Blagojevich trial June 6, 2011, Where is Rezko?, Blagojevich taking stand should lead to Rezko as Witness, Senate seat diversion
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
“Why were Stuart Levine and Tony Rezko not called as witnesses in the Blagojevich trials? FBI agent Daniel Cain testified in the Rezko trial. Why was agent Cain not questioned more in the Blagojevich trial?…Citizen Wells
“If the prosecution insists on going forward, I have two words for them: Rezko and Levine,” Cavise said. “They know where all the bodies are buried.””…Leonard Cavise, DePaul University professor
Where is Tony Rezko?
Tony Rezko, the mastermind of much of the corruption that Rod Blagojevich was involved in and long time supporter and associate of Barack Obama, has not been called by the prosecution as a witness in the first Blagojevich trial and so far not in the second. Blagojevich will return to the witness stand today, June 6, 2011. If there is any justice left in the Justice Department, Rezko will be called to witness. I doubt that will happen. The selling of the senate seat diversion has worked so far. The AP has certainly done it’s part to protect Obama. The AP story today was picked up and regurgitated by news media throughout the country. No mention of Tony Rezko.
From Fox Carolina in Greenville, SC June 6, 2011.
“Rod Blagojevich’s corruption retrial heads into a critical stage, with the prosecution set to begin cross-examining the ousted Illinois governor in depth on Monday.
Reid Schar, the lead government attorney, began a blistering cross-examination at the end of last week with a brief by highly combative hour of questions and answers. Schar is expected to walk through the impeached governor’s testimony point by point as the cross-examination resumes Monday.
The next few days could be decisive, legal expert said, as prosecutors try to reverse whatever gains Blagojevich may have made with the jury while fielding comparatively soft questions from his own attorney last week. Monday will be Blagojevich’s sixth day on the stand.
“The next few days are it,” said Jeff Cramer, a former federal prosecutor in Chicago. “The first deadlocked trial, the motions, everything that’s happened in the retrial so far – it all comes down to this.”
Blagojevich’s first trial last year ended with jurors deadlocked on all but one count. He was found guilty of lying to the FBI.
What landed Blagojevich in court was his talk – captured on FBI wiretaps – that prosecutors say shows he tried to leverage his power to name someone to President Barack Obama’s old Senate U.S. seat and secure campaign donations, a Cabinet post, an ambassadorship or some other top job in the process.
Now, he’s been trying to talk himself out of this legal mess.
Some legal observers say Blagojevich’s sometimes rambling, repetitive testimony is only digging him in deeper, making it more likely he will be convicted of some or all of the 20 corruption counts he faces at this trial, including attempted extortion and fraud.
Others say he’s done well, at the very least muddying the waters after prosecutors presented a strong three-week case. They allege Blagojevich tried to sell or trade the Senate seat and tried to squeeze executives for campaign cash by threatening state decisions that would hurt their businesses
“I think he has done a nice job and has helped his cause a lot,” said Terry Sullivan, a former state’s attorney who helped prosecute serial killer John Wayne Gacy and who has sat through much of Blagojevich’s testimony.
Blagojevich didn’t flinch from engaging Schar in the verbal brawl when the prosecutor confronted the twice-elected governor as cross-examination began.
“Mr. Blagojevich, you are a convicted liar, correct?” Schar asked, his voice raised in anger.
After the judge overruled objections from defense attorneys, Blagojevich said calmly, “Yes.””
Daniel Cain testimony limited in Blagojevich trial, Prosecution case diluted, Counts 1 2 4 dropped, Justice Dept protects Obama
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
“Why were Stuart Levine and Tony Rezko not called as witnesses in the Blagojevich trials? FBI agent Daniel Cain testified in the Rezko trial. Why was agent Cain not questioned more in the Blagojevich trial?…Citizen Wells
“The past, he reflected, had not merely been altered, it had
actually been destroyed. For how could you establish, even
the most obvious fact when there existed no record outside
your own memory?”…George Orwell, “1984″
The so called prosecution has complete their “case” against Rod Blagojevich. The Case was steadily diluted against Blagojevich beginning with word changes from the Criminal Complaint to the second superceding Indictment, followed by the dropping of counts 1,2 and 4 which had the most substance of corruption activity in 2003 and 2004 and ultimately linked Obama to the board rigging. The second trial, as in the first, had little testimony and few witnesses. The question begged to be asked by this site as well as legal experts was why Tony Rezko was not called as a witness. Even Judge Zagel chimed in calling Rezko a bad witness. The terms streamlining and simplifying were used for the terse prosecution, but those are just Orwellian attempts at justifying a far less than complete effort. It must be obvious to even the casual observer that the US Justice Department is protecting Obama.
Tony Rezko has not been sentenced. Rezko has been called a bad witness, yet Stuart Levine, steeped in corruption and a drug user, was the key witness in the Rezko trial and Rezko was convicted on most of the counts. FBI agent Daniel Cain was called to the stand in the Rezko trial to back up the testimony of Levine. Agent Cain recently testified in the Blagojevich trial. Daniel Cain could have been called to corroborate the testimony of Tony Rezko, but since counts 1, 2 and 4 were dropped, it wasn’t necessary.
Apparently no one else is covering this. Here is an exclusive report on FBI Agent Daniel Cain, what he was involved in investigating Operation Board Games and why he should have been asked more questions about the Chicago corruption world in 2003 and 2004 involving Blagojevich Rezko, Levine, Obama, et al.
Obama executed Osama Bin Laden, Bin Laden captured alive and then executed, 12 year old saw her father executed
From the Daily Mail May 4, 2011.
“Osama Bin Laden’s daughter has claimed he was captured alive in his Pakistani hideout and then shot by U.S. special forces, it was reported today.
Arabic news network Al-Arabiya quoted ‘senior Pakistani security officials’ who said the 12-year-old saw her father executed and his body dragged to a helicopter.
A Pakistani official rejected U.S. accounts of a bloody firefight, saying: ‘Not a single bullet was fired from the compound at the U.S. forces and their choppers. Their chopper developed some technical fault and crashed and the wreckage was left on the spot.’
The channel also said the surviving Bin Laden relatives, including six children and one of his wives, had been taken to hospital in Rawalpindi.
A slew of fresh details have emerged in the last 24 hours, which indicate Bin Laden had a plan to escape alive if he ever came under attack.
Claims include a report that Bin Laden had money and two phone numbers sewn into his clothes at the time of his death.
According to Politico, the terror chief had £450 worth of cash hidden on his person suggesting that he was prepared to have to flee quickly if his lair came under attack.
CIA director Leon Panetta is also said to have briefed that bin Laden was not more strongly guarded because he believed his network was strong enough that he would get a heads-up about any raid.
A senior US official told Fox News the compound was ‘built for deception’ with barricades and a false wall set up to confuse intruders.
