Category Archives: Illinois

Obama nominates Zachary Fardon to replace Patrick Fitzgerald, Fardon represented John Wyma Blagojevich friend crony, Wyma avoided prosecution by being witness

Posted on May 23, 2013 | 25 comments

Obama nominates Zachary Fardon to replace Patrick Fitzgerald, Fardon represented John Wyma Blagojevich friend crony, Wyma avoided prosecution by being witness

“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

“Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

 

From CNS News May 23, 2013.

“New federal prosecutor nominated for Chicago”

The Obama administration has picked a private attorney and former federal prosecutor who helped send former Illinois Gov. George Ryan to prison for corruption to head the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago, Illinois’ senators announced Thursday.

Zachary Fardon would replace Patrick Fitzgerald, who stepped down last summer to enter private practice. Fitzgerald rose to national prominence during more than a decade in the office and successfully convicted two Illinois governors, including Ryan. The U.S. Senate must confirm President Barack Obama’s nomination of Fardon.

Both of Illinois’ senators, Democrat Dick Durbin and Republican Mark Kirk, support the choice.

“Zachary Fardon will be an exceptional U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois,” Durbin said in a news release announcing the nomination. “I spoke to him today and advised him that he’ll have to hit the ground running and immediately focus on daily gang and gun violence plaguing the streets of Chicago.”

Kirk called Fardon “an outstanding pick to continue Patrick Fitzgerald’s tradition of aggressively prosecuting criminal activity that threatens northern Illinois.”

The post is widely regarded as Chicago’s second-most powerful job, after the mayor. The chief prosecutor and around 170 assistant attorneys also have an impact beyond Illinois, including by handling major terrorism cases.

Fardon, a partner at the Chicago law firm Latham Watkins, was on the team of federal prosecutors who secured convictions against Ryan in 2006. In that case and in others, Fardon gained a reputation as an adept, quick-witted cross-examiner.

Fardon also served in the U.S. attorney’s office in Nashville, Tenn., and later entered private practice. Among his clients was John Wyma, a longtime lobbyist and friend of former Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich, whose testimony helped convict Ryan of corruption.”

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/new-federal-prosecutor-nominated-chicago

From the Chicago SunTimes July 27, 2010.

“Sam Adam Jr. has just accused President Barack Obama and his transition team of negotiating with Blagojevich.

The offer came from Rod to Tom Balanoff, Adam says. Balanoff brought it to Valerie Jarrett and word came back from Rahm Emanuel through John Wyma. It’s a negotiation they were in, he said of Obama and Blagojevich.”

Read more:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/blago/2010/07/sam_adam_jr_accuses_barack_oba.html

From ABC News December 12, 2008.

“Blagojevich Confidant Turned Informant”
“For years, John Wyma has been one of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s closest allies. He served as Blagojevich’s chief of staff in Congress and was a key advisor in his 2002 campaign for governor. When his former boss took over the statehouse, Wyma remained a central fundraiser and counselor, but also had Blagojevich’s ear as a lobbyist. But now this longtime advisor and old friend has become one of the most significant cooperators in the government’s efforts to put Blagojevich behind bars.

Wyma, 41, was close to much of the alleged wrongdoing during the feds’ five-year probe, and he remains a subject of the government’s investigation into the Illinois Health Planning Facilities Board, according to the criminal complaint for Blagojevich. But Wyma’s turn from confidant to informant ultimately inched prosecutors to the governor’s most recent — and most brazen — alleged attempts to trade political favors for campaign cash, the complaint states.

A fixture of the Blagojevich’s inner circle, Wyma as a lobbyist routinely traveled with the governor, flying with him during official state trips more than a dozen times during his first term, according to the Chicago Sun Times.

For years, John Wyma has been one of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s closest allies. He served as Blagojevich’s chief of staff in Congress and was a key advisor in his 2002 campaign for governor. When his former boss took over the statehouse, Wyma remained a central fundraiser and counselor, but also had Blagojevich’s ear as a lobbyist. But now this longtime advisor and old friend has become one of the most significant cooperators in the government’s efforts to put Blagojevich behind bars.

A friend of the governor for more than a decade, on the day before his arrest Blagojevich told reporters he and Wyma talked football the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

“You can’t get much closer than they are to each other,” said Rich Miller who runs the Illinois political insider blog Capitol Fox. “[Wyma’s] a lobbyist but he’s almost never in Springfield lobbying legislators. He virtually only lobbies the governor at his home in Chicago.”

Wyma could not be reached for comment, despite multiple calls and visits to his office and addresses listed in his name. His attorney, former federal prosecutor Zachary Fardon, who helped put former Illinois Governor George Ryan in jail, said in an email statement today that “There are news stories indicating that my client, John Wyma, is “Individual A” in the criminal complaint against Governor Rod Blagojevich. Mr. Wyma has made efforts to provide federal investigators with truthful information regarding the matters under investigation and will continue to do so. Out of respect for the ongoing process, we are making no further statements related to these matters at this time.”

Individual A
Those efforts began just months ago, in October, when, according to the criminal complaint released in the wake of the governor ‘s arrest Tuesday, Wyma — believed to be the person identified in documents only as Individual A — began talking with the FBI. The timing hardly seems a coincidence: it dovetails with the weeks, according to published accounts, that Wyma was named in a subpoena sent to former client Provena Health. The hospital company had donated money to the governor ‘s campaign shortly after receiving a favorable ruling.

Whatever his role in the hospital donations, Wyma’s cooperation soon proved fruitful to prosecutors. According to the criminal complaint, Wyma is one of the key sources to the source of the tip that Blagojevich is using the final months of the year to raise funds through payoffs before the new state ethics law goes into effect in January. That law would sharply limit any individual or entity with state contracts worth more than $50,000 from donating to the governor’s campaign coffers.”

Read more:

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/ConductUnbecoming/story?id=6444648&page=1#.UZ6fhEA3vhI

From the McHenry County blog October 24, 2008.

“Health Facilities Planning Board Controversy Again”

“Last time it was the Mercy Health System’s attempt to obtain the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board’s approval.

Joseph Levine, Jim Ryan’s biggest fund raiser turned Rod Blagojevich buddy, fixed the favorable outcome after his contractor buddy Jacob Kiferbaum got the nod from Mercy to build the Crystal Lake hospital. Kiferbaum agreed to kick back to Levine and Tony Rezko.

To put it in the words of the U.S. Attorney’s press release on the Tony Rezko indictment:
“Rezko and Levine also were seeking to obtain a kickback of at least $1 million from contractor Jacob Kiferbaum, whose construction company was to build a new facility for Mercy Hospital in Crystal Lake, Illinois, if that facility received approval from the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, on which Levine sat.”

In any event, this time the controversy is down the Fox Valley in Elgin and concerns Provena St. Joe’s being granted permission to conduct open heart surgery after hiring John Wyma.

