Sidney Powell appointed Special Counsel by President Trump December 23, 2020, * Breaking News *, Patrick Byrne in meeting when Trump stated
“It appears Secretary of State (SoS) Raffensperger has a brother, Ron. Ron hates President Trump and the two Republican Senators running for office in Georgia. Ron also works as the CTO for Huawei Enterprise Storage Solutions based in Shenzhen, China, a China government owned company.”...GateWay Pundit
“Russell J. Ramsland, Jr., a cybersecurity expert from Texas, testified that his team had compared data from Dominion voting machines in those places where they were used around the nation…..Ramsland estimated that these anomalies translated to between 123,000 and 136,000 extra votes for Vice President Biden in Georgia.”…GA senate chairman Ligon report on testimony from Dec 3, 2020 hearing
“We’ve Identified 450,000 Ballots that Miraculously ONLY have a Vote for Joe Biden”…Attorney Sidney Powell
According to Patrick Byrne who was in the meeting with President Trump and Sidney Powell, Trump appointed Powell to be special counsel and provided her the proper security clearance.
Prosecutorial misconduct and coercive plea bargaining, General Flynn case clear example, US Justice Dept. proven misconduct, Judge Sullivan biased and/or incompetent?
“The Inspector General’s report now makes clear that the FBI launched an intrusive investigation of a U.S. presidential campaign on the thinnest of suspicions that, in my view, were insufficient to justify the steps taken. It is also clear that, from its inception, the evidence produced by the investigation was consistently exculpatory. “…Attorney General Barr
“Instead of doing so, the government has continued to defy its
constitutional, ethical and legal obligations to this Court and to the defense, and to hide evidence that it knows exonerates Mr. Flynn. As is the essence of the problem here, instead of protecting its citizens, the “government” is protecting its own criminal conduct and operatives.”…Attorney Sidney Powell October 23, 2019
“The criticism in the opinion will likely deepen the unease of Flynn in having the sentencing under Judge Sullivan. However, the court said that it will proceed with precisely such a hearing on January 28, 2020.”… Jonathan Turley
We have the most widespread documented case of US Justice Department corruption and prosecutorial misconduct in US history.
General Michael Flynn is a victim.
We have a judge, Emmet Sullivan, who has just ruled in the corrupt prosecution’s favor. Ignoring the documented misconduct that has been revealed and persecuting Flynn’s highly competent attorney, Sidney Powell.
Prosecutorial misconduct leading to coerced plea deals is apparently common.
From The Cato Institute August 8, 2019.
“Prisons Are Packed Because Prosecutors Are Coercing Plea Deals. And, Yes, It’s Totally Legal.”
“According to a recent study from the Pew Research Center, of the roughly 80,000 federal prosecutions initiated in 2018, just two percent went to trial. More than 97 percent of federal criminal convictions are obtained through plea bargains, and the states are not far behind at 94 percent. Why are people so eager to confess their guilt instead of challenging the government to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a unanimous jury?
The answer is simple and stark: They’re being coerced.
Though physical torture remains off limits, American prosecutors are equipped with a fearsome array of tools they can use to extract confessions and discourage people from exercising their right to a jury trial. These tools include charge-stacking (charging more or more serious crimes than the conduct really merits), legislatively-ordered mandatory-minimum sentences, pretrial detention with unaffordable bail, threats to investigate and indict friends or family members, and the so-called trial penalty — what the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers calls the “substantial difference between the sentence offered prior to trial versus the sentence a defendant receives after a trial.”
Of coercive plea bargaining’s many problems, two are particularly concerning.
The first is false convictions. Though it was once believed that a confession in open court — a guilty plea — was proof-positive of a person’s guilt, we now know that simply isn’t true.”
“The other big problem with coercive plea bargaining is that it helps cover up an untold amount of prosecutorial misconduct. Even in the federal system, where prosecutors are held to a relatively higher standard, there has been a surprising amount of misconduct in the handful of cases that end up going to trial.
After the jury voted to convict but before Stevens was sentenced, the star witness against him recanted part of his testimony in a letterand an FBI whistleblower disclosed a pattern of deliberate, systematic cheating by prosecutors that has since been documented in a 500-page document called the Schuelke Report. The Justice Department then asked the judge to dismiss the indictment. Had Stevens taken the plea, none of the prosecutorial misconduct or exculpatory evidence in his case might ever have been revealed.”
Julian Assange health and conditions via father John Shipton and Candles 4 Assange video Oct 2019, Assange mistreated political prisoner in Belmarsh Prison
“Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed: everything else is public relations.”…George Orwell
“Not every item of news should be published: rather must
those who control news policies endeavor to make every item
of news serve a certain purpose.”… Joseph Goebbels
“We are being lied to on a scale unimaginable by George Orwell.”…Citizen Wells
This is barely being covered.
