Category Archives: Rezko

Blagojevich trial, Evidence, Contribution list, Rezko, Which Duffy?, Citizen Wells open thread, July 7, 2010

Blagojevich trial, Evidence, Contribution list, Rezko, Which Duffy?

A piece of evidence was released in the Rod Blagojevich trial yesterday, Tuesday, July 6, 2010. Like any other piece of information, it is a piece of a puzzle of deception and corruption. On this “Projected vs. Actual Contributions” list for June 2004 we have a listing that is totally expected.

On the last page we see a action item list of names and whether to call or meet.

One of the names listed to call is Duffy.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/hot/us_v_blagojevich_exhibits/2010_07_06/fob_list_4.pdf

The question is, which Duffy, and why?

Here are 2 possibilities:

Rezko trial chief defense counsel Joseph J. Duffy.

Republican state senator Dan Duffy who spoke out against Blagojevich during the impeachment trial.

Here are some interesting remarks made by Joseph Duffy during the Rezko trial.

“- Duffy told jurors that Rezko probably did more fund-raising for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), President Bush and St. Jude’s children’s hospital in 2003 than he did for Gov. Blagojevich. That includes “a Barack Obama fund-raiser or two.” This isn’t the first time Duffy trotted out Obama’s name during the trial. He did the same thing during opening statements.

– Duffy took aim at former Illinois Finance Authority Executive Director Ali Ata, saying Ata over-hyped his relationship with Rezko and under-hyped it with the Blagojevich and Mell families. Ata didn’t need Rezko to get a state job, Duffy said, because he was so close to the governor and Patti Blagojevich’s father, Ald. Dick Mell (33rd). “[Ata] could have gone and rang the doorbell at the governor’s house and probably gotten a hug from Patti,” Duffy said.

-Duffy on Blagojevich campaign contributions made by people who were appointed to posts on state boards and commissions: “They [prosecutors] want you to believe that people gave campaign contributions to get on boards that didn’t pay any money.”

-Duffy rebutting phone charts the government presented as evidence: “Mr. Rezko’s so-called political influence has been grossly, grossly overstated. How many phone calls did we have between Mr. Rezko and the governor? Remember that chart? It doesn’t exist.””

Source, Chicago SunTimes.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/rezko/2008/05/rezko_trial_another_obama_ment.html

Blagojevich trial, Obama corruption ties, Health planning board, 9 members, Citizen Wells open thread, July 6, 2010

Blagojevich trial, Obama corruption ties, Health planning board

The following comment was posted by megan this morning.

“I thought it might be interesting to look at Obama’s timeline in setting up the Health Facilities Planning Board and how he benefitted from it (well, before money was traced back to him anyway and allegedly donated to charity.)

Personally, I think we should demand that any politician that donates corrupt funds should be required to note what charity those funds were given to, so it can be verified and the organization can be checked to ensure it’s a valid charity with a clean record.

January – August 2003 – Obama was Chairman of the Senate HHS Board…just long enough to get the corrupt board in place for Rezko/Blagojevich.

He pushed Senate Bill 1332 “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act” – which reduced Board members from 15 members to only 9 members…this is what made it possible for Rezko to have control over the board’s voting.

The bill was filed February 20, reviewed February 27th and Obama sent word that the bill should be passed by March 13th. On May 21, 2003, House and Senate passed the bill. The only Senator with “Yes” vote mentioned during the Rezko trial was Obama. Another change that Obama made in the bill was to remove the power to appoint board members from the board itself and give it to the Governor (Blagojevich).

Blagojevich then made the effective date of the bill – JUNE 27, 2003 after already having lined up the corrupt board members to fill it. Maybe it’s just an odd coincidence that Obama got TONS of donations from recently appointed board members on JUNE 30, 2003…only 3 (THREE) days after Blagojevich made this corrupt board “legal”?