The gist of the Chicago Tribune story by Ray Long and Jeff Coen is that Provena hired Wyma. About a month after having gotten permission to expand its medical service, Provena’s for-profit arm made a $25,000 contribution to Governor Blagojevich’s campaign fund.”

http://mchenrycountyblog.com/category/john-wyma/

JohnWyma

 

25 Comments

Posted in Attorneys, Barack Obama, Blagojevich, Blagojevich trial, Chicago, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, corruption, Illinois, Lawyers, News, Obama, Obama administration, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, Patrick Fitzgerald, Pay to play politics, Rezko, The Case Against Barack Obama, US Department of Justice, Washington DC, white house

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Blagojevich appeal attorney Len Goodman on Obama drone program, Drone Justice is Blind, There’s no way President Obama can fairly review each drone strike

Posted on April 25, 2013 | 57 comments

Blagojevich appeal attorney Len Goodman on Obama drone program, Drone Justice is Blind, There’s no way President Obama can fairly review each drone strike

“Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich, Governor of IL, prosecuted before Tony Rezko, a businessman?”…Citizen Wells

“Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

“Regardless of how this plays out, it benefits Obama. If there is no appeal or the appeal is denied, Blagojevich will be sequestered. If the appeal proceeds, it could drag out beyond impacting the 2012 election cycle. The intent is obvious.”…Citizen Wells, July 19, 2011

I am still awaiting word if the opening brief in the Blagojevich appeal was presented today, April 25, 2013.

Len ( Leonard) Goodman is one of the defense attorneys in the Blagojevich appeal.

From the Len Goodman attorney website.

“Biography

Leonard Goodman is a Chicago criminal defense attorney with a reputation for taking on, and winning, the most difficult cases.  Since graduating from Northwestern University School of Law in 1989, Mr. Goodman has devoted his career to the representation of persons charged with serious crimes and has been a strong advocate for the cause of justice.  He has tried criminal cases in state and federal courts throughout the Midwest.  His appellate practice is nationwide.

Mr. Goodman has the rare distinction of having won major criminal cases at every level of the state and federal court systems, including wins (obtaining the reversal of his clients’ criminal convictions) in the United States Supreme Court (drug conspiracy conviction), the Illinois Supreme Court (first degree murder), the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (first degree murder) and the Illinois Appellate Court (two first degree murders and one attempted murder). The appeals that he has briefed and argued have helped change the law and advance the cause of justice (See significant cases).

He has represented high-profile defendants and the indigent, all with equal vigor and has won awards for his work on behalf of the wrongfully convicted and on behalf of an Afghani man detained at Guantanamo Bay without charges or evidence of any wrongdoing.

Mr. Goodman is also an adjunct professor of Law at Depaul University where he teaches Federal Habeas Corpus.”

http://lengoodmanlawoffice.com/wp/biography/

From In These Times April 10, 2013.

“Drone Justice is Blind

There’s no way President Obama can fairly review each drone strike.

BY LEONARD C. GOODMAN

For the first time in history, the United States government has proclaimed its legal right to assassinate any person, anywhere on the globe, as long as our chief executive believes that person to be a terrorist. President Barack Obama has said that most of the people we are incinerating are “al-Qaeda suspects who are up in very tough terrain along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

Precise numbers are hard to come by, due to the secrecy under which the drone program operates. But the various groups that track drone strikes agree that since Obama took office, more than 350 strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia have killed at least 2,400 people. This means, outside of Afghanistan, U.S. drones are killing on average at least 47 people a month. If you include drone strikes in Afghanistan,the numbers are much larger.

The administration’s claim as to the legality of these strikes relies on the fiction that a rigorous review of evidence takes place before a “terrorist” is targeted. However, no matter how smart and reasonable Obama might be, he is not personally reviewing the evidence against most of the people we are killing. In fact, according to CNN, at least half of drone strike deaths have been the result of “signature strikes,” in which drone operators decide, based on visual evidence of suspicious behavior, to fire on people whose identities they don’t even know. As one government official told the New York Times, to the CIA, “three guys doing jumping jacks” looks suspiciously like a terrorist training camp.

We are told that drone killings neutralize imminent threats to America, but we need only consider the numbers to know we are being lied to. There cannot be 50 people every month who were on the verge of launching an attack on the U.S. until they were “neutralized” by a drone. We therefore must ask: To whom did each targeted person pose a threat? Were they a threat to U.S. military bases or CIA installations located within their country? Were they a threat to corporate interests located within their country? Were they a threat to the regime that governs their country and allows us to fly the drones?”

Read more:

http://inthesetimes.com/article/14835/drone_justice_is_blind/

57 Comments

Posted in Attorneys, Barack Obama, Blagojevich, Blagojevich trial, Chicago, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, Civil rights, Illinois, Judges, Justice, Law firms, Lawyers, News, Obama, Obama administration, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, The Case Against Barack Obama, US Department of Justice, US Military, Washington DC, white house

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Obama news April 15, 2013, Chicago corruption and TUCC ties haunt Obama, Jacob Kiferbaum Blagojevich Rezko Mutual Bank Jeri Wright, Obama’s ghosts will not go away

Posted on April 14, 2013 | 125 comments

Obama news April 15, 2013, Chicago corruption and TUCC ties haunt Obama, Jacob Kiferbaum Blagojevich Rezko Mutual Bank Jeri Wright, Obama’s ghosts will not go away

“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

“He kept his eye on the young guys coming up in Trinity,” she said, “and if he spotted someone that acted or looked gay, then Wright would give them kind of a guidance counselor-type direction on how to keep down low – how to do the things they wanted to do, but then also getting married and looking ‘respectable’ – being part of black society.”...WND October 2, 2012

“Why did Donald Young, Bill Gwatney, Christopher Kelly, Andrew Breitbart and others with information about Obama all die under mysterious circumstances?”…Citizen Wells

April or perhaps spring 2013 could be the perfect storm of Obama’s Chicago corruption and TUCC ghosts returning to haunt him and keep alive the sordid mess he came from. The spectre of his oft hidden past.

On April 10, 2013 we learned that Building contractor Jacob Kiferbaum plead guilty to attempted extortion in an amended plea deal. Kiferbaum was indicted in 2005.

Then we learn that Jeri Wright, the daughter of Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s pastor at TUCC, was indicted. She was a deacon in 2007 when Obama was attending and when the gay choirmaster Donald Young was murdered.

From Citizen Wells April 14, 2013.

“Another indictment returned today charges Jeri L. Wright, 47, of Hazel Crest, Ill., with money laundering (two counts), making false statements to federal law enforcement officers (two counts), and giving false testimony before a grand jury (seven counts), related to the investigation of the alleged fraudulent use of grant funds.”