It is my duty to spread the word.
From WilliamBowles, a WSWS interview and a “Candles 4 Assange” video.
“JULIAN HAS REACHED A POINT WHERE HE MAY DIE”—ASSANGE’S FATHER JOHN SHIPTON SPEAKS WITH THE WSWS
“On Thursday the WSWS met John Shipton, Julian Assange’s father, in Berlin to talk about the condition of his son’s jailing in the maximum security Belmarsh Prison in London. The day before Shipton had given a press conference and addressed the weekly “Candles 4 Assange” rally in Berlin, to inform the public about his son’s illegal imprisonment and demand his freedom.”
“Shipton, who had visited his son just before traveling to Berlin, described the gruesome situation he is facing in Belmarsh.
“Julian was sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for minor infringements in a maximum-security prison in solitary confinement for 22 to 23 hours a day. There is a limitation of visitations which is two social visits for two hours. So those two hours, you can imagine, are very, very precious things. The Belmarsh prison is quite a way out and the requirements of registration are complex. That is his day to day situation.”
Shipton explained that his son has basically no access to any information. “There are restrictions on access to the library, access to the gym and access to computers. So, in order to prepare for his case, he has no access to the library, no access to computers and no access to the internet. He has no access to information at all.”
Due to his deteriorating health—Shipton said his son has lost 15 kilos since his imprisonment in Belmarsh—Assange has been transferred to the hospital ward of the prison.
“There he is still in isolation 23 hours a day but now he can have three visits a week. This is some improvement but still it’s a Grade A maximum-security jail. And Julian is a Grade B prisoner. His health has been declining and has reached a point where he may die. This a man who has done nothing. Julian is a journalist like you. He has made an immense contribution to world journalism. WikiLeaks has made immense contributions, unbeatable contributions.””
“Shipton denounced the fact that his son is being held in a maximum prison for supposedly having breached the Bail Act. “Julian cannot be charged for bail skipping because he is an asylee and every asylee falls under conventions which the UK has signed. Julian is a journalist.”
He added that “every journalist has an interest that the truth of Julian’s situation being put before their editors every day. Newspapers should have a great interest in Assange because also their freedom to publish and to investigate will be constrained and is being constrained. I understand that the World Socialist Web Site is being reduced by over 40 percent in its traffic by Google and search engines. This is repression of free speech. It is up to us and up to newspapers and news organisations to ensure that Julian is free. It is about the freedom to publish.””
Blagojevich appeal prosecution delays protect Obama, August 2, 2015, Truth behind Blagojevich Obama Chicago corruption, 2 percent of wiretaps reveal much, Is their deal playing out or will Blagojevich talk more?
Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
“Regardless of how this plays out, it benefits Obama. If there is no appeal or the appeal is denied, Blagojevich will be sequestered. If the appeal proceeds, it could drag out beyond impacting the 2012 election cycle. The intent is obvious.”…Citizen Wells, July 19, 2011
Blagojevich attorney Len Goodman is requesting that the full court review the appeal that was just ruled on by 3 judges.
How does this fit in with the deal that I am certain was struck with Obama et al?
To protect Obama and keep Blagojevich from talking.
I wrote this on July 19, 2011:
“Regardless of how this plays out, it benefits Obama. If there is no appeal or the appeal is denied, Blagojevich will be sequestered. If the appeal proceeds, it could drag out beyond impacting the 2012 election cycle. The intent is obvious.”
The prosecution and reporting of Rod Blagojevich has been so watered down that it barely resembles what actually happened.
Why?
To protect Obama.
For those of you blinded by the BS from the mainstream media or not familiar with this case, Blagojevich, not Obama was the presumptive presidential candidate in 2006. Within one year it was Obama.
The Blagojevich Administration came under investigation by late 2003 and Tony Rezko was at the center of much of the corruption.
Stuart Levine carried out the orders of Rezko and Obama was closely tied to both men.
Federal investigators soon knew of Obama’s ties to the corruption but for some reason focused more on Blagojevich and chose to wait until after the 2008 elections to arrest him.
Why?
“this guy is more Tony’d up than I am. …. they got the Chicago media to f…ing make me wear Rezko more. To f…ing dilute it from him.…Rod Blagojevich wiretap November 12, 2008
“BLAGOJEVICH: You know, Axelrod and Obama’s people, you know, clearly turned, you know, got the Chicago media to make Rezko all about me. And hardly about…
HARRIS: Yeah, in other words, they focus their,they focus their attention on you. They couldn’t make it go away so the bes-, next best strategy is deflect it.
