Tony Rezko sentencing Tuesday, November 22, 2011, Rezko history since conviction, Rezko fall guy?, Daniel Frawley sentencing delayed
“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
If the prosecution insists on going forward, I have two words for them: Rezko and Levine,” Cavise said. “They know where all the bodies are buried.””…Leonard Cavise, DePaul University professor
“Why was Tony Rezko’s sentencing delayed?”…Citizen Wells
Tony Rezko is scheduled to be sentenced today, Tuesday, November 22, 2011 in the courtroom of Judge Amy St. Eve at 9:30 AM. Rezko, convicted in June of 2008 has never been called as a witness. Here is a history of Rezko activity since being convicted.
June 8, 2008 conviction.
Breakdown of Counts
• Guilty on 12 of 15 counts mail/wire fraud
• Not Guilty on 1 count attempted extortion
• Guilty on 2 of 6 counts corrupt solicitation
• Guilty on 2 counts money laundering
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.”
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.”
(Link not active)
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/1208918,rezko100808.article
December 16, 2008
“Jailed political fundraiser Tony Rezko’s sentencing for corruption was delayed indefinitely Tuesday, most likely adding to the legal problems of embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
The sentencing date of Jan. 6 was erased by U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve. The action appeared to signal that Rezko’s on-again, off-again relationship with the federal prosecutors investigating Illinois government was on again.
Both federal spokesman Randall Samborn and Rezko’s chief defense counsel, Joseph Duffy, declined to comment after the hearing. Duffy responded to a blizzard of questions by saying, “Merry Christmas, everybody.”
Rezko was a major adviser to Blagojevich and raised more than $1 million for his campaign fund. He started talking to federal prosecutors last summer, a few weeks after he was convicted of fraud, money laundering and bribery-related counts in June.
Then he stopped talking and demanded to be sentenced as soon as possible. Now that January date is canceled.”
February 3, 2009
“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.”
http://blogs.suntimes.com/rezko/2009/02/prosecutors_help_move_rezko_ou.html
July 21, 2010
“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. ”
November 5, 2010
“Antoin “Tony” Rezko, once a top adviser and contributor to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, will be sentenced Jan. 28 for his role in a scheme to solicit kickbacks from companies seeking state contracts.
Rezko was not at the hearing this morning at which U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve set the sentencing date.
Rezko has agreed to cooperate against Blagojevich but wasn’t called to testify at the former governor’s trial last summer. With Blagojevich’s retrial set to begin in April, Rezko’s sentencing months before could signal he is unlikely to be called again. Defendants usually aren’t sentencing until after their cooperation has been completed.
A sentencing date was not set today for Rezko’s co-defendants, Stuart Levine, Joseph Cari and Steven Loren, who will next return to federal court for a status hearing in March.”
January 8, 2011
“With the agreement of lawyers on both sides, a federal judge on Thursday indefinitely postponed the sentencing of Antoin “Tony” Rezko, keeping open the possibility that the government could call the former top fundraiser for Rod Blagojevich at the former governor’s retrial.
Prosecutors didn’t call Rezko at Blagojevich’s trial last year, but the government could be re-evaluating that since the jury deadlocked on all but one count against the former governor. He was convicted of lying to the FBI.
Rezko began to cooperate with investigators after a federal jury convicted him in 2008 of extorting millions of dollars from firms seeking state business. He was scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 28. He also faces sentencing for a separate conviction stemming from a fraudulent loan scheme.”
“Prosecutors gave no indication if Rezko would be called to testify in the Blagojevich retrial or the trial of co-defendant William Cellini, a Springfield powerbroker, in August.”
January 29, 2011
“A federal judge has set a new sentencing date for a convicted influence peddler and one-time fundraiser for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Judge Amy St. Eve told attorneys at a hearing Friday that she’ll sentence Tony Rezko on Oct. 21.
Rezko’s attorneys and prosecutors had asked the judge earlier to delay Rezko’s sentencing to allow for the possibility he could testify at two upcoming trials, including Blagojevich’s corruption retrial in April.
At Friday’s hearing, the defense also argued in favor of a new trial for Rezko based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling scaling back so-called honest services laws.”
March 3, 2011
“A federal judge has denied a request from a former fundraiser for impeached ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich to throw out his 2008 convictions and grant him a new trial.”
“But Judge Amy St. Eve writes in a Thursday ruling that straightforward kickbacks and bribery underpinned Rezko’s convictions — not the disputed legal notion that he failed to provide honest services.”
“Prosecutors accused Rezko of squeezing kickbacks from people seeking state business. Rezko’s cooperated with prosecutors in Blagojevich’s ongoing corruption case and agreed to delay his sentencing until after the former governor’s retrial.”
May 31, 2011
“As a pale, thin-looking Tony Rezko admitted Thursday his two-plus years in jail is wearing on him, the convicted businessman became a possible factor in former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s April retrial.
Rezko’s January sentencing was postponed to leave open the possibility that the onetime powerful political fund-raiser could testify in either Blagojevich’s trial or that of Downstate businessmen William Cellini, Rezko’s lawyer said. However, prosecutors did not say whether they would tap Rezko.
Meanwhile, Rezko, who spoke briefly at a federal court hearing Thursday, revealed for the first time where he’s being housed — about 150 miles away inside the Dodge County, Wis., lock-up.
“These have been very tough times. … I’ve not seen the outside,’’ Rezko told U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve. “I have no contact with my family since I’ve been moved to Dodge.’’
A Dodge County jail official said Rezko was moved to the facility Dec. 16, 2008.”
“Rezko’s lawyers said the convicted businessman would like to reap the benefits of testifying and possibly receive a lighter sentence. But he will not seek a delay in sentencing beyond September.”
October 3, 2011
“U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve agreed Monday to a request by prosecutors to delay Rezko’s sentencing — which was most recently set for Oct. 21 — until Nov. 22 so the sentencing doesn’t interfere with the trial of Springfield businessman and longtime political power broker William Cellini.”
Daniel Frawley, an ex partner of Rezko, scheduled for sentencing yesterday, apparently had his sentencing delayed.
The sentencing of Tony Rezko today will be revealing. Will Rezko be the fall guy or will the deal struck in 2006 protect Rezko as well?
Citizen WElls 