“PASTORAL/PROGRAM STAFF”

“Deacon Jeri L. Wright, Director of Media”

“The Down Low Club at Trinity “doesn’t have meetings, and it isn’t like the Rotary Club,” a source identified for this article as “Carolyn” explained to a WND investigator in Chicago.

“It was more that Wright served as a matchmaker,” said Carolyn, a 20-year member of Trinity who has played a role in church administration and knows the Obamas personally.”

““That’s what Wright did for Obama,” she claimed. “He connected Obama in the community, and he helped Obama hide his homosexuality.””

“I’m still scared to discuss any of this,” Carolyn said.

“At Trinity, if you even hint at talking about Obama being gay, you are reminded of our dear departed choir director,” she said. “He was killed, and it wasn’t a robbery. The Christmas presents weren’t touched. The TV was not taken, nothing in the apartment was missing.”

Carolyn’s reference was to Donald Young, the 47-year-old homosexual choirmaster at Trinity who died of multiple gunshot wounds in his Chicago apartment Dec. 24, 2007.”

Read more:

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/obama-tucc-down-low-past-connections-jeri-wright-indictment-donald-young-murder-jeremiah-wright-arranged-marriages-for-gay-members/

I’ll bet you have not read the following connection between Jacob Kiferbaum and Obama at the mainstream media.

From the Blagojevich Evidentiary Proffer.

“Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board Kickback
“The Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board (the “Planning Board”) is a commission of the State of Illinois, established by statute, whose members are appointed by the Governor of the State of Illinois. During 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.

Rezko was able to obtain significant influence over the affairs of the Planning Board by arranging for Blagojevich to appoint five of Rezko’s associates and/or friends, including Levine, as members of the Planning Board in 2003. Rezko and Levine subsequently agreed to use their influence over the Planning Board to obtain a kickback of at least $1 million from a contractor, Jacob Kiferbaum, who wanted the Planning Board to award Mercy Hospital a CON to build a new
hospital. Rezko and Levine were able to arrange for Mercy Hospital to receive its CON at the April 2004 Planning Board meeting, but their scheme was interrupted by the FBI before any kickback was paid”

http://www.scribd.com/doc/125889580/Blagojevich-Evidentiary-Proffer

Obama was chairman of the IL Senate Committee which reduced the members of the Health Planning Board from 15 to 9 thus allowing the board to be rigged with a 5 member majority.

From Citizen Wells July 27, 2011.

“Jan. – Aug. 2003:  Obama was Chairman of the IL Senate Health and Human Service Committee.
Feb. 20, 2003: Senate Bill 1332 “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act” filed. Reduced members of IL Health Planning and Facilities Board from 15 to 9.

(Rezko Trial March 13, 2008; 3:09 p.m.)

“Almanaseer was appointed to the planning board in 2003 on Rezko’s recommendation. Prosecutors contend he became part of a five-member voting bloc on the board that followed Rezko’s wishes. Almanaseer said board Chairman Thomas Beck tried to steer his voting.

“He said, ‘If you just don’t know which way to vote, vote the way Mr. Levine votes because that’s the way Tony would want the vote to go,” Almanaseer recalled, referring to Stuart Levine.”

Spring 2003 – Nov 2003: (Rezko trial March 11, 2008; 10:58 a.m.)

“Jennifer Thomas, a former aide to Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s patronage chief Joe Cini, continued on the stand Tuesday morning and gave a few more insights into those regular Monday morning meetings she and Cini held in 2003 with Antoin “Tony” Rezko at his office.”

“Thomas said Rezko floated the names of several people to sit on the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, which the government claims Rezko corrupted with the help of board member Stuart Levine. And Thomas said Rezko at one point made it clear that he wanted to see Levine reappointed to the panel, which was being overhauled by the governor in 2003.”
May 21, 2003: Senate Bill 1332 passed by House and Senate.
June 27, 2003: Blagojevich made this the effective date of Senate Bill 1332.
June 2003: (Rezko trial March 10, 2008; 4:16 p.m.)

“Ziegelmueller asked Hayden about a 2003 e-mail exchange with Lichtenstein, then the governor’s top lawyer, in which Wilhelm made recommendations for the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board.
The name of Barack Obama, the Democratic front-runner for the presidential nomination, also appears in the e-mail as a member of a strategic team reviewing hospital board matters with the governor’s staff when he was a state senator. The hospital board was scheduled to be revamped in the summer of 2003.
Obama was then chairman of the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2011/07/27/obama-past-surfaces-again-health-facilities-planning-board-rigging-pam-davis-listening-device/

The long delayed prosecution of Rod Blagojevich and subsequent delay of his appeal should achieve another milestone this month.

“Blagojevich’s appellate lawyer Len Goodman — who, along with attorney Lauren Kaeseberg, is working on the appeal — told POLITICO that Blagojevich’s family visits him “as often as they can make the trip” to Englewood, a low-security facility in Littleton, Colo.”

“And next up for the former governor, Goodman said, is his case on appeal in the 7th Circuit. Blagojevich’s opening brief is due April 25, Goodman noted.

“He is hopeful that his appeal will be successful and that his conviction will be overturned,” Goodman wrote.”

“Goodman, meanwhile, said he is currently busy working his way through thousands of pages of trial transcript as he works on Blagojevich’s appeal.””

Read more:

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/rod-blagojevich-jail-88904.html?hp=r6

And yes folks, the fallout from the Obama Rezko lot transaction and associated chicanery is not over. The FDIC lawsuit against Amrish Mahajan and Mutual Bank is still alive.

http://dockets.justia.com/docket/illinois/ilndce/1:2011cv07590/261603/

Read more:

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/obama-rezko-lot-transaction-bank-president-mahajan-fdic-lawsuit-motion-hearing-october-25-2012-judge-virginia-m-kendall-rezkos-sold-lot-to-obamas/

Despite what you may have read or heard about the Obama house and lot purchase and not requiring the Rezko’s assistance, the house and lot had to close at the same time and the Rezko’s made it work with the help of Iraqi billionaire Nadhmi Auchi and his wife under highly suspicious circumstances.

Lot’s of spirits and lot’s of opportunities for revelations.

125 Comments

Posted in Attorneys, Barack Obama, Blagojevich, Blagojevich trial, Chicago, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, corruption, Crime, Illinois, Jeremiah Wright, Lawsuits, Lawyers, News, Obama, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, Obama thugs, Pay to play politics, Rezko, Stuart Levine, The Case Against Barack Obama, Tony Rezko, TUCC, US Department of Justice

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Obama Illinois high unemployment reveals Labor Force Participation rate impact on unemployment rate, IL jumps to 9 percent with labor force reentrants

Posted on March 12, 2013 | 9 comments

Obama Illinois high unemployment reveals Labor Force Participation rate impact on unemployment rate, IL jumps to 9 percent with labor force reentrants

“With a 63.7% labor force participation, “conditions in the labor market are considerably worse than indicated” in July’s report”…economist Joshua Shapiro, WSJ August 3, 2012

“As today’s labor release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows, Illinois’ unemployment rate jumped to 9 percent, a 0.4 percent increase over December’s 8.6 percent rate. Even before the increase in January, Illinois had the 9th highest unemployment rate in the nation.