BLAGOJEVICH: Right.
HARRIS: This is somewhere where it, it’ll satisfy the, the hunger of the beast, being the media.
BLAGOJEVICH: Right, right.
HARRIS: Yeah, it makes sense. It’s not a stretch. If I’m, if I’m his message advisor, media advisor or whatever, operative, yeah I’m gonna try to feed the beast by giving ‘em something else to eat on.”…Rod Blagojevich wiretap November 12, 2008
Here is some background on the complete story from Citizen Wells March 14, 2011.
“This is the first article in a series about corruption in the US Justice Department and specifically an operation I refer to as “Protecting Obama.” Many events smelled back in 2008, but with the passage of time, the stench is corroborated. Below is the Evidentiary Proffer, a summary and timeline of the bulk of evidence that reveals how Obama was protected in the investigation and prosecution of Tony Rezko, Rod Blagojevich, et al. The time is right to present my case. There are enough well documented events to make a strong case. As I have mentioned recently, I have contacted a prominent congressman about this issue and others and this is a way to get the facts in front of the congressman, his staff and the public. The Proffer will certainly be updated from time to time. I will next present an opening statement and then go on to present the case in more detail. However, anyone who has been paying careful attention or who reads this Proffer, will come to the obvious conclusion presented here of collusion involving the US Justice Department, Patrick Fitzgerald, Barack Obama, and probably Rod Blagojevich and Tony Rezko.
Before reading the Proffer, here is a recap of how important Rezko is to the prosecution of Blagojevich and ultimately indicting Obama.
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 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.
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 remember, Blagojevich’s name was mentioned at least 30 times on one day of the Rezko trial.
U.S. Citizens
V.
U.S. Justice Department,
Barack Hussein Obama
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.
I, Citizen Wells, do swear and attest that the above information is correct to the best of my knowledge. Most of the information comes from
public records, US Jusctice Dept. documents, court documents and transcripts. News organizations article quotes are presented only if later
corroborated by facts.”
Obama attorneys unholy alliance, Obama and his attorneys subvert Constitution and justice, Obama protected from lawsuits and corruption prosecution
“Best case scenario: A high percentage of law school graduates, new attorneys, have already sold their soul to the devil or are in the process of doing so. Any auguments?”…Citizen Wells
“Why were attorneys and law firms the largest contributing industry to the Obama campaign in 2008?”…Citizen Wells
“Why did Obama employ Robert Bauer of Perkins Coie, to request an advisory opinion on FEC matching funds that he was not eligible for?”…Citizen Wells
From the FEC, the largest contributing industry to the 2008 Obama campaign was attorneys and law firms.
From Citizen Wells January 25, 2012.
“Robert Bauer, of Perkins Coie, requested an advisory opinion from the FEC in February of 2007 to determine if Obama could keep his option to receive
presidential matching funds. Bauer and Obama both knew that Obama was not a natural born citizen.
The FEC, in March 2007, responded in the affirmative. Ellen Weintraub, a former Perkins Coie staff member was a committee member.
Obama, in late 2007, in conjuction with other Senators, blocked FEC appointee approval.
For the first half of 2008, the commission has only had two members. Republican Chairman David Mason and Democrat Ellen Weintraub.
On June 19, 2008, Obama announced that he was not accepting presidential matching funds despite being an advocate for and pledging earlier to accept them.
Ellen Weintraub is still on the commission 4 years past the end of her tenure.
Per a Citizen Wells FOIA request to the FEC in August 2008 we learn that an inquiry was made to the FEC on August 18, 2008. The inquiry has information about Obama not being a natural born citizen and requests an opinion. The request is denied. An email from David Kolker, FEC Counsel to Rebekah Harvey, assistant to Ellen Weintraub states “Victory in Berg v. Obama.” The email is dated August 22, 2008, one day after the Philip J. Berg lawsuit was filed and before the FEC was served on August 27, 2008.
On September 2, 2011 the FEC provided an advisory opinion in response to a request from presidential candidate Abdul Hassan. The FEC stated that Hassan was not eligible for presidential matching funds because he is a naturalized and not a natural born citizen. THe FEC acknowledges that although they do not have the power to keep a candidate off of ballots, they have a duty to make certain that only eligible candidates receive matching funds.
“Although the Matching Payment Act does not specifically address the citizenship requirement for serving as President, it sets forth the eligibility
requirements to receive matching funds. See 26 U.S.C. 9033; 11 CFR 9033.2. See also, e.g., Advisory Opinion 1996-07 (Browne for President) (describing the
steps a candidate must take to become eligible for matching funds). These provisions collectively reflect Congressional intent to ensure that U.S. Treasury
funds in the form of matching funds are only paid to eligible candidates. 5″”
Further reading of court cases confirms that the FEC was empowered to do so.
