Category Archives: Warrant

Blagojevich trial, April 21, 2010, Rod Blagojevich history of corruption, Blagojevich rants and deception, Rezko Levine Obama

Blagojevich trial, April 21, 2010, Rod Blagojevich history of corruption

Lest we forget.

Rod Blagojevich, steeped in many years of corruption and crime with the likes of Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine, Barack Obama and many others, would have you believe, with the assistance of the MSM, that he is only caught up in the controversy surrounding the selling of Obama’s seat and that he is not guilty.

From the Chicago Tribune, April 21, 2010.
“Blagojevich calls federal prosecutors ‘cowards and liars’ in angry rant”
 

“Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich described the federal prosecutors who have brought racketeering and fraud charges against him as “cowards and liars” Tuesday and challenged Chicago’s U.S. attorney to meet him face to face in court if he is “man enough.”

In an extraordinary outburst timed to go live on evening news shows, Blagojevich said prosecutors had treated his wife unfairly and were now “sneaking into court” in an effort to prevent jurors from hearing all of the tapes the FBI made of his telephone conversations.

“They are cowards and they are liars,” Blagojevich said, raising his voice to a full throated shout as he stood before a battery of cameras in front of his lawyer’s South Side office.

“They know when all those tapes will be played they will show I’ve done nothing wrong and will prove my innocence,” the impeached former governor said. He and his attorneys left without taking questions.

Addressing U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald through the cameras, Blagojevich said: “I’ll be in court tomorrow and I hope you are man enough to be there, too.”

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office, Randall Samborn, had no comment on Blagojevich’s remarks.

U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel has scheduled a hearing for Wednesday to discuss motions being filed as preparations for the trial go into their final six weeks.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-ap-us-blagojevich-corruption-case,0,2581741.story

Nine months before Rod Blagojevich was arrested.

From the Chicago Tribune, March 7, 2008.

“Blagojevich’s name surfaces early in case”

“Prosecutors wasted little time Thursday dragging Gov. Rod Blagojevich front and center in the corruption trial of his friend and fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko.

With an overflow crowd on hand for the politically charged trial, the first government witnesses painted a portrait of Rezko as someone with extraordinary access to the governor and his administration, attending strategy sessions and sitting in on job interviews for key positions.

Testimony from an FBI analyst pointed to a reason behind Rezko’s influence: money. Special Agent Charles Willenborg said that internal Blagojevich campaign documents credited Rezko with raising more than $1.4 million for the governor between June 2001 and August 2004.

That is nearly three times what Rezko has publicly acknowledged raising for Blagojevich. In a 2005 interview with the Tribune, he put the number at about $500,000.

The Rezko case is fraught with political peril not only for Blagojevich but also for Democratic presidential front-runner Barack Obama, another friend of Rezko. Obama has little connection to the criminal case against Rezko. But the link between the two has fanned national interest in a trial that already was receiving outsized attention in Chicago.”

“Levine was a member of two state panels at the heart of the government’s case, reappointed to both in 2003 by Blagojevich after input from Rezko. One board was responsible for investing $30 billion in teacher pension assets; the other had the power to approve hospital expansion projects throughout the state.”

“Rezko has raised money for many politicians , Duffy said, among them former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, former Gov. Jim Edgar and Obama.

That was the only reference Thursday to the senator, whose presidential campaign has been hounded by questions about his ties to Rezko. Prosecutors say at least $20,000 of teacher pension fund money allegedly looted by Rezko found its way through a middleman into Obama’s 2004 U.S. Senate campaign.”

“Susan Lichtenstein, once the Blagojevich administration’s top lawyer, testified that Rezko enjoyed unusual influence for someone with no official state position. Lichtenstein said Rezko was present when she interviewed with Blagojevich about her job.

And, she said, Rezko was on hand at several strategy retreats where key Blagojevich aides and the governor hashed out administration strategy.”

“Many large contributions to the governor came from donors already linked to the case against Rezko, including two appointees to the state hospital board. Each gave Blagojevich $25,000 shortly after their appointments.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-tony-rezko-trial-07mar07,0,77138.story

Blagojevich trial, Update, April 20, 2010, Christopher Kelly suicide, Prosecution seeks to limit defense arguments, Robert Blagojevich

Blagojevich trial, Update, April 20, 2010

From the Chicago Tribune, April 19, 2010
“Feds say Blagojevich lawyers should not tell jury about chief fundraiser’s suicide”

“Prosecutors in Chicago are urging a federal judge to bar former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s lawyers from telling the jury at his corruption trial about his chief fundraiser’s suicide.

In court papers Monday, prosecutors say Blagojevich and his attorneys have made remarks suggesting they might bring up fundraiser Christopher Kelly’s suicide at the trial.

The south suburban contractor headed Blagojevich’s campaign committee and was found dead of an apparent overdose last September. He had been a defendant in three different corruption cases and was set to enter prison within days.”

Read more:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sns-ap-il–blagojevich-corruptioncase,0,2396658.story
“Prosecution seeks to limit defense arguments in upcoming Blagojevich trial”

“But the government maintains it is simply trying to keep issues irrelevant to the criminal charges from jurors.

On that same note, prosecutors said the defense shouldn’t be allowed to raise Blagojevich’s impeachment or any positive actions he took as governor.

