Blagojevich trial juror names secret, Judge James Zagel opinion, Media conduct improper and abusive
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
From the Chicago Tribune March 1, 2011.
“A federal judge says he’ll keep the names of jurors at the upcoming retrial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich secret until 9 a.m. the day after proceedings end – brushing aside arguments from media groups that there’s a public interest in releasing them sooner.
In a six-page opinion, Judge James Zagel cites some reporters repeatedly knocking on the doors of jurors’ homes just hours after Blagojevich’s first trial ended, as well as a TV station helicopter hovering over a house where another panelist was staying.
“The conduct of some media after the names were released was improper and, in some cases, abusive,” Zagel wrote in an opinion posted late Monday.
Among the remedies he could employ to ward off journalists after the retrial, Zagel wrote, was passing out “No Trespassing” signs to jurors to put up on their doors or in their yards.
At the retrial, set to start April 20, Blagojevich faces charges including that he tried to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat. At the first trial, jurors deadlocked on all but one count, convicting Blagojevich of lying to the FBI. The former governor denies all wrongdoing.
The Chicago Tribune and other media groups had asked Zagel to release the jurors’ names immediately after the retrial ends. Their attorney, James Klenk, said Tuesday that he was disappointed in Zagel’s ruling, adding he hadn’t yet discussed the possibility of an appeal with his clients.
At a recent hearing on the issue, Zagel used unusually tough language to chastise reporters. Zagel said that as a consequence of what he described as “harassment” by reporters at the first trial, otherwise qualified potential jurors may be leery about serving at the second trial “because they fear an onslaught of a rapacious media.””
Obama and Blagojevich ties to Rezko Chicago corruption, Why Justice Dept has been covering for Obama
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
Before I continue on with my case against the US Justice Department in their ongoing efforts to protect Obama, here is an article from the LA Times, April 7, 2008. American public, you were warned.
“Under cross-examination by Rezko attorney Joseph Duffy, star prosecution witness Stuart Levine, a Chicago-area lawyer, is admitting to conspiracy, extortion, bribery, fraud and other bad acts while he “served” at the Illinois public school teachers pension fund board.
At Duffy’s urging, Levine is detailing 30 years of drug usage including sordid day-long binges with other men at a Chicago inn called the Purple Hotel. Rezko’s attorney Duffy is wondering whether all that cocaine, crystal meth and other drug use has perhaps fogged Levine’s memory.
That aside, much of the trial’s focus is on money — much of it given in the form of campaign money in the careers of Obama and Blagojevich.
It’s an unfolding, seemingly local political story that’s fascinating in its revealing details about the subterranean world of business, financial and family connections in Illinois and Chicago politics that helped take a virtually unknown black Chicago attorney, nurtured him politically and financially and turned him into…. the polished candidate who today thrills crowds of thousands across the country with his eloquence.
Obama currently leads in delegates for the Democratic nomination for president.
This tale is long by Ticket standards. We’ll do this rarely. But for those interested in delving into details it provides important background about the early political connections of a little-known newcomer to the national political scene.
This story concerns two men, neither of whom face any legal charges today. They are two of Illinois’ top Democratic politicians — Gov. Blagojevich, who’s been mentioned often in court, and Sen. Obama, who’s received only passing mentions. They’re entwined in the Rezko saga, particularly through the bounteous campaign money he raised for them both.
Get used to that name. Rezko’s currently in a long-running Chicago trial on federal extortion and bribery charges. Few campaign donors were more responsible than Rezko for the rise of Blagojevich (Blah-goy-ah-vitch) and Obama. Both politicians came to rely on him for political and personal advice — and lots of campaign money.
Their intimate relationship is coming into focus through Rezko, a Syrian-born businessman who made his money in real estate and restaurant franchises and now sits daily in the federal courtroom of U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve. The trial’s daily events are covered in this Tribune Rezko court blog.
So far, Blagojevich, reelected in 2006, is more deeply enmeshed in the scandal than Obama, who’s not been implicated in any wrongdoing.
But all three operated in the murky world of Illinois Democratic politics, where money, family relationships and long business associations provide the invisible glue of the local political world.
Witnesses in Rezko’s trial have testified that Rezko recommended friends and associates for government jobs and posts on Illinois state boards when Blagojevich took office in 2003, and some of those friends were generous donors to Blagojevich.