It is clear that Obama did not receive presidential matching funds because if he had done so, a challenge to his natural born citizen status from the FEC or
an election official would have ensued.”
“Why has Obama used taxpayer dollars and resources to assist him in keeping his birth certificate, college records and other records hidden since he took control of the White House?
AND
Why did Obama make Robert F. Bauer, an attorney with Perkins Coie, who helped Obama keep his records hidden before taking control of the White House, part of his administration as White House Counsel?
Here is a list of some of the US Justice Department attorneys who have assisted Obama in keeping his records hidden. Their representation of Obama is a matter of public record. This list does not include the support staffs.
Reid Schar, former Sidley Austin law firm attorney and Rezko Blagojevich prosecutor is leaving the US Attorney’s Office and joining the law firm of Jenner & Block.
From the Chicago SunTimes June 5, 2012.
“As the lead prosecutor who won corruption convictions that sent former Gov. Rod Blagojevich to prison, Reid J. Schar asked one of the most infamous questions ever posed to a witness at Chicago’s Dirksen Federal Courthouse:
“Mr. Blagojevich, you are a convicted liar, correct?”
Schar posed the question during Blagojevich’s retrial in June of 2011, which set off a dizzying, confrontational exchange with Blagojevich, who took the witness stand in his own defense. Jurors who voted to convict the former governor on 17 of 20 charges later said that it was at that moment when the case turned for them.
Schar, 40, who’s been a federal prosecutor in Chicago for 13 years, said Monday he’s leaving the U.S. attorney’s office to go into private practice. He’s joining the law firm Jenner & Block in Chicago next month as a partner in its white-collar criminal defense and investigations practice.
Schar is just the latest high-profile prosecutor to leave Chicago’s office. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s announcement that he was leaving after more than 10 years is the biggest sign of a changing of the guard that’s been happening throughout the office over recent months.”
“Schar’s departure will no doubt be a loss to the office. He was a key player in the Operation Board Games investigation and part of the trial team that prosecuted Tony Rezko in 2008.”
Patrick Fitzgerald pawn idiot or corrupt?, Fitzgerald aggressively prosecuted Republicans, Fitzgerald arrested Blagojevich after 2008 election, Obama protected
“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich, Governor of IL, prosecuted before Tony Rezko, a businessman?”…Citizen Wells
“Why was Tony Rezko’s sentencing delayed?”…Citizen Wells
Patrick Fitzgerald, the prosecutor in Operation Board Games of Tony Rezko, Rod Blagojevich, et al, will resign from the US Justice Department at the end of June, 2012.
Fitzgerald aggressively prosecuted Republican ex Governot of Illinois, George Ryan and unjustly went after Scooter Libby and Karl Rove. Fitzgerald waited until after the 2008 elections to arrest Governor Rod Blagojevich despite the fact that he had details of corruption in the Blagojevich Administration at least by late 2003.
Is Patrick Fitzgerald a pawn, an idiot or corrupt?
From an FBI wiretap:
“You know, Axelrod and Obama’s people, you know, clearly turned, you know, got the Chicago media to make Rezko all about me.”
Late 2003.
Earliest documented awareness by FBI and Patrick Fitzgerald of corruption in Blagojevich admin. Pamela Meyer Davis agreed to secretly record conversations involving state health planning board with an FBI wire.
December 31, 2003 NY Times.
“Mr. Fitzgerald announced that he was prosecuting former Gov. George Ryan, a Republican, in a scandal that had been swirling around long before Mr. Fitzgerald got here and that many people thought would never touch the most powerful politicians in Illinois. But there Mr. Fitzgerald was, a week before Christmas, ticking off the details of a 91-page indictment against Mr. Ryan, seemingly from memory.
That, even Mr. Fitzgerald’s former opponents in the courtroom say, is classic Fitzgerald: dogged, dispassionate and endlessly prepared.”
April 8 – May 21, 2004 (Rezko Trial March 12, 2008; 11:11 a.m.)
“FBI Special Agent Daniel Cain, the primary case agent on the investigation into Levine and Rezko, is on the stand now in testimony that is laying the foundation for entering the wiretaps into evidence.
Cain said the investigation, dubbed Operation Board Games by the federal agents, began in December 2003 and was prompted by information gleaned from an informant whom he did not identify. That witness, he said, took part in meetings with two other individuals who were in contact with Levine by phone at his home.