Blagojevich has long called for all the undercover tapes to be played, not just the ones preferred by prosecutors, saying he is confident he would be vindicated if the entire record was heard.

But prosecutors said it would improper for Blagojevich’s attorney to make reference to this, since it involves legal rulings by the judge that should be off-limits for the jury.

“Comments by counsel or witnesses along the lines, ‘If it was up to us, we would play all the tapes,’ are improper,” the government said in its filing.

Zagel already has said in court that Blagojevich could be able to play some of the tapes he wants if they corroborate his testimony. The former governor has promised to testify at the trial slated to begin June 3.

Also Monday, prosecutors objected to a request by Blagojevich’s brother, Robert, for a separate trial. The brother ran Rod Blagojevich’s campaign fund for part of 2008 and allegedly participated in only a small percentage of the charged misconduct, according to his lawyer, Michael Ettinger.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-blagojevich-bar-testimony-20100419,0,2596293.story

Blagojevich trial evidence released, April 14, 2010, Judge James B Zagel, CoSchemers statements, EVIDENTIARY PROFFER

Blagojevich trial evidence released, April 14, 2010

Here are some exerpts from the GOVERNMENT’S EVIDENTIARY PROFFER SUPPORTING THE ADMISSIBILITY OF CO-CONSPIRATOR STATEMENTS, released by Judge James B Zagel today, Wednesday, April 14, 2010.

“A. Efforts To Obtain Personal Benefits for Blagojevich and Campaign
Contributions In Exchange For State Action (2002-04)
1. Influence and Actions of Christopher Kelly and Antoin Rezko
Rod Blagojevich was first elected Governor of the State of Illinois in November 2002.
Christopher Kelly and Antoin “Tony” Rezko played important roles in assisting Blagojevich in this
campaign. Kelly was part of Blagojevich’s inner circle during the campaign and was one of the top
fundraisers for Blagojevich. Kelly oversaw most aspects of fundraising for the campaign, including
ensuring that other individuals met their fundraising goals. Rezko was also one of the top
fundraisers for Blagojevich.
After Blagojevich became Governor in January 2003, Kelly and Rezko continued to play
important roles in fundraising for Blagojevich. In 2003 and 2004, Kelly and Rezko had the primary
role in overseeing the efforts to raise money for Blagojevich. They were heavily involved in
organizing the large annual fundraising events that Blagojevich held in the summers of 2003 and
2004. In that time frame, Blagojevich pushed Rezko and Kelly to raise funds in a variety of
conversations.
Kelly and Rezko also had significant influence over aspects of state government during the transition
period after Blagojevich won office and continuing after Blagojevich took office. Kelly
and Rezko were part of the informal kitchen cabinet that Blagojevich used to make decisions, and
had complete access to Blagojevich and/or Monk (Blagojevich’s Chief of Staff during this period)
to talk about any state issue they wished. Kelly and Rezko used their influence over state affairs.
For example, Rezko and Kelly recommended and/or interviewed many of the people who were
selected to top positions in Blagojevich’s administration and were actively involved in the awarding
of certain state contracts.
Kelly and Rezko also exercised significant influence over the appointments Blagojevich
made to state boards and commissions. Monk was the primary person responsible for overseeing
the selection process for filling boards and commissions vacancies. Kelly and Rezko each
recommended many candidates for various boards and commissions, and Monk gave their
recommendations great weight.
From what Blagojevich said about appointments to boards and commissions, Monk
understood that Blagojevich viewed those appointments as an opportunity to reward big fundraisers
or Blagojevich’s supporters. Blagojevich consistently wanted to know who recommended a
particular candidate for a board or commission slot. When Kelly and Rezko made their
recommendations for people to be on boards and commissions, Monk knew that they were often
rewarding people who had made contributions to Blagojevich or who were going to do so.
Rezko and Kelly demonstrated over time that they had more interest in certain boards than
others and particularly that they were interested in the boards that controlled money, including the
pension boards like the Teachers’ Retirement System, the Illinois State Board of Investment, and
the State University Retirement System. Rezko also had a significant interest in the appointments
to the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board. Blagojevich gave Kelly and Rezko significant
deference for their picks on those types of boards.”

“Around the time that Levine was reappointed, Rezko told Levine that he expected to control
the Planning Board. Rezko said that he had discussed the makeup of the Planning Board with
Thomas Beck, who was the Chairman of the Planning Board. Before one of the Planning Board
meetings, Beck talked to Levine about how there were five members of the Planning Board who
were Rezko’s people, including Levine and Beck. The other three individuals who would vote as
Rezko wished were Fortune Massuda, Imad Almanaseer, and Michel Malek. Documents and
testimony from individuals in Illinois state government who helped select candidates for boards and
commissions positions, including the Planning Board, confirm that Rezko was the individual
responsible for selecting those five individuals to be appointed to the Planning Board. Since it took
five votes to approve any CON, Rezko’s people effectively controlled what the Planning Board did.
Beck typically indicated to Levine and the other three members of Rezko’s voting bloc the items on
the Planning Board agenda that Rezko cared about and how Rezko wanted them to vote.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/acrobat/2010-04/53290204.pdf

Blagojevich trial documents, Judge Zagel, April 14, 2010, Obama lies, Documents unsealed, Chicago Tribune SunTimes request, Blagojevich Obama Rezko Levine

Blagojevich trial documents, Judge Zagel, April 14, 2010

 

***  Update below  ***

Judge James Zagel is expected to make a decision to unseal Rod Blagojevich trial documents today, Wednesday, April 14, 2010. Will Obama or his administration be mentioned?
Here is one of numerous Obama lies.