The increase is due to almost 23,000 Illinoisans rejoining the workforce to look for work again. Unfortunately, Illinois’s worsening economic climate means there is very little work to find.”…Illinois Review Mar 2013

“Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”…George Orwell, “1984″

We have continued to reveal the real unemployment rate in the US as being much higher due to the shrinking labor force participation rate, i.e., the large numbers of people who have dropped out of the labor force. In Obama’s home state of Illinois we have a good example of how this works when some of those people attempt to reenter the job market.

From Illinois Review March 10, 2013.
“ILLINOIS’ UNEMPLOYMENT RATE JUMPED TO 9 PERCENT”

“As today’s labor release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows, Illinois’ unemployment rate jumped to 9 percent, a 0.4 percent increase over December’s 8.6 percent rate. Even before the increase in January, Illinois had the 9th highest unemployment rate in the nation.

The increase is due to almost 23,000 Illinoisans rejoining the workforce to look for work again. Unfortunately, Illinois’s worsening economic climate means there is very little work to find.

The state’s unemployment rate is now nearly the same as it was one full year ago, when the unemployment rate stood at 9.1 percent. ”

http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/03/illinois-unemployment-rate-jumped-to-9-percent.html#more

The US Labor Force Participation Rate when Obama took the White House in January of 2009 was 65.7 percent. Since then it has dropped 2.2 percent to 63.5 percent. That 2.2 percent is not reflected in the stated unemployment rate.

Also in January of 2009 there were 5.7 million people who want a job now. Last month there were 6.8 million who want a job now.

This information comes directly from the US Labor Dept.

Pass this information along to low information voters.

9 Comments

Posted in Barack Obama, Chicago, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, Employment, Illinois, Jobs, News, Obama, Obama administration, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, The Case Against Barack Obama, Unemployment

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Patrick Fitzgerald University of Chicago Law School, National security law program course, Obama Senior Lecturer, Corruption comes full circle

Posted on March 10, 2013 | 34 comments

Patrick Fitzgerald University of Chicago Law School, National security law program course, Obama Senior Lecturer, Corruption comes full circle

“Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich, Governor of IL, prosecuted before Tony Rezko, a businessman?”…Citizen Wells

“Why did Colin Powell allow Patrick Fitzgerald to be pulled away from the Blagojevich prosecution?”…Citizen Wells

“Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich, the Governor of Illinois, wiretapped at least by 2005 when it was known in 2003 that there was widespread corruption in his administration?”…Citizen Wells

Get involved in Chicago and Illinois corruption and apparently you are a shoe in for a job at the University of Chicago Law School.

From The National Law Journal March 6, 2013.

“University of Chicago lands Fitzgerald for teaching job”

“Patrick Fitzgerald, the high-profile former U.S. attorney, is heading
to the University of Chicago Law School.

He has been named the inaugural Feirson Distinguished Lecturer at the
school and will teach one course per year, beginning with a national
security law program this spring.

“Pat Fitzgerald is one of the most respected and skilled attorneys of
his generation,” dean Michael Schill said. “No one has done more to
bring honor to the legal profession—especially in Chicago—than Pat.
His unimpeachable ethics, his extraordinary brilliance and his
astounding work ethic make him one of the finest public servants this
country has ever known.”

Fitzgerald joined Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom as a partner in
October following a decade as the U.S. attorney for the Northern
District of Illinois. In that post, he oversaw the successful
corruption prosecutions of former Illinois governors Rod Blagojevich
and George Ryan. As a special prosecutor in the Valerie Plame leak
case, he secured the conviction of Lewis “Scooter” Libby, an aide to
former Vice President Dick Cheney, on counts including obstruction of
justice and perjury.”

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1202591160695&University_of_Chicago_lands_Fitzgerald_for_teaching_job&slreturn=20130210145717

Patrick Fitzgerald is either clueless, biased and/or corrupt.

Fitzgerald aggressively prosecuted Republican Governor of Illinois George Ryan and then aggressively attacked Scooter Libby and Karl Rove, unjustly, and with the knowledge by Colin Powell and others that they were innocent of the leak in the Valerie Plame case.

All the while Fitzgerald delayed the prosecution of Rod Blagojevich until after the 2008 election.

Barack Obama was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School.

The new Citizen Wells question that begs an answer is:

“Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich, the Governor of Illinois, wiretapped at least by 2005 when it was known in 2003 that there was widespread corruption in his administration?”

34 Comments

Posted in Barack Obama, Blagojevich, Chicago, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, corruption, Illinois, Lawyers, News, Obama, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, Patrick Fitzgerald, Pay to play politics, Rezko, The Case Against Barack Obama, US Department of Justice

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Jesse Jackson pleading guilty good for constituents, Jackson used congressional health insurance to his advantage, Illegal spending of campaign contributions, Obama corruption buddy

Posted on February 18, 2013 | 40 comments

Jesse Jackson pleading guilty good for constituents, Jackson used congressional health insurance to his advantage, Illegal spending of campaign contributions, Obama corruption buddy

“BLAGOJEVICH Um, didn’t know quite what to make of my request. Uh, Barack rea-, really wants to get away from Illinois politics.”

“P. BLAGOJEVICH (Speaking in background) I think he wouldn’t want to resign until he knows that, you know… BLAGOJEVICH Till he knows I’ll do Valerie Jarrett.”

“BLAGOJEVICH He wants to get out of Chicago politics. Okay. That’s their way of saying Rezko.”… Blagojevich wiretap

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

“There is enough corruption in Illinois so that all it takes is someone who is serious about finding it to uncover it. If a U.S. attorney is not finding corruption in Illinois, they’re not seriously looking for it.”…Northwestern Law Professor James Lindgren

From the Daily Illini February 18, 2013.

“Pleading guilty is the last good thing Jackson Jr. can do for his constitutents (sic)”
“All things considered, it could be worse for Jesse Jackson Jr.

On Friday, the former Chicago congressman was charged with a number of counts centering around his illegal spending of campaign contributions, which totaled $750,000. With the money he bought a $43,000 Rolex watch, fur coats and a fedora once owned by Michael Jackson. He and his wife, Sandi, also found creative ways to spend campaign contributions to pay down personal debts and fund vacations. Sandi Jackson, a former Chicago alderman, has already pled guilty to falsifying tax returns for the couple, and multiple sources report that Jackson will also plead guilty, most likely in a plea bargain.

And for the voters of Illinois, especially Jackson’s congressional district, that’s the best news possible at a time like this.