It was built in readiness for an assault, the official claimed, with barricades on each floor and the main door apparently blocked off by a brick wall.
In a particularly salacious account, the National Enquirer claimed that the Al Qaeda leader had begged for his life and said ‘it’s not me’ when he was confronted by the hit team.
It has also emerged that Amal Al-Sadah, the terror chief’s 27-year-old wife and youngest bride, was shot in the leg during the raid but survived.
In initial accounts of the firefight, US. officials had claimed bin Laden was armed with an AK47 rifle and was using his wife as a ‘human shield’ when he was shot.
U.S. press secretary Jay Carney confirmed more details of the death of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden last night
Counter-terrorism official John Brennan had said. ‘There was family at that compound, and there was a female who was, in fact, in the line of fire that reportedly was used as a shield to shield Bin Laden from the incoming fire.’
But last night, the White House said Bin Laden was not armed when a U.S. Navy SEAL confronted and killed him during Sunday night’s assault on his compound.
The discrepancy between the two versions of events was put down to the ‘fog of combat’ by the White House.
Security officials said they did not recover any arms and explosives during their detailed search of the compound and the 13-roomed house, during which they removed two buffalos, a cow and around 150 chickens.”
Obama justice?, Blagojevich trial streamlined?, Blagojevich trial and charges rigged to protect Obama
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
“Why did Obama attend a party in April 3, 2004 with Stuart Levine and Nadhmi Auchi, a controversial Iraqi-born billionaire who Rezko was trying to get to invest in a South Loop real-estate development?”…Citizen Wells
The US Justice Department with the aid of the complicit media, continue to portray their chicanery in protecting Obama with Orwellian phrases like “streamlining” the Blagojevich Trial.
From the Chicago Tribune May 3, 2011.
“Testimony streamlined in Blagojevich trial
2:35 a.m. CDT, May 3, 2011
The Ultra Slim Fast version of the prosecution case against Rod Blagojevich is continuing as his former chief of staff, John Harris, has taken the stand in the first day of testimony in the former governor’s corruption retrial. Last summer, Harris didn’t appear until the fourth week of proceedings.
And the testimony of Harris has been clearly streamlined as government lawyers reshuffle their deck to draw a sharp focus on Blagojevich’s alleged attempts to sell a U.S. Senate seat.”
Despite the US Justice Department dropping counts 1,2 and 4 against Blagojevich and changing the wording in the indictments, which contain information damning for Obama, corruption figures such as Stuart Levine and Tony Rezko, closely tied to Obama, cannot be ignored.
The Chicago Tribune presents a Stuart Levine wiretap from April 26, 2004. Although Obama is not mentioned, look below at the timeline of activity.
Even though only approx. 2 percent of the wiretaps were released during the first Blagojevich Trial, we hear Blagojevich indicting Obama.
As the second Blagojevich “trial” progresses, keep referring to the following information and timeline.
Evidentiary Proffer supporting charge of Collusion in protecting Obama during the course of investigating and prosecuting Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich.
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.” June 30, 2003: Obama gets the following donations.
$5000 Ali Ata was appointed as Director at IFA
$6000 Alison Davis gets appointment on Investment Board
$15,000 Dr. Michael Malek gets appointment on Hospital Facility Board
$5000 Abdelhamid Chaib’s wife gets appointment on Employee Security Board
$10,000 Elie Maloof – Rezko used him as one of several strawmen to donate funds to certain politicians.
$1000 Phil Cacciatore (one of Auchi’s Riverside Park Investors) gets seat on Board
$1000 Velma Butler (one of Auchi’s Riverside Park Investors) was recommended for Board
$1000 Martello Pollack (Vegas Crystal Comm) received Iraqi Construction contracts
$1000 Jack Carriglio gets appointed to Board
$500 Anthony Abboud gets appointed to Board
$3000 Michael Winter, who helped Rezko in funneling kickbacks through investment firm
$1000 Talat Othman gets appointed to Board
$1000 David Gustman, $1000 from Gustman’s wife after he is appointed Board Chairman 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. Oct. 29, 2003: Blagojevich interest in presidency (Blagojevich criminal complaint pg 14).
“During the conversation, Cari and ROD BLAGOJEVICH discussed Cari’s fundraising background and work as a national fundraiser. ROD BLAGOJEVICH discussed his interest in running for President of the United States.” Dec 17, 2003: Former Governor George Ryan indicted.
“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.” 2004 – 2005: (February 10, 2008 Sun-Times)
“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,“
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.”” March – May 2004: (Rezko trial exhibits)
FBI chart presented to the jury on April 28, 2008, shows 257 calls from Rezko’s phones to Blagojevich’s chief of staff, Lon Monk, between March 2004 and May 2004 alone.
“Stuart Levine, the prosecution’s star witness, said he and Obama were at a party Rezko threw at his Wilmette mansion on April 3, 2004, for Nadhmi Auchi, a controversial Iraqi-born billionaire who Rezko was trying to get to invest in a South Loop real-estate development.
Auchi, now a citizen of the United Kingdom, has faced criminal charges in Europe. He also figured in the revocation of Rezko’s bond early this year after attempting to wire him more than $3 million. Upon learning of that attempt, U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve declared Rezko a flight risk and ordered him held in a federal jail in the Loop.
The Rezko party in 2004 was designed to induce Auchi to pour money into the South Loop investment. Obama’s presence at the party was not previously known. At the time, Obama was fresh off a surprise win in the Illinois Democratic primary for U.S. Senate and was riding a crest of national publicity.” 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.” April 21, 2004: (Rezko Trial March 11, 2008; 5:27 p.m.)
“The former lawyer for a state board that regulates hospital expansions took the stand late in the afternoon and said she told Stuart Levine of her concern after an odd vote on the Mercy Hospital project that included Levine whispering to other board members before the project was approved.
His response was no less troubling, she said.
“He shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘Sometimes you have to be a good soldier,’” said Anne Murphy, the former lawyer for the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board.
Murphy said Levine’s remark followed a vote that saw the plan for a new hospital in Crystal Lake squeak by with the minimum of five votes in favor on the nine-member board.
With eight members present at the April 2004 meeting, Murphy said the vote was stalled with three members voting “yes,” two voting “no” and two abstentions when Chairman Thomas Beck was called to give his vote.
Beck said, “Where’re we at?” Murphy testified. He then went over to whisper with Levine off the record, she said. When that conversation ended, Murphy said, Levine got up and whispered to Imad Almanaseer.
Beck then voted yes, Murphy testified, and Almanaseer changed his vote to “yes,” giving the plan the necessary votes to pass.
“There was an audible, collective gasp across the room,” Murphy recalled of the April 2004 meeting.
