. If they don’t believe it, let them view the court documents.

Blagojevich trial.

Tell them to read the indictment. For more insight, read the Tony Rezko trial transcripts.

Help inform the American public. Keep it simple and factual.

 

For complete coverage of the Blagojevich trial.

https://citizenwells.com/2010/05/21/blagojevich-trial-complete-coverage-from-citizen-wells/

Blagojevich trial, Dr Eric Whitaker, Update, May 25, 2010, Eric Whitaker being investigated by feds, Whitaker linked to Obama Blagojevich, Misusing public funds on faith based minority outreach programs

Blagojevich trial, Dr Eric Whitaker, Update, May 25, 2010, Eric Whitaker being investigated by feds

From the Examiner May 25, 2010.

“In yet another scandal-waiting-to-happen linked to the Obama White House, a close friend, advisor and donor of the president’s is being investigated by federal officials for allegedly misusing public funds on faith-based minority outreach programs while he ran the State of Illinois’ health department.

With Obama pal Dr. Eric Whitaker at the helm, Illinois spent millions of taxpayer dollars on highly questionable publicity campaigns to educate African-American and other minorities about common diseases such as AIDS and Herpes in their communities.

Dr. Whitaker was the powerful director of the Illinois Department of Public Health from 2003 to 2007, thanks to a recommendation from his good friend Obama who at the time was a state senator, claims public-interest law group Judicial Watch..

The federal investigation into Whitaker’s minority health programs has been kept under wraps by the Obama Administration but a Chicago newspaper revealed details after obtaining records under the state’s Freedom of Information Act. However, the leftist President’s sycophants within the national news media continue to cover up misdeeds of “all the President’s men — and women.”

Federal grand jury subpoenas obtained by Chicago’s local newspaper disclose that the investigation involves “faith-based initiatives” and health-awareness campaigns funded by the Health Department when Whitaker ran the health agency for the criminally indicted former Illinois Governor-turned court jester Rod Blagojevich.”

“A member of Obama’s tight-knit circle of friends from Chicago’s Hyde Park, Whitaker resigned as Illinois health chief in 2007 to join Michelle Obama as an executive at the University of Chicago.

In 2008, according to Judicial Watch, Whitaker was a fixture within Obama’s presidential campaign and was considered a valued advisor who also helped the then-senator relieve stress with pickup basketball games during campaign stops.

Whitaker and Obama have remained close since meeting during graduate school at Harvard and the doctor has donated money — along with radicals such as Bill Ayers — to Obama’s political campaigns.”

Read more:

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-2684-Law-Enforcement-Examiner~y2010m5d25-Another-Obama-Friend-Probed-by-Grand-Jury

This article was sent to me by a patriot on my email list. However, this is not the first time that Dr. Whitaker’s name has surfaced.

From Citizen Wells September 1, 2008.

“From a Chicago Sun-Times article dated August 23, 2008 about
University of Chicago Medical Center. This is where Michelle Obama
worked as a $317,000 a year vice president. This also is the hospital that nearly tripled her salary in 2004, just after Barack Obama was elected to the US Senate.
“Michelle Obama — currently on unpaid leave from her $317,000-a-year job as a vice president of the prestigious hospital”

“Obama’s top political strategist, David Axelrod, co-owns the firm, ASK Public Strategies, that was hired by the hospital last year to sell the program — called the Urban Health Initiative — to the community as a better alternative for poor patients. Obama’s wife and Valerie Jarrett, an Obama friend and adviser who chairs the medical center’s board, backed the Axelrod firm’s hiring, hospital officials said.”

Another Obama adviser and close friend, Dr. Eric Whitaker, took over the Urban Health Initiative when he was hired at U. of C. in October 2007. Whitaker previously had been director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Obama has said he recommended Whitaker for the state job, giving his name to Tony Rezko, who helped Gov. Blagojevich assemble his Cabinet. Rezko, a former fund-raiser for Obama and Blagojevich, was convicted in June on federal corruption charges tied to state deals.””