No one wants to turn on the 6 o’clock news night after night to see yet another Illinois politician grasping at straws to defend himself for months on end. Jackson is doing the right thing by trying to wrap up a trial before it begins, not taking up valuable federal court resources, just to end up debating the nuances of just how guilty he is in one instance over another.

This admission of guilt comes at the end of a long saga of cat-and-mouse games between federal investigators and Jackson. In 2008, Jackson reportedly involved himself in a bid for President Barack Obama’s Senate seat, the attempted sale of which indicted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich is currently serving prison time. Though Jackson was never charged in that case, it was a hit to his public reputation.

Last summer, Jackson disappeared from public view, his office later issuing a statement that Jackson was being treated for bipolar disorder at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.”

“The people of Illinois deserve better. When he went “into hiding” in the summer, Jackson chose to use his Congressional health insurance to his advantage, having an extensive stay in a top-rated hospital. He had another chance to come clean after his treatment but chose to continue on the campaign trail with little effort, garnering even more campaign contributions along the way. Jackson completely neglected the people of his district — a population that legitimately needs attention with respect to policy — and instead used his post for his own political gain. ”

http://www.dailyillini.com/opinion/editorials/article_9d138410-7980-11e2-a2c1-0019bb30f31a.html

Another Obama corruption tie, using the people of the state of Illinois for his own personal gain.

40 Comments

Posted in Barack Obama, Blagojevich, Chicago, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, corruption, Crime, Federal Court, Illinois, Jesse Jackson, News, Obama, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, Pay to play politics, The Case Against Barack Obama

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Jesse Jackson Jr. Blagojevich Obama corruption, Jackson charged one count of conspiracy, Misuse of campaign funds, Jackson 2008 Obama campaign chairman

Posted on February 17, 2013 | 28 comments

Jesse Jackson Jr. Blagojevich Obama corruption, Jackson charged one count of conspiracy, Misuse of campaign funds, Jackson 2008 Obama campaign chairman

“Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

“this guy is more Tony’d up than I am. …. they got the Chicago media to f…ing make me wear Rezko more. To f…ing dilute it from him.”…Rod Blagojevich wiretap November 12, 2008

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

 

So many diversions.

Asteriods, meteors, Obama vacationing, attempts at gun control and of course destroying jobs and the economy.

Despite those diversions, Obama corruption ties are still in the news, or not, as in the case of the Blagojevich prosecution and mythical appeal.

From the Washington Post February 15, 2013.

“Jesse Jackson Jr. accused of misusing campaign funds”

“The downward spiral for former congressman Jesse L. Jackson Jr. took another dramatic turn Friday when federal prosecutors in Washington laid out their criminal case against the once-promising Illinois Democrat, accusing him of misusing campaign funds to benefit himself and his wife. Among the purchases were fur coats, a high-end watch and a football autographed by presidents.

Jackson, 47, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit false statements, mail fraud and wire fraud in the misuse of approximately $750,000 in campaign funds, according to court papers filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Washington.

The court filing was a clear signal that Jackson, who was first elected to the House of Representatives in the mid-1990s, intended to plead guilty to the charge, which has a maximum penalty of five years in prison. No court date has been set.

Jackson’s expected plea would be another mile marker in his slow political and personal collapse, which began shortly after President Obama’s 2008 election. That had seemed to open up possibilities for Jackson, considered a likely successor to Obama in the Senate.

Instead, FBI agents arrested then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) and charged him with trying to sell the interim appointment to the Senate seat from Illinois to the highest bidder, and Jackson was implicated in the scandal. Though not charged, he would never recover politically.

According to the documents released Friday, Jackson used campaign funds to buy a $43,350 gold Rolex watch along with almost $10,000 in children’s furniture that he had delivered to his home in the District.

Among other allegations, prosecutors say Jackson made direct expenditures of about $57,793 from the campaign’s accounts for personal expenses. The documents say he and a co-conspirator used a campaign credit card to make $582,773 worth of purchases for their own use.

Jackson’s wife, former Chicago alderman Sandra Stevens Jackson, was not named or charged in that case, but the description makes clear that she was the co-conspirator.

“That’s a big number as these things go,” said Stan Brand, a former House counsel who has represented defendants in this type of case. “That obviously isn’t the kind of case you would risk putting in front of a jury. That’s why people plead.”

The details of the case against Jackson were part of a document known as a “criminal information,” which cannot be filed without the consent of the defendant and which signals that a plea agreement is near.

Jackson’s wife was charged with filing false income-tax returns from 2006 through 2011, according to a separate criminal information in her case. That charge has a maximum sentence of three years in prison.”
“In the Blagojevich case, Raghuveer Nayak, who worked as a fundraiser for Blagojevich and Jackson, told investigators that Jackson instructed him to raise as much as $6 million for the governor’s campaign.

While Blagojevich ended up in federal prison in Colorado, the Justice Department never brought charges against Jackson in that case, but the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia pursued the campaign-finance allegations.”

Read more:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jesse-jackson-jr-charged-with-conspiracy-fraud/2013/02/15/d112b26a-7794-11e2-8f84-3e4b513b1a13_story.html

Also from above:

“Elected to succeed a scandal-ridden lawmaker 17 years ago, Jackson had broad ambitions beyond Chicago’s South Side-based 2nd Congressional District. In addition to being seen as a potential successor to Obama in the Senate, Jackson was touted as a potential Chicago mayor, Illinois governor or possibly even a presidential candidate,”

The Chicago formula applicable to Blagojevich and Obama.

Except that Obama was never prosecuted.

Be advised that the Blagojevich prosecution, which was engineered to protect Obama, was not just about the selling of the senate seat.

Read it for yourself.

Blagojevich Criminal Complaint
http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2008/pr1209_01a.pdf
Blagojevich Indictment (also indicted CHRISTOPHER KELLY,ALONZO MONK, WILLIAM F. CELLINI, SR., JOHN HARRIS and ROBERT BLAGOJEVICH)
http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2009/pr0402_01a.pdf
Blagojevich Evidentiary Proffer

 

 

28 Comments

Posted in Barack Obama, Blagojevich, Chicago, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, corruption, FBI, fraud, Illinois, Lies, News, Obama, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, Pay to play politics, Rezko, The Case Against Barack Obama, US Department of Justice

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Obama corruption tie court cases update, February 5, 2013, Blagojevich appeal delayed, FDIC Mutual Bank lawsuit drags on, Obama Rezko ties linger, Die slowly?

Posted on February 5, 2013 | 54 comments

Obama corruption tie court cases update, February 5, 2013, Blagojevich appeal delayed, FDIC Mutual Bank lawsuit drags on, Obama Rezko ties linger, Die slowly?

“Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

“this guy is more Tony’d up than I am. …. they got the Chicago media to f…ing make me wear Rezko more. To f…ing dilute it from him.”…Rod Blagojevich wiretap November 12, 2008

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

 

General Douglas MacArthur stated: “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.”