I had no contact with the Governor or his office.
Listen carefully at 3:08 into the video.

How often will the names of Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine and Barack Obama  be mentioned during the Blagojevich trial?

*** Update 2:30 ET ***

“The judge overseeing the corruption case against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich today ordered a key government document detailing the charges against the ex-governor released without sensitive portions blacked out.

The document, expected to be made public shortly, describes how Blagojevich allegedly schemed with a close group of associates to make money by leveraging the powers of his office.”

“The document has been expected to offer the most detail about the alleged schemes in the case since a guilty plea last fall by Alonzo Monk, the ex-governor’s onetime chief of staff.”

Read more:
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/04/judge-orders-full-release-of-key-document-in-blago-case.html

Blagojevich trial documents, April 13, 2010, Documents unsealed, Judge James Zagel, Obama reference?, Rezko Levine Obama connection

Blagojevich trial documents, April 13, 2010, Documents unsealed

When Rod Blagojevich Trial documents are unsealed before or during the trial, will we find more references to Obama and his administration and past connections?
Here are just two of the many connections that link Obama to Blagojevich, his cronies and Chicago, IL corruption.

Reported on Citizen Wells, December 11, 2008.

(Note the highlighted areas)
Obama’s role in rigging the Health Planning Facilities Board
Evelyn Pringle, Obama Curtain Time 2
Obama was chairman of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee in January 2003. A few articles in the media have mentioned that Obama sat on a committee that reviewed matters related to the Planning Board in conjunction with the Governor’s staff but none have discussed his integral part in getting the bill passed.

A review of senate records from January 2003 to August 2003, shows Obama played a major role as chairman of that committee, in pushing through Senate Bill 1332, that led to the “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, making the votes much easier to rig.

Democratic Senator Susan Garrett sponsored the bill in the senate, and the chief co-sponsor was Republican Senator Dale Righter. These two senators were also on the Human Services Committee with Obama.

The bill was filed with the senate secretary on February 20, 2003, and assigned to Human Services Committee for review on February 27. Less than a month later, as chairman, Obama sent word that the bill should be passed on March 13, 2003.

On May 31, 2003, the House and Senate passed the bill and the only senator listed in the “yes” votes mentioned in the Board Games indictments is Obama.

Blagojevich made the effective date June 27, 2003, and the co-schemers already had the people lined up to stack the Board and rig the votes with full approval from Obama.

As discussed fully in Curtain Time for Obama Part 1, the Republicans and Democrats worked together in setting up the Planning Board scheme because the Combine as a whole would profit.

During the trial, Stuart Levine testified that when he sought reappointment to the Planning Board, he told Republican co-schemer, Bill Cellini, to tell the Blagojevich administration he would vote however they wanted when approving projects.

He told the jury he had the same understanding with the two prior Republican governors, Jim Edgar, and George Ryan, who is now sitting in prison due to Fitzgerald’s successful prosecution of a corruption case against him.

A June 2003 email exchange produced in the trial shows Obama was one of eight officials who received the names of the nominees for the new Board ahead of time, from the office of David Wilhelm, who headed Blagojevich’s 2002 campaign for governor.

Tony Rezko’s name does not appear in the email. In fact, his attorney made the point to the jury that the exchange was from Blagojevich’s general counsel, Susan Lichtenstein, and Wilhelm’s office, and indicated the appointees were recommended by Wilhelm and supported by those who received the memo.

The memo said, “we worked closely over the past six months” with eight officials including three state senators.

Jennifer Thomas, a former aide in Blagojevich’s patronage office, testified that she attended regular weekly meetings at Rezko’s office between the spring of 2003 and November 2004, and Rezko floated names and specifically said Levine should be reappointed to the new Board.

The Senate bill said, the “Board shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate.” But the Senate Confirmation Hearings were a joke. For instance, the Feds recorded Levine talking to co-schemer, Jon Bauman, the day Levine learned he was approved by the Senate from the executive secretary of the Board.

Levine told Bauman he ran into Jeffrey Marks, who said “congratulations on your appointment,” and Levine asked for what. Marks said, “well the Senate Confirmation Hearings on Health Facility Plan Board members.”

He told Levine Senate President, Emil Jones, only allowed 2 members to be approved and “that was you and the other person he just put in.”

“Isn’t that hysterical ’cause you know they had this big battle going on,” Levine told Bauman.

Laughing away, Levine said, “don’t you just love it.”

“I’m one of those independents and not part of the block.”

“Well, good, you know it’s good to be just a true independent civil servant,” Bauman said laughing along with Levine.

“Is, is that a good thing,” Levine replied, “I’ve never been that.”

Corrupt appointees fund Obama and Blagojevich campaigns

The corrupt new appointees were all contributors to the presidential hopeful, Blagojevich, and the US senate hopeful Obama.