Prosecutors contend the five members who voted for the hospital were a Levine-led bloc that Rezko had placed on the board and controlled. The two were charged with arranging to accept a kickback from the builder who was going to build the Mercy project in Crystal Lake.
The entire board was new as of the summer of 2003, Murphy said. She said she had given the new members memos on ethics, including conflicts of interest.”
“Another government wiretap has been played with Antoin “Tony” Rezko’s voice on it, and this one could prove damaging to his defense. On the tape, recorded May 18, 2004, Rezko can be heard giving orders to political fixer Stuart Levine about how he wanted to manipulate the vote of one of Levine’s fellow members on the Illinois Health Facilities Planning board, Danalynn Rice.
June 7, 2004: Stuart Levine, member of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, abruptly resigns. This is the first indication that the Blagojevich administration is under federal criminal investigation.
July 2, 2004: Stuart Levine resigns from the state Teachers’ Retirement System board. July 27, 2004: Obama Democratic Convention Speech. May 9, 2005: Stuart Levine indicted on corruption charges. Federal subpoena issued to Tony Rezko. June 15, 2005: Obama purchases 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. Sept. 15, 2005: Joseph Cari, former lawyer for the state’s teacher’s pension board pleads guilty to extortion. A high ranking public official is described in court documents only as “Public official A.” Oct. 25, 2005: The Chicago Tribune reports about a federal grand jury investigation into the alleged political hiring practices of the Blagojevich administration. Late 2005 early 2006: From the Kenneth J. Conner complaint against Mutual Bank filed Oct. 16, 2008. The lawsuit is still active.
“11. 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″
“18. 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 later told World Net daily when he initially was fired, that the bank and the Rezkos were engaged in “fraud, bribes or kickbacks, use whatever term you want,” to benefit the Obamas.
Soon after the Blagojevich arrest, Conner was interviewed by investigators from Fitzgerald’s office. Jan. 2006: Rita Rezko sells the Obamas one-sixth of her lot for $104,500. Feb. 4, 2006: (Chicago Sun-Times)
“Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has always been rumored to be interested in higher office. A single entry in a campaign-finance report he filed this week could add fuel to the speculation.
Blagojevich paid $7,500 in December to one of the top Democratic political strategists in Iowa, where contacts are important for anyone with presidential aspirations.” Feb. 19, 2006: Blagojevich began his 2006 re-election to IL Governor. Aug. 5, 2006: The Chicago Tribune reports that Stuart Levine is cooperating with the federal investigation of state government. Aug. 11-20 2006: Illinois State Fair. “We’ve got a governor in Rod Blagojevich who has delivered consistently on behalf of the people of Illinois,” Obama told the crowd. Oct. 11, 2006: Tony Rezko is indicted on federal charges he sought millions of dollars in kickbacks and campaign donations from firms seeking state business.
Oct. 22, 2006: Obama publicly states he is considering a run for the Presidency. Oct. 27, 2006: Stuart Levine pleads guilty in a scheme to squeeze millions of dollars from firms seeking state business. Court papers contain allegations that Rezko and Christopher Kelly were using their influence for corrupt purposes. Nov. 7, 2006 (Chicago SunTimes)
“The Rezko story broke last week, when Obama was wrapping up a national tour serving several purposes: promote his new book, The Audacity of Hope, raise money and stump for Democrats, and lay the groundwork for a possible 2008 White House bid.” Jan. 16, 2007: Obama announces his intention to run for president.
“I’ve navigated some fairly difficult territory in my political career and, you know, there are some folks in Springfield who are pretty wily.
And I’ve always been able to operate effectively, but also do so in a way that’s consistent with my values and ethics. I make no claims of perfection, but I think that generally my judgment and my assessments of people have been pretty good and that’s part of how I’ve stayed out of trouble in what can be a pretty hurly burly political environment. ….. I think that the way [voters should view the Rezko relationship] is that I made a mistake in not seeing the potential conflicts of interest or appearances of impropriety. But they should see somebody who was not engaged in any wrongdoing, who did not in any way betray the public trust, who has maintained consistently high ethical standards and who they can trust.” Feb 10, 2008: (Chicago Sun-Times)
“Sources said 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.” March 6, 2008: Rezko trial begins. April 22, 2008: Ali Ata pleads guilty to obstruction of justice and agrees to cooperate. May 2, 2008: Illinois Senate narrowly defeated a measure aimed at giving voters a chance to recall Gov. Rod Blagojevich. June 4, 2008: Rezko convicted on 16 of 24 counts.
Count 1 contains ties to Blagojevich and Obama.
The following conviction counts are related to Mercy Hospital and the rigging of the Planning Board.
1, 11, 12, 14, 15
A large portion of the testimony in the Rezko Trial was about the rigging of the Planning Board. Aug. 20, 2008: Rezko sentencing delayed. Oct. 9, 2008: Rezko sentencing delayed. Oct. 30, 2008: William Cellini indicted Nov. 4, 2008: Washington Times report.
“A former Illinois real estate specialist says FBI agents have questioned him about a Chicago property that had been bought by convicted felon Tony Rezko’s wife and later sold to the couple’s next-door neighbor, Sen. Barack Obama.
The real estate specialist, Kenneth J. Conner, said bank officials replaced an appraisal review he prepared on the property and FBI agents were investigating in late 2007 whether the Rezko-Obama deal was proper.
“Agents and I talked about payoff, bribe, kickback for a long time, though it took them only a short number of minutes of talking with me while looking at the appraisal to acknowledge what they already seemed to know: The Rezko lot was grossly overvalued,” Mr. Conner told The Washington Times Monday.
“Rezko paid the asking price on the same day Obama paid $300,000 less than the asking price to the same seller for his adjacent mansion,” he said. “This begs the question of payoff, bribe, kickback.””
Dec. 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. Dec. 9, 2008: Blagojevich arrested
“Fitzgerald said, “We make no allegations” that Obama was aware of any alleged scheming by Blagojevich.” Jan. 9, 2009: IL House votes 114 to 1 to impeach Blagojevich. Jan 29, 2009: IL Senate removes Blagojevich from office. Feb 12, 2009: “US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who brought criminal fraud charges against former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, will stay on with the Obama administration, reports Pete Williams at NBC.” APRIL 2, 2009: Press release, Superceding Indictment. There is no mention of nine board members.
“Planning Board” (IL Health Facilities Planning Board) is mentioned 7 times
“Rezko” is mentioned 100 times.
http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2009/pr0402_01a.pdf July 30, 2009: Patrick Fitzgerald, the top prosecutor in Illinois’ Northern District, has been named interim chairman of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC). Feb. 4, 2010: Second superceding indictment. There is no mention of nine board members.
“Planning Board” (IL Health Facilities Planning Board) is mentioned 7 times
“Rezko” is mentioned 87 times.