Perhaps the same sentiment could be used for court cases that tie Obama to Chicago corruption and Tony Rezko.

There are two active court cases that touch Obama and his dealings with Tony Rezko and other Chicago corruption figures.

The FDIC filed a lawsuit against Mutual Bank (Rezko lot loan bank) and it’s officers on October 25, 2011.

Here is some background information.

From Citizen Wells October 25, 2012.

“Here is what we know about the purchase of a lot by Barack and Michelle Obama from Rita Rezko in 2006:

1. “In June, 2005, Mutual Bank President and CEO Amrish Mahajan and
other Mutual Bank officers approved a loan to Rita Malki Rezko (Rita
Rezko) which was guaranteed by Antonin Rezko so that Rita Rezko could
purchase a 9,090 square foot vacant parcel of real estate at 5050 S.
Greenwood Avenue, Chicago.” (Conner lawsuit)

2. “On or about January 4, 2006, Rita Rezko entered into an
agreement with Senator Barack and Michelle Obama (Obamas) to sell a
ten-foot strip of the 5050 S. Greenwood property to the Obamas.”
(Conner lawsuit)

3. “In late 2005 or early 2006, Conner performed an appraisal review
of the Adams Appraisal (Exhibit C) per the directive of Richard Barth
and James Murphy. Conner prepared a written Appraisal Review report
(ARR) opining that the Adams Appraisal overvalued the Greenwood lot by
a minimum of $ 125,000.00 and that a reasonable and fair valuation for
Mutual Banks’s underwriting purposes should be no greater than $
500,000.00 for the entire 5050 S. Greenwood parcel as originally
purchased by Rita Rezko.” (Conner lawsuit)

4. “On or about October 19, 2006, Mutual Bank received a Grand Jury
Subpoena (GJS) requiring Mutual Bank to produce the Rezko 5050
Greenwood loan file, as well as a Rita Rezko Riverside District
Development LLC checking account and loan file.” (Conner lawsuit)

5. “In October, 2007, Conner had various communications with Mutual
Bank’s Human Resources Department representative, Lana Schlabach. In
an email communication of October 15, 2007, Conner directly referenced
“Resentment over my mentioned discovery of the removal/replacement of
an appraisal review that I conducted. That appraisal review contained
substantial observations and suggestions. The transaction and parties
involved were high profile in the media.I am under the impression that
the FBI has since looked at the file.”” On October 23, 2007, eight days after Conner’s October 15, 2007 email to Schlabach attached as Exhibit J, Mutual Bank terminated Conner’s employment for pretextual reasons.” (Conner lawsuit)

6. “On October 23, 2007, eight days after Conner’s October 15, 2007
email to Schlabach attached as Exhibit J, Mutual Bank terminated
Conner’s employment for pretextual reasons.” (Conner lawsuit)

7. The FDIC has filed a lawsuit against Mutual Bank, Amrish Mahajan, Richard Barth, et al.”

From the FDIC lawsuit against Amrish Mahajan, et al.

“6. The Director Defendants also wasted corporate assets and drained the Bank’s capital by…(c) authorizing $ 495,000 in “bonuses” to pay for the criminal defense costs for the Defendant Amrish Mahajan’s wife who was indicted for Medicaid fraud”

“32. The Director and Officer Defendants failed to establish procedures that would have lessened the risks of the Bank’s improvidant lending practices. The terms of transactions were not accurately documented. Status reports were missing so that records of how an asset was progressing were not available. Terms of loans were changed at closing without board or loan committee approvals or any rcord in the file. Loan guarantees were frequently missing from the files. Appraisers were retained by brokers with an interest in seeing transactions consummated, not by the bank. Appraisals were often received after the loan was funded. Loans were typically non-recourse and dependent on guarantor abilities to repay in the event that the collateral was insufficient. Yet, little or no attention was paid to whether guarantors had sufficient liquidity to protect the Bank’s interest; the officers and the Board did little or no analysis of guarantor or borrower financial strength.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/obama-rezko-lot-transaction-bank-president-mahajan-fdic-lawsuit-motion-hearing-october-25-2012-judge-virginia-m-kendall-rezkos-sold-lot-to-obamas/

The FDIC lawsuit against Amrish Mahajan, former president of Mutual Bank, et al is scheduled for a status hearing in the courtroom of Judge Virginia M. Kendall on February 12, 2013. Mutual Bank loaned Rita Rezko the money for the lot that was purchased by the Obama’s. It is also the bank that fired whistleblower Kenneth J. Conner after he questioned the appraisal of that lot.

Daily Calendar

Tuesday, February 12, 2013 (As of 02/05/13 at 07:50:47 AM)

Honorable Virginia M. Kendall               Courtroom 2319 (VMK)

1:11-cv-07590   Federal Deposit Insurance Corporatio   09:00   Status Hearing

http://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/home/DailyCal/0.htm

Of course the delay in prosecuting Rod Blagojevich and his subsequent appeal process is the “elephant in the room.” Some say he is awaiting a pardon from Obama.

From Citizen Wells December 5, 2012.

“The Blagojevich arrest was delayed until after the 2008 election.

The Blagojevich appeal has been delayed until after the 2012 election by the Obama Justice Department.”

“A perfect Chicago Crime?

From Citizen Wells October 26, 2012.

“The transcripts needed for the Rod Blagojevich appeal, overdue by almost a year, are still not ready and the appeals court judge is faulting Blagojevich attorney Lauren Kaeseberg, despite the fact that the appeals court has responsibility in this matter.”

“Who engineered these delays and who is responsible?

What were Obama and Blagojevich discussing in 2008?

“Just because it’s a conspiracy theory doesn’t mean it is not true.”

“It is obvious to any rational person paying attention that this delay was orchestrated by the Obama controlled US Justice Department to keep Obama corruption ties out of the election cycle news.””

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/blagojevich-appeal-delayed-until-after-2012-election-blagojevich-arrested-after-2008-election-transcripts-completed-appeal-in-federal-court-system-obama-justice-department/

54 Comments

Posted in Attorneys, Barack Obama, Blagojevich, Blagojevich trial, Chicago, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, corruption, Election 2008, Election 2012, FDIC, Federal Court, Illinois, Judges, Lawsuits, Lawyers, News, Obama, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, Pay to play politics, Rezko, The Case Against Barack Obama, Tony Rezko, US Department of Justice, Washington DC, white house

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George Ryan released from prison, Former IL governor, Patrick Fitzgerald aggressively prosecuted Ryan, Blagojevich arrest and appeal delayed past elections

Posted on January 30, 2013 | 34 comments

George Ryan released from prison, Former IL governor, Patrick Fitzgerald aggressively prosecuted Ryan, Blagojevich arrest and appeal delayed past elections

“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

“Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich, Governor of IL, prosecuted before Tony Rezko, a businessman?”…Citizen Wells

“Why did Colin Powell allow Patrick Fitzgerald to be pulled away from the Blagojevich prosecution?”…Citizen Wells

 

 

From UT San Diego January 30, 2013.