An early trial exhibit from prosecutors was a spreadsheet. Prepared by an FBI agent , the spreadsheet identifies Rezko-related donors who supplied $1.43 million between 2001 and 2004 to Blagojevich, who was first elected governor in 2002.
Using Federal Election Commission and Illinois state records, The Times’ Dan Morain compared donors on the FBI spreadsheet to Obama’s contributors. Guess what.
Sen. Obama received $222,000 during the same 2001-2004 period from Rezko-related Blagojevich donors.
And Obama received at least another $32,000 from them for this presidential run — although Rezko, indicted in 2006, has not been involved in Obama’s current campaign.
Those Obama-Blagojevich donors include Rezko himself, along with his family members, employees and associates of his various business enterprises. There’s also the head of a major Chicago investment firm that received Illinois public teachers’ pension money to invest.
Jay Stewart, of the nonprofit government watchdog Better Government Assn. in Chicago, called the overlapping list of donors a “who’s who of the inner circle” of Democratic politics in the Land of Lincoln.
“Did they come from the same general political environment?” Stewart said of Blagojevich and Obama. “Yes. They’re Chicago pols. They both knew Tony Rezko. Tony Rezko raised money.”
In his presidential race, Obama increasingly has relied on small donations delivered via the Internet from more than a million individuals. But when he started in Illinois politics, Stewart noted, “if you wanted money, you needed to ask the big boys.”
Rezko was a big boy. He was, for instance, a link between Obama and Santa Monica developer Jay Wilton of Wilton Partners. On July 16, 2003, Wilton gave $5,000 to Obama’s first U.S. Senate run. A few days later, Wilton gave $50,000 to Blagojevich, Illinois state records show.
Unlike the federal system, Illinois state campaign finance law permits donors to give as much as they want to state candidates. So, in Illinois they do.”
“this TOP OF THE TICKET Special Report on Obama & Rezko & illinois gov blagojevich is a topnotch reportage. it’s an expose, in a great way, on obama’s hidden character.
how in Christ’s name was obama able to stand–for quite a time–a drug addict like rezko, and an opportunist of a poltician like blagojevich without batting an eyelash, or, worse, without experiencing any qualm of conscience?
the answer is very obvious: obama is a “user” himself who, in his machiavellian politics, will take in anybody, just anybody, who can help him (obama) advance his political career, and push his selfish agenda.
if obama “operated” this way in the “murky world of illinois politics,” as your writer put it, then what could you expect of him to be, what do you think he’s doing now in his bid to win the democratic presidential nomination?
what’s clear by now is that obama has pulled everybody’s legs so successfully that no one, not even the reputedly “perceptive” PRESS, has noticed it. it’s pretty obvious he’s been deadpanning his posture as a self-proclaimed “agent of change.”
given this damning expose by the LOS ANGELES TIMES TOP OF THE TICKET Section, IT BEHOOVES OBAMA TO RESIGN, IN A JIFFY, HIS SENATE POST & QUIT THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING CONTEST NOW–IF ONLY FOR DELICADEZA (but really for more serious reasons). in like manner, it is incumbent upon blagojevich to resign as illinois gov.
the great american people deserve no less, even as they should demand of obama–who touts himself as a presidential candidate of impeccable character–the strictest code of conduct as a politician.
obama has been throughly vetted–and has been found wanting. it’s time for him (obama) to cut, and cut cleanly NOW!
Posted by: jennifer potenciano | April 07, 2008 at 07:52 AM”
Blagojevich trial corruption, Justice Dept protects Obama, Rezko ties to Obama diminished
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
The dropping of counts 1,2 and 4 against Blagojevich by the prosecution was the latest move in a long series of maneuvers to protect Obama from being exposed for his long time ties to Tony Rezko and corruption in Chicago. Rezko was not called as a witness in the first Blagojevich trial and the odds are now higher that he will not be called as a witness in the second trial.
Reprinted from Citizen Wells July 21, 2010.
“The last thing Sen. Barack Obama and Gov. Rod Blagojevich needed was that letter written by convicted Illinois influence peddler Tony Rezko promising he’d never rat out his pals.”…John Kass, Chicago tribune
“Federal authorities have obtained an arrest warrant for Rezko, who is believed to be traveling abroad.”..Rezko indictment press release
“That was when U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve learned he had received a $3.5 million wire transfer from a business associate abroad.”…Rezko trial transcripts
Blagojevich trial
Protecting Obama
Part 5
Where is Tony Rezko?