On June 30, 2003…

Obama gets $5000 after Ali Ata was appointed as Director at IFA

Obama gets $6000 after Alison Davis gets appointment on Investment Board

Obama gets $15,000 after Dr. Michael Malek gets appointment on Hospital Facility Board

Obama gets $5000 after Abdelhamid Chaib’s wife gets appointment on Employee Security Board

Obama gets $10,000 from Elie Maloof – Rezko used him as one of several strawmen to donate funds to certain politicians.

Obama gets $1000 after Phil Cacciatore (one of Auchi’s Riverside Park Investors) gets seat on Board

Obama gets $1000 after Velma Butler (one of Auchi’s Riverside Park Investors) was recommended for Board

Obama gets $1000 after Martello Pollack (Vegas Crystal Comm) received Iraqi Construction contracts

Obama gets $1000 after Jack Carriglio gets appointed to Board

Obama gets $500 (with an additional $1250 the following year) after Anthony Abboud gets appointed to Board

Obama gets $3000 from Michael Winter, who helped Rezko in funneling kickbacks through investment firm

Obama gets $1000 after Talat Othman gets appointed to Board

Obama gets $1000 from both David Gustman and another $1000 from Gustman’s wife after he is appointed Board Chairman

But no….I’m sure it’s ALL JUST A COINCIDENCE, right??

Also…had to laugh when Wright was complaining again about rich white folk – how much is that mansion he’s living in again??”

Blagojevich trial, Obama Rezko ties, Black Panther case dismissal, Blagojevich trial ending soon?, Citizen Wells open thread, July 5, 2010

Blagojevich trial, Obama Rezko ties, Black Panther case dismissal

Will the Rod Blagojevich trial end sooner than projected?

Will Tony Rezko or Stuart Levine be called as witnesses?

Will the focus of the Blagojevich trial continue to be on the senate seat?

We know this:

  • By the time Rezko was convicted in June 2008, the feds had enough to indict Blagojevich.
  • The US Justice Dept. waited until December 2008, after the election to arrest Blagojevich.
  • Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald was given a supervisory assignment by Obama early in 2009.
  • The following statement, damning for both Blagojevich and Obama, was included in the Criminal Complaint and not in the final Indictment. “At the relevant time period, the Planning Board consisted of nine individuals.”
  • Judge James Zagel has referred to Rezko as a bad witness.
  • The trial may end in the next 2 weeks instead of lasting the projected 3 to 4 months.
  • Attorney J. Christian Adams resigned from the US Justice Dept. after the case against the New Black Panther party was dismissed.
  • Civil rights attorney Bartle Bull has critized the US Justice Dept. and referred to Obama as a “Hustler.”

Is the US Justice Dept. corrupt?

Rezko lousy witness?, Rezko bad for Blagojevich and Obama, Judge Zagel, Rezko provided incriminating evidence

Rezko lousy witness?, Rezko bad for Blagojevich and Obama, Judge Zagel

From the Chicago Tribune June 29, 2010.

“Judge: There’s a word for witnesses like Rezko”

“One big question hanging over the trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been whether his convicted fundraiser, Antoin “Tony” Rezko, would appear at these proceedings to testify against his old friend. Rezko, now imprisoned at a federal facility in Wisconsin, has been cooperating with government agents since shortly after his 2008 conviction.
 
It’s still not certain whether Rezko will testify, but at a hearing before testimony resumed today, U.S. District Judge James Zagel strongly suggested that Rezko would make a lousy government witness.

Zagel said there was a word to describe witnesses like Rezko who damage whatever side calls them to testify. That, said Zagel, “generally explains why they’re not called.”  Zagel refrained from actually saying what the word was, leaving the suggestion it was less than polite.”

“Schar said that Rezko has since recanted the letter and provided “a certain amount of information that incriminates Blagojevich.”