“Hospital” in context of Mercy Hospital mentioned 1 time.
“During the relevant time period, the Planning Board consisted of nine individuals.”
“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” is mentioned 288 times.
“Hospital” in context of Mercy Hospital mentioned 18 times. April 22, 2010: Motion filed to subpoena Obama and redacted parts revealed.
“22. However, the defense has a good faith belief that Mr. Rezko, President Obama’s former friend, fund-raiser, and neighbor told the FBI and
the United States Attorneys
Redacted:
a different story about President Obama. In a recent in camera proceeding, the government tendered a three paragraph letter indicating that Rezko “has stated
in interviews with the government that he engaged in election law violations by personally contributing a large sum of cash to the campaign of a public official who is not Rod Blagojevich. … Further, the public official denies being aware of cash contributions to his campaign by Rezko or others and denies having conversations with Rezko related to cash contributions. … Rezko has also stated in interviews with the government that he believed he transmitted a quid pro quo offer from a lobbyist to the public official, whereby the lobbyist would hold a fundraiser for the official in exchange for favorable official action, but that the public official rejected the offer. The public official denies any such conversation. In addition, Rezko has stated to the government that he and the public official had certain conversations about gaming legislation and administration, which the public official denies having had.”10
10 The defense has a good faith belief that this public official is Barack Obama.”
June 29, 2010: Judge Zagel said there was a word to describe witnesses like Rezko who damage whatever side calls them to testify.
“generally explains why they’re not called.”
Aug. 17, 2010: Blagojevich convicted of 1 of 24 counts. Neither Rezko or Levine were called as witnesses. One juror held out from indicting on more counts. The trial was much shorter than predicted . Approx 2% of the wiretaps were presented. Jan. 6, 2011: Rezko sentencing delayed indefinitely. Jan. 28, 2011: Rezko sentencing set for October 21, 2011. Feb. 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.
The only reference left to “Hospital” in context of Mercy Hospital was in count one. March 9, 2011: Blagojevich files motion to be sentenced on one conviction charge.
Osama and Obama, Bigger news, Borders protected?, Justice Department justice?, Real Blagojevich trial?, Where’s the original birth certificate?, Where’s the justice?
“Why has Obama, after using private and taxpayer funded attorneys for years to keep his birth certificate and college records hidden, placed a computer generated birth certificate and not a certified original copy on WhiteHouse.gov?”…Citizen Wells
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
First of all, nothing I am about to present is meant to diminish the efforts of our brave people in the military and intelligence community. These folks work hard to keep us safe everyday and uphold and defend the US Constitution.
Osama bin Laden is dead. One less evil person on the planet.
Obama stated:
“On nights like this one” “we can say that justice has been done.”
My response:
We need justice every day. We need a Justice Department that is not biased and upholds the US Constitution.
We need someone in the White House who follows and upholds the US Constitution.
Osama bin Laden has been taken out. I would be more satisfied with this if we had been securing our borders. If we had people in the federal government who were working with the states to keep illegals out instead of welcoming them for political gain. Where’s the justice?
The case against the New Black Panther Party was dropped and Obama’s buddy Eric Holder has allowed bias to run rampant. Where’s the justice?
The Rod Blagojevich retrial is beginning. The case has been watered down with references to corruption activities tied to Obama minimized. Where’s the justice?
And once again Obama has insulted the American people and thumbed his nose at the Constitution. He presented another document purporting to be a birth certificate, but it was computer generated. It is not, I repeat not a certified copy of an original birth certificate. Where’s the justice?
Here are some recent Citizen Wells articles that explain what the document is and isn’t.
April 28, 2011.
“The following topics are addressed:
Someone(s) is lying. Overview of WhiteHouse.gov explanation. Document presented on WhiteHouse.gov site. Correspondence from Perkins Coie/Obama with the State of Hawaii. Long form certified copies of original birth certificate have been available for years. Summary.”
“The document presented on the WhiteHouse.gov site yesterday is nothing more than a COLB (Certification of Live Birth) with additional data from a computer database. It is not an original birth certificate or certified copy of one. It most certainly does not prove birth in Hawaii. It is not the certified copy of a birth certificate like millions of Americans like you and I were required to produce.”
“When you view the document placed on WhiteHouse.gov remember it was computer generated. It is not an image file of a complete original birth certificate. It is a composite of data entered into a database(s) in the Hawaii computer systems. The data is as good as the source and the procedures and personnel who controlled the entry and maintained the integrity. From a legal standpoint it proves, if authenticated as having come from the state of Hawaii, that Obama is a US Citizen. It does not prove that he is a natural born citizen.”
“The article heading is at least misleading or an outright lie.
“Expert: No Doubt Obama’s Birth Certificate Is Legit”
Jean-Claude Tremblay ia a Adobe-certified expert. He only addressed the issue of document manipulation.
No mention was made of whether or not Tremblay was a birth certificate expert.
Tremblay has not been given access to an original birth certificate.
Tremblay did not say that the document was an authenticate presentation of Obama’s original birth certificate.”
And now for some more good old fashioned common sense from NC. Yes, there is still some left and this was put in print in the Rhinoceros Times, based in Greensboro, NC.
“It is strange that we have a president that the people of this country really know very little about. In reading articles about Obama’s life, I have found that the source is usually his own book, Dreams from My Father, which Obama says is not an autobiography. He says that he used composite characters and created events that didn’t necessarily happen, but his book – which is part fact and part fiction – is just about all we know about him.
But there is a question that has come up that is much more important than where Obama was born, or what his grades were in school or how a B student in high school who says himself that he didn’t apply himself in college ended up at Columbia University and Harvard Law School.”
“Several reports before the birth certificate was released stated that even Obama couldn’t get the “original” of his birth certificate. Wow, this is news? It makes it sound like he can’t show people his birth certificate, but what everyone gets is not the original but a certified copy. Of course they don’t give you the original, because if you lose the original how are you going to get a copy? To get a passport around here you have to have a copy of your birth certificate with the seal embossed on it, not the original.
The secretary of health and human services for Hawaii had said that the State of Hawaii keeps the records and that no one is allowed to have a copy of their own birth certificate. Does that mean that the parents are given a copy of the original at the birth of their child, and if they lose that copy or if it burns in a fire, is destroyed by a hurricane, tornado or tsunami, or eaten by the dog, it doesn’t matter? No one is ever allowed a second copy of a birth certificate in Hawaii, unless they happen to be president of the United States and a famous billionaire is making a huge deal out of the fact that said president won’t release his birth certificate?
Obama as usual put that official in a tough spot because first the story was that the birth certificate couldn’t be released and then it was released.
But it was all a big lie anyway. This is 2011. Recently a woman who was born in Hawaii filled out the forms, which are available online, and sent off for her birth certificate. She got a copy of her birth certificate back from the State of Hawaii and put it along with all the paperwork online. If she could do it, certainly our tech savvy president could have done it long ago.