What unholy alliance prevented Tony Rezko from being called as a prosecution witness? Was it a pact between Rezko, Blagojevich and Obama? Is the US Justice Department complicit in a coverup? Was there pressure from entities in the Middle East? Perhaps a combination of those forces. In Blagojevich’s own words.
Citizen Wells August 28, 2008
“As his sentencing nears, pressure is mounting on Tony Rezko to cooperate with federal investigations into some of the highest-profile politicians in the state — including Gov. Blagojevich.”
“Now, sources tell the Chicago Sun-Times that Rezko has been seen at the federal courthouse as many as a dozen times since his June conviction. He’s been held since then at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago.”
“If Rezko’s cooperating, that would be a major development in “Operation Board Games,” the government’s ongoing probe into state boards that’s widened into a broader corruption probe.”
From the Chicago SunTimes October 9, 2008
“A federal judge this morning officially postponed the sentencing of political fund-raiser Tony Rezko as he continues his discussions with the government.
U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve indefinitely delayed Rezko’s Oct. 28 sentencing date and told the parties to meet again for a status in the case in December.
The sentencing, originally scheduled for Oct. 28, just before the election, was likely to bring unfavorable publicity to Rezko’s onetime friend Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama.
Prosecutors and Rezko lawyers said this morning they did not want to set a future date for sentencing.
Rezko lawyer William Ziegelmueller said they sought the delay to “work together to agree to otherwise narrow differences at sentencing.”
The agreement comes as Rezko is talking to federal prosecutors. The Sun-Times first reported Rezko’s meetings with the feds in August and sources close to the investigation later confirmed the talks last month.”
“Convicted businessman Tony Rezko — who is poised to become a crucial witness in the massive corruption case against ex-Gov. Blagojevich — was quietly moved out of a downtown jail and into another facility last month, the Sun-Times has learned.
Authorities seeking Rezko’s cooperation pushed for the move after Rezko complained about being held in the tough confines of solitary imprisonment, known as “the hole,” even as he was providing information to prosecutors, sources said.”
“Rezko’s relocation is a sign that even with thousands of taped conversations of the governor, investigators still highly value Rezko’s potential as a witness.”
“Rezko, who served as an adviser and fund-raiser to Blagojevich, provided authorities with substantial information involving the governor and bolstered pay-to-play testimony by former Illinois Finance Authority director Ali Ata, as well as talking about other alleged deals.”
“Why is Antoin “Tony” Rezko under lock and key at an undisclosed location, like some sort of CIA-renditioned al Qaeda operative? And why hasn’t he been sentenced yet?
As the June 3 corruption trial of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich for allegedly trying to sell Obama’s former Illinois Senate seat approaches, the whereabouts of the former Blago and Obama fundraiser is literally a state secret.”
“Rezko’s not listed on the federal Bureau of Prisons’ inmate locator, either.”
“Randall Samborn, spokesman for Fitzgerald, told The Examiner that Rezko “remains in federal custody,” although admitting that he didn’t know exactly where the convicted businessman was being held. Samborn also confirmed that “there is no sentencing date,” but would not elaborate. Sources in Chicago tell us that the long delay is “very unusual.””
“Is Rezko being held at another prison facility for his own safety? There are plenty of people in Chicago and Washington who might not want Rezko on the witness stand. They include:
Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias.
Rezko was such an enthusiastic customer of Giannoulias’ failing Broadway Bank that he wrote $450,000 in bad checks against his account to pay off gambling debts.
Alderman Eddie Burke
Rezko hired Burke’s law firm to get a 77 percent reduction in the real estate taxes of a 62-acre property along the Chicago River he planned to develop using $140 million in city subsidies. After assuring the Chicago Board of Ethics that he would abstain from any Council votes on Rezko’s project, Burke voted for it anyway, blaming his conflict of interest on “an error.” The project was later abandoned.
President Barack Obama
Rezko was the president’s “real estate fairy,” as one Chicago columnist likes to put it. Remember how they bought a house together in Chicago? Rezko was one of Obama’s earliest and biggest fundraisers and donors. Obama was one of his go-to guys for housing legislation in the Illinois state Senate.
If I were Tony Rezko, I’d be hiding, too.”
Read more:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/where-in-the-world-is-tony-rezko-91619594.html
It is understandable why the Blagojevich defense team does not want Rezko on the stand. Judge Zagel’s comment about Rezko being a bad witness is at least horsecrap and reeks of conspiracy. Convicted felons of all categories are regularly used as witnesses. Stuart Levine, the key witness in the Rezko trial was not only enmeshed in corruption but was a long time drug user. Here are the approximate number of times that “Rezko” is mentioned in US Justice Department documents.