Read more

Blagojevich trial complete coverage from Citizen Wells.

https://citizenwells.com/2010/05/21/blagojevich-trial-complete-coverage-from-citizen-wells/

Citizen Wells open thread, May 24, 2010, Articles, Announcements, Citizens news reports, Complete Blagojevich trial coverage

One size usually does not fit all. That concept combined with the launching of CitizenWells.com as more of a news platform lead to the following next step. This is a step in a new direction that is partly organizational, partly experimental and partly the necessity spawned from the “mother of invention.” As always, your cooperation is necessary and needed.

This open thread article will serve as a forum for any discussions or debates that you desire or that are not appropriate for on topic discussions. Try to stay as on topic as possible for the topical articles presented.

A possible discussion topic for the open thread is the Obama camp controlling the flow and content of information.

Here are some articles and announcements presented today.

Citizen News articles can be presented at CitizenWells.com

Read more

Complete coverage of the Blagojevich Trial

Read more

Later today.

Is the Huffington Post a paid arm of the Obama camp?

Blagojevich trial, Blagojevich 101, Complete Blagojevich trial coverage, Truth about Blagojevich Rezko Levine Obama

Blagojevich trial, Blagojevich 101, Complete Blagojevich trial coverage

The Rod Blagojevich trial is scheduled to begin June 3, 2010. Federal prosecutors must respond to a Supreme Court request from Justice Stevens. Justice Stevens reacted to the Petition from the Blagojevich defense team to delay the trial until the US Supreme Court has ruled on the “honest services” component of state law included in the Blagojevich Indictment.

Regardless of how this plays out, complete coverage will be provided by Citizen Wells. Blagojevich in cooperation with the mainstream media and attempted to mislead the public. It is important that the American public know the facts regarding the Blagojevich trial and corruption ties to Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine, Barack Obama and many others. CitizenWells.com now has a “one stop shopping” page to learn more about Blagojevich, et al and to stay informed about the trial. There you will find the following:

Rod Blagojevich trial timeline
Blagojevich Trial 101
December 2008 Citizen Wells articles on Obama’s ties to Blagojevich, corruption
Pre trial events and information
Blagojevich trial Citizen Wells daily coverage

https://citizenwells.com/%20blagojevich-trial-complete-coverage-from-citizen-wells

Blagojevich trial, Justice Stevens asks prosecutors to respond, Blagojevich delay request, May 21, 2010

Blagojevich trial, Justice Stevens asks prosecutors to respond

From the Chicago Tribune May 21, 2010.

“Justice Stevens asks prosecutors to respond to Blagojevich request to delay corruption trial”

“U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens gave federal prosecutors one week to respond to ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s request to delay his corruption trial.

Stevens on Friday told the government to respond by May 28. The trial of Blagojevich and his brother, Robert Blagojevich, is scheduled to begin June 3.”

“Requests to delay the trial already were denied by the trial judge and the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-ap-il–blagojevich-corruptioncase,0,7570538.story

Blagojevich Trial, Justice John Paul Stevens, Petition to postpone trial in Steven’s chambers, Blagojevich defense team seeking to delay trial

Blagojevich Trial, Justice John Paul Stevens, Petition to postpone trial

From the Chicago Tribune May 20, 2010.

“Blagojevich’s lawyers ask Supreme Court to delay trial”

“Representatives of the court confirmed Thursday that the former Illinois governor’s petition to postpone the June 3 trial had been delivered to the chambers of Justice John Paul Stevens.

Lawyers for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich have taken their bid to delay the start of his corruption trial to the U.S. Supreme Court.”

“Blagojevich’s defense team is seeking to delay the trial until after the high court rules on the constitutionality of the “honest services” fraud law by the end of June. Justices have been critical of the law as too ambiguous.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-blagojevich-appeal-20100520,0,7882766.story

Blagojevich trial, Supreme Court request, Defense asked asked the US Supreme Court to delay corruption trial, Rod Blagojevich, Robert Blagojevich

Blagojevich trial, Supreme Court request

From the Chicago Tribune May 19, 2010.

“Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to delay his corruption trial.

Attorney Michael Ettinger, who represents the former governor’s brother, confirmed Wednesday the request for a delay was filed with Justice John Paul Stevens.

Blagojevich and his brother, Robert Blagojevich, are due to go on trial starting June 3.

Their lawyers say it should be delayed until the high court decides if the federal honest-services fraud law is constitutional. The former governor faces some charges based on that law.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-ap-il–blagojevich-corruptioncase,0,7570538.story

This story originated at the AP. They are having some difficulties reporting the facts regarding any story that touches Obama. So I will help them. If you get the impression that the Blagojevich guilty plea is primarily about selling the Obama senate seat, read the following.

“We have a trial, a story, about Rod Blagojevich, his numerous corrupt cronies including Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine, Barack Obama and a host of others involved in long time crime and corruption in Chicago and IL. We have a story, far bigger and more far reaching than Watergate. We have a story including businessmen, attorneys, state and local officials, the Governor of Illinois, the occupant of the White House and his long time associates, and it is barely being covered by the mainstream media. And worse than that, it is being covered up. Even our last refuge of information access, the internet, is being manipulated.”

“The second Superseding Indictment of Rod Blagojevich is 113 pages long. Tony Rezko’s Superceding Indictment is 65 pages.”

Read more

Media Fail, MediaFail.com, Citizen Wells fails Media Fail, Obama birth certificate, Information suppression, Obama thugs, 1984, Big brother

Media Fail, MediaFail.com, Citizen Wells fails Media Fail, Obama birth certificate

“And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed
–if all records told the same tale–then the lie passed into
history and became truth. “Who controls the past,” ran the
Party slogan, “controls the future: who controls the present
controls the past.”
“The past, he reflected, had not merely been altered, it had
actually been destroyed. For how could you establish, even
the most obvious fact when there existed no record outside
your own memory?”…George Orwell, “1984?

I received an email today about Media Fail, a website that is devoted to “Expose the worst of American media.
Find it. Post it. Fail it. ”

I signed up at MediaFail.com and then posted two commemts about failings of the mainstream media.

1 fail
 
Chicago Tribune, O’Reilly,MSM FAIL: Blagojevich trial downplayed, misrepresented (wordpress.com)
” He has pleaded not guilty to charges that he tried to sell President Barack Obama’s old senate seat” The indictment is 113 pages and covers corruption involving Blagojevich and his cronies going back many years. Read more at Citizen Wells.
Comments Posted by citizenwells
2 fails
 
MSM, Factcheck.org FAIL: Obama birth certificate, COLB, college records (wordpress.com)
Obama has employed a legion of private and government attorneys to avoid presenting a legitimate birth certificate and college records. That is the real question not being asked by the mainstream media, including Fox. Video explains more.
Comments (1) Posted by citizenwells

Links to the comments:

http://mediafail.com/fails/249

 http://mediafail.com/fails/250

A few minutes ago, a commenter on this blog indicated that the second comment, about the Obama birth certificate could not be accessed. I tried to access it and got the following response:

Access denied

You are not allowed to view this.

The following is from the MediaFail.com website:

“What is mediaFAIL?
Every day, we read and watch “news” that favors sensation over substance. Meaningless sideshows can dominate the news cycle for days, blocking out real issues of public concern. Worse, what often passes for reporting is badly sourced, unaccountable and tainted by commercial interests and trivia.
It’s time to FAIL a failing media.
MediaFAIL is a user-powered project of Free Press that exposes the worst in American media. Just find a link, post it, fail it, and share it with friends. The top-rated submissions will migrate to the site’s front page for all the world to see.
We don’t just want to give the media a failing grade — we want it to pass. That’s why we’re featuring links to actions on important campaigns by Free Press and our allies, so that you can help build a better media system.
Submitting a link and voting are simple. Here’s how to start:
Sign up for an account
Find and submit a link to an example of terrible reporting (maybe something like this, about two news outlets reporting the exact same story).
Share your submitted “fail” with your friends via e-mail, Twitter or Facebook.
Vote on other fails that you find especially bad.
Post a comment or two.
Repeat!
So get failing — and help fix the media.
 