The previous Act allowed the Board itself to select a “Chairman and other officers as deemed necessary.” But the new law stated: “The Governor shall designate one of the members to serve as Chairman and shall name as full-time Executive Secretary.”

The Board’s then sitting-chairman, Thomas Beck, who was originally appointed by a Republican governor, testified under a grant of immunity that he brought a $1,000 check to Rezko on July 15, 2003, to make sure Blagojevich reappointed him.

A few weeks later, Beck said, Rezko called to say he would be reappointed along with a Republican holdover Levine. Beck also testified that Rezko told him Blagojevich was set to appoint Rezko’s three doctor friends to complete the rigged voting bloc. He said he met the doctors in August 2003, at the first meeting of the new Board.

Dr Michel Malek gave Obama $10,000 a little over a month before the first meeting on June 30, 2003. He also donated $25,000 to Blagojevich three weeks later on July 25, 2003, and gave Obama another $500 in September 2003. Malek was an investor in Riverside Park.

Dr Fortunee Massuda donated $25,000 to Blagojevich on July 25, 2003, and gave a total of $2,000 to Obama on different dates. Massuda’s husband, Charles Hannon, is a co-schemer in the pension fund case and testified against Rezko in the trial.

Dr Imad Almanaseer contributed a total of $3,000 to Obama after he landed the appointment. On March 13, 2008, Almanaseer testified against Rezko and told the jury he was an investor in Rezko’s fast-food businesses.

This doctor’s son, Ahmed Almanaseer, was given a trade office intern position with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Ahmed is president of HireIraqis.com a bilingual human resources “site aimed at linking Iraqi job seekers with the companies engaged in the reconstruction [in Iraq] efforts,” according to Rezko Watch/RBO.”

Read more

Reported on Citizen Wells, December 9, 2008.

Obama lied about meeting with Rod Blagojevich.

“Barack Obama has begun distancing himself from IL Governor Rod Blagojevech
now and will “throw him under the bus” after Blagojevich’s arrest.
However, Obama and Blagojevich have strong ties going back for years
including Obama endorsing Blagojevich.”

“Obviously like the rest of the people of Illinois I am saddened and sobered by the news that came out of the US attorney’s office today,” said President-elect Obama this afternoon in Chicago, speaking of the criminal complaint against Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich for corruption. “But as this is a ongoing investigation involving the governor I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to comment on the issue at this time.”

“Asked what contact he’d had with the governor’s office about his replacement in the Senate, President-elect Obama today said “I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening.”

But on November 23, 2008, his senior adviser David Axelrod appeared on Fox News Chicago and said something quite different.

While insisting that the President-elect had not expressed a favorite to replace him, and his inclination was to avoid being a “kingmaker,” Axelrod said, “I know he’s 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

Blagojevich trial, Monday, April 12, 2010, Documents unsealed, Judge James Zagel, Chicago Tribune SunTimes request, What has been kept hidden?

Blagojevich trial, Monday, April 12, 2010, Documents unsealed

Today, Monday, April 12, 2010, sealed documents in the Rod Blagojevich trial will be made public except for portions that defense attorneys successfully plea to keep hidden.

From The Chicago SunTimes.

“Blagojevich judge to unseal key document in case”

“U.S. District Judge James Zagel said today he will make public a key document in the Rod Blagojevich case after major news outlets, including the Chicago Sun-Times, objected to its secret filing.
The Santiago Proffer, a prosecution filing that acts as a road map to the government’s strategy in the case, will be publicly available Wednesday, Zagel ruled today.
The Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune and Associated Press stepped in and asked for the document to be made public after the government initially filed it under seal.
But there may be some portions of the filing that will not be made public.
Zagel is giving defense lawyers until Monday to suggest portions they want to keep out of public view for now.
He then said the prosecution had 24 hours to respond.
Defense lawyer Sheldon Sorosky said he didn’t want the government to file a document that quotes what prosecutors consider their “best tapes.” Sorosky said if the document cites portions of the secret FBI recordings, then all the tapes should be released before trial, so the jury pool isn’t tainted.”

Read more:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/blago/2010/04/blagojevich_judge_to_unseal_ke.html
United States District Court
Northern District of Illinois
Judge James B. Zagel

Chambers: (312) 435 – 5713
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
DATE OF APPOINTMENT

April 22, 1987
ENTERED ON DUTY
June 17, 1987
 
1979 – 1980 Director, Illinois Department of Revenue
1980 – 1987 Director, Illinois Department of State Police
COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS / PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Judicial conference Committee of Codes of Conduct, (renamed “Committee on Financial Disclosure), 1987 -1994
American Bar Association
Chicago Bar Association
EDUCATION
University of Chicago, B.A.; M.A. 1962
Harvard Law School, J/D/, 1963
PERSONAL:
Born:
March 4, 1941
Chicago, IL

Rod Blagojevich trial timeline, Media enables Blagojevich innocence rants, Truth about Blagojevich Rezko Levine Obama

Rod Blagojevich trial timeline, Media enables Blagojevich innocence rants

Rod Blagojevich continues to rant about his innocence and the media plays along covering his TV appearances and flippant attitude. Some things bear repeating. From the Chicago Tribune.

“Timeline of the Blagojevich investigation”

“Gov. Rod Blagojevich became the state’s first Democratic chief executive in more than a quarter of a century after vowing to reform what he labeled the culture of corruption surrounding his predecessor that had fed deep cynicism among Illinoisans.

