Category Archives: corruption

Blagojevich jurors speak out, No smoking gun presented, Rezko for example, Citizen Wells open thread, August 18, 2010

Blagojevich jurors speak out, No smoking gun presented, Rezko for example

From the Chicago Tribune August 18, 2010.

“”They were very strong personalities,” foreman James Matsumoto said of the jurors. “They were all independent thinkers.”

He said he would have convicted Blagojevich on all counts, saying that the case slowly built, “layer upon layer.”

“You just say, ‘God, what was he doing?’ You find out here they were selling seats on boards and commissions. That to me was shocking,” Matsumoto said.

But in the end, he said, the “lack of a smoking gun” was too much of a hurdle for jurors to reach more than the one unanimous decision.

“We deliberated logically and with respect for each other’s opinions,” Matsumoto said. Still, he added, “it was very frustrating.”

Erik Sarnello, 21, of Itasca, said a female juror who was the lone holdout on convicting Blagojevich of attempting to sell the Senate seat “wanted clear-cut evidence, and not everything was clear-cut.”

Sarnello, a sophomore at College of DuPage studying criminal justice, said the main problem with the prosecution’s case was that it was all over the place.

“It confused people,” he said. “They didn’t follow a timeline. They jumped around.”

The foreman said jurors came close to convictions on a number of the 24 counts — as close as 11-1 — but remained far apart on others.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/blagojevich/ct-met-blagojevich-verdict-jury-20100818,0,1234825.story

Obviously, Tony Rezko is the biggest smoking gun.

Blagojevich trial jurors request Bradley Tusk testimony, August 16, 2010

Blagojevich trial jurors request Bradley Tusk testimony, August 16, 2010

From the Chicago Tribune August 16, 2010.

“On the 13th day of deliberations, jurors in the Rod Blagojevich corruption trial have made a new request of U.S. District Judge James Zagel: they want to see a transcript of the testimony of Bradley Tusk, a former deputy governor who spoke on the stand about what he perceived as an attempted shakedown of U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel.

Over the objections of a defense lawyer, Zagel said he would provide the transcript.
Tusk, who served Blagojevich from 2003 until 2006, testified that Blagojevich had promised a $2 million grant to an experimental Chicago school in Emanuel’s district, only to later hold its release hostage unless Emanuel leaned on his Hollywood talent agent brother, Ari, to hold a fundraiser for the governor. Tusk testified that he was so outraged by Blagojevich’s alleged tactic that he told Blagojevich’s general counsel, William Quinlan, to “get control of your client.””

“Jurors created a stir last week with a note to Zagel signaling they have been able to agree on only two of the 24 counts against Blagojevich and had not yet even considered 11 wire fraud counts.

Zagel told them to deliberate further and asked them to come to some decision about the wire fraud counts, even if it was only that they were split.

If they can’t agree, Zagel could accept a partial verdict and declare the jury hung on undecided charges. That could result in prosecutors retrying Blagojevich.”

Read more:

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/blagojevich-on-trial/2010/08/blago-attorneys-called-in-for-a-jury-question.html

Blagojevich trial verdict possible today, August 12, 2010, Citizen Wells open thread

Blagojevich trial verdict possible today, August 12, 2010

A verdict in the Rod Blagojevich trial may come today. A note sent to Judge James Zagel from the jurors indicated they may be deadlocked on some of the counts. John Kass of the Chicago Tribune, who has been openly critical of Blagojevich and Obama for some time, provides some commentary.

“Despite all the theories tossed about after the jury delivered the note Wednesday to U.S. District Judge James Zagel, here’s the thing.

Nobody knows what it means. I don’t. Rod Blagojevich doesn’t. Certainly the lawyers don’t.
“We don’t know what it means,” said Michael Ettinger, lawyer for Rod’s brother and co-defendant Robert Blagojevich. “The judge doesn’t know what it means. I assume they are hung on my client, but I don’t know.”

