Tag Archives: Blagojevich trial update

Blagojevich trial update, 3 counts dropped, Half of indictment dropped, Obama protected, Justice Dept corruption

Posted on February 25, 2011 | 200 comments

Blagojevich trial update, 3 counts dropped, Half of indictment dropped, Obama protected, Justice Dept corruption

“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

Regulars on this blog know that I have written about two aspects of Obama with zeal. The Orwellian efforts to hide Obama’s past and the Blagojevich trial and corruption and Obama’s ties to this corruption. What I am about to present will come as no surprise to you.

Prosecutors in the Blagojevich trial have dropped 3 counts from the indictment against him. That is approximately 15 %. That does not appear on the surface to be significant. However, counts 1 and 2 represent about half of the indictment and mention numerous Chicago corruption figures with ties to Obama. Get the picture?

From the Chicago Tribune February 24, 2011.

“Two racketeering charges and a wire fraud count against impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich were dropped at a pretrial hearing on Thursday in Chicago — as prosecutors bid to strengthen their cases by simplifying ahead of a spring retrial.

Prosecutors’ initiative to dismiss the three counts and defense lawyers’ agreement at the status hearing cuts the number of charges Blagojevich will face at his corruption trial do-over to 20 from 23. The retrial is scheduled to start April 20.

Prosecutors took courtroom observers by surprise at a Wednesday hearing by telling U.S. District Judge James Zagel they wanted to toss the charges to streamline the case. They added that the allegations of wrongdoing in the dropped charges are duplicated in ones that remain.

The charges were formally dismissed after the defense, as expected, told Zagel on Thursday that they had no objections to the prosecution’s move to throw out counts 1, 2 and 4 from the original indictment, Blagojevich attorney Sheldon Sorosky explained after the hearing.”

“Blagojevich on Wednesday characterized the government’s move as good news.

But the federal attorneys clearly hope that scratching the more intricate, convoluted counts will boost their chances of winning convictions. At minimum, it will sharply cut down on the book-sized, 100-plus page instructions that jurors relied on as a guide during deliberations at the first trial.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-blagojevichtrial,0,2697557.story

Blagojevich indictment.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2009/pr0402_01a.pdf

Most of you know by now that the US Justice Department is corrupt, as evidenced by recent whistleblowers, and that Obama and Eric Holder have no regard for the US Constitution. The manner in which the Blagojevich trial has played out, beginning with the delay of his arrest, the diversion of the selling of the senate seat, inept prosecution in the first trial and manipulation of charges, all are further proof of Obama’s usurpation and control of the Justice Dept.

Remember in 2008 I told you that Obama had to win the election to avoid prosecution.

More details to come.

Spread this far and wide including the House Judiciary Committee.

200 Comments

Posted in Attorney General, Attorneys, Barack Obama, Blagojevich, Blagojevich trial, Chicago, Chicago machine, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, constitution, corruption, Courts, Crime, Criminal Complaint, Defense, FBI, Federal Court, Government, Grand Jury Indictment, Illinois, indictment, Judges, Lawyers, News, Obama, Obama indictment, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, Obama thugs, Pay to play politics, Prosecution, The Case Against Barack Obama, United States, US Department of Justice, Washington DC, white house

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Blagojevich trial update, February 23, 2011, Synchronous corruption crony events

Posted on February 23, 2011 | 256 comments

Blagojevich trial update, February 23, 2011, Synchronous corruption crony events

“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

On the same day that another one of Obama’s corruption cronies, Rahm Emanuel, got elected to mayor, the Blagojevich defense team filed a motion requesting that some charges be dropped.

From the Chicago Tribune February 22, 2011.

“Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is trying again to have several corruption charges thrown out based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that curtailed an anti-fraud law used by prosecutors nationwide to convict politicians.

In a motion filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago on Tuesday, the defense asks Judge James Zagel to dismiss bribery, extortion and other counts because of the ruling on honest services laws last year. Such laws bar public officials from denying taxpayers honest services.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-blagojevichtrial-,0,1895010.story

It will take more than manipulating votes in Chicago in 2012 to reelect Obama.

256 Comments

Posted in Attorneys, Barack Obama, Blagojevich, Blagojevich trial, Chicago, Chicago machine, Chicago Tribune, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, corruption, Courts, Crime, Criminal Complaint, Defense, Election 2012, Government, Grand Jury Indictment, Judges, Lawyers, News, Obama, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, Obama thugs, Pay to play politics, Rahm Emanuel, The Case Against Barack Obama, Tony Rezko, United States, US Department of Justice, Washington DC, white house

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Blagojevich trial update, February 21, 2011, Attorneys request not playing wiretaps for jurors

Posted on February 21, 2011 | 95 comments

Blagojevich trial update, February 21, 2011, Attorneys request not playing wiretaps for jurors

“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 February 21, 2011.