But little more than a year after replacing George Ryan in office in 2003, Blagojevich found his administration at the early stages of what became a host of state and federal investigations into allegations of wrongdoing involving state hiring, board appointments, contracting and fundraising that battered his tenure.

In their prosecution of Blagojevich fundraisers and allies, dubbed “Operation Board Games,” federal prosecutors detailed a scheme that began only months after Blagojevich took office in which top fundraiser and adviser Antoin “Tony” Rezko conspired with longtime GOP government apparatchik Stuart Levine to split kickbacks from a state pension deal. Rezko also helped ensure Levine’s reappointment to a state pension board.

As part of the investigation, in which 13 people have been indicted or convicted, kickbacks were often the prescribed price of doing high-level business, be it the pension board for state teachers or the panel that decided whether hospitals could expand their facilities. And the extortion efforts went beyond merely enriching the participants to include soliciting campaign funds for Blagojevich.
 At the same time, as Blagojevich began gearing up for his 2006 re-election bid, the clouds of scandal grew deeper. U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald acknowledged federal prosecutors had spent more than a year investigating fraud in state hiring that involved “multiple state agencies” and developed “a number of credible witnesses.” Federal prosecutors also were looking into a $1,500 check written to one of Blagojevich’s children by the husband of a recently appointed state worker.

In the month before Blagojevich was re-elected, Rezko was indicted on corruption charges while his ally, Levine, pleaded guilty to wringing cash from firms seeking state business. Federal prosecutors also were alleging Rezko and Christopher Kelly, another top fundraiser and adviser to the governor, had been influence peddling. Kelly later was indicted on unrelated federal tax charges.

They also began investigating real estate deals by First Lady Patricia Blagojevich in which she received hundreds of thousands of dollars in commissions from politically connected clients, some of whom won millions of dollars in state business.

As prosecutors won a conviction in June of this year on Rezko’s corruption charges, they also began climbing the ladder of Blagojevich’s inner circle. In October, the Tribune disclosed that John Wyma, the governor’s longtime friend, former congressional chief of staff and major state lobbyist, was named in a subpoena over his work for a hospital client.

On Friday, the Tribune disclosed Wyma was cooperating with federal authorities and his cooperation led to investigators recording the governor.

Here is a timeline of the investigation:

June 7, 2004: Stuart Levine, a longtime Republican reappointed to the powerful Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, abruptly resigns on the eve of several important hospital expansion votes. The revelation is the first indication that the Blagojevich administration is under federal criminal investigation.

June 27, 2004: The Tribune discloses that an official for one hospital seeking permission to expand was wearing a federal bug during meetings in an effort to expose extortion attempts by Levine and others for contributions to Blagojevich.

July 2, 2004: Levine resigns from his seat on the board of the state Teachers’ Retirement System. It remains undisclosed that federal authorities had secretly taped Levine’s conversations.

May 9, 2005: Levine is indicted on corruption charges. Federal subpoenas are issued to numerous administration sources, including top Blagojevich fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko

May 20, 2005: The governor’s office acknowledges to the Tribune that Rezko has an ongoing eight-year professional relationship with Patricia Blagojevich’s home-based real estate brokerage, River Realty Inc.

Sept 15, 2005: Prominent Democratic fundraiser Joseph Cari and a former lawyer for the state’s teacher’s pension board pleads guilty in an extortion scheme that steered state pension business to favored companies in exchange for campaign contributions to a high-ranking public official described in court documents only as “Public official A.”

Oct. 25, 2005: The Tribune discloses a federal grand jury investigation into the alleged political hiring practices of the Blagojevich administration, including the governor’s top hiring aide, Joseph Cini.

Sept. 10, 2006: The Tribune reveals that the FBI is investigating allegations by a one-time Blagojevich family friend that she had concerns her state job may have come in return for a $1,500 personal check her husband wrote to one of Blagojevich’s children.

Sept. 17, 2006: The Tribune reports that the Blagojevich administration skirted state hiring rules to give jobs to at least 360 people whose applications were sent through back channels by the governor’s offices and politically connected officials.

Aug. 5, 2006: The Tribune reports that Levine is cooperating with the federal investigation of state government.

Oct. 11, 2006: Blagojevich confidant and top fundraiser Rezko is indicted on federal charges he sought millions of dollars in kickbacks and campaign donations from firms seeking state business.

Oct. 27, 2006: Political insider Levine pleads guilty in a scheme to squeeze millions of dollars from firms seeking state business. In court papers, federal authorities spell out allegations that Rezko and another schemer, identified by sources as Blagojevich confidant and top fundraiser Christopher Kelly, were using their influence for corrupt purposes.

Oct. 27, 2006: The Tribune reveals that Blagojevich’s wife, Patricia, earned more than $113,000 in real estate commissions in 2006 through a woman with a no-bid state contract whose banker husband–a major Blagojevich fundraiser–has business pending before state regulators. Both the FBI and the Cook County state’s attorney’s office begin investigations.”

“March 6, 2008: The federal trial of Rezko begins.

April 22, 2008: Ali Ata, appointed by Blagojevich as executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority, admits buying the $127,000 job by contributing to the governor’s campaign, pleads guilty to obstruction of justice and agrees to cooperate.