So nobody knows. And you don’t, either, unless you’re a juror, and if you are, then you better stop reading this right now or Judge Zagel will get medieval on you.

So after getting all high and mighty and criticizing my TV colleagues for speculating, it would be most unfair for me to engage in speculation.

Or would it?

According to my own speculations, here’s what we do know:

In the annals of human history, there have been only two times that the impish grin has been wiped completely from the face of Rod Blagojevich.

First, there was that time when the FBI called him about 6 a.m. to tell him they were coming through his bungalow door to arrest him. And he thought it was his good buddy, then state Sen. Jimmy DeLeo, D-How You Doin?, making a practical joke.

Jimmy? Is that you? Jimmy?

No, it was Rob Grant, the special agent in charge of the Chicago FBI office.

And the second time the grin was wiped off was Wednesday, when he got the call to get down to the courthouse immediately because the jury had something to say.

By the time he arrived, he had been able to force at least half the smile back on his face. Walking past reporters, he wisecracked, “Missed you guys.”

But inside, without a jury to play to, the infuriating grin was gone. Instead, he patted his head a number of times, running his fingers over the back of his prodigious mane. But nervously, not like Mr. Cool.”

“Lawyers were told to return to court at 11 a.m. Thursday. That’s going to fuel even more speculation by us gum flappers who don’t know any more than do you.

Notwithstanding the “deliberated without rancor” line from the Perry Masons on the jury, Zagel had kind words for the panel.

He told the lawyers that the jurors were “exceptionally disciplined” and that he hadn’t once heard them fighting in the jury room.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ctc-met-kass-0812-20100812,0,420740.column?page=2&track=rss

Applicable to this trial and other things to be commented on soon,

Things are not always as they seem.

Also, He who laughs last, laughs loudest.

Wells

Blagojevich trial, Day 11 of jury deliberations, Citizen Wells open thread, August 11, 2010

Blagojevich trial, Day 11 of jury deliberations

Today, August 11, 2010, is day 11 of jury deliberations in the Rod Blagojevich trial. What will the verdict be? That’s anybody’s guess. What is the real verdict? The US Justice Department is corrupt and the fix was in many months ago. Remember folks, regardless of the verdict, it can be appealed.

Obama Giannoulias Rezko Auchi Mahajan, Obama still attending Giannoulias fundraiser?, Giannoulias bank loan, Citizen Wells open thread, August 3, 2010

Obama Giannoulias Rezko Auchi Mahajan, Obama still attending Giannoulias fundraiser?

For those of you who listened to my interview on the Chalice radio show this past Sunday night, most of the names mentioned below will sound familiar.

From the Chicago SunTimes August 2, 2010.

“A new headache for Giannoulias? Another Rezko loan”

“By February 2006, businessman and political fixer Tony Rezko was already politically radioactive, caught up in a federal investigation that would see him criminally charged by the end of that year.

News reports had linked Rezko, a key adviser and campaign fund-raiser for then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, to shady deals involving state pension funds — among the crimes that ultimately would send him to prison.

This was the Tony Rezko who, looking for millions of dollars for a massive South Loop development, turned to Broadway Bank, owned by the family of Alexi Giannoulias. Giannoulias, the Democrat now running for U.S. Senate, had left his post as a senior loan officer at the Chicago bank in late 2005 to mount a successful campaign for Illinois state treasurer, though he still held an ownership stake in the bank.

Rezko’s company asked. And Broadway Bank came through.

On Feb. 14, 2006, newly obtained records show, the bank made a $22.75 million loan to a company called Riverside District Development LLC, whose owners, it turns out, included Rezko.”

“Giannoulias, who touted his experience at Broadway Bank in his campaign to win election as state treasurer, has said its failure was the result of the national economic slowdown and the pullback in the real estate market, in which it invested heavily.”