Indictment: 100 times.
Criminal complaint: 170 times.
Evidentiary Proffer: 288 times.
Even if a strong argument is made against using Rezko as a witness, and good luck with that argument, Stuart Levine was used extensively as a witness in the Rezko trial, and his name was mentioned approx. 146 times in the Blagojevich Criminal Complaint. And don’t forget, Blagojevich’s name was mentioned at least 30 times on one day of the Rezko trial.
Patrick Fitzgerald, I am damn angry and am speaking up about US Justice Department corruption.
The Chicago Tribune just reported this:
“”I felt all along and believed all along that I was going to testify,” he said. But he said the government case wasn’t as they presented it, without calling witnesses Antoin “Tony” Rezko and Stuart Levine, both convicted in the federal probe.”
I am not the only person coming to the no brainer conclusion that Rezko or Stuart Levine must be called to the witness stand. From Citizen Wells August 19, 2010.
““If I were a Blago juror …”
“If I were a juror, I’d wonder why we never heard from so many of the allegedly bad guys — Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine — mentioned by the prosecution.”
“As noted in part 5 of this series, Tony Rezko’s name was mentioned approximately 288 times in the Evidentiary Proffer. The above numbers reveal that of the evidence presented in the Proffer, 38 pages are loaded with names and corruption activities tied to Blagojevich from 2002 to mid 2008. And yet neither Tony Rezko or Stuart Levine were called as witnesses. And just as predicted and warned about here, the focus of the trial was the selling of Obama’s senate seat.””
“An expert on law has commented on Rezko and Levine being called as witnesses. Leonard Cavise is a DePaul University law professor.”
“But Leonard Cavise, a DePaul University professor, suggested the government will need to do more at the retrial, possibly leading to a longer presentation of evidence. He said he believes the government may try to avoid another deadlocked jury by using fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko and political fixer Stuart Levine as witnesses.
Both men have agreed to cooperate, but prosecutors chose not to call them this summer in part because of the baggage both bring.
“If the prosecution insists on going forward, I have two words for them: Rezko and Levine,” Cavise said. “They know where all the bodies are buried.””
Blagojevich trial, Justice Dept controlled by Obama weakens case, Blagojevich prosecuton designed to protect Obama
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
Yesterday the Citizen Wells blog presented the latest efforts by the US Justice Department to dilute the prosecution of Rod Blagojevich and ultimately protect Obama.
“Prosecutors in the Blagojevich trial have dropped 3 counts from the indictment against him. That is approximately 15 %. That does not appear on the surface to be significant. However, counts 1 and 2 represent about half of the indictment and mention numerous Chicago corruption figures with ties to Obama. Get the picture?”
“Most of you know by now that the US Justice Department is corrupt, as evidenced by recent whistleblowers, and that Obama and Eric Holder have no regard for the US Constitution. The manner in which the Blagojevich trial has played out, beginning with the delay of his arrest, the diversion of the selling of the senate seat, inept prosecution in the first trial and manipulation of charges, all are further proof of Obama’s usurpation and control of the Justice Dept.
Remember in 2008 I told you that Obama had to win the election to avoid prosecution.”
“C) Is count one too large and thus more difficult to convict him on? Was this deliberate? This count has most of the references to earlier corruption that can be linked to Obama.”
It appears that my crystal ball worked well, or is it that the Obama controlled Justice Dept. is just too predictable.
Reprinted from Citizen Wells May 16, 2010.
As many of you know, The Citizen Wells blog has presented numerous articles on Chicago corruption involving Rod Blagojevich, Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine, Barack Obama and a host of others. The first article on Blagojevich was presented in April of 2008. This blog called for the arrest and indictment of Blagojevich and Obama long before Blagojevich was arrested.
You are probably also aware of one of my biggest concerns about the Blagojevich trial. That it was being downplayed and misrepresented by Blagojevich in concert with the mainstream media and recently affected by Google manipulating search engine results. Almost every reporting of the trial portrays it as simply as Blagojevich attempting to profit from selling Obama’s old US Senate seat.
I am currently analyzing the second superseding indictment against Blagojevich and I have some concerns about it’s content and structure. This blog has several legal experts who comment frequently, other website owners and others who pay attention and certainly care about this country. I am seeking two responses from you.