Cain said Levine had three phone lines in his North Shore home. Federal agents recorded conversations on those lines April 8-May 21, 2004. Those dates span the time when Levine, Rezko and others allegedly were working to rig the hospital board vote on a Mercy Health System hospital proposal for Crystal Lake and other kickback schemes prosecutors claim they were engaged in.”
May 9, 2005.
Stuart Levine indicted on corruption charges. Federal subpoena issued to Tony Rezko. June 15, 2005.
Obama purchased home next door to Rezko for $1.65 million, $300,000 less than the asking price. June 15, 2005.
Rita Rezko, Tony’s wife purchased plot next door for $625,000 asking price.
October 25, 2005.
The Chicago Tribune reports about a federal grand jury investigation into the alleged political hiring practices of the Blagojevich administration.
January 2006.
Rita Rezko sells the Obamas one-sixth of her lot for $104,500.
August 5, 2006.
The Chicago Tribune reports that Stuart Levine is cooperating with the federal investigation of state government.
October 11, 2006.
Tony Rezko is indicted on federal charges he sought millions of dollars in kickbacks and campaign donations from firms seeking state business.
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.
October 16, 2008 Kenneth J. Conner complaint against Mutual Bank filed . 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.
December 7, 2008.
Criminal complaint of Blagojevich. Nine individuals is important. Obama helped passed a bill to reduce the number from 15 to 9.
“b. Corruption of the Planning Board”
“At the relevant time period, the Planning Board consisted of nine individuals.”
“Planning Board” (IL Health Facilities Planning Board) is mentioned 31 times.
“Rezko” is mentioned 170 times.
“Hospital” in context of Mercy Hospital mentioned 8 times. December 9, 2008.
Blagojevich arrested
“Fitzgerald said, “We make no allegations” that Obama was aware of any alleged scheming by Blagojevich.”
February 24, 2011.
Counts 1,2,4 in the Blagojevich Indictment are dropped. This represents approx. half of the indictment and includes numerous corruption ties to Blagojevich and Obama.
October 25 2011.
FDIC as receiver for Mutual Bank files lawsuit against Amrish Mahajan, et al. This is the bank that loaned Rita Rezko the money for the lot purchase. The same lot that was sold to the Obama’s.
“It looks like whistleblower Kenneth J. Conner is being vindicated. Conner was fired after revealing that the appraisal for the lot in the Obama Rezko lot deal was too high.”
Reid Schar Rezko Blagojevich prosecutor leaving U.S. attorney’s office, Former Sidley Austin law firm attorney, Schar Hamilton Niewoehner convicted Rezko
“Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
“There is enough corruption in Illinois so that all it takes is someone who is serious about finding it to uncover it. If a U.S. attorney is not finding corruption in Illinois, they’re not seriously looking for it.”…Northwestern Law Professor James Lindgren
From the Chicago Tribune January 27, 2012.
“Blagojevich prosecutor leaving U.S. attorney’s office
Reid Schar headed for private practice after 12 years of public service”
“Bringing down a governor or another high-profile defendant is one of those career-defining moments for prosecutors and usually hastens their exit from public service. So it goes forReid Schar.
Schar, the lead prosecutor in both corruption trials of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, will be leaving the U.S. attorney’s office after 12 years, said three people with direct knowledge of the matter.
He plans to go into private practice and has started interviewing with some large law firms, according to people familiar with his plans. Schar declined to comment on his future.
Schar, 39, has been a loyal lieutenant to U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald, staying longer than most assistant U.S. attorneys. Since September, Schar has served as an adviser to Fitzgerald, giving input on management, personnel, cases and a host of other issues. The promotion came soon after a jury in the second trial convicted Blagojevich of sweeping corruption, including allegations that he tried to sell President Barack Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat in 2008.
The Blagojevich conviction is the biggest of several notches on Schar’s belt. In 2008, the same trio of prosecutors that put Blagojevich behind bars — Schar,Carrie Hamilton and Christopher Niewoehner — convicted Tony Rezko, a former Blagojevich fundraiser.
Before Rezko, Schar led the prosecution of Muhammad Salah and Abdelhaleem Ashqar, who were accused of aiding the radical Palestinian groupHamas. The two men were acquitted of being members of Hamas and conspiring to support terrorism. They were convicted of lesser charges, including obstruction of justice.
“His work on the Hamas case, Rezko and Blagojevich are only the most visible ways in which he has been as asset to the office and the citizens of Illinois,” said Jeffrey Cramer, who worked with Schar for 10 years and left in 2009 to head the Chicago office of Kroll, which performs corporate investigations. “His talents will be missed.”