Evidently the head of health and human services in Hawaii doesn’t know what the rules are for his own department, which come to think of it is not all that unusual.
There are many instances in which people might actually need a copy of their long form birth certificate. One would be to sue the doctor who was present at the delivery, another would be to find out who is listed as the father. In North Carolina birth certificates are public records and anyone can obtain a copy. In Hawaii birth certificates, according to the secretary of health, are so confidential that no one other than the president can obtain a copy.
The question remains, why did Obama wait so long and spend so much money to keep his birth certificate from being made public.”
Blagojevich trials truth, Blagojevich Rezko Obama, Mockery of justice, Obama had to get elected, Obama controls Justice Dept
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
“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,“… February 10, 2008 Sun-Times
“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. Other legislative leaders, including Madigan, were part of that review panel as well, according to the e-mail.”…March 10, 2008 Tony Rezko trial
Some people were paying attention before Obama became a serious contender in 2008. The Chicago Tribune even covered corruption in the Blagojevich Administration long before the Rezko trial. The Tribune and a few others even connected the dots from Rezko to Obama. And then….
I wrote the following on October 3, 2008.
“Barack Obama appears desperate to win the presidential election. The more
I know about Obama, the more I have come to the conclusion that he
believes he must win the presidency. Consider the following:
Obama has no Law License
Obama relinquished his Illinois law license in early 2007. Why would
Obama give up something that provided his primary source of income
and something he spent so much time and energy obtaining? Andy Martin
filed a complaint in IL on March 13, 2007 stating that Obama had lied
on his IL bar application. Obama had 17 outstanding traffic violations
that he had failed to take care of. Mr. Martin discovered that Obama
would not be prosecuted because he no longer had his law license. I contacted Andy Martin and this was his response:
“Nothing. Obama had already resigned as a lawyer and so they had no jurisdiction over him.”
“Not if they have lost jurisdiction over the individual. They can’t punish someone who has resigned, which is why so many corrupt lawyers in Illinois resign before they are disbarred.“
Obama ties to Crime and Corruption
Obama had many close ties to crime and corruption in Chicago and Illinois.
Tony Rezko and Obama, close associates for many years, are at the center
of investigations and prosecutions by federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald.
Tony Rezko has been tried and convicted of multiple counts of corruption
and is awaiting sentencing. he is also talking. Stuart Levine, the star
witness at the Rezko, has been convicted. Dr. Robert Weinstein has been
indicted and is awaiting trial. Rod Blagojecvich, the governor of Illinois,
was endorsed by Obama and will probably be indicted or impeached.
Obama has many ties to these corruption players and his name was mentioned regularly during the Rezko trial. Will Obama be indicted next?
From the Petition to Impeach, expel Senator Obama:
Whereas: Senator Barack Obama used the office of IL Senator to
facilitate the vote rigging in Chicago as chairman of the Illinois Senate
Health and Human Services Committee. Mr. Obama pushed legislation in Senate Bill 1332 to reduce the number of members of the Health Facilities Planning Board from 15 to 9. Mr. Obama did conspire with Stuart Levine, Tony Rezko and Rod Blogojevich to rig the committee and was rewarded with campaign contributions. The new members appointed included 3 doctors who contributed to Mr. Obama. On April 21, 2004, Stuart Levine explicitly advised Dr. Robert Weinstein, who is now indicted, of Tony Rezko’s role in manipulating the Planning Board’s vote.
Philip J Berg Lawsuit – Obama is a Indonesian citizen
Philip J Berg filed a lawsuit in federal court on August 21, 2008 that
states Obama is not qualified to be president. The lawsuit is based on
many documented facts, with the prominent fact being that Obama became
an Indonesian citizen and never pledged allegiance to the US. Instead
of offering proof of US citizenship in the form of a vault copy of his
birth certificate and a pledge of allegiance, Obama filed a motion to
dismiss Mr. Berg’s lawsuit. John McCain provided a vault COLB to congress.
Why am I certain that Obama is desperate to become president?
During the Tony Rezko investigation and trial, it was discovered that
Rezko told Stuart Levine not to worry, he would see to it that Patrick
Fitzgerald would be removed as prosecutor.
If Obama is elected, he certainly would see to it that Fitzgerald is
“reassigned”.
If the Philip J Berg lawsuit is delayed until after the election, Obama
believes that the current congress would never impeach him. I am certain
most people would agree.”
The Blagojevich trial clearly could have and should have happened before the 2008 elections. Refer to the Citizen Wells Evidentiary Proffer.
After Obama took control of the White House, he appointed his buddy Eric Holder as Attorney General. This gave Obama control of the US Justice Department.
July 30, 2009: Patrick Fitzgerald, the top prosecutor in Illinois’ Northern District, was named interim chairman of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC).
The first Blagojevich trial, which obviously was delayed to protect Obama, was a farce. From Citizen Wells August 23, 2010.
“If you read the press coverage of this verdict, it is clear that public reaction to the verdict is nearly universal: “One count? That’s it!? Is this a joke?”
No, it’s no joke. And, truthfully, this is the result I expected after the government wrapped up its case. It looked like the prosecution’s case was distorted in order to protect President Obama, Rahm Emanuel and Valerie Jarrett. It’s that simple.”
“It looked to me that the trial was turning into a political nightmare for the Obama White House. And this may explain why the prosecution shut their case down a month early.”
“Let’s hope prosecutors get it right this time. I suspect that Eric Holder’s politicized Justice Department interfered with the investigation conducted by the reputedly independent U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.”
“Have any of the big media players pointed this out? Blagojevich was convicted on one count of lying to the FBI in 2005. At the absolute latest they had this nailed down by the Tony Rezko trial in early 2008.”
“If I were a juror, I’d wonder why we never heard from so many of the allegedly bad guys — Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine — mentioned by the prosecution.”
“As noted in part 5 of this series, Tony Rezko’s name was mentioned approximately 288 times in the Evidentiary Proffer. The above numbers reveal that of the evidence presented in the Proffer, 38 pages are loaded with names and corruption activities tied to Blagojevich from 2002 to mid 2008. And yet neither Tony Rezko or Stuart Levine were called as witnesses. And just as predicted and warned about here, the focus of the trial was the selling of Obama’s senate seat.”
“But Leonard Cavise, a DePaul University professor, suggested the government will need to do more at the retrial, possibly leading to a longer presentation of evidence. He said he believes the government may try to avoid another deadlocked jury by using fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko and political fixer Stuart Levine as witnesses.
Both men have agreed to cooperate, but prosecutors chose not to call them this summer in part because of the baggage both bring.
“If the prosecution insists on going forward, I have two words for them: Rezko and Levine,” Cavise said. “They know where all the bodies are buried.”””