 
 
Submission and Comment Policy
Free Press and the Free Press Action Fund welcome submissions and comments meant to spark discussions about improving the media system in America. However, we reserve the right to delete submissions and comments that are offensive or abusive; that are about topics other than the state of U.S. media; that contain ad hominem attacks; or that are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion.
The submissions to this site are user contributions. Free Press and the Free Press Action Fund have not reviewed all the sites linked to from this site and are not responsible for the content, policies or practices of any site linked to from this site. That another Web site is linked to from our site does not constitute endorsement by Free Press or the Free Press Action Fund of the site’s owner, content, products or services.”

Based on my brief experience with Media Fail, I am compelled to

Fail

MediaFail.com

Blagojevich trial, Judge James Zagel, Blagojevich trial judge, Money to Burn, Zagel novel, Chicago legal community, State Cabinet posts

Blagojevich trial, Judge James Zagel, Blagojevich trial judge

From the Chicago Tribune May 17, 2010.

“Blagojevich trial judge regarded as smart, unflappable”

“Do you ever wonder what spins through a judge’s head while lawyers and witnesses drone on endlessly for days and weeks at trial?

In the case of U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel, who is scheduled to preside over the sweeping corruption trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich in a little more than two weeks, there’s a good chance those thoughts sometimes drift to grandly larcenous fantasies.

How else to explain “Money to Burn,” the well-received 2002 novel penned by Zagel about a federal judge who masterminds an audacious heist at the super-secure Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago? (Spoiler alert: The judge gets away with millions of dollars.)

Zagel may have an active imagination, but his broad list of admirers in Chicago’s legal community view that as just another example of why he is regarded as one of the smartest and most unflappable jurists at the federal courthouse.
“He is definitely one of those people who can do the job well with half of his attention,” veteran lawyer Joel Bertocchi said of Zagel, who has had parts in two Hollywood movies and whose broad interests range from jazz to target shooting with court security officers.

At 69, and with more than two decades on the federal bench, Zagel boasts a resume to qualify him as one of the most interesting men in Chicago. He helped prosecute mass murderer Richard Speck, twice held state Cabinet posts and was once married to TV investigative reporter Pam Zekman.

As a jurist, he also moonlights on the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that decides whether to issue warrants for electronic eavesdropping on terrorism suspects.

In 1965, after graduating from the University of Chicago and Harvard Law School, Zagel joined the Cook County state’s attorney’s office, where he helped gain the conviction of Speck, the notorious killer of eight student nurses on the city’s Southeast Side.

From 1970 to 1977, Zagel ran the criminal division of the Illinois attorney general’s office. One of his assistants was Jayne Carr, who would later marry Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson. As a colleague, Jayne Thompson said, Zagel was hard-driving, meticulous with the law and possessed of an “encyclopedic memory.”

“He can sit down and write a legal pleading and fill in the citations, including the page numbers, without bringing out a book,” she recalled.

Zagel eventually went to work in Thompson’s administration, first as director of the Department of Revenue and then as head of what was then known as the Department of Law Enforcement.”

“Zagel was appointed to the federal bench in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan, and while his law enforcement background has given him a reputation for leaning toward the government’s view, he is widely viewed by members of the defense bar as predictable and fair.”

“Halprin, who represented mob boss Joey “the Clown” Lombardo, said Zagel did a good job managing a case with colorful lawyers in a circuslike atmosphere — a climate likely to be repeated in the Blagojevich case, which features a star defendant and legal team with flairs for the dramatic.”

“In 2008, Zagel was appointed by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to a seven-year term on the intelligence court.”

“The judge, said Bertocchi, “will want the result of this trial to speak well of the legal system.””

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-blagojevich-trial-judge-profil20100517,0,4269105.story