All of this talk occurred outside the earshot of jurors, but defense lawyers would like the jury to hear about the Rezko letter. Zagel said he would wait until after Balanoff takes the stand to rule whether the letter can be brought up. ”

Read more:

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/blagojevich-on-trial/2010/06/judge-theres-a-word-for-witnesses-like-rezko.html

“There’s a word for witnesses like Rezko”

Incriminating

For

Blagojevich

And

Obama

Blagojevich trial wiretap November 10 2008, Blagojevich criminal complaint, Wiretap should be interesting, Citizen Wells open Thread, June 28, 2010

Blagojevich trial wiretap November 10 2008, Blagojevich criminal complaint

In case you didn’t see this yesterday.

“From the Blagojevich complaint we discover more interesting conversations centered around the senate seat and more people caught on tape.

“101. On November 10, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH, his wife, JOHN HARRIS, Governor General Counsel, and various Washington-D.C. based advisors, including Advisor B, discussed the open Senate seat during a conference call. (The Washington D.C.-based advisors to ROD BLAGOJEVICH are believed to have participated on this call from
Washington D.C.). Various individuals participated at different times during the call. The call lasted for approximately two hours, and what follows are simply summaries of various portions of the two-hour call.”

“HARRIS said they could work out a three-way deal with SEIU and the Presidentelect where SEIU could help the President-elect with ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s appointment of Senate Candidate 1 to the vacant Senate seat, ROD BLAGOJEVICH would obtain a position as the National Director of the Change to Win campaign, and SEIU would get
something favorable from the President-elect in the future.”

“The November 10 , 2008 wiretap has not been released.

It should be interesting.”

Read more:

https://citizenwells.com/2010/06/27/obama-arrest-obama-guilty-of-conspiracy-to-sell-senate-seat-quid-pro-quo-blagojevich-wiretap-november-10-2008-tape-obama-and-seiu-scheme-to-seat-valerie-jarrett-immediate-arrest-of-barack-obama/

Blagojevich throws Obama under bus, Citizen Wells open thread, June 26, 2010

Blagojevich throws Obama under bus, Citizen Wells open thread.

I hope that Obama likes bus tread marks. That bus may go forward and backward several times before the Blagojevich trial is over.

Blagojevich trial, Obama was protected, Blagojevich arrested after 2008 election, Blagojevich wiretap, Chicago press,

Blagojevich trial, Obama was protected, Blagojevich arrested after 2008 election

The Citizen Wells blog began presenting articles about Rod Blagojevich ties to Chicago and Illinois corruption early in 2008 and has done so ongoing. It was clear to anyone paying attention, especially to the Tony Rezko trial early in 2008 that Blagojevich was entrenched in corruption. With all the information available from court transcripts and other sources, the feds knew far more. Therefore the question began being asked by mid 2008, “when is Blagojevich going to be indicted”.  When Blagojevich was arrested on December 8, 2008, the big question became, why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Dept. wait until after the election to arrest Blagojevich.

Consider the following:

April 29, 2008

“Strong charges about pay-to-play politics in Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration have been hurled by prosecution star witness Stuart Levine in the federal corruption trial of the governor’s friend and fundraiser, Antoin “Tony” Rezko.
“Andy Martin says ‘retainer’ by Robert Blackwell, Jr. was classic Illinois ‘pay to play’ and may have been criminal behavior.”

“Robert Blackwell Jr., CEO and founder of Electronic Knowledge Interchange Inc., has been named to the transition team of Governor-elect Rod Blagojevich.”

Read more

May 1, 2008

“Maloof said Rezko told him to keep his name out of any grand jury testimony because prosecutors were “going to tie it back to [Illinois Gov. Rod] Blagojevich.””

“According to Maloof, Rezko said the three phones were “just in case somebody’s listening,” a remark Maloof took to mean that Rezko was worried about wiretaps.”

“Before the trial began, prosecutors identified Maloof as one of at least two people who made straw political contributions to candidates on Rezko’s behalf. One of the recipients of Maloof’s money was U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.”

Read more

May 14, 2008

“Obama supported the re-election of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, whose administration is embroiled in corruption probes.