More evidence of corruption in the US Justice Department surfaces.
J Christian Adams and Christopher Coates speak out.
““Politicizing the Law”
“Eric Holder’s Justice Department has exiled Christopher Coates to South Carolina.
Coates, you may recall, is a career attorney at Justice, the chief of the Civil Rights Division’s (CRD) Voting Section. More to the point, Coates recommended that the CRD file a lawsuit for voter intimidation against the New Black Panther party and several of its members, who were in paramilitary uniforms (one of them waving a nightstick) threatening elderly white voters at a polling station in Philadelphia during last year’s elections.
Political appointees at the Justice Department overrode Coates’s recommendation. They ordered him to dismiss the lawsuit against all but one of the defendants, even though they were in default because they did not defend themselves. The eventual injunction against the defendant with the weapon was laughably weak.”
““That brings us to the real bone of contention, the final reason Coates has been transferred: the voter-intimidation case against the New Black Panther party. NBPP members were hurling racial epithets and threatening voters at a polling place in Philadelphia. It was among the most blatant cases of voter intimidation the CRD had seen in decades. Adams was one of three lawyers assigned to the case by Coates, no doubt because, unlike the other career lawyers in the Voting Section, Adams would not refuse to sue non-white perpetrators of voter intimidation. The other two lawyers on the New Black Panther party case were Robert Popper and Spencer Fisher, both highly dedicated voting-rights attorneys as well.”
“One former Voting Section career lawyer who had left the Justice Department to go to work for the NAACP, Kristen Clarke, admitted to the Washington Times that she talked to the new political leadership after Obama was inaugurated, berating them for not dismissing the case. Sources at Justice tell me Clarke made an identical pitch to her former colleagues in the Voting Section once Obama and Eric Holder came to power.”
Case against Blagojevich and ultimately Obama weakened by Justice Department dropping counts 1,2,4 against Balgojevich.
From Citizen Wells February 26, 2011.
““Prosecutors in the Blagojevich trial have dropped 3 counts from the indictment against him. That is approximately 15 %. That does not appear on the surface to be significant. However, counts 1 and 2 represent about half of the indictment and mention numerous Chicago corruption figures with ties to Obama. Get the picture?”
“Most of you know by now that the US Justice Department is corrupt, as evidenced by recent whistleblowers, and that Obama and Eric Holder have no regard for the US Constitution. The manner in which the Blagojevich trial has played out, beginning with the delay of his arrest, the diversion of the selling of the senate seat, inept prosecution in the first trial and manipulation of charges, all are further proof of Obama’s usurpation and control of the Justice Dept.
Remember in 2008 I told you that Obama had to win the election to avoid prosecution.””
Obama mansion, Rezko, William Miceli, Probate Judge Jane L Stuart, Harvey Wineberg, Kenneth J Conner fired
“Why did Mutual Bank fire whistleblower Kenneth J Connor after he challenged the appraisal on the land purchased by Rita Rezko, just prior to the land sale to Obama?”…Citizen Wells
“Why do 3 supporters own Obama’s home?”…World Net Daily
From World Net Daily April 20, 2011.
“This, the first of a series of articles on the Obama home at 5046 S. Greenwood, establishes that three individuals other than Obama are listed in public records as owners and taxpayers on the property.
Barack Obama is not among at least three people listed as current owners and taxpayers of the mansion his family calls home in Chicago’s upscale Kenwood neighborhood, according to public records.
WND reported in December 2008 that William Miceli, the attorney for convicted political operative Tony Rezko and a fundraiser for Obama, owns the Obama home at 5046 S. Greenwood.
Miceli is a lawyer at the Chicago law firm Miner, Barnhill & Galland, which employed Obama when he did legal work for Rezko.
Now, WND has discovered that, along with Miceli, there are at least two other people listed in public records as owners and taxpayers of 5046 S. Greenwood in the South Side neighborhood of Kenwood, an oasis of pricey homes that has attracted professors at nearby University of Chicago.
The Cook County Recorder of Deeds website shows the property was purchased by the Northern Trust Company, with the mortgage recorded Dec. 19, 2005. The records suggest a Northern Trust Company trust, perhaps headed by Miceli, was the deed holder.
There are no Cook County records that show Barack or Michelle Obama own 5046 S. Greenwood Ave., although the likelihood is that the couple are the owners of the Northern Trust Company trust established to buy the property.
Rezko found the new residence for Obama when the Rezko family lived across the street.
In the 2008 presidential campaign, Rezko’s role in the purchase created a scandal that threatened to derail Obama’s presidential hopes. The list price for the home was $1.95 million. But the Obamas reportedly were able to negotiate a price of $1.65 million when Tony Rezko’s wife, Rita Rezko, closed on the purchase of an adjacent vacant lot for $625,000 on the same day. The Obamas later bought one-sixth of the adjacent lot from Rita Rezko, creating a buffer.
Obama was grilled on the transactions before the election in meetings with the editorial staff of Chicago’s two major newspapers, the Sun-Times and the Tribune. He admitted to the Sun-Times that it was a “boneheaded move” but denied he coordinated the purchase with the Rezkos. Critics pointed out that any coordination with supporters would be a clear violation of Senate ethic rules.
Now, a search of records shows that, in addition to Miceli, the Obama mansion is owned by Chicago Probate Judge Jane L. Stuart and Obama accountant Harvey Wineberg, both of whom are paying taxes on the property.
WND was assisted in the inquiry by an expert debt collector who had access to professional databases used by debt collection agencies and skip-tracing companies with proprietary “skip-trace” software designed to find debtors who have attempted to run away to avoid payment.
WND’s source wishes to remain anonymous to prevent the type of retaliation faced by other experts who have been cut off from using proprietary databases in their attempt to search Obama’s records.
The expert lives in the U.S. Southeast and has more than 10 years of experience in the financial and debt collection industries. He describes himself as a libertarian who voted for Obama in 2008, only to become disillusioned with what he sees as attacks on medical freedom in Obama’s health-care reform.”
From the Kenneth J. Connor lawsuit reported at Citizen Wells on February 10, 2011.
“9. In June, 2005, Mutual Bank President and CEO Amrish Mahajan and other Mutual Bank olfficers 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. As part of the Mutual Bank loan underwriting process, Mutual Bank obtained a real estate appraisal from Adams Valuation Corporation (Adams Appraisal) which purported to provide an opinion of value of the subject 5050 S. Greenwood real estate (the collateral for the Rezko loan) at $ 68.76 per square foot. A copy of the Adams Appraisal is attached as Exhibit C. In June, 2005, Rita Rezko closed on the purchase of the 5050 S. Greenwood property at a purchase price of $ 625,000.00 along with the loan from Mutual Bank in the amount of $ 500,000.00 with Mutual bank obtaining a first mortgage lien position on the Greenwood vacant parcel.”
