Philip J Berg on Michelle Obama Spain trip, One last celebration before Obama’s removal
From Philip J Berg August 12, 2010.
For Immediate Release: – 08/11/2010
For Further Information Contact:
Philip J. Berg, Esquire
555 Andorra Glen Court, Suite 12
Lafayette Hill, PA 19444-2531
Cell (610) 662-3005
(610) 825-3134
(800) 993-PHIL [7445]
Fax (610) 834-7659
Berg Says Michelle Obama Celebrated, one last time,
in Spain with her friends and daughter
as She Knows Her Husband, Obama/Soetoro’s, Time
as President is Coming to an End
as he is forced to Quit
as He Will Admit He Was Born in Africa
and Adopted in Indonesia where his
name became “Barry Soetoro”
* * *
(Lafayette Hill, PA – 08/11/2010) – Philip J. Berg, Esquire, the first Attorney who filed suit against Barack H. Obama challenging Senator Obama’s lack of “Constitutional qualifications” to serve as President of the United States.
Berg said, “Michelle Obama Celebrated, for one last time, in Spain with her daughter and others as she knows that her husband, Obama/Soetoro’s, time as President is coming to an end as he is forced to quit as he will admit he was born in Africa and adopted/acknowledged in Indonesia and therefore, is not Constitutionally eligible to be President.”
Berg’s comments came as the controversy is building since Michelle Obama, her daughter and upwards of 40 friends traveled to Spain for a five [5] day vacation. The issues included spending money overseas when our country is going through economic turmoil; traveling overseas when she could have spent a vacation in the United States where her spending could have helped a local community; staying at a five [5] star hotel with sixty [60] rooms used for her friends, staff and security; and why she would travel overseas after widespread criticism when Michelle, her husband and two [2] children recently travelled to Maine for a four [4] day vacation and not to the Gulf of Mexico area.
Berg continued, “The pressure is building to force Obama/Soetoro to admit that he is an Imposter, a Fraud, a Phony and his tale is the largest ‘Hoax’ in the history of the United States, over 230 years. Actually, the pressure is building because the overwhelming evidence is that Obama/Soetoro was born in Africa and more important is the fact that Obama was adopted/acknowledged by his step-father, Lolo Soetoro, in Indonesia and Obama’s ‘legal’ name became ‘Barry Soetoro’ and there is no evidence that he has legally changed his name and therefore, every time he uses the name of ‘Barack Hussein Obama’ he has and is committing fraud.”
Berg concluded, “I am in the final days of planning for the largest March/Rally in Washington, DC in October 2010 to force Obama/Soetoro to step down from the Office of President, a position he is not Constitutionally eligible to be President as he is an ‘Usurper’ and he has led our country into a Constitutional crisis. When Obama/Soetoro steps down, all of the appointments and programs including ObamaCare will end because all of them are ‘voidable’”.
CNN Orwellian news, CNN rewrites history, Lou Dobbs spoke truth
“Winston dialed “back numbers” on the telescreen and called
for the appropriate issues of the Times, which slid out of
the pneumatic tube after only a few minutes’ delay. The
messages he had received referred to articles or news items
which for one reason or another it was thought necessary to
alter, or, as the official phrase had it, to rectify. For
example, it appeared from the Times of the seventeenth of
March that Big Brother, in his speech of the previous day,
had predicted that the South Indian front would remain quiet
but that a Eurasian offensive would shortly be launched in
North Africa. As it happened, the Eurasian Higher Command
had launched its offensive in South India and left North
Africa alone. It was therefore necessary to rewrite a
paragraph of Big Brother’s speech in such a way as to make
him predict the thing that had actually happened.”…George Orwell, “1984”
As noted months ago and again yesterday, Lou Dobbs, while still at CNN, had this to say about Obama not providing a legitimate birth certificate.
Here are two excellent articles that expose CNN in their Orwellian attempts to rewrite history.