April 26, 2008: A Tribune investigation reveals at least three of every four $25,000 donors to Blagojevich got something from the administration–including jobs, contracts or favorable regulatory rulings.

June 4, 2008: After nearly three months of testimony that lays bare some of the innermost workings of the Blagojevich administration, Rezko is convicted of using his political ties to the governor to orchestrate a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-investigation-timeline-1208,0,2680294.story

Rod Blagojevich trial, Blagojevich Indictment, Rezko Levine Obama, IL board rigging, Chicago Illinois corruption, IL Senate Health Services committee, Obama lied about contact with Rezko

Rod Blagojevich trial, Blagojevich Indictment, Rezko Levine Obama

“They are pressuring me to tell them the ‘wrong’ things that I supposedly know about Governor Blagojevich and Senator Obama,”…letter from Tony Rezko to US District Judge Amy St. Eve.

 

Obama lied about his involvement with Tony Rezko

 
“February 10, 2008 Sun-Times.

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.”

“Is that true?” the reporter asked.

“No,” Obama said, “That’s not accurate.”

“I think what is true,” he said, “is that, it depends on the period of time.”

“I’ve known him for 17 years,” Obama stated. “There were stretches of time where I would see him once or twice a year.”

He told the Times, “when he was involved in finance committee for the U.S. Senate race, or the state senate races, or the U.S. Congressional race, then he was an active member.”

“During the U.S. Senate race, there’s be stretches of like a couple of weeks – for example prior to him organizing the fundraiser that he did for us – where I would probably be talking to him once a day to make sure that was going well,” he said.

“But the typical relationship was one that was fond,” he added. “We would see each other.”

“But there would be no reason for me to be seeing him that often,” he stated.

This issue may be sorted out soon enough because Fitzgerald’s charts matching up Obama’s contributions, visits and calls are bound to be every bit as thorough as the ones produced to prove Rezko is guilty as charged in the first trial. They simply were not produced because they were not needed to prove the defendant guilty in the first case.

As an example of what records might be squirreled away, consider that an FBI agent presented a chart to the jury on April 28, 2008, showing 257 calls from Rezko’s phones to Blagojevich’s chief of staff, Lon Monk, between March 2004 and May 2004 alone.””

Read more

When one reads the indictment and criminal complaint against Rod Blagojevich and studies the corruption and crime committed in Chicago and Illinois over the past 10 years, one name is conspicuous. Tony Rezko. Stuart Levine, the main witness in the Rezko trial, did most of the dirty work for Rezko. Obama was no stranger to Levine.

Many of the corruption figures involved with Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine and Rod Blagojevich have been indicted and convicted. Most of these corrupt figures had ties to Obama including donating to his campaigns. Consider the following.

Rod Blagojevich Indictment press release, APRIL 2, 2009.

“The Solicitation of Ali Ata
In late 2002, Ali Ata, a businessman who previously pleaded guilty and is cooperating, and who was solicited by Rezko to make political contributions to

Blagojevich, brought a $25,000 check to Rezko’s offices, where Ata met with Blagojevich. Blagojevich asked Rezko if Rezko had talked to Ata about positions

in the administration, and Rezko said that he had. In July 2003, after discussions with Rezko about possible state appointments, Ata gave Rezko another

$25,000 check payable to Blagojevich’s campaign. Ata then had a conversation with Blagojevich at a fundraising event in which Blagojevich indicated that he

was aware Ata recently had made another substantial contribution to his campaign, and told Ata that he understood Ata would be joining his administration.

Ata replied that he was considering taking a position, and Blagojevich said that it had better be a job where Ata could make some money. Blagojevich

ultimately appointed Ata as the executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority.”

“Benefits Given to Blagojevich and Monk
To ensure that Blagojevich and Monk continued to give Rezko substantial influence regarding appointments to boards and commissions, hiring for state

employment, and the awarding of state contracts, grants, and investment fund allocations, Rezko gave certain benefits to Blagojevich and Monk…”

www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln

Tony Rezko trial transcripts

March 13, 2008.

“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.
Beck later went as far as handing him an index card with voting instructions on it, he said.”

March 21, 2008.
“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.
On the call, Rezko is heard mentioning Chris Kelly, who with Rezko was one of the top fundraisers for Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Both Rezko and Kelly were key

members of Blagojevich’s kitchen cabinet.
Rezko makes it clear in the phone call that Kelly, too, had been involved in trying to manipulate decisions of the hospital board, which Rezko has been

charged with corrupting. Kelly apparently had called Levine earlier and told him he should be Rice’s mentor on the board, directing her to follow his lead on

voting. Rice had been recently installed on the hospital panel at the insistence of a leader of the Laborers’ International Union, which had contributed more

than $133,000 to Blagojevich’s campaign.
But on the wiretap, Rezko can be heard telling Levine to ignore Kelly’s orders. Rezko said he wanted Rice to take her lead from hospital board Chairman Tom

Beck.
“I’d rather keep it through Tom Beck,” Rezko told Levine. “. . . I have good reasons for doing things the way I’m doing.”
Then Rezko added: “You and I will still be doing things the way we do.”
Under questioning from prosecutors, Levine said Rezko meant that he would work through Beck to control the votes of a majority bloc on the panel. Levine also

said Rezko was making it clear that he intended to keep Beck in the dark about secret deals cooked up between Levine and Rezko involving the board.”