1. Read the criminal complaint from December 2008. Then read the superseding indictment and then the second superseding indictment. Here are just some of my concerns.
A) Are too many of the earlier references to Blagojevich’s ties to corruption that could link him to Obama diluted in the second superseding indictment?
B) Are there too many counts associated with the senate seat selling?
C) Is count one too large and thus more difficult to convict him on? Was this deliberate? This count has most of the references to earlier corruption that can be linked to Obama.
2. Contact as many people, entities as possible. Have them read the indictment. Counteract the Orwellian attempts to misrepresent this colossal coverup. Here is just the “Tip of the iceberg” from the Criminal Complaint.
“b. Corruption of the Planning Board
35. As described more fully in the following paragraphs, Mercy Hospital, which
sought permission from the Planning Board to build a hospital in Illinois, received that
permission through Rezko’s exercise of his influence at the Planning Board after Rezko was
promised that Mercy Hospital would make a substantial campaign contribution to ROD
BLAGOJEVICH. Rezko later told a member of the Planning Board that Mercy Hospital
received the permit because ROD BLAGOJEVICH wanted the organization to receive the
permit.
36. Levine’s criminal activities included his abuse of his position on the Planning
Board to enrich both himself and Friends of Blagojevich. The Planning Board was a
commission of the State of Illinois, established by statute, whose members were appointed
by the Governor of the State of Illinois. At the relevant time period, the Planning Board
consisted of nine individuals. State law required an entity seeking to build a hospital,
medical office building, or other medical facility in Illinois to obtain a permit, known as a
“Certificate of Need” (“CON”), from the Planning Board prior to beginning construction.
37. Levine, as well as Planning Board members Thomas Beck and Imad
Almanaseer, testified under oath at the Rezko Trial.9 Beck testified that he asked Rezko to
reappoint him to the Planning Board and that Beck thereafter followed Rezko’s directions
regarding which CON applications Rezko wanted approved. Beck testified that it was his
job to communicate Rezko’s interest in particular CONs to other members of the Planning
Board, including Almanaseer, who were loyal to Rezko. Beck testified that he understood
that Rezko spoke for the Blagojevich administration when Rezko spoke to Beck about
particular CONs. Almanaseer testified that Beck instructed him that Rezko wanted
Almanaseer to vote a particular way and that Almanaseer should follow Levine’s lead in
voting on CONs. Almanaseer testified that before certain Planning Board meetings, he
received notecards from Beck indicating how to vote on certain CON applications. Beck
testified he provided these notecards to Almanaseer and certain other members of the
Planning Board to communicate Rezko’s directions about certain CON applications.
9 Beck and Almanaseer testified pursuant to immunity orders.
38. During his testimony, Levine described a plan to manipulate the Planning
Board to enrich himself and Friends of Blagojevich. The plan centered on an entity
commonly known as Mercy Hospital (“Mercy”) that was attempting to obtain a CON to build
a new hospital in Illinois. Levine knew the contractor hired to help build the hospital. In
approximately November 2003, on behalf of the contractor, Levine checked with Rezko to
determine whether Rezko wanted Mercy to obtain its CON. Rezko informed Levine that
Mercy was not going to receive its CON. According to Levine, he asked Rezko whether it
would matter to Rezko if Mercy’s construction contractor paid a bribe to Rezko and Levine
and, in addition, made a contribution to ROD BLAGOJEVICH. Levine testified that Rezko
indicated that such an arrangement would change his view on the Mercy CON.10
39. Levine’s testimony regarding Rezko’s actions to change the Planning Board
decision concerning Mercy’s application for a CON based on contributions for ROD
BLAGOJEVICH is confirmed by attorney Steven Loren. Loren testified at Rezko’s criminal
trial and, before that, in the grand jury.11 According to Loren, in approximately December
2003, Levine informed Loren that Rezko was against the Mercy CON. According to Loren,
10 manipulated the Mercy vote based on Mercy’s
agreement to make a contribution to ROD BLAGOJEVICH, which agreement he states was
communicated to ROD BLAGOJEVICH, but denies that Levine offered a personal bribe to
Rezko as well.
11 In connection with this investigation, Steven Loren pled guilty to interfering with
the due administration of the Internal Revenue Service. In exchange for his continued and
truthful cooperation, the government has agreed to move the Court for a 5K1.1 departure and
his counsel is free to seek any sentence, including probation. Loren has no other criminal
history. Pursuant to his cooperation agreement, Loren testified at the Rezko Trial.
