Rod Blagojevich trial, June 3, 2010, Chicago Illinois corruption
“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.”
“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.”…April 7, 2008 article on LA Times blog, written by Andrew Malcolm, veteran foreign and national correspondent.
The rigging of the IL Health Planning Facilities Board is a major charge in the indictments of Rod Blagojevich, Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine, Robert Weinstein and others tied to Barack Obama.
Will the trial of Rod Blagojecvich expose Obama’s role in rigging the IL Board?
Will the MSM, including Fox, cover this story?
Rod Blagojevich Criminal Complaint, December 7, 2008.
“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.
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.”
Rod Blagojevich Indictment, December 7, 2008.
“The Racketeering Conspiracy
4. From in or about 2002 to on or about December 9, 2008, in the Northern District of Illinois and elsewhere, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and
CHRISTOPHER KELLY,
defendants herein, together with Alonzo Monk, William F. Cellini, Sr., John
Harris, Robert Blagojevich, Antoin Rezko, and Stuart Levine, being persons
employed by and associated with an enterprise, namely the Blagojevich
Enterprise, which enterprise engaged in, and the activities of which affected,
interstate commerce, did conspire and agree, with each other and others known
and unknown to the Grand Jury, to conduct and participate, directly and
indirectly, in the conduct of the affairs of the Blagojevich Enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity, as that term is defined in Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1961(1) and (5), consisting of:”
Stuart Levine Indictment May 9, 2005.
“Stuart Levine – 19 counts of mail fraud, 4 counts of wire fraud, 2 counts of misapplication of funds, 2 counts of money laundering and one count of extortion – a businessman whose interests included S.L. Investment Enterprises, L.P., and a former member of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board (Planning Board), a state commission appointed by the Governor that grants or denies a permit, known as a “Certificate of Need” (CON), to build hospitals, physician offices or other medical facilities statewide.”
Tony Rezko Indictment.
“b.
In or about the spring of 2004, REZKO and LEVINE agreed that LEVINE, whose term on the TRS Board was due to expire in May 2004, needed to be reappointed to the TRS Board and that additional TRS Board members needed to be appointed who would cooperate with REZKO and LEVINE. REZKO agreed to use his relationships and influence with high-ranking State of Illinois officials to facilitate these efforts.
c.
In or about early May 2004, REZKO instructed a State of Illinois employee responsible for facilitating appointments to state boards to move forward on LEVINE’s reappointment to the TRS Board, and represented that the reappointment had been approved by a high-ranking state official. The high-ranking state official subsequently directed that LEVINE be reappointed to the TRS Board. Also in or about May 2004, two new members were appointed to the TRS Board who voted with LEVINE on matters of interest to REZKO and LEVINE.
4. It was further part of the scheme that REZKO sought to influence certain State of Illinois officials, in order to ensure that LEVINE, and persons allied with REZKO and LEVINE, retained and obtained memberships on the TRS Board and the Planning Board that enabled REZKO and LEVINE to influence the actions of those boards for the benefit of REZKO, LEVINE, and their nominees and associates.”
Robert J Weinstein Indictment, June 2007.
“WEINSTEIN and Levine discussed Rezko’s influence over the Planning Board, including in a recorded conversation on April 21, 2004 in which they discussed Rezko’s involvement in the Planning Board and Levine explicitly advised WEINSTEIN of Rezko’s role in manipulating the Planning Board’s vote earlier that day on the CON application of Mercy Health System Corporation Hospital, as well as other Planning Board matters;”
These 2 statements, selected from the above, are important.
“At the relevant time period, the Planning Board consisted of nine individuals.”
“In or about the spring of 2004, REZKO and LEVINE agreed that LEVINE, whose term on the TRS Board was due to expire in May 2004, needed to be reappointed to the TRS Board and that additional TRS Board members needed to be appointed who would cooperate with REZKO and LEVINE.”
Citizen Wells blog, December 11, 2008.
“Obama’s role in rigging the Health Planning Facilities Board
Evelyn Pringle, Obama Curtain Time 2
“Obama was chairman of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee in January 2003. A few articles in the media have mentioned that Obama sat on a committee that reviewed matters related to the Planning Board in conjunction with the Governor’s staff but none have discussed his integral part in getting the bill passed.
A review of senate records from January 2003 to August 2003, shows Obama played a major role as chairman of that committee, in pushing through Senate Bill 1332, that led to the “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, making the votes much easier to rig.
Democratic Senator Susan Garrett sponsored the bill in the senate, and the chief co-sponsor was Republican Senator Dale Righter. These two senators were also on the Human Services Committee with Obama.
The bill was filed with the senate secretary on February 20, 2003, and assigned to Human Services Committee for review on February 27. Less than a month later, as chairman, Obama sent word that the bill should be passed on March 13, 2003.
On May 31, 2003, the House and Senate passed the bill and the only senator listed in the “yes” votes mentioned in the Board Games indictments is Obama.
Blagojevich made the effective date June 27, 2003, and the co-schemers already had the people lined up to stack the Board and rig the votes with full approval from Obama.”
Barack Obama, Chairman of IL Health Services committee.
More details about the depth of corruption in Chicago and Obama’s ties.
“Levine said he met increasingly with Rezko in early 2003 after Blagojevich was sworn in as governor. On occasion, Levine said, Rezko described his close relationship with Blagojevich.
“He said that he had raised a great deal of money for Gov. Blagojevich and that he had great hopes and expectations that Gov. Blagojevich would run for president,” Levine recalled. “And although he knew it was a long shot, he was working toward that end.”
Levine also said that Rezko told him that he and fellow Blagojevich fundraiser Christopher Kelly “exercised the most influence” in Blagojevich’s kitchen cabinet. And Levine said Rezko told him that “all the major decisions in the governor’s office were cleared through [chief of staff] Lon Monk and through Mr. Rezko.”
“Mr. Rezko told me that he was able to have individuals appointed to state boards and was able to have individuals hired into state agencies and that he spoke very often — and in fact went over decisions — that Lon Monk would put into place,” Levine said.
In summer 2003, Levine said he met with Rezko at his office on Elston Avenue and the two talked over the notion of Levine’s position on a state pension board to make money for themselves.
“Anything that I, Mr. Rezko, decide to do at TRS [the pension board], you’ll be a part of it,” Levine said Rezko told him.
Levine said Rezko made it clear that Levine’s assistance was required, and “any moneys that would be earned in doing that he would share with me.”
Levine said that as he left the meeting, he told Rezko he was “extraordinarily pleased to know him and I thought we could do a lot of business together.”
Asked by a prosecutor to elaborate, Levine said, “I meant there were illegal deals that I could bring to TRS and perhaps to the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board,” on which Levine also served.”
“In the media, Obama always made it sound like he rarely saw Rezko, saying they met for breakfast or lunch once or twice a year. However, the FBI mole John Thomas helped investigators “build a record of repeat visits to the old offices of Rezko and former business partner Daniel Mahru’s Rezmar Corp., at 853 N. Elston, by Blagojevich and Obama during 2004 and 2005,“ according to the February 10, 2008 Sun-Times.
During his March 14, 2008 interview, the Times told Obama, Thomas is an FBI mole and he “recently told us that he saw you coming and going from Rezko’s office a lot.”
“And three other sources told us that you and Rezko spoke on the phone daily.””
Despite attempts from Blagojevich’s attorneys to delay the trial, it is still scheduled for June 3, 2010. Let’s make sure that the American public is informed about the scope of corruption in Chicago and Illinois and the involvement of both Blagojevich and Obama.
Citizen WElls 