From “I Took the Red Pill”
“Here’s what Fukino did and did not say in her October 31, 2008 statement: Parsing the Statement by Dr. Fukino about Barack Hussein Obama’s Official Birth Certificate
Here’s what Fukino did and did not say in her July 27, 2009 statement: Which Government Organization Was The First To Say, “Obama was born in Hawaii”?
Now, Governor Lingle falsely claimed that the October 31, 2008 statement said “that the president was, in fact, born at Kapi’olani Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii.” That is patently false. Regardless of whether Lingle is being intentionally dishonest or just clueless, it doesn’t matter… she is speaking lies, and cannot be trusted.
If that weren’t bad enough, CNN is now selectively editing Governor Lingle’s words in order to conceal her lie and create their own lie… the lie that Lingle “certified Obama’s birth certificate as legitimate”. CNN says (again, bold emphasis mine):
The Republican governor of Hawaii, Linda Lingle, has recently certified Obama’s birth certificate as legitimate.”I had my health director, who is a physician by background, go personally view the birth certificate in the birth records of the Department of Health,” Lingle recently told WABC. “The president was in fact born at Kapi’olani Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. And that’s just a fact.”
Do you see CNN’s distortion? Do you see what they left out?”
“Via CNN and my vault; The scum at CNN should be ashamed to continue to spead the disinformation regarding Obama’s eligibility to be POTUS. The video clip below is CNN reporting on LTC Lakin’s court martial hearing that took place on August 6th, 2010, in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. The clip includes LTC Lakin’s attorney Paul Jensen. LTC Lakin is refusing all orders until Obama proves his Constitutional Eligibility to be Commander-in-Chief.
Below the video I compiled all the evidence that debunks every lie propagated by the scum at CNN and the Hawaii DoH. Enjoy! ”
CNN reports Terry Lakin court martial, Lou Dobbs reported facts, CNN misrepresents Obama birth certificate
CNN is reporting on the LTC Terry Lakin court martial proceedings. While I am pleased that they are presenting this story, CNN is not letting facts get in the way of covering for Obama and his eligibility problems.
“Before birther row, Lt. Col. Lakin racked up medals as flight surgeon”
Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin wants proof that President Obama was born in the United States.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
“Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin accused of missing a plane, refusing to deploy to Afghanistan
Foundation: Certification, birth announcements not the same as birth certificate
Honolulu newspapers, Hawaii’s Republican governor have said Obama was born there
Military law expert: It’s unlikely court will address Obama’s birthplace during court-martial”
“Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin is a poster soldier for the so-called birther movement, but for 17 years prior to his court-martial proceedings, the flight surgeon served around the globe, racking up a chest full of medals.
Military prosecutors allege that the Colorado native intentionally missed a plane in April after disobeying four lawful orders from superiors. Lakin has said he refused to deploy to Afghanistan until he sees proof that President Obama was born in the U.S.
In a YouTube explanation posted before he was charged, Lakin said he had no choice but the “distasteful one of inviting my own court-martial.”
“If [Obama] is ineligible, then indeed, all orders are illegal because all orders have the origin with the commander in chief,” he said.
The Uniform Code of Military Justice says the maximum punishment for both offenses — missing his plane and disobeying lawful orders — is a dishonorable discharge and up to two years in confinement. A guilty verdict could also result in forfeiture of his pay, which totals $7,959 a month, according to a charge sheet provided by a group sponsoring his defense.
Lakin is among 27 percent of Americans who doubt or deny that Obama is American-born, according to a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll. They compose the birther movement, which demands that Obama present a birth certificate signed by the doctor who delivered him in 1961.
Obama has made public an unsigned “certification of live birth,” which birthers claim is not the same as a birth certificate. However, two Honolulu, Hawaii, newspapers have presented birth announcements for Obama, and the state’s Republican governor has confirmed that the president was born in the Aloha State.”
There are at least several inaccurate amd misleading statements above. Some of these false statements are addressed by Lou Dobbs in one of the few and perhaps only attempts on CNN to accurately cover Obama’s failure to produce a legitimate birth certificate.