Levine relayed to Loren a conversation between Rezko and Levine during which Levine
asked Rezko whether a political contribution to ROD BLAGOJEVICH would make a
difference for Mercy’s CON, and Rezko responded to Levine that such a contribution might
make a difference.
40. Thereafter, and confirmed by the testimony of Levine, Beck, and Almanaseer,
as well as recorded conversations, Rezko switched his directions to Beck and informed Beck
that Mercy was to receive its CON. According to Almanaseer, although he previously had
been told by Beck that Rezko did not want Mercy to receive its CON, he was later told that
there had been a change and that Rezko now wanted Mercy to receive its CON.
41. Mercy received its CON as a result of a controversial and irregular vote at a
public Planning Board meeting.12 The vote brought significant publicity to the Planning
Board and ultimately led to the disbanding of the Planning Board. Almanaseer testified
under oath in the grand jury that not long after the Planning Board vote on Mercy’s CON he
saw Rezko at a fundraiser. According to Almanaseer, he was still embarrassed about what
had occurred at the Planning Board vote on Mercy’s CON and Rezko’s role in the vote.
Almanaseer testified that he asked Rezko why Rezko had switched the vote on the Mercy
CON. According to Almanaseer, Rezko stated: “The Governor wanted it to pass.”
12 There was extensive testimony regarding the irregularity of the vote at the Planning
Board meeting. In summary, during the vote, Levine got up from his seat and went to speak
to Beck and to Almanaseer. After these discussions, Almanaseer then changed his vote to
be in favor of Mercy receiving its CON. Beck then voted in favor as well and by a vote of
5 to 4, Mercy’s application for a CON passed.
Almanaseer understood the reference to “Governor” to be a reference to ROD
BLAGOJEVICH.”
Read more:
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
Regulars on this blog know that I have written about two aspects of Obama with zeal. The Orwellian efforts to hide Obama’s past and the Blagojevich trial and corruption and Obama’s ties to this corruption. What I am about to present will come as no surprise to you.
Prosecutors in the Blagojevich trial have dropped 3 counts from the indictment against him. That is approximately 15 %. That does not appear on the surface to be significant. However, counts 1 and 2 represent about half of the indictment and mention numerous Chicago corruption figures with ties to Obama. Get the picture?
From the Chicago Tribune February 24, 2011.
“Two racketeering charges and a wire fraud count against impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich were dropped at a pretrial hearing on Thursday in Chicago — as prosecutors bid to strengthen their cases by simplifying ahead of a spring retrial.
Prosecutors’ initiative to dismiss the three counts and defense lawyers’ agreement at the status hearing cuts the number of charges Blagojevich will face at his corruption trial do-over to 20 from 23. The retrial is scheduled to start April 20.
Prosecutors took courtroom observers by surprise at a Wednesday hearing by telling U.S. District Judge James Zagel they wanted to toss the charges to streamline the case. They added that the allegations of wrongdoing in the dropped charges are duplicated in ones that remain.
The charges were formally dismissed after the defense, as expected, told Zagel on Thursday that they had no objections to the prosecution’s move to throw out counts 1, 2 and 4 from the original indictment, Blagojevich attorney Sheldon Sorosky explained after the hearing.”
“Blagojevich on Wednesday characterized the government’s move as good news.
But the federal attorneys clearly hope that scratching the more intricate, convoluted counts will boost their chances of winning convictions. At minimum, it will sharply cut down on the book-sized, 100-plus page instructions that jurors relied on as a guide during deliberations at the first trial.”
Most of you know by now that the US Justice Department is corrupt, as evidenced by recent whistleblowers, and that Obama and Eric Holder have no regard for the US Constitution. The manner in which the Blagojevich trial has played out, beginning with the delay of his arrest, the diversion of the selling of the senate seat, inept prosecution in the first trial and manipulation of charges, all are further proof of Obama’s usurpation and control of the Justice Dept.
Remember in 2008 I told you that Obama had to win the election to avoid prosecution.
More details to come.
Spread this far and wide including the House Judiciary Committee.
Blagojevich trial update, February 23, 2011, Synchronous corruption crony events
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
On the same day that another one of Obama’s corruption cronies, Rahm Emanuel, got elected to mayor, the Blagojevich defense team filed a motion requesting that some charges be dropped.