EKI, a Blackwell company, gave $20,000 to Blagojevich.
Electronic Knowledge Interchange won $6 million in technology consulting and software development contracts. EKI did no state
work until after Blagojevich took office.”

Read more

August 28, 2008

“The Justice Department’s prosecution of Antoin “Tony” Rezko was always about prelude, never about climax. The jury’s conviction of Rezko Wednesday on 16 criminal counts is one more point on a long investigative arc — an arc now pointed directly at Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other of his associates.

That arc reaches beyond the horizon to points none of us can see. But prosecutor Christopher Niewoehner unequivocally — and forcefully — told the Rezko jurors during closing arguments where federal authorities now are concentrating: “This is a crime that involves the highest levels of power in Illinois.””

Read more

By August 28, 2008 we and most certainly federal prosecutors knew enough about Rod Blagojevich to indict him then.

September 29, 2008
“Here is a Chicago tribune story from Monday, September 29, 2008:

“Indict or impeach?
September 29, 2008
After what has happened in the last few days, it’s more likely that Gov. Rod Blagojevich will be indicted or impeached or both.

• The Tribune reported on Sunday that convicted political fixer Tony Rezko has talked to federal prosecutors and may cooperate in their investigation of the governor’s administration. At closing arguments in Rezko’s trial, a federal prosecutor told jurors that his crimes involved “the highest levels of power in Illinois.” Rezko has refused to help investigators—until, apparently, now.”

Read more

May 17, 2010

“These questions beg for an answer and we deserve one.
Why wasn’t Rod Blagojevich indicted soon after the Rezko trial ended in June 2008? He was wreaking havoc on the citizens of Illinois.
Why was the arrest of Blagojevich delayed until December 2008, after the 2008 elections?
Why was prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald given this assignment by Barack Obama?”

Read more

From a Blagojevich wiretap introduced as evidence.

“DATE: 11/12/2008
TIME: 12:36 P.M.
ACTIVITY: Rod Blagojevich home line incoming call.
SESSION: 558
SPEAKERS:
BLAGOJEVICH: Rod Blagojevich
HARRIS: John Harris”

http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/hot/us_v_blagojevich_exhibits/2010_06_24/transcript_11_12_2008_1236pm.pdf

The Chicago press weren’t the only ones shielding Obama.

The question is, did Patrick Fitzgerald or the US Justice Dept. shield Obama?

Obama met with Blagojevich on November 5 2008, Smoking gun?, Obama lies, Axelrod lies, Blagojevich wiretap, KHQA TV article, KHQA retraction, Obama denial, Axelrod denial

Obama met with Blagojevich on November 5 2008, Smoking gun?, Obama lies, Axelrod lies

“You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.”…Abraham Lincoln

 

Remember the controversial meeting between Obama and Blagojevich on November 5, 2008, one day after Obama stole the general election?

From KHQA TV.

“Ill. governor meeting with Obama today

By Carol Sowers
Wednesday, November 05, 2008 at 10:39 a.m.
CHICAGO, ILL. — Now that Barack Obama will be moving to the White House, his seat in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois will have to be filled.

That’s one of Obama’s first priorities today.

He’s meeting with Governor Rod Blagojevich this afternoon in Chicago to discuss it.

Illinois law states that the governor chooses that replacement.

There’s already been speculation about his selection…from Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. of Chicago’s south side who co-chaired Obama’s presidential campaign, to recently-retired state senate president Emil Jones, to the governor himself.”

Read more:

http://www.bizzyblog.com/BlagoObamaToMeetPerKHQA110508.html

KHQA TV then retracted the story.

“KHQA TV wishes to offer clarification regarding a story that appeared last month on our website ConnectTristates.com. The story, which discussed the appointment of a replacement for President Elect Obama in the U.S. Senate, became the subject of much discussion on talk radio and on blog sites Wednesday.