March 20, 2008
Gov. Rod Blagojevich has avoided answering questions about the corruption trial of Antoin “Tony” Rezko, the other day declaring, “I’m not in that case.”
But Blagojevich’s name has been mentioned often. It was brought up at least 30 times Wednesday morning by Stuart Levine, the government’s star witness

against Rezko.
At one point, Levine described a flight from New York that he shared with Blagojevich Oct. 29, 2003. Levine had chartered the plane to ferry Blagojevich and

others to a series of fundraisers.
On the return to Chicago, Levine said he took the opportunity to thank Blagojevich for re-appointing him to a seat on a state hospital regulatory board that

prosecutors now say he and Rezko had corrupted to extort kickbacks from firms seeking regulatory approval.
Levine said the governor responded, “Never discuss any state board with me, discuss them with either Tony Rezko or Chris Kelly.” Kelly, along with Rezko, was

a top fundraiser for Blagojevich as well as a close friend.
Then Levine said Blagojevich added: “But you stick with us and you’ll do very well for yourself.”
Asked by a prosecutor to elaborate, Levine said, “I took that to mean you have an opportunity to make a lot of money.”

From Citizen Wells, November 2, 2009.

Alonzo Monk and Ali Ata ties to Blagojevich and Obama
“Rezko arranged for a total of $50,000 in contributions to Friends of Blagojevich from Ali Ata, a Chicago-area businessman, and in exchange for those

contributions discussed with Ata, ROD BLAGOJEVICH, and Monk obtaining a high-level state appointment for Ata, whom ROD BLAGOJEVICH ultimately appointed as

the executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority;”
“Ata made a $5,000 donation to Obama less than a month earlier on June 30, 2003. Ata is also an investor in Riverside Park. Almost without fail, the people

identified in the Board Games cases as investors in Riverside Park contributed to Obama’s US senate campaign.”
“It was part of the scheme to defraud that defendants ROD BLAGOJEVICH, MONK, HARRIS, and ROBERT BLAGOJEVICH, together with Kelly, Cellini, Rezko, Levine, and

others, used and attempted to use the powers of the Office of the Governor, and of certain state boards and commissions subject to influence by the Office of

the Governor, to take and cause governmental actions, including: appointments to boards and commissions; the awarding of state business, grants, and

investment fund allocations; the enactment of legislation and executive orders; and the appointment of a United States Senator; in exchange for financial

benefits for themselves and others, including campaign contributions for ROD BLAGOJEVICH, money for themselves, and employment for ROD BLAGOJEVICH and his

wife.”

Read more

With a little reading, even the most brainwashed person now  paying attention will come to the obvious conclusions. Rod Blagojevich is guilty as sin of far more than attempting to sell Obama’s senate seat. The other conclusion. Obama should be indicted and arrested.

Larry Sinclair for Congress, Update, March 13, 2010, For want of a nail, For want of a dollar, Obama and Sinclair, Truth about Obama, Obama thugs, Florida district 24 election

Larry Sinclair for Congress, Update, March 13, 2010

For Want of a Nail
For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail…Ancient Proverb

American Revolution version

If one battle had changed.
British general John Burgoyne receives reinforcements.
The British win the Battle of Saratoga in 1777.
American General Horatio Gates flees with his men.
France and Spain withdraw support.
Colonies surrender…. “For Want of a Nail”, alternate history, by Robert Sobel

January 2008 Version
Citizen Wells and millions of Americans know little about Barack Obama.
Some journalists are asking questions of Obama.
Obama is hiding his past.
Larry Sinclair decides to remain silent about his story.
Americans remain mostly clueless about Obama until after the election.
A few lawsuits are filed but no one takes them seriously.
The Rezko, Blagojevich corruption connections remain hidden from the public.
(even more than now)

March 2010
For want of a messenger.

 
Whether or not you believe Larry Sinclair’s allegations of a drug and sex encounter with Obama in November 1999 (and how could you possibly not believe it now). Whether or not you like or agree with Larry Sinclair. Larry Sinclair was a huge catalyst for questioning Obama at a time when Obama was getting little scrutiny.
Larry Sinclair is running for Congress, unaffiliated, in Florida District 24. Larry Sinclair has done as much as anyone on this planet to expose the truth about Barack Obama. Sinclair has not backed down from incessant attacks and death threats from the Obama camp. Sinclair has had his Social Security Disability benefits threatened twice and was even arrested on trumped up charges by Joe Biden’s son, Beau. The arrest happened at the conclusion of Larry Sinclair’s press conference at the National Press Club in 2008.

For Want of a Nail
For want of a few dollars.
I spoke to Larry Sinclair last night.
He sent me the following:
“If I pay the $6,960.00 by the deadline I WILL be on the ballot and then our message will be covered.  The media is not going to give much coverage to any candidate until the qualifing for the ballot is met.
 
The two companies that process campaign contributions for us charge 6% from each contribution.  I am ready to take on Kosmas and any Republican candidate in this Congressional race, but if we do not get the support we need to meet the requirements to get on the ballot I will not be able to.
 