“Broadway Bank made the loan even though another Rezko company, Chicago Hudson LLC, had fallen behind on a $10.9 million loan it got from the bank four years earlier. That loan — for a proposed high-rise condo building at 750 N. Hudson on the Near North Side that never got built — ended up in Bankruptcy Court. The property ended up being sold to another developer. Broadway Bank received $11.5 million from the sale, which took place July 31, 2006.

Following Rezko’s indictment in October 2006, he and his lawyers met in January 2007 with U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve to discuss his assets. During that closed-door hearing, Rezko disclosed his ownership stake in Riverside District Development, the company that got the $22.75 million loan from Broadway Bank. Rezko’s lawyers said his main partner in Riverside was General Mediterranean Holding, a Luxembourg company controlled by Iraq-born billionaire Nadhmi Auchi.”

“According to Giannoulias and Auchi, Riverside District Development paid off the Broadway Bank loan with money it obtained from a $27 million loan from another financial institution: Mutual Bank.

Like Broadway Bank, Mutual also ended up getting shut down by federal regulators — though the loan was paid off, records show. Like Rezko, Mutual’s president, Amrish Mahajan, had been a top fund-raiser for Blagojevich.”

Read more:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/2555870,CST-NWS-watchdogs02.article

For those of you really paying attention, the following exerpt will ring a bell.

“Conner was employed by Mutual bank from on or about August 3, 2000 until involuntarily terminated on October 23, 2007. Conner reported to James Murphy, Senior Vice President, Internal Auditor/Risk Manager, who in turn reported to Amrish Mahajan, President & CEO of Mutual Bank.”

More on this later.

Thanks to commenter Hero.

Blagojevich trial verdict anticlimatic, Blagojevich fix in years ago, Citizen Wells open thread, August 1, 2010

Blagojevich trial verdict anticlimatic, Blagojevich fix in years ago

The Blagojevich trial jury has requested transcripts from the trial. Judge Zagel may provide some of them. However, no matter how this farce plays out, regardless of the outcome, it will be anticlimatic. The fix was in years ago. Some kind of deal was struck between Blagojevich, Rezko and Obama. The US Justice Department is corrupt and just as in the dismissal of the case against the New Black Panther Party, openly displays a racial bias. We also have evidence of this in the total disregard for the Constitution by federal judges when they have been confronted by overwhelming evidence against Obama’s eligibility. Will the US Supreme Court rise to the occasion to check the miscarriage of justice? Will another whistleblower come forward? 

If anyone questioned corruption in the US Justice Dept. in the past, with the dismissal of the New Black Panther Party case and the flagrant manipulation of evidence combined with delays and timing in the Blagojevich trial, all doubts must be erased.

Blagojevich trial jury requests transcripts of all testimony, July 30, 2010, Judge James Zagel

Blagojevich trial jury requests transcripts of all testimony, July 30, 2010

From the Chicago Breaking News Center July 30, 2010.

“Jurors in Rod Blagojevich’s corruption trial may be settling in for a long haul after sending a note to the judge this morning asking for a transcript of all the testimony.

“Is it permissible to obtain a transcript of the testimony?” the note signed by the jury’s foreman read. “It would be helpful.”

U.S. District Judge James Zagel said he took the note to mean the jury wanted transcripts of the testimony of all 27 witnesses in the seven-week trial.

The judge said he planned to respond by telling the jury he would consider requests for specific witnesses, which seemingly will invite the jury to list those whose testimony the panel wants the most.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/07/blago-jury-wants-transcripts-of-all-testimony.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChicagoBreakingNews+%28Chicago+Breaking+News%29

Blagojevich trial fixed, US Justice Department corrupt, Obama protected, Media coverage?, Citizen Wells open thread, July 28, 2010

Blagojevich trial fixed, US Justice Department corrupt, Obama protected, Media coverage?

The jury begins deliberations today, Wednesday, July 28, 2010. It is obvious to anyone paying attention that the arrest and trial of Rod Blagojevich was crafted to protect Obama. The Blagojevich attorneys are correct. The prosecution did not present a case. Is this being covered properly in the media, including Fox? If you have any evidence of media coverage, please advise.