From the Chicago Tribune February 22, 2011.
“Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is trying again to have several corruption charges thrown out based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that curtailed an anti-fraud law used by prosecutors nationwide to convict politicians.
In a motion filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago on Tuesday, the defense asks Judge James Zagel to dismiss bribery, extortion and other counts because of the ruling on honest services laws last year. Such laws bar public officials from denying taxpayers honest services.”
Blagojevich trial update, February 21, 2011, Attorneys request not playing wiretaps for jurors
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
From the Chicago tribune February 21, 2011.
“Attorneys for former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich asked a federal judge on Monday to bar prosecutors from playing any FBI wiretap recordings to jurors at his upcoming retrial, arguing that the evidence at the very heart of the government’s case is unreliable.
The motion argues that Judge James Zagel should throw out the hundreds of recordings of Blagojevich — made in the days before his Dec. 9, 2008, arrest — because many contain gaps where vital context needed to understand the taped conversations may be missing. The 54-year-old Blagojevich faces an April 20 retrial on 23 charges, including that he tried to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat.
Monday’s motion cites the best-known secret recording of Blagojevich in which he is heard saying about the seat: “I’ve got this thing and it’s (bleepin’) golden. … I’m just not giving it up for (bleepin’) nothing.”
The motion claims three gaps totaling four minutes in that one call raise sufficient doubts, though the defense did not offer an alternative interpretation for what Blagojevich might have meant.
Federal agents secretly monitoring wiretapped phones are required to limit what they record to conversations pertinent to an investigation. That can lead them to frequently switch recording devices on and off, a process called “minimization.”
Blagojevich’s attorneys, however, argue that the “pattern of inconsistent and improper minimizations” in the hundreds of recordings in the investigation of the impeached governor justify tossing them all out as evidence.”
“In one motion filed last week, defense attorneys asked Zagel to lift a court-ordered seal on all evidence, including the hundreds of hours of wiretap recordings, arguing that the 2-year-old order barring the public release of evidence impairs Blagojevich’s lawyers more than prosecutors.
Monday’s motion says while defense attorneys don’t want jurors at the retrial to hear any of the recordings, they still want to be able to release them to the public.”
Bamani Obadele sentenced, Blagojevich appointment, Obama connection, More Chicago corruption cronies
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
From the Chicago Tribune February 17, 2011.
“A former deputy director at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services — who was appointed by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich — was sentenced to six months in prison Thursday for steering DCFS funds to companies in which he had a stake and then pocketing much of the money.
Bamani Obadele had become friends with Blagojevich more than 20 years ago after the two met when Obadele was a teen who shined shoes. His appointment to head up the state agency’s external affairs was controversial.
Obadele, 38, a South Side preacher with five children, apologized for his misconduct and sought mercy, pointing out he was now also the caretaker for two sons of a brother who recently died.
U.S. District Judge Charles Kocoras sentenced Obadele to six months in prison followed by an additional six months confined to his home, though he would be free to leave his home for work and a limited number of other reasons. The judge said he felt compelled to send a message that “the law is deserving of respect.” Obadele faced up to almost two years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. His lawyers sought probation.
Obadele pleaded guilty in October to one count of mail fraud for directing DCFS contractors to buy promotional items — including magnets, yo-yos and tote bags for public functions sponsored by DCFS — from a company he secretly owned. He also admitted steering DCFS vendors into contracts with another organization in which he had a financial interest.”
“Mr. Obama worked 20 years ago as a community organizer in the Altgeld Gardens public housing development on Chicago’s South Side. There, Bamani Obadele, who runs a youth program in Roseland, and Cheryl Johnson, who runs an environmental justice organization at the sprawling development, recently discussed Mr. Obama and the We Count event.
Mr. Obadele said Mr. Obama attended several antiviolence rallies that Mr. Obadele organized in the Robert Taylor Homes public housing development in the 1990s.
“He helped me carry a casket through the streets,” Mr. Obadele said, referring to an antiviolence mock funeral. “He absolutely understands the struggle of black folks. But he’s not the same Barack I knew. The Barack I knew wouldn’t bail out the banks and let the people go hungry. I think his advisers are giving him bad advice.””
Blagojevich defense motion requests releasing all evidence, All wiretaps, Prominent public figures recorded
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
We apparently have only had access to about 2 percent of the wiretap evidence in the Blagojevich trial. In one of the wiretaps Blagojevich reveals the truth about Obama and Rezko.