The Blagojevich and Rezko cases augmented the reputation of the U.S. attorney’s office for successfully prosecuting public corruption. Blagojevich’s predecessor in the governor’s mansion, George Ryan, also is behind bars. Patrick Collins, who led the prosecution of Ryan, left the office in 2007, shortly after the former governor was sentenced, to join the law firm of Perkins Coie.
Schar’s looming departure is hardly surprising to observers of the U.S. attorney’s office. There wasn’t much left for Schar to accomplish after successfully prosecuting Blagojevich. Prosecutors also can make a lot more money in private practice. Schar is married and has three young children.
There has been a revolving door between the office and big Chicago law firms for years. Former assistant U.S. attorneys are valuable to law firms and their clients for their ability to handle complex cases and knowledge of criminal and regulatory matters. The revolving door slowed down in the last few years because of the economy and the dearth of white-collar legal work in Chicago.
Schar is interviewing with Chicago-based firms as well as firms in San Francisco. He graduated from Stanford University and received his law degree in 1997 from Northwestern University. He clerked for U.S. District Judge Elaine Bucklo before briefly working at the Sidley Austin law firm.”
Daniel Frawley Tony Rezko sentencing, November 21 and November 22, 2011, Companion Security partners, Obama investigation witnesses, Fall guys or deals, Where is House Judiciary Committee?
“Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich, Governor of IL, prosecuted before Tony Rezko, a businessman?”…Citizen Wells
“I’m assuming the information is about the payments made by Rezko to Obama, so we know we’re talking about the right conversation, right?” …Attorney Daniel Konicek, Frawley Deposition
“I just think it’s very, very disturbing that we have these pay-to-play allegations going on for years.”…Patrick Fitzgerald
Next week Daniel Frawley and Tony Rezko are scheduled to be sentenced. Frawley on Monday, November 21 and Rezko on Tuesday, November 22. Both have information about Obama shady dealings. Both were partners. Both should be witnesses in an Obama investigation.
Next week we will learn if Tony Rezko is the fall guy in Operation Board Games. Set up to protect Obama. Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich prosecuted first? Why wasn’t Tony Rezko sentenced earlier? Rezko was never called as a witness.
We have a corrupt US Justice Department, with a corrupt prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald, headed by a corrupt Attorney General, Eric Holder, headed by a corrupt occupant of the White House, Barack Obama.
We have little if any checks and balances left.
Where is the House Judiciary Committee?
From the House Judiciary Committee website.
About the Judiciary Committee
The jurisdiction of the The House Committee on the Judiciary as follows:
1.The judiciary and judicial proceedings, civil and criminal.
2.Administrative practice and procedure.
3.Apportionment of Representatives.
4.Bankruptcy, mutiny, espionage, and counterfeiting.
5.Civil liberties.
6.Constitutional amendments.
7.Criminal law enforcement.
8.Federal courts and judges, and local courts in the Territories and possessions.
9.Immigration policy and non-border enforcement.
10.Interstate compacts generally.
11.Claims against the United States.
12.Members of Congress, attendance of members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner; and their acceptance of incompatible offices.
13.National penitentiaries.
14.Patents, the Patent and Trademark Office, copyrights, and trademarks.
15.Presidential succession.
16.Protection of trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies.
17.Revision and codification of the Statutes of the United States.
18.State and territorial boundary lines.
19.Subversive activities affecting the internal security of the United States.
Committee Members
Republicans
Hon. Smith Chairman (R) Texas, 21st
Hon. Sensenbrenner Jr. (R) Wisconsin, 5th
Hon. Coble (R) North Carolina, 6th
Hon. Gallegly (R) California, 24th
Hon. Goodlatte (R) Virginia, 6th
Hon. Lungren (R) California, 3rd
Hon. Chabot (R) Ohio, 1st
Hon. Issa (R) California, 49th
Hon. Pence (R) Indiana, 6th
Hon. Forbes (R) Virginia, 4th
Hon. King (R) Iowa, 5th
Hon. Franks (R) Arizona, 2nd
Hon. Gohmert (R) Texas, 1st
Hon. Jordan (R) Ohio, 4th
Hon. Poe (R) Texas, 2nd
Hon. Chaffetz (R) Utah, 3rd
Hon. Griffin (R) Arkansas, 2nd
Hon. Marino (R) Pennsylvania, 10th
Hon. Gowdy (R) South Carolina, 4th
Hon. Ross (R) Florida, 12th
Hon. Adams (R) Florida, 24th
Hon. Quayle (R) Arizona, 3rd
Hon. Amodei (R) Nevada, 2nd
Democrats
Hon. Conyers Jr. Ranking Member (D) Michigan, 14th
Hon. Berman (D) California, 28th
Hon. Nadler (D) New York, 8th
Hon. Scott (D) Virginia, 3rd
Hon. Watt (D) North Carolina, 12th
Hon. Lofgren (D) California, 16th
Hon. Jackson Lee (D) Texas, 18th
Hon. Waters (D) California, 35th
Hon. Cohen (D) Tennessee, 9th
Hon. Johnson (D) Georgia, 4th
Hon. Pierluisi (D) Puerto Rico, Resident Commissioner
Rezko sentencing November 22, 2011, Prosecutors seek stiff sentence?, Obama is not your friend, Tell all
“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”
“The defense has a good faith belief that this public official is Barack Obama.”…Blagojevich defense subpoena of Barack Obama
“I’m assuming the information is about the payments made by Rezko to Obama, so we know we’re talking about the right conversation, right?” …Attorney Daniel Konicek, Frawley Deposition
“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
From the Chicago Tribune November 04, 2011.