Yesterday I presented part 6 on the Blagojevich trial, protecting Obama and US Justice Dept. corruption. What I did was not rocket science. The basis of part 6 was presenting information from the Evidentiary Proffer. A cursory examination of the the evidence there reveals that the trial was rigged.

“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.

The approximately 39 pages devoted to Blagojevich’s activities mainly from mid 2008 to his arrest reveal much about the chicanery crafted in this setup. These pages are at most a continuation of Blagojevich’s activities in the prior 6 years. They are more general in nature and in the case of the selling of the senate seat, more open to interpretation.

Compare these facts to the evidence and witnesses of the Blagojevich trial.

It is clear from the facts, from the evidence that:

Rod Blagojevich should have been arrested and indicted by 2006.

The arrest of Blagojevich was delayed until after the 2008 election to protect Obama.

The shortening of the trial was designed to protect Obama and the Democrats.

The withholding of evidence and not calling witnesses such as Tony Rezko and Stuart Levine was designed to protect Blagojevich and Obama. The theatrics playing out in court are likely to be a diversion to make it appear that the defense wanted Rezko and Levine to take the witness stand. Rezko and Levine know too much about both Blagojevich and Obama. That is why the Justice Department did not call them as witnesses. We have confirmation from this apparent scheme and other revelations that the US Justice Department is corrupt.”

Are there anymore whistleblowers in the US Justice Department? Anymore attorneys who believe in the US Constituton and rule of law?

Blagojevich trial conspiracy, Protect Obama, US Justice Department corruption, Part 6, Trial shortened, Evidence omitted

Blagojevich trial conspiracy, Protect Obama, US Justice Department corruption, Part 6

Blagojevich trial

Protecting Obama

Part 6

Trial shortened – Evidence omitted

From the Evidentiary Proffer in the Rod Blagojevich trial.

“This proffer begins by discussing case law governing the admissibility of co-conspirator statements under Rule 801(d)(2)(E), and, alternatively, other provisions of Rule 801(d)(2). Next, this proffer summarizes some of the evidence supporting the admission of co-conspirator statements. In this manner, the government will establish to the Court the existence of the evidence available to complete the necessary foundation at trial, the roles of certain witnesses, and the bases for admission. The government is not detailing all of its evidence that would go to show the existence of the pertinent conspiracies, or all of the co-conspirator statements that were made in furtherance of the conspiracies charged in the indictment. Rather, this proffer highlights for the Court samples of the government’s evidence in order to establish to the Court the existence of the conspiracies described in Counts Two, Seventeen, Eighteen, Twenty-One, and Twenty-Three, and the scheme described in Counts Three through Thirteen, and the roles of the various conspirators.”

OVERVIEW OF THE CHARGED OFFENSES
“Defendant Rod Blagojevich has been charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering acts, racketeering, mail and wire fraud, attempted extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion, bribery, and conspiracy to commit bribery, while defendant Robert Blagojevich has been charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit extortion, attempted extortion, and conspiracy to commit bribery. The Second Superseding indictment charges that the defendants, together with others, used and agreed to use the powers of the Office of the Governor of the State of Illinois, and of certain state boards and commissions subject to influence by the Office of the Governor, to take and cause governmental actions, including: appointments to boards and commissions; the awarding of state business, grants,
and investment fund allocations; the enactment of legislation and executive orders; and the appointment of a United States Senator; in order to obtain financial benefits for themselves and others, including campaign contributions for Rod Blagojevich, and employment for Rod Blagojevich and his wife.”