Philip J Berg Obama lawsuit, Update, August 4, 2010, Obama should resign
From Philip J Berg August 4, 2010.
For Immediate Release: – 08/04/2010
For Further Information Contact:
Philip J. Berg, Esquire
555 Andorra Glen Court, Suite 12
Lafayette Hill, PA 19444-2531
Cell (610) 662-3005
(610) 825-3134
(800) 993-PHIL [7445]
Fax (610) 834-7659
Berg Says That Obama
Should Do As He Said Regarding
Congressman Rangel
and End Your Career with Dignity
and
Wishes Obama or rather Soetoro a Happy Birthday
(Lafayette Hill, PA – 08/04/10) – Philip J. Berg, Esquire, the first Attorney who filed suit against Barack H. Obama challenging Senator Obama’s lack of “qualifications” to serve as President of the United States says that “Obama Should Do As He Said Regarding Congressman Charlie Rangel, D–N.Y. and End Your Career With Dignity.”
Obama’s comments were directed to Congressman Rangel who is under investigation for violating Congressional Ethics Rules with 13 violations and Obama said he hopes the 80-year-old lawmaker can end his career with dignity now.
Obama, speaking on the issue for the first time, praised Rangel for serving his New York constituents over the years, but said he found the ethics charges “very troubling.”
Obama continued, “He’s somebody who’s at the end of his career. I’m sure that what he wants is to be able to end his career with dignity. And my hope is that it happens,” Obama said in an interview that aired last Friday on “CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.”
Berg said, “The charges against Obama are much more serious than Rangel’s as Obama’s actions rise to the level of treason as Obama is an Imposter; Obama is a Phony and has committed Fraud as this is the largest ‘Hoax’ against the United States in the history of our country, over 230 years !”
Berg also wishes Barry Soetoro [Barack Hussein Obama] a Happy and Hopefully Truthful 49th Birthday.
Berg has been demanding that Obama resign because he has failed to produce his long form [vault] Birth Certificate to show he is “Constitutionally eligible” being “natural born” to be President and citizenship documentation that he is even “naturalized” after being adopted/acknowledged in Indonesia with his name being changed to “Barry Soetoro” and his return to the United States at age ten [10] and evidence that he has legally changed his name back to Barack Hussein Obama.
I am proceeding for the 305 + million people in ‘our’ U.S.A., for ‘our’ Forefathers and for the 3.2 million men and women that have died and/or been maimed defending our Constitution with our ‘Peaceful Revolution’ to prove that Obama is not Constitutionally qualified/eligible to be President.”
Berg continued, “I still have a case pending in the Federal Courts. Go to obamacrimes.com to see the status of the case.”
For copies of all Press Releases and Court Pleadings, go to: http://obamacrimes.com
Lakin court martial, August 2, 2010, Fort McNair Washington DC
From American Patriot Foundation August 2, 2010.
“PRESS RELEASE
Army Refers Charges Against Lakin To Court Martial
Military Judge Appointed
Arraignment Set for Hearing on August 6, 2010
Washington, D.C., August 2, 2010. The Army has now referred charges against LTC Terrence Lakin for a General Court Martial. This action triggered the appointment of a Military Judge to preside over the trial, which will likely be scheduled before October, and held in Washington, D.C. at Ft. McNair.
On August 6, 2010 at Ft. McNair in Washington, D.C., the court will convene for the purpose of Judge Lind taking Lakin’s plea to the charges which consist of “missing movement” and of refusing to obey orders.
Today Lakin stated: “I am not guilty of these charges, and will plead ‘not guilty’ to them because of my conviction that our Commander-in-Chief may be ineligible under the United States Constitution to serve in that highest of all offices. The truth matters. The Constitution matters. If President Obama is a natural born citizen then the American people deserve to see proof, and if he is not, then I believe the orders in this case were illegal.”
If convicted, Lakin faces up to four years at hard labor in a federal penitentiary.