“Prosecutors seek stiff time for Rezko”
“Federal prosecutors downplayed the extent of the cooperation provided by Antoin “Tony” Rezko in calling for the former top fundraiser to disgraced ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich to be sentenced to 11 to 15 years in prison.
Prosecutors noted that Rezko agreed to cooperate only after a federal jury convicted him in 2008 on 16 counts of fraud, bribery and money laundering and that he continued to hide many of his criminal activities in his first 19 interviews with the government.
The government didn’t call Rezko as a witness at either the Blagojevich trial or the recent trial of Springfield power broker William Cellini, saying in its filing that “the value of the information he could have provided was overwhelmed by the attacks that could be made on Rezko’s credibility.”
The government’s 48-page memo was filed late Thursday, just hours after a federal judge had unsealed the defense’s position paper on Rezko’s sentencing, scheduled for Nov. 22. Rezko’s lawyers argued that he should be sentenced to time served. He has already spent almost four years in custody while awaiting sentencing.
In its filing, the defense made much of the fact that Rezko had been harshly treated in jail — first at the downtown Metropolitan Correctional Center and then in a county jail in Wisconsin. It said he had “not enjoyed a breath of fresh air or a ray of sunlight” in his 44 months in custody and said conditions of that kind were usually reserved for “the most violent or mentally disturbed inmates,” not a public-corruption defendant.
Prosecutors argued that Rezko’s conditions of confinement do not justify a sentence of time served but agreed that U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve, in fashioning her sentence, should consider the nine months Rezko spent in solitary confinement at the Loop jail.
The government compared Rezko’s level of wrongdoing to that of Stuart Levine, a corrupt insider who faces about 5 1/2 years in prison after cutting a plea deal. But prosecutors said Rezko deserved a much stiffer sentence because Levine’s cooperation had been far more significant.
Calling his cooperation “truly remarkable,” prosecutors pointed out that Levine agreed to cooperate after he had been charged and even wore a wire on former Chicago Ald. Edward Vrdolyak, leading to Vrdolyak’s conviction.”
“In court papers asking a judge to free him from jail later this month
rather than having to do more time, convicted political fund-raiser
Tony Rezko said that after spending 20 years in Chicago politics, he
was still taken aback by a request that allegedly came from former
Gov. Rod Blagojevich.”
“The filing did give new insight to the extent of Rezko’s cooperation
with the government, saying he had met with authorities 29 separate
days over the three years following his conviction and that memo
summaries of his interviews fill 360 pages.
Lawyers said that it was Rezko who initially implicated Monk, who was
charged, and government witness Joe Aramanda. Rezko also implicated
lobbyist John Wyma, they say, and Wyma gave the feds probable cause to
wiretap Blagojevich’s phones.
A onetime fund-raiser to Barack Obama, Rezko had voluntarily
surrendered to prison after he was convicted on 16 of 24 counts to
begin immediately begin his sentence.
Rezko was convicted of using his clout to control state government and
direct kickbacks from government deals to himself and others.
He spent 276 days in solitary confinement at the downtown lockup,
something that the jail typically does with high-profile inmates. He
was later moved to a county jail in Wisconsin and has lost more than
80 pounds since he’s been locked up with his “weight dipping to a low
of 154 pounds.”
“With this dramatic weight loss, Mr. Rezko has shrunk from a robust,
if somewhat overweight, man to a frail and gaunt shell of his former
self,” his lawyers wrote.
“He has not enjoyed a breath of fresh air or a ray of sunlight for
nearly three and a half years, and he has not been allowed to hug his
wife or daughter since he left the MCC nearly three years ago.””
“Lawyers said Rezko’s own success in business led him to branch out and
support numerous national, state and local politicians.
“And, of course, Mr. Rezko was a friend, advisor, and early supporter
of a young politician named Barack Obama,” lawyers wrote.