“Former Ill. Gov. Ryan to be released from prison”

“George Ryan on Wednesday will become the latest former Illinois governor to go through a prison door. This time, he’s headed out.

Ryan is being released from a federal prison in Terre Haute, Ind., after serving five-plus years for corruption. He’s expected to spend the first few weeks at a halfway house in Chicago and then return to his home in Kankakee, about 60 miles to the south.

Once reacclimated to life on the outside, Ryan will discover an Illinois that has grown less tolerant of the kind of wheeling and dealing that led to the imprisonment of him and his successor, Rod Blagojevich.

“Public trust really started to falter under Ryan, then it imploded and sunk under Blagojevich,” said Cindi Canary, the former head of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.

Historically, Illinois governors haven’t been especially adept at getting a message that there are consequences to violating the public trust. Of the state’s last seven governors, four have ended up going to prison.”

“Jurors convicted Ryan on multiple charges, including racketeering and conspiracy. They agreed that, among other crimes, he had steered state business to insiders as secretary of state and then as governor in exchange for vacations and gifts. He began serving a 6 1/2-year prison sentence in November 2007 and is being released early into a halfway house under a work-release program.”

Read more:

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jan/30/former-ill-gov-ryan-to-be-released-from-prison/?page=1#article-copy

Here is the rest of the story.

Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department aggressively prosecuted George Ryan.

Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department, despite the fact that they began wiretaps in late 2003 and had in depth knowledge of corruption in the Rod Blagojevich Administration by 2005 at the latest, delayed the arrest of Blagojevich until after the 2008 election. The production of transcripts required for the Blagojevich appeal were delayed for over half a year by the US Justice Department in 2012, once again delaying the appeal until after the 2012 election.

From Citizen Wells  May 27, 2012.

“Fitzgerald aggressively prosecuted Republican ex Governot of Illinois, George Ryan and unjustly went after Scooter Libby and Karl Rove. Fitzgerald waited until after the 2008 elections to arrest Governor Rod Blagojevich despite the fact that he had details of corruption in the Blagojevich Administration at least by late 2003.

Is Patrick Fitzgerald a pawn, an idiot or corrupt?

From an FBI wiretap:

“You know, Axelrod and Obama’s people, you know, clearly turned, you know, got the Chicago media to make Rezko all about me.”

Late 2003.

Earliest documented awareness by FBI and Patrick Fitzgerald of corruption in Blagojevich admin. Pamela Meyer Davis agreed to secretly record conversations involving state health planning board with an FBI wire.

December 31, 2003 NY Times.

“Mr. Fitzgerald announced that he was prosecuting former Gov. George Ryan, a Republican, in a scandal that had been swirling around long before Mr. Fitzgerald got here and that many people thought would never touch the most powerful politicians in Illinois. But there Mr. Fitzgerald was, a week before Christmas, ticking off the details of a 91-page indictment against Mr. Ryan, seemingly from memory.

That, even Mr. Fitzgerald’s former opponents in the courtroom say, is classic Fitzgerald: dogged, dispassionate and endlessly prepared.”

April 8 – May 21, 2004 (Rezko Trial March 12, 2008; 11:11 a.m.)

“FBI Special Agent Daniel Cain, the primary case agent on the investigation into Levine and Rezko, is on the stand now in testimony that is laying the foundation for entering the wiretaps into evidence.

Cain said the investigation, dubbed Operation Board Games by the federal agents, began in December 2003 and was prompted by information gleaned from an informant whom he did not identify. That witness, he said, took part in meetings with two other individuals who were in contact with Levine by phone at his home.

Cain said Levine had three phone lines in his North Shore home. Federal agents recorded conversations on those lines April 8-May 21, 2004. Those dates span the time when Levine, Rezko and others allegedly were working to rig the hospital board vote on a Mercy Health System hospital proposal for Crystal Lake and other kickback schemes prosecutors claim they were engaged in.”

May 9, 2005.

Stuart Levine indicted on corruption charges. Federal subpoena issued to Tony Rezko.
June 15, 2005.

Obama purchased home next door to Rezko for $1.65 million, $300,000 less than the asking price.
June 15, 2005.

Rita Rezko, Tony’s wife purchased plot next door for $625,000 asking price.

October 25, 2005.

The Chicago Tribune reports about a federal grand jury investigation into the alleged political hiring practices of the Blagojevich administration.

January 2006.

Rita Rezko sells the Obamas one-sixth of her lot for $104,500.

August 5, 2006.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Stuart Levine is cooperating with the federal investigation of state government.”

“December 7, 2008.

Criminal complaint of Blagojevich. Nine individuals is important. Obama helped passed a bill to reduce the number from 15 to 9.

“b. Corruption of the Planning Board”
“At the relevant time period, the Planning Board consisted of nine individuals.”

“Planning Board” (IL Health Facilities Planning Board) is mentioned 31 times.

“Rezko” is mentioned 170 times.

“Hospital” in context of Mercy Hospital mentioned 8 times.
December 9, 2008.

Blagojevich arrested

“Fitzgerald said, “We make no allegations” that Obama was aware of any alleged scheming by Blagojevich.”

February 24, 2011.

Counts 1,2,4 in the Blagojevich Indictment are dropped. This represents approx. half of the indictment and includes numerous corruption ties to Blagojevich and Obama.”

“December 7, 2011.

Rod Blagojevich sentenced to 14 years.

”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/tag/fitzgerald-arrested-blagojevich-after-2008-election/

Colin Powell, who has continued to endorse Barack Obama, knew that Scooter Libby and Karl Rove were innocent in the Valerie Plame leak. Yet Powell did not share his knowledge with the Bush Administration and thus allowed Patrick Fitzgerald to continue to investigate and prosecute Libby and Rove.

Why did Colin Powell allow Patrick Fitzgerald to be pulled away from the Blagojevich prosecution?

 

34 Comments

Posted in Barack Obama, Blagojevich, Blagojevich trial, Chicago, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, corruption, Election 2008, Election 2012, FBI, Illinois, News, Obama, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, Patrick Fitzgerald, Rezko, Stuart Levine, The Case Against Barack Obama, Tony Rezko, US Department of Justice, Washington DC, white house

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Obama Democrats do to US what Obama et al did to IL, Illinois credit rating downgraded, Worst in the nation, Obama Democrats and corruption cronies hurt pensions

Posted on January 27, 2013 | 86 comments

Obama Democrats do to US what Obama et al did to IL, Illinois credit rating downgraded, Worst in the nation, Obama Democrats and corruption cronies hurt pensions

“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

“Why was Obama promoting Capri Capital and other investment firms at the same time that Rezko, Levine and Cellini were shaking them down?”…Citizen Wells

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

From WGN TV January 26, 2013.