“10. 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. A copy of the Obama/Rita Rezko contract is attached as Exhibit D. As a result of that transaction, the Rezkos requested that Mutual Bank release it’s first collateral position to the ten-foot strip parcel transferred to the Obamas. In that same general time frame, Richard Barth, Mutual Bank Senior VP of construction lending and James Murphy, Mutual Bank Senior VP Internal Auditor/Risk Manager, requested that Conner perform an appraisal review of the Adams Appraisal attached hereto as Exhibit C.”
“11. 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. In that same general time frame an appraisal was performed for the 5050 S. Greenwood property by Howard B. Richter, MAI which valued the 5050 S. Greenwood property at $ 54.00 per square foot but then discounted the ten-foot strip being transferred by Rita Rezko to the Obamas by fifty percent, as the ten-foot strip was unbuildable standing alone…The valuation by the Richter Appraisal for the 5050 S. Greenwood lot was substantially to Conner’s ARR valuation.”
“18. 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.”
“A former Illinois real estate specialist says FBI agents have questioned him about a Chicago property that had been bought by convicted felon Tony Rezko’s wife and later sold to the couple’s next-door neighbor, Sen. Barack Obama.
The real estate specialist, Kenneth J. Conner, said bank officials replaced an appraisal review he prepared on the property and FBI agents were investigating in late 2007 whether the Rezko-Obama deal was proper.
“Agents and I talked about payoff, bribe, kickback for a long time, though it took them only a short number of minutes of talking with me while looking at the appraisal to acknowledge what they already seemed to know: The Rezko lot was grossly overvalued,” Mr. Conner told The Washington Times Monday.
“Rezko paid the asking price on the same day Obama paid $300,000 less than the asking price to the same seller for his adjacent mansion,” he said. “This begs the question of payoff, bribe, kickback.””
Blagojevich retrial Rezko and Obama, Judge James Zagel cautions Blagojevich, Justice Dept. corruption
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
The Rod Blagojevich retrial begins tomorrow, if you can call it a trial.
From the Chicago Tribune April 18, 2011.
“Federal prosecutors called Rod Blagojevich’s a ‘liar’ on Monday, and a judge warned the ousted Illinois governor to watch what he says to the media because some of his comments could be used against him at his upcoming corruption retrial.
Looking down sternly from his bench, Judge James Zagel cautioned Blagojevich’s lawyers during a status hearing in Chicago held two days before the ex-governor’s retrial is scheduled to start Wednesday.
“You can consider my remarks a red flag,” Zagel said.
His admonishment came after lead prosecutor Reid Schar complained about Blagojevich accusations in recent media appearances that federal attorneys had tried to hide evidence that might clear the ex-governor.”
“Schar singled out alleged comments Blagojevich made on television, in which the ex-governor claimed the government had the power to publicly release more FBI wiretap recordings. That power lies with the judge, Schar noted.”
In the first “trial” approximately 2% of the wiretaps were released and neither Tony Rezko or Stuart Levine, who were heavily enmeshed in the corruption Blagojevich was involved in, and tie Obama to it, were called as witnesses.
Reprinted from Citizen Wells.
The dropping of counts 1,2 and 4 against Blagojevich by the prosecution was the latest move in a long series of maneuvers to protect Obama from being exposed for his long time ties to Tony Rezko and corruption in Chicago. Rezko was not called as a witness in the first Blagojevich trial and the odds are now higher that he will not be called as a witness in the second trial.
Reprinted from Citizen Wells July 21, 2010.
“The last thing Sen. Barack Obama and Gov. Rod Blagojevich needed was that letter written by convicted Illinois influence peddler Tony Rezko promising he’d never rat out his pals.”…John Kass, Chicago tribune
“Federal authorities have obtained an arrest warrant for Rezko, who is believed to be traveling abroad.”..Rezko indictment press release
“That was when U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve learned he had received a $3.5 million wire transfer from a business associate abroad.”…Rezko trial transcripts
Blagojevich trial
Protecting Obama
Part 5
Where is Tony Rezko?
What unholy alliance prevented Tony Rezko from being called as a prosecution witness? Was it a pact between Rezko, Blagojevich and Obama? Is the US Justice Department complicit in a coverup? Was there pressure from entities in the Middle East? Perhaps a combination of those forces. In Blagojevich’s own words.
Citizen Wells August 28, 2008
“As his sentencing nears, pressure is mounting on Tony Rezko to cooperate with federal investigations into some of the highest-profile politicians in the state — including Gov. Blagojevich.”
“Now, sources tell the Chicago Sun-Times that Rezko has been seen at the federal courthouse as many as a dozen times since his June conviction. He’s been held since then at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago.”
“If Rezko’s cooperating, that would be a major development in “Operation Board Games,” the government’s ongoing probe into state boards that’s widened into a broader corruption probe.”
From the Chicago SunTimes October 9, 2008
“A federal judge this morning officially postponed the sentencing of political fund-raiser Tony Rezko as he continues his discussions with the government.
U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve indefinitely delayed Rezko’s Oct. 28 sentencing date and told the parties to meet again for a status in the case in December.
The sentencing, originally scheduled for Oct. 28, just before the election, was likely to bring unfavorable publicity to Rezko’s onetime friend Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama.
Prosecutors and Rezko lawyers said this morning they did not want to set a future date for sentencing.
Rezko lawyer William Ziegelmueller said they sought the delay to “work together to agree to otherwise narrow differences at sentencing.”
The agreement comes as Rezko is talking to federal prosecutors. The Sun-Times first reported Rezko’s meetings with the feds in August and sources close to the investigation later confirmed the talks last month.”
“Convicted businessman Tony Rezko — who is poised to become a crucial witness in the massive corruption case against ex-Gov. Blagojevich — was quietly moved out of a downtown jail and into another facility last month, the Sun-Times has learned.
Authorities seeking Rezko’s cooperation pushed for the move after Rezko complained about being held in the tough confines of solitary imprisonment, known as “the hole,” even as he was providing information to prosecutors, sources said.”
“Rezko’s relocation is a sign that even with thousands of taped conversations of the governor, investigators still highly value Rezko’s potential as a witness.”
“Rezko, who served as an adviser and fund-raiser to Blagojevich, provided authorities with substantial information involving the governor and bolstered pay-to-play testimony by former Illinois Finance Authority director Ali Ata, as well as talking about other alleged deals.”
“Why is Antoin “Tony” Rezko under lock and key at an undisclosed location, like some sort of CIA-renditioned al Qaeda operative? And why hasn’t he been sentenced yet?
As the June 3 corruption trial of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich for allegedly trying to sell Obama’s former Illinois Senate seat approaches, the whereabouts of the former Blago and Obama fundraiser is literally a state secret.”