All of the wiretap evidence should be released and put before the public. That is just what the Blagojevich defense is requesting.
From the Chicago Tribune February 17, 2011.
“Attorneys for impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich continued their barrage of pretrial motions with a new one Thursday that asks a federal judge to lift a court-ordered seal on all evidence, including hundreds of hours of secret FBI wiretap recordings.
The seven-page motion filed at the U.S. District Court in Chicago early Thursday — two months before Blagojevich’s corruption retrial is slated to start — argues the two-year-old order barring the public release of evidence impairs Blagojevich lawyers’ more than prosecutors.
“It is a fundamentally unfair playing field,” the motion says.
Blagojevich, 54, faces an April 20 retrial on 23 charges, including that he tried to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat. He’s also accused of trying to shake down donors for campaign cash. At his first trial, jurors deadlocked on all but one count of lying to the FBI.
Of hundreds wiretap recordings, only a small percentage were played at the first trial. The rest are barred from release by the seal order, including recordings of conversations between Blagojevich or his aides with prominent public figures not accused of any wrongdoing in the case.
Thursday’s filing also accuses the government of selectively releasing out-of-context excerpts before the first trial that “poisoned the jury pool,” arguing that the seal — called a protective order — makes it impossible for the defense to respond.
“The protective order has only served to permit the government to present half-truths and distortions and has handicapped Blagojevich’s ability to fight back against false government allegations and set the record straight,” the motion says.
In the most notorious wiretap outtake released by prosecutors before the first trial, Blagojevich is heard saying about Obama’s vacated seat: “I’ve got this thing and it’s (bleepin’) golden. . . . I’m just not giving it up for (bleepin’) nothing.”
U.S. Attorney’s office spokeswoman Kim Nerheim declined any comment on Thursday’s motion.
One justification for the seal on evidence, the motion says, was the possibility that making the evidence public could interfere with other pending prosecutions. But the motion says it understands the investigation in the case has essentially ended.
The latest motion is the third within two weeks. Presiding Judge James Zagel had set Feb. 15 as a deadline to file all pretrial motions, but the defense this week asked for another few days. The next status hearing is Feb. 22, during which Zagel could accept or reject those motions.
Thursday’s filing says prosecutors played just 2 percent of “thousands” of recordings at Blagojevich’s first trial. It argues that prosecutors should now have no interest in keeping all the tapes under wraps.”
Mercy Health System Crystal Lake hospital plans, Blagojevich Rezko Levine Obama haunted by past
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I wear the chain I forged in life,”…the Ghost of Christmas Past, “A Christmas Carol”
Rod Blagojevich, Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine and Barack Obama are once again being visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past.
From the Chicago Tribune February 16, 2011.
“Centegra Health System’s plan to build a hospital in Huntley was subjected for the first time Wednesday to public reaction, and it generally was split between other hospitals saying the proposal would drive up health costs and local people believing it was needed and wanted.
The public hearing at Huntley Village Hall was moderated by two officials of the Illinois Health Facilities and Service Board, which must approve any new medical proposal. The board later will hold a hearing on a competing plan by Mercy Health System to build a hospital in nearby Crystal Lake.”
“Mercy Health System is proposing to build in Crystal Lake at Route 31 and Three Oaks Road. Its hospital would include 100 acute-care medical and surgery beds, 20 obstetric and eight intensive care units, an emergency department and a focus on geriatrics. Mercy also is touting its proposed multi-specialty clinic of 45 physicians that would be attached to the hospital.
Mercy’s project would cost $200 million and be paid for with $176 million in bonds and $20 million in cash and securities. The hospital has a planned opening of early 2014.
This isn’t the first time Mercy officials have sought a certificate of need for a hospital in Crystal Lake.
A proposal for 70 beds was shot down by the state board in 2003. Mercy tried again in April 2004 and was awarded the certificate as board members became the target of a federal corruption investigation.
A few months later, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and state lawmakers revamped the board. The Tribune reported in June 2005 that then-board Vice Chairman Stuart Levine planned to split a $1.5 million kickback with former Blagojevich fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko from contractor Jacob Kiferbaum, who was to build the hospital.
Judge Maureen McIntyre revoked Mercy’s permit for the proposed hospital in May 2005. Mercy officials, never charged with any wrongdoing, did not appeal.
The state health facilities board tentatively plans to vote on both proposals May 10.”
Citizen WElls 