LTC Lakin is a doctor and is in his 18th year of service in the Army. He is Board Certified in Family Medicine and Occupational and Environmental Medicine. He has been recognized for his outstanding service as a flight surgeon for year-long tours in Honduras, Bosnia and Afghanistan. He was also awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Afghanistan and recognized in 2005 as one of the Army Medical Department’s outstanding flight surgeons.
In March of this year, he announced in a video posted on YouTube that he would refuse to obey orders until receiving proof of the President’s eligibility. So far, more than 200,000 people have viewed that video.
Army Col. Denise R. Lind will preside over the trial. Before becoming a judge, she served tours of duty both prosecuting and defending soldiers in court martial proceedings. She is a 1982 magna cum laude graduate of Siena College, and earned her law degree from Albany Law School in 1985. As Military Judge, she will decide all matters of law, including requests from the defense for discovery, and a motion the prosecution has said it will make to determine the lawfulness of the orders LTC Lakin is charged with refusing to obey. A “jury” comprised of Army officers will decide based on the facts whether Lakin is guilty or not guilty of the various felony-equivalent charges pending against him.
In standing up for his convictions and in keeping with his training that illegal orders must be disobeyed, LTC Lakin has been widely praised for upholding the rule of law and the paramount supremacy in our society of the United States Constitution.
Lakin is represented by military counsel, and by Paul Jensen, a civilian attorney from California who has been provided to him by the American Patriot Foundation, a non-profit group incorporated in 2003 to foster appreciation and respect for the U.S. Constitution, which has established a fund for Lakin’s legal defense.
Blagojevich trial verdict anticlimatic, Blagojevich fix in years ago
The Blagojevich trial jury has requested transcripts from the trial. Judge Zagel may provide some of them. However, no matter how this farce plays out, regardless of the outcome, it will be anticlimatic. The fix was in years ago. Some kind of deal was struck between Blagojevich, Rezko and Obama. The US Justice Department is corrupt and just as in the dismissal of the case against the New Black Panther Party, openly displays a racial bias. We also have evidence of this in the total disregard for the Constitution by federal judges when they have been confronted by overwhelming evidence against Obama’s eligibility. Will the US Supreme Court rise to the occasion to check the miscarriage of justice? Will another whistleblower come forward?
If anyone questioned corruption in the US Justice Dept. in the past, with the dismissal of the New Black Panther Party case and the flagrant manipulation of evidence combined with delays and timing in the Blagojevich trial, all doubts must be erased.
Blagojevich trial conspiracy, Protect Obama, US Justice Department corruption, Part 6
Blagojevich trial
Protecting Obama
Part 6
Trial shortened – Evidence omitted
From the Evidentiary Proffer in the Rod Blagojevich trial.
“This proffer begins by discussing case law governing the admissibility of co-conspirator statements under Rule 801(d)(2)(E), and, alternatively, other provisions of Rule 801(d)(2). Next, this proffer summarizes some of the evidence supporting the admission of co-conspirator statements. In this manner, the government will establish to the Court the existence of the evidence available to complete the necessary foundation at trial, the roles of certain witnesses, and the bases for admission. The government is not detailing all of its evidence that would go to show the existence of the pertinent conspiracies, or all of the co-conspirator statements that were made in furtherance of the conspiracies charged in the indictment. Rather, this proffer highlights for the Court samples of the government’s evidence in order to establish to the Court the existence of the conspiracies described in Counts Two, Seventeen, Eighteen, Twenty-One, and Twenty-Three, and the scheme described in Counts Three through Thirteen, and the roles of the various conspirators.”