People say they are tired of the career politicians.  A simple fact of life is the career politicians and political parties have all the money they need to pay fee’s to get their candidates on the ballot.”

2010 Qualifying Dates
Noon, April 26 – Noon, April 30, 2010
*Note: Qualifying papers will be accepted beginning April 12, 2010, pursuant to Section 99.061(8), F.S.
U.S. Senator
Representative in Congress (all districts)
Judicial
State Attorney
Public Defender
The following fee’s are for 2010 candidates.

Office

Partisan                                        No Party Affiliation

U.S. Senator                              $ 10,400                                                         $ 6,960

U.S. Representative

 

I know that you all are weary of being solicited for money. I understand. That is why this needs to remain a grassroots movement. If 4,000 people only give $ 2.00, the goal will be achieved. I am asking for your time. Help spread the word. Let’s get thousands, if not millions of people involved. Tea party folks, I am asking for your help. Larry Sinclair will continue to help keep Obama accountable. He will also help keep government accountable.
http://larrysinclairforcongress2010.victorydiy.com/

Obama Rezko Blagojevich and Fitzgerald, January 27, 2008, Obama lies, Obama corruption, CNN bias, Why did Patrick Fitzgerald wait to arrest Blagojevich?, Why has Obama not been arrested?

Obama Rezko Blagojevich and Fitzgerald, January 27, 2008

Lest we forget.
This article is from January 27, 2008. Most of the corruption charges against Blagojevich, Rezko, Levine, et al were in regard to crime and corruption committed when Obama was in the IL Senate.
From Working Life, January 27, 2008.
“Obama and Rezko: CNN Omits the Nub of the Story”

“CNN’s (January 24) coverage of Sen. Barack Obama’s money ties to Illinois political fixer Antoin “Tony” Rezko failed to show the deeper relevance of the story to Obama’s political careeo r. LPAC’s own ongoing probe of the matter can begin to supply the appropriate context.
CNN showed a clip from the debate in which Sen. Hillary Clinton said to Obama, “you were practicing law and representing your contributor, Rezko, in his slum landlord business in inner city Chicago.”
Obama replied, “Oh, no, no, no. I’m happy to respond.” Obama said it was just legal work on a low-income housing project and Tony Rezko was just another client, and he declared, “I did about five hours worth of work on this joint project. That’s what she’s referring to.”
This has rattled many cages. The Clinton-hating website Drudgereport reacted by putting up an undated old photo of Bill and Hillary Clinton posing with Tony Rezko, without explanation, hoping this might undermine allegations regarding Obama.
In their January 24 coverage, CNN went on to show what has long been very public in the Chicago newspapers: that Rezko will soon be tried in two separate cases for extortion, money laundering and fraud; and that when Obama entered politics he got from Rezko his “first significant campaign contribution” and much more later: “tainted cash, some illegal, some just unsavory.” CNN showed buildings that Rezko had developed with public funds solicited for him by Obama, where the tenants were left heatless while Rezko’s donations continued to Obama. CNN mentioned the deal involving Rezko, in which Obama got his own expensive house, bought below the asking price; and how Obama has now donated, to charity, $86,000 of Rezko’s contributions to him.”

“But behind the story, the federal case against Rezko is based on a detailed picture of the web of influence Rezko and his cohorts exerted over state agencies managing Illinois’ financial assets. Barack Obama’s political career was spun out in tandem with this Rezko apparatus, particularly through Rezko’s partner and Obama’s former boss, Allison S. Davis.
Start with U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s December 21, 2007 proffer in the Rezko case, with its charges of extortion and kickbacks taken in 2004 from the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System: $10,000 from this crime was channeled to a “political candidate” not named by the prosecutor. The fact that Rezko was on the finance committee of Obama’s campaign for U.S. Senate, and the other facts in the case, make it clear that Barack Obama was the candidate in question.”

“Having raised half a million dollars for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, Tony Rezko got the Governor to appoint Rezko’s own men to the Teachers’ Retirement System, among them Stuart Levine, now indicted. And Rezko got Allison S. Davis appointed to the Illinois State Board of Investment, in control of billions in state retirement funds. Although Davis has not been charged with wrongdoing, the feds are reportedly pressing a probe of that agency. Davis is currently the president of that State Board.

Barack Obama was a Harvard Law student in 1990 when he interviewed for a job with Tony Rezko’s slum-redevelopment firm. He didn’t go directly into the Rezko company. But in 1993 Obama was hired by Allison S. Davis, whose law firm (Davis Miner Barnhill & Galland) represented Rezko’s operations over the years, while Rezko raised cash for Obama’s electoral campaigns. Davis became Rezko’s personal financial partner in slum-redevelopment deals, which were then backed by State Senator Obama.

In one of those deals, after both Obama and Davis had left the law firm, Obama wrote letters to state and city housing officials supporting the proposed Cottage View Terrace apartments, a project run by Tony Rezko and Allison S. Davis. The deal cost taxpayers $14 million and the partners got $855,000 in fees. Completed in 2002, the project is now managed by Davis’s son Cullen Davis.”

Read more:

http://www.workinglife.org/blogs/view_post.php?content_id=7718

Why did Patrick Fitzgerald wait to arrest Blagojevich?

Why has Obama not been arrested?

This information has been available for over two years. Maybe people will pay attention now.