“Rezko’s not listed on the federal Bureau of Prisons’ inmate locator, either.”
“Randall Samborn, spokesman for Fitzgerald, told The Examiner that Rezko “remains in federal custody,” although admitting that he didn’t know exactly where the convicted businessman was being held. Samborn also confirmed that “there is no sentencing date,” but would not elaborate. Sources in Chicago tell us that the long delay is “very unusual.””
“Is Rezko being held at another prison facility for his own safety? There are plenty of people in Chicago and Washington who might not want Rezko on the witness stand. They include:
Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias.
Rezko was such an enthusiastic customer of Giannoulias’ failing Broadway Bank that he wrote $450,000 in bad checks against his account to pay off gambling debts.
Alderman Eddie Burke
Rezko hired Burke’s law firm to get a 77 percent reduction in the real estate taxes of a 62-acre property along the Chicago River he planned to develop using $140 million in city subsidies. After assuring the Chicago Board of Ethics that he would abstain from any Council votes on Rezko’s project, Burke voted for it anyway, blaming his conflict of interest on “an error.” The project was later abandoned.
President Barack Obama
Rezko was the president’s “real estate fairy,” as one Chicago columnist likes to put it. Remember how they bought a house together in Chicago? Rezko was one of Obama’s earliest and biggest fundraisers and donors. Obama was one of his go-to guys for housing legislation in the Illinois state Senate.
If I were Tony Rezko, I’d be hiding, too.”
Read more:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/where-in-the-world-is-tony-rezko-91619594.html
It is understandable why the Blagojevich defense team does not want Rezko on the stand. Judge Zagel’s comment about Rezko being a bad witness is at least horsecrap and reeks of conspiracy. Convicted felons of all categories are regularly used as witnesses. Stuart Levine, the key witness in the Rezko trial was not only enmeshed in corruption but was a long time drug user. Here are the approximate number of times that “Rezko” is mentioned in US Justice Department documents.
Indictment: 100 times.
Criminal complaint: 170 times.
Evidentiary Proffer: 288 times.
Even if a strong argument is made against using Rezko as a witness, and good luck with that argument, Stuart Levine was used extensively as a witness in the Rezko trial, and his name was mentioned approx. 146 times in the Blagojevich Criminal Complaint. And don’t forget, Blagojevich’s name was mentioned at least 30 times on one day of the Rezko trial.
Patrick Fitzgerald, I am damn angry and am speaking up about US Justice Department corruption.
The Chicago Tribune just reported this:
“”I felt all along and believed all along that I was going to testify,” he said. But he said the government case wasn’t as they presented it, without calling witnesses Antoin “Tony” Rezko and Stuart Levine, both convicted in the federal probe.”
I am not the only person coming to the no brainer conclusion that Rezko or Stuart Levine must be called to the witness stand. From Citizen Wells August 19, 2010.
““If I were a Blago juror …”
“If I were a juror, I’d wonder why we never heard from so many of the allegedly bad guys — Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine — mentioned by the prosecution.”
“As noted in part 5 of this series, Tony Rezko’s name was mentioned approximately 288 times in the Evidentiary Proffer. The above numbers reveal that of the evidence presented in the Proffer, 38 pages are loaded with names and corruption activities tied to Blagojevich from 2002 to mid 2008. And yet neither Tony Rezko or Stuart Levine were called as witnesses. And just as predicted and warned about here, the focus of the trial was the selling of Obama’s senate seat.””
“An expert on law has commented on Rezko and Levine being called as witnesses. Leonard Cavise is a DePaul University law professor.”
“But Leonard Cavise, a DePaul University professor, suggested the government will need to do more at the retrial, possibly leading to a longer presentation of evidence. He said he believes the government may try to avoid another deadlocked jury by using fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko and political fixer Stuart Levine as witnesses.
Both men have agreed to cooperate, but prosecutors chose not to call them this summer in part because of the baggage both bring.
“If the prosecution insists on going forward, I have two words for them: Rezko and Levine,” Cavise said. “They know where all the bodies are buried.””
Patrick Fitzgerald Obama puppet, Fitzgerald bias, Fitzgerald nomination for FBI Director?
“Why did Patrick Fitzgerald delay the prosecution of Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“Why did Obama name Patrick Fitzgerald as chairman of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC)?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
From the Chicago Tribune March 21, 2011.
“Republican Sen. Mark Kirk has three words for U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald: Stay in Chicago.
Fitzgerald’s name has surfaced among potential nominees to replace outgoing FBI Director Robert Mueller, whose nonrenewable term ends in September.”
“But Fitzgerald is a potential nominee who could have trouble with congressional confirmation. Some Republicans think he overreached in his prosecution of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff, in the Valerie Plame affair.”
It is clear at this juncture that Fitzgerald is driven by political motives and other bias in the US Justice Department. His overzealous prosecution of Libby and Karl Rove and lackadaisical prosecution of Rod Blagojevich bear this out. It is clear that Fitzgerald, in lock step with the Justice Dept., has protected Obama.
Patrick Fitzgerald FBI Director?, More Obama control of Justice Dept, John Kass Naive?
“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 prosecute Tony Rezko first and wait until after the 2008 election to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
From John Kass and the Chicago Tribune March 17, 2011.
“And both he and Patti know the names of all the prosecutors and FBI agents, including U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.
“My point is, it’s a selective prosecution,” Patti told the audience.”
“And now Fitzgerald might be making a move, to Washington. He’s on the short list to replace Robert Muller as director of the FBI.
Whether he gets the job or not is something else again. I think Fitzgerald would like the post. Friends of his have been talking about it for years. He’s obviously qualified, and he has hunted crooked Democrats and crooked Republicans with equal gusto.
But would the Chicago Way White House — with mayoral brother Billy Daley as chief of staff to the president — want an uncontrollable Fitzgerald running the FBI for the next 10 years?
Who knows? Billy Daley is approving the short list being leaked out to the media, with Fitz’s name on it.”
“”It would be Chicago’s loss if Patrick Fitzgerald became director of the FBI,” the former senator said. “All sorts of characters in Chicago would be delighted if Patrick were promoted out of town. As FBI director, his responsibilities would be focused on a broad spectrum and he wouldn’t have time to focus just on Chicago.””
John Kass has been one of the more outspoken critics of Blagojevich and Obama. However, he has not been paying close enough attention or has been held back by the Tribune. As you will see in my upcoming first argument against Patrick Fitzgerald and the Justice Dept., Fitzgerald was indeed aggressive in prosecuting Republicans, but slow as molasses in going after Blagojevich while all the time protecting Obama. Will Fitzgerald become director of the FBI and thus add another layer of control in the Justice Dept. for Obama?
Citizen WElls 