OVERVIEW OF THE CHARGED OFFENSES
“Defendant Rod Blagojevich has been charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering acts, racketeering, mail and wire fraud, attempted extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion, bribery, and conspiracy to commit bribery, while defendant Robert Blagojevich has been charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit extortion, attempted extortion, and conspiracy to commit bribery. The Second Superseding indictment charges that the defendants, together with others, used and agreed to use the powers of the Office of the Governor of the State of Illinois, and of certain state boards and commissions subject to influence by the Office of the Governor, to take and cause governmental actions, including: appointments to boards and commissions; the awarding of state business, grants,
and investment fund allocations; the enactment of legislation and executive orders; and the appointment of a United States Senator; in order to obtain financial benefits for themselves and others, including campaign contributions for Rod Blagojevich, and employment for Rod Blagojevich and his wife.”
Beginning with
“THE GOVERNMENT’S PROFFER REGARDING THE EXISTENCE OF A CONSPIRACY”
Pages 15 to 52 reveal Blagojevich’s involvement in corruption beginning in 2002 and going into the summer of 2008. Here are some of the names mentioned in this section:
Tony Rezko
Stuart Levine
Patti Blagojevich
John Harris
Christopher Kelly
Alonzo Monk
Joseph Cari
William Cellini
Robert Weinstein
Ali Ata
Joseph Aramanda
Daniel Mahru
Fortune Massuda
Imad Almanaseer
Michel Malek
Jacob Kiferbaum
Out of this 91 page document, 38 pages are loaded with names and events tied to Rod Blagojevich from 2002 to the summer of 2008. Beginning on page 52 and to page 90 are references to Blagojevich shady dealings primarily from the summer of 2008 on.
CONCLUSION
“The above is an outline of the evidence that the government will introduce to establish that a conspiracy existed involving defendant Rod Blagojevich, Blagojevich’s wife, defendant Robert Blagojevich, Christopher Kelly, Antoin Rezko, Alonzo Monk, Stuart Levine, Sheldon Pekin, Joseph Cari, Jacob Kiferbaum, William Cellini, John Harris, Deputy Governor A, Individual I, Advisor A, and Advisor B, and that conspiracy allowed defendants Rod Blagojevich and Robert Blagojevich to commit the charged offenses. This Court should find, based upon this proffer, that coconspirators’ statements are admissible pending the introduction of evidence to support this proffer.”
As noted in part 5 of this series, Tony Rezko’s name was mentioned approximately 288 times in the Evidentiary Proffer. The above numbers reveal that of the evidence presented in the Proffer, 38 pages are loaded with names and corruption activities tied to Blagojevich from 2002 to mid 2008. And yet neither Tony Rezko or Stuart Levine were called as witnesses. And just as predicted and warned about here, the focus of the trial was the selling of Obama’s senate seat.
The approximately 39 pages devoted to Blagojevich’s activities mainly from mid 2008 to his arrest reveal much about the chicanery crafted in this setup. These pages are at most a continuation of Blagojevich’s activities in the prior 6 years. They are more general in nature and in the case of the selling of the senate seat, more open to interpretation.
Compare these facts to the evidence and witnesses of the Blagojevich trial.
It is clear from the facts, from the evidence that:
Rod Blagojevich should have been arrested and indicted by 2006.
The arrest of Blagojevich was delayed until after the 2008 election to protect Obama.
The shortening of the trial was designed to protect Obama and the Democrats.
The withholding of evidence and not calling witnesses such as Tony Rezko and Stuart Levine was designed to protect Blagojevich and Obama. The theatrics playing out in court are likely to be a diversion to make it appear that the defense wanted Rezko and Levine to take the witness stand. Rezko and Levine know too much about both Blagojevich and Obama. That is why the Justice Department did not call them as witnesses. We have confirmation from this apparent scheme and other revelations that the US Justice Department is corrupt.
Blagojevich trial, US Justice Department corruption, Protecting Obama, Part 5
“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.”
Blagojevich trial, Rod not called to stand yet, Rezko and Levine not called by prosecution
Rod Blagojevich was not called to the witness stand yesterday. Tony Rezko and Stuart Levine were not called by the prosecution. This still smells badly to me and I believe the fix was in on this trial years ago. Blagojevich attorney comments from yesterday, July 20, 2010.