“Illinois’ credit rating downgraded; state drops to worst in the nation”

“A warning came Saturday morning from state treasurer Dan Rutherford (R) IL State Treasurer. The Standard and Poor’s downgrade from A to A-minus puts Illinois last on the list– and means a higher cost to borrow money.

On Wednesday, the state will issue $500 million in new bonds to pay for roads and other transportation projects. Rutherford says the credit downgrade will cost taxpayers an additional $95 million in interest,
When compared to a perfect triple-a bond rating enjoyed by other11 states including neighboring Indiana, Iowa and Missouri.

“Our problem in Illinois is that we have not substantively and fairly addressed the state public pension issue.”

Rutherford points to Governor Quinn and the democratically controlled general assembly for making matters worse in the last two years– raising taxes but not acting on pension reform.

“This problem didn’t come along just now it’s been accumulating for actually decades. Each time the governor set a deadline and didn’t meet it there was some negative reaction,” he said.

“It’s become quite evident to me that the general assembly has not registered what these negative impacts are to be enough to cause a change in the public pensions.”

Rutherford says reform should come in the form of new cost of living adjustments and sliding healthcare costs based on pension income, all of which is a hard sell in Springfield– but would put the state back on better financial ground.

“Illinois is a very good place and we can turn this place around– but the first thing we need to do is fix this in a fair way, our public pensions.””

Illinois’ credit rating downgraded; state drops to worst in the nation

From above:

“Rutherford points to Governor Quinn and the democratically controlled general assembly for making matters worse in the last two years– raising taxes but not acting on pension reform.

“This problem didn’t come along just now it’s been accumulating for actually decades. Each time the governor set a deadline and didn’t meet it there was some negative reaction,” he said.”

From Citizen Wells March 29, 2012.

Connecting the dots.

What do Obama and John Glennon have in common aside from associations with Stuart Levine and other Chicago corruption figures?

Involvement with the IL TRS, Teachers Retirement System.

What else do they have in common?

They were both involved with the TRS in 2002 and 2003.

What is significant about these years?

2003: “Of the five funds, the one in the sorriest shape is the Illinois Teacher Retirement System, which provides the pensions for suburban and downstate teachers. Its ratio of assets to liabilities stood at a mere 52 percent last year, so poor that it was considered among the five worst-funded plans in the country.”

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/The-312/March-2011/Illinois-Teacher-Pensions-Always-in-Distress-Mode/

From the LA Times April 7, 2008.

In 2002, the year after Obama made the pitch, the Illinois Teacher Retirement System reported an 18% increase in assets managed by minority-owned firms. Ariel’s share grew to $442 million by 2005.

In 2006, after the federal investigation became public, the teacher pension board severed its relationship with Ariel, concluding that Ariel’s investment returns were insufficient.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/04/obamarezko.html

From the Common Conservative October 1, 2008.

“On Feb. 10, 2007, Senator Barack Obama launched his bid for the White House in Springfield, setting himself on a course that has become one for the history books. But Obama might not have made it even to the Old State Capitol Building that frigid day if not for a private meeting he had with friends and advisers in late 2002 as he was mulling a run for the U.S. Senate. In a South Side high-rise overlooking the lake, the junior state senator vetted his lofty political ambitions with a group of Chicago’s African American business elite that included Frank M. Clark Jr., Valerie B. Jarrett, Quintin E. Primo III, James Reynolds Jr., and John W. Rogers Jr.”
http://thecommonconservative.com/?p=161

From Citizen News June 15, 2010.
“Today, Tuesday, June 15, 2010, testimony in the Rod Blagojevich trial continues. Joseph Aramanda, with ties to Blagojevich, Rezko and Obama is expected to testify soon.”

“Rezko’s partner in the Rezmar development company, Daniel Mahru, is referred to as “Individual Z” in the indictment, and according to court filings, Rezko told Mahru that “$500 million” of TRS money was earmarked for their company. Mahru is reportedly cooperating with federal investigators.”

“In addition to lining their own pockets, the money gained through the scheme was funneled to the campaigns of Blagojevich and Obama. Prosecutors have identified two $10,000 payments that were made to Obama’s US Senate campaign through straw donors Joseph Aramanda and Elie Maloof, which originated from a kickback paid by investment firm, Glencoe Capital, to secure approval for a $50 million deal.
Aramanda and Maloof also each gave Obama $1,000 for his failed run for Congress in 2000. Once Obama became a US Senator, Aramanda’s son was granted a coveted intern position in Obama’s Senate office in Washington during the summer of 2005, based on a request which the Obama’s camp has admitted came from Rezko.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/blagojevich-trial-joseph-aramanda-testifies-soon-aramanda-linked-to-blagojevich-rezko-obama-open-thread-june-15-2010/

Perhaps you have not seen this.

“Glencoe Capital Partners

On a motion by Cynthia O’Neill, seconded by Stuart Levine, it was resolved:

To invest $25 million in Glencoe Capital Partners III, L.P. and invest up to $25 million to Glencoe Capital Institutional Partners III, L.P., subject to the satisfactory completion of contract and fee negotiations. Source of funds will be the TRS Cash Flow account.
Minutes – Board Meeting

August 15, 2003
Page 6

Roll call resulted in affirmative voice votes from Trustees Bruner, Cleveland, Glennon, Klickna, Leggett, Levine, O’Neill, Phalen, and Schmidt. Motion CARRIED.”

For more information about Obama’s impact on the TRS:

“In 2000, after losing a Congressional race, Barack Obama was looking to revive his political fortunes. And he soon found a springboard — a group of black entrepreneurs also trying to break out.

Month after month, Mr. Obama, then an Illinois state senator, showed up at the Chicago group’s meetings, listening to members’ concerns about the difficulties they faced in getting government and corporate business, and asking them what he could do to help.

And help them he did. Members of the group, the Alliance of Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs, say Mr. Obama checked into their problems and helped start a drive that enabled minority investment executives to win millions of dollars in business from the state’s giant pension funds.”

“Mr. Obama also recently pointed to his work on the Illinois pension issue as a model for what he would do as president to promote minority-owned companies.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/03/29/obama-john-glennon-both-damaged-il-trs-teachers-retirement-system-glennon-on-trs-board-glencoe-capri-capital-obama-doing-to-us-what-he-did-to-illinois/

 

Thanks to commenter bob strauss

86 Comments

Posted in Barack Obama, Budget, Chicago, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, corruption, Crime, Democrats, Illinois, News, Obama, Obama administration, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, Obama taxes, Rezko, Senator Obama, Stuart Levine, The Case Against Barack Obama, Tony Rezko, Washington DC, white house

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