The story housed in our website archive was on the morning of November 5, 2008. It suggested that a meeting was scheduled later that day between President Elect Obama and Illinois Governor Blagojevich. KHQA has no knowledge that any meeting ever took place. Governor Blagojevich did appear at a news conference in Chicago on that date.

That’s fine, except for the fact that the KHQA story in my NewsBusters/BizzyBlog post earlier today was from November 8 — three days later (link again is to a file saved at my web host, obtained from Google cache shortly before it disappeared). It (obviously) talked about the meeting in the past tense (bold is mine):”

Read more:

http://www.bizzyblog.com/

Many, many thanks to Bizzy Blog for capturing verbage and screen shots. This is an excellent example of Orwellian attempts at revisionist history.

David Axelrod confirmed that Obama met with Blagojevich.

“At a news conference today, President-elect Barack Obama said that he had no contact with disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (D-IL) or anyone on the governor’s staff about potential replacements for Obama in the United States Senate. But that statement directly contradicts Obama’s top political strategist, David Axelrod, who told a local Chicago television reporter less than two weeks ago that Obama did have a conversation with Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy.

“I know [Obama has] talked to the governor, and there are a whole range of names, many of which have surfaced, and I think he has a fondness for a lot of them.””

Read more:

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2008/12/09/barack-obama-met-with-illinois-governor-about-senate-successor/

David Axelrod then issues a retraction.

“The Obama press office just sent out the following statement, via email:STATEMENT FROM SENIOR ADVISOR DAVID AXELROD

I was mistaken when I told an interviewer last month that the President-elect has spoken directly to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. They did not then or at any time discuss the subject.
That should put the entire matter to rest.”

Read more:

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2008/12/09/axelrod-denies-barack-obama-met-with-blagojevich/

As many of you know, I have been scrutinizing the wiretap evidence presented in the Rod Blagojevich trial. It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it. I was reading the following segment again. At first I did not notice the importance until the date November 5, 2008 jogged my memory. I reread the segment and it’s context. It appears to me that Blagojevich is referring to a meeting that will take place with Obama the afternoon of November 5, 2008.

DATE: 11/05/2008
TIME: 8:31 A.M.
ACTIVITY: Rod Blagojevich home line incoming call.
SESSION: 261
SPEAKERS:
BLAGOJEVICH: Rod Blagojevich
HARRIS: John Harris

“(PAUSE)

BLAGOJEVICH So, okay. How do we play this? We do
our thing today at 1:30, right?
HARRIS Yeah, 1:00, 1:30 whatever, ah, Lucio was
gonna check Obama’s public schedule too,
to see…
BLAGOJEVICH Well, he wants to do it at 1:30 cause
Quinn’s doing something at 2:00 o’clock.11
I don’t think it really… (UI) wants,
he wants to screw Quinn, I don’t know.
HARRIS Right, okay.
BLAGOJEVICH You think we should do something today
or no?
HARRIS Yeah, I don’t think we ought to make it
ah, that detailed. In other words, when
you talk about your search team, I think
you ought to be vague, you ought not
mention who, you just ought to say,
senior members of my staff. You know.
Ah, you ought to say that ah, you know,
again, that Barack Obama’s agenda, help,
you know, help ’em, help president-elect
Obama. Ah, I’ve, I’ve given talking
points to Lucio to kind of word-smith
with Bob, for your consideration. I
think you ought to wrap it as much
around Obama as possible.

(PAUSE)”

http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/hot/us_v_blagojevich_exhibits/2010_06_22/transcript_11_05_2008_0831am.pdf

Balanoff and Axelrod were ruled out from information in the wiretap.
Looks damning to me.