Federal prosecutors are expected to file a position on Rezko’s
sentencing late Thursday and sources say they are expected to ask for
a sentence greater than the 5 ½ years that co-conspirator Stuart
Levine is slotted to get under his plea deal.”
From John Kass of the Chicago Tribune June 13, 2008.
“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.”
“They are pressuring me to tell them the ‘wrong’ things that I supposedly know about Governor Blagojevich and Senator Obama,” the fundraiser (and Obama’s personal real estate fairy) wrote in a letter to U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve.
“I have never been a party to any wrongdoing that involved the Governor or the Senator,” Rezko argued. “I will never fabricate lies about anyone else for selfish purposes. I will take whatever comes my way, but I will never hurt innocent people.”
Every press report, every comment coming from Rezko’s attorney since then has indicated thet he has been cooperating with the feds.
The question is, why wasn’t Rezko called as a witness in the Blagojevich and Cellini trials?
The answer is.
To keep Obama’a name and activities out of court testimony and the press and set Rezko up with a tougher sentence as the fall guy. To keep him quiet.
If you are Tony Rezko, a Rezko family member or friend or one of Rezko’s attorneys, urge Mr. Rezko to reveal all about Obama. Obama is not your friend.
Contact me with a comment on this blog. I promise you that if Rezko talks, I will do everything in my power to get the information in front of the American public and appropriate members of Congress.
William Cellini trial overview, Tony Rezko not sentenced, Rezko unlikely witness, Patrick Fitzgerald collusion
“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
As I have stated before, the first letters in Wells are WE. This has always been a group effort and will continue that way. Below are 2 comments from regulars here. I wish that the rest of the country was paying this much attention.
From Bessie on 2011/09/28 at 8:00 pm.
“It was made perfectly clear in the 2 trials of Rod Blagojevich that
the prosecution and the judge were more concerned with protecting
Obama than they were with a guilty verdict….first they never called
Rezko who’s testimony would have prevented a second trial and he would
have been found guilty on all charges…second, their refusal to turn
over the 302′s and thier lame excuse, “I read them and theres nothing
there”…third, the leaker??? was it someone inside the fbi or U.S.
Attorney’s office or was it John Wyma himself…fourth, Patrick
Fitzgerald’s lack of interest in “who” tipped off John Chase, “It
wasn’t me”, just doesn’t cut it….We can be certian who ever was the
leaker also tipped off Obama and his staff…fifth, Rezko never being
called to testify and him waiting for over 3 years to be sentenced.
sixth, the current law suit of Frawley vs. Weaver, it answers numerous
questions including payments made from Rezko to Obama…which we can all
be pretty sure that the feds knew about this for years…am I forgetting
anything????”
From Pete on 2011/09/29 at 12:54 pm.
“I read a little background about our mutual prosecutor Fitzpatrick the other day. Seems he was famous before being involved in the Chicago crime, we call Obama’s past. Fitzgerald brought a guy in to testify for a grand jury, knowing the whole time that the person he was interviewing had nothing to do with the crime he was investigating. He did this to ‘entrap’ the witness. The witness was Scooter Libby, and he didn’t have ANYTHING to do with Valerie Plame or her public outing at the hands of a Colin Powel aid.
So, we know that Fitzgerald is a political hack for the DEMOCRATS and has no interest in unbiased justice. He is directly INVOLVED in cover-up for Obama and his associations with Blago, Levine, the hospital board, the sale of the illegal senate seat, his illegal housing gift from Rezco, and some 600 million dollars of Iraq reconstruction aid that went mysteriously missing.
I believe it’s all corrupt, to the very core, and the American people are starting to smell and feel the stench of our dear democratic party people. Just remember to remind EVERYONE you see that while politicians may be ‘dirty’ this sort of all out criminal administration has NO PEER in the last 150 years, and is starting to resemble Ulysses Grant for illegal behavior and pay to play.”
Here is a decent overview of the William Cellini trial.
I stated in 2008 before the election that Obama had to win to avoid prosecution. Since taking the White House he has controlled Eric Holder and the US Justice Department. Obama may lose control of Holder for a number of reasons.
Many rumors are circulating about Obama not running in 2012 or having competition in the primaries. I posed the question months ago of who would throw Obama under the bus. At this point I give it a 50 50 chance of his running in 2012. He still has some of the same problems of actually being investigated for a number of indiscretions. So Obama will have to work out a deal with someone(s). Watch closely. This may happen.
RT @catturd2: Good morning to everyone except the evil demons who claim someone one who goes to a school and starts murdering 9-year-olds i… 10 hours ago
Citizen WElls 