Beginning with

“THE GOVERNMENT’S PROFFER REGARDING THE EXISTENCE OF A CONSPIRACY”

Pages 15 to 52  reveal Blagojevich’s involvement in corruption beginning in 2002 and going into the summer of 2008. Here are some of the names mentioned in this section:

Tony Rezko

Stuart Levine

Patti Blagojevich

John Harris

Christopher Kelly

Alonzo Monk

Joseph Cari

William Cellini

Robert Weinstein

Ali Ata

Joseph Aramanda

Daniel Mahru

Fortune Massuda

Imad Almanaseer

Michel Malek

Jacob Kiferbaum

Out of this 91 page document, 38 pages are loaded with names and events tied to Rod Blagojevich from 2002 to the summer of 2008. Beginning on page 52 and to page 90 are references to Blagojevich shady dealings primarily from the summer of 2008 on.

CONCLUSION
“The above is an outline of the evidence that the government will introduce to establish that a conspiracy existed involving defendant Rod Blagojevich, Blagojevich’s wife, defendant Robert Blagojevich, Christopher Kelly, Antoin Rezko, Alonzo Monk, Stuart Levine, Sheldon Pekin, Joseph Cari, Jacob Kiferbaum, William Cellini, John Harris, Deputy Governor A, Individual I, Advisor A, and Advisor B, and that conspiracy allowed defendants Rod Blagojevich and Robert Blagojevich to commit the charged offenses. This Court should find, based upon this proffer, that coconspirators’ statements are admissible pending the introduction of evidence to support this proffer.”

http://www.scribd.com/doc/29924979/Government-Evidentiary-Proffer-Against-Rod-Blagojevich-4-14-10

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.

The approximately 39 pages devoted to Blagojevich’s activities mainly from mid 2008 to his arrest reveal much about the chicanery crafted in this setup. These pages are at most a continuation of Blagojevich’s activities in the prior 6 years. They are more general in nature and in the case of the selling of the senate seat, more open to interpretation.

Compare these facts to the evidence and witnesses of the Blagojevich trial.

It is clear from the facts, from the evidence that:

Rod Blagojevich should have been arrested and indicted by 2006.

The arrest of Blagojevich was delayed until after the 2008 election to protect Obama.

The shortening of the trial was designed to protect Obama and the Democrats.

The withholding of evidence and not calling witnesses such as Tony Rezko and Stuart Levine was designed to protect Blagojevich and Obama. The theatrics playing out in court are likely to be a diversion to make it appear that the defense wanted Rezko and Levine to take the witness stand. Rezko and Levine know too much about both Blagojevich and Obama. That is why the Justice Department did not call them as witnesses. We have confirmation from this apparent scheme and other revelations that the US Justice Department is corrupt.

Blagojevich trial corruption revealed, Witnesses not called, Evidence not presented, Citizen Wells open thread, July 27, 2010

Blagojevich trial corruption revealed, Witnesses not called, Evidence not presented

“Curiouser and curiouser”…Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

From the last article at Citizen Wells article taken from the Chicago Tribune. Blagojevich attorney Sam Adam Jr. leaves the courtroom in protest.

“Adam announced to U.S. District Judge James Zagel that he wouldn’t follow the judge’s order barring him from arguing that the government didn’t call some key witnesses to point the finger at the former governor. Adam wants to be able to tell the jury that they weren’t called because they would have been helpful to Blagojevich.

Zagel threatened to hold him in contempt of court if he proceeded, and Adam said he would take that risk.

“I’m willing to go to jail for this, your honor,” Adam said loudly. “I cannot follow your order on this.”

Having that door closed makes it impossible for him to effectively represent Blagojevich, Adam said. He said he should be able to argue that the government could have called witnesses such as fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko, political insider Stuart Levine and Blagojevich’s general counsel, William Quinlan.”

Is this part of some theatric scheme? A diversion on top of diversions? Bringing Tony Rezko and Stuart Levine to the stand does not help Blagojevich, but it does hurt Obama.

Part 6 of the series on protecting Obama and US Justice Department corruption will be presented today. It further reveals the amount of evidence withheld and how the trial was skewed to focus on events that happened in the latter half of 2008 to the exclusion of most of the corruption that Blagojevich and his cronies were involved in.