 

Blagojevich wiretap, Blagojevich throws Obama under bus, Citizen Wells open thread, June 25, 2010

 Blagojevich wiretap, Blagojevich throws Obama under bus

“You know  made some misjudgements, but compared to even Obama, you know, I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

Did you catch this last night?

https://citizenwells.com/2010/06/24/blagojevich-throws-obama-under-the-bus-obama-rezko-corruption-ties-blagojevich-wiretap-november-7-2008/

Blagojevich trial, Joseph Cari, Two for one witness, Cari tied to Chicago corruption and Joe Biden, Joseph Cari testimony, June 17, 2010

Blagojevich trial, Joseph Cari, Two for one witness, Cari tied to Chicago corruption  and Joe Biden

Joseph Cari, Democratic National Committee finance chairman, tied to Chicago corruption, is on the witness stand today, Thursday, June 17, 2010. Cari is a two for one witness. He has ties to corruption and Joe Biden.

From the Tony Rezko trial.

April 15, 2008
“Former Democratic fundraiser Joseph Cari testified Tuesday afternoon about a 2003 fundraising trip he took to New York with Gov. Rod Blagojevich, offering some of the most damaging testimony for the governor to emerge from the trial of his fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko.

Cari said the governor told him that he thought it would be easy to raise money for a presidential run because a governor had the ability to raise money by handing out contracts and state business.

Cari said his conversation with Blagojevich took place on a private plane arranged by Stuart Levine, the star witness in the case against Rezko who finished lengthy testimony earlier Tuesday.

Blagojevich told him how happy he was to be governor, Cari said, “but also that he had aspirations beyond the governorship.”

Cari said he discussed with Blagojevich why former President Bill Clinton had been successful running for the office as a sitting governor in Arkansas. Blagojevich told him that it was easier for a governor to make a run than a senator “because a governor had the ability to award contracts,” Cari said. “It was easier to obtain contributions.””

“Cari said he met with Stuart Levine at Rezko’s office in January that year. Rezko said he had the power to award contracts and get consultants hired through the governor’s then-chief of staff, Lon Monk, Cari said.

“Mr. Monk took direction from [Rezko],” Cari told the jury.

Rezko illustrated his clout by picking up the phone and apparently calling Monk in front of him, Cari said.”

“Cari said he was a go-between for one of his partners at HealthPoint and tried to follow Levine’s orders to have a finder’s fee paid on an $80 million allocation for JER from the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System.

When the arrangement was delayed, Cari said, he spoke to a JER executive who was shepherding the TRS deal and told her what Levine had communicated to him. If JER didn’t hire the consultant that had been named, the allocation would be pulled.

“I unequivocally told her that,” Cari testified.

The governor and the people around him selected law firms, investment firms and consultants that were used in such arrangements, Cari said he told the executive.

“This has been the history of Illinois and this is the way in Illinois that it’s done,” he said.”

Read more:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-rezko-court-story-7,0,5224754.htmlstory

Citizen Wells August 26, 2008.

Joseph Cari tied to Joe Biden

“Vice-presidential candidate Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del. (left), has been advised since 1984 by Joseph Cari (right), the Chicago lawyer and onetime mega-fundraiser who has been tied to the Antoin “Tony” Rezko patronage scandal.”

“Chicago lawyer and onetime mega-fundraiser Joseph Cari has advised Biden and his campaigns on and off since 1984, serving in posts as varied as a Senate adviser on crime to the Midwest Political Director for Biden’s aborted 1987 presidential bid. In 2005 Cari helped arrange private meetings for Biden with potential supporters, as the senator explored another run for the White House. He has also worked to raise money for Biden . “

“Cari admitted that in 2004 he helped a Rezko associate by making calls in what turned out to be a kickback scheme. The deal was an offshoot of a complex corruption scheme wrought by Antoin “Tony” Rezko , whose ties to Obama have vexed the White House hopeful . Cari has maintained he did not know the details of that scheme or any other.

Cari’s sentencing is delayed while he cooperates with the investigation. He testified at Rezko’s trial earlier this year, in which a jury found Rezko guilty on 16 of 24 corruption-related felony charges. Obama, who entered into a complex real estate transaction with Rezko and his wife in 2005 that appeared to aid the senator, has returned nearly $150,000 in donations he received from Rezko and his associates over the years.”

Read more