From the Chicago Tribune.
“But in a stunning twist as his time to take the witness stand came, Blagojevich’s attorneys told U.S. District Judge James Zagel on Tuesday that the ex-governor would not testify and that they were prepared to rest their case without calling a single witness, sources told the Tribune. After conferring that message privately to Zagel and prosecutors in a lengthy sidebar, the defense team was told by the judge to mull the decision overnight.
The decision means Blagojevich won’t be able to play any undercover recordings that he felt backed up his denials of wrongdoing. Last week, the judge took parts of two days to decide what recordings could be played for the jury by the defense, though he blocked many of the ones it sought to air.
A number of sources said several factors went into the sudden reversal of course.
Blagojevich’s lawyers believed prosecutors had held back part of their case against the former governor to use against him in what promised to be a bruising cross-examination by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Schar, who glared toward the defense table after learning of the decision.
The attorneys also were operating under the belief that if Blagojevich testified, convicted fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko, who has cooperated with the government, was likely to be called as a powerful rebuttal witness by prosecutors. Sources have said Rezko, who allegedly helped Blagojevich scheme to make money by leveraging the powers of his office, had not been prepared by prosecutors to testify but was on notice that he could very likely be called to the stand on short order.”
“”Listen, they told us they were going to bring on Rezko,” Adam Sr. said of the prosecution. “They told us they were going to bring on (convicted political insider Stuart) Levine. They told us they were going to bring on all these witnesses and they didn’t do it. They did not bring them on.””
Why wouldn’t the prosecution bring Rezko, Levine and others to the witness stand. Their names are mentioned constantly in all of the legal documents. More on that soon.
US Justice Department corruption in Blagojevich trial, Real Blagojevich trial news
I was rereading a US Justice Department document yesterday, the Press Release dated April 2, 2009, that announced the Superceding Indictment of Blagojevich. I encountered a section that caught my attention as I read it with a new perspective. To me it appears a bit Orwellian, an attempt to rewrite history. I am asking for Zach, legal eagles and other astute observers to read this section and compare it to what was in the Criminal Complaint and what the US Justice Dept. knew much earlier. Give me your take on it.
From the Press release.
“The indictment adds several new allegations to those that were lodged in the criminal complaint filed in December when Blagojevich and Harris were arrested. It includes the previous factual allegations that Blagojevich conspired to sell or trade Illinois’ U.S. Senate seat formerly held by President Obama; threatened to withhold substantial state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members sharply critical of Blagojevich; and schemed to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for official actions – both historically and in a push late last year before a new state ethics law took effect.
Among the new factual allegations are that:
beginning in 2002 and continuing after Blagojevich was first elected
governor, Blagojevich and Monk, along with Kelly and previously convicted
co-schemer Antoin “Tony” Rezko, agreed that they would use the offices of
governor and chief of staff for financial gain, which would be divided among
them with the understanding that the money would be distributed after
Blagojevich left public office;
in 2003, Blagojevich, Monk, Kelly, Rezko and other co-schemers
implemented this agreement by directing lucrative state business relating to
the refinancing of billions of dollars in State of Illinois Pension Obligation
Bonds to a company whose lobbyist agreed to provide hundreds of thousands of dollars to Rezko out of the fee the lobbyist would collect, and Rezko in turn agreed to split the money with Blagojevich, Monk and Kelly;
After it became public that Kelly and Rezko were under investigation and ceased playing a significant role in raising campaign funds, Blagojevich personally continued to trade his actions as governor for personal benefits, including, for example, delaying a state grant to a publicly-supported school while trying to leverage a U.S. Congressman, who supported the school, or the Congressman’s brother, to hold a campaign fundraiser for Blagojevich; and
in an interview on March 16, 2005, Blagojevich lied to FBI agents when he said that he maintains a separation, or firewall, between politics and state business; and he does not track, or want to know, who contributes to him or how much they are contributing to him.
Citizen WElls 