“Attorneys for former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich asked a federal judge on Monday to bar prosecutors from playing any FBI wiretap recordings to jurors at his upcoming retrial, arguing that the evidence at the very heart of the government’s case is unreliable.

The motion argues that Judge James Zagel should throw out the hundreds of recordings of Blagojevich — made in the days before his Dec. 9, 2008, arrest — because many contain gaps where vital context needed to understand the taped conversations may be missing. The 54-year-old Blagojevich faces an April 20 retrial on 23 charges, including that he tried to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat.

Monday’s motion cites the best-known secret recording of Blagojevich in which he is heard saying about the seat: “I’ve got this thing and it’s (bleepin’) golden. … I’m just not giving it up for (bleepin’) nothing.”

The motion claims three gaps totaling four minutes in that one call raise sufficient doubts, though the defense did not offer an alternative interpretation for what Blagojevich might have meant.

Federal agents secretly monitoring wiretapped phones are required to limit what they record to conversations pertinent to an investigation. That can lead them to frequently switch recording devices on and off, a process called “minimization.”

Blagojevich’s attorneys, however, argue that the “pattern of inconsistent and improper minimizations” in the hundreds of recordings in the investigation of the impeached governor justify tossing them all out as evidence.”

“In one motion filed last week, defense attorneys asked Zagel to lift a court-ordered seal on all evidence, including the hundreds of hours of wiretap recordings, arguing that the 2-year-old order barring the public release of evidence impairs Blagojevich’s lawyers more than prosecutors.

Monday’s motion says while defense attorneys don’t want jurors at the retrial to hear any of the recordings, they still want to be able to release them to the public.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chibrknews-blagojevich-asks-court-to-bar-wiretaps-20110221,0,250022.story

95 Comments

Posted in Attorneys, Barack Obama, Blagojevich, Blagojevich trial, Bribery, Bribes, Chicago, Chicago machine, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, corruption, Criminal Complaint, FBI, Government, Illinois, Judges, Lawyers, News, Obama, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, Obama thugs, Pay to play politics, The Case Against Barack Obama, United States, US Department of Justice, Washington DC, white house

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Blagojevich trial update, Judge James Zagel refuses to throw out conviction, Citizen Wells open thread, October28, 2010

Posted on October 28, 2010 | 61 comments

Blagojevich trial update, Judge James Zagel refuses to throw out conviction

From the Chicago Tribune October 27, 2010.

“A federal judge on Wednesday refused to throw out former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s lone conviction from his trial last summer.

U.S. District Judge James Zagel rejected the defense contention that prosecutors brought an overly complicated case that confused the jury and then damaged Blagojevich’s right to defend himself by limiting his lawyers at every turn.

The jury convicted Blagojevich of a single count of lying to the FBI but deadlocked on all 23 other counts. He is set to be retried on those charges April 20.

Blagojevich’s lawyers had maintained that a “plethora of errors” at trial had led to the lone conviction. Blagojevich’s “fundamental right to defend himself through cross-examination was stomped upon by obstructionist (and continuous) objections that were sustained by the court,” the defense wrote.

But Zagel’s two-page opinion concluded that the defense tactics showed it didn’t have a legal leg to stand on.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-blagojevich-motion-denied-20101027,0,1744287.story

61 Comments

Posted in Attorneys, Blagojevich, Blagojevich trial, Chicago, Chicago machine, Chicago Tribune, Citizen News, CitizenWells, corruption, Court of Appeals, Crime, Criminal Complaint, Federal Court, Illinois, Judges, Lawyers, News, Obama thugs, Pay to play politics, US Department of Justice

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Alonzo Monk testimony, Blagojevich trial update, June 10, 2010, Rezko began paying Blagojevich in 2004

Posted on June 10, 2010 | 19 comments

Alonzo Monk testimony, Blagojevich trial update, June 10, 2010

From the Chicago Tribune June 10, 2010.

“Witness says Blagojevich urged silence about money”

“Monk testified Thursday that Blagojevich fundraiser Tony Rezko, currently awaiting sentencing for fraud and other charges, slipped him as much as $90,000 in cash when he was the governor’s chief of staff — typically $10,000 at a time stuffed in an envelope.

Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to trying to profit from his power to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama and squeezing people for campaign contributions. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 415 years in prison, though a judge would consider many factors. Blagojevich also could face fines totaling $6 million.

Monk has pleaded guilty to scheming to pressure a racetrack owner for a contribution and is testifying in hopes of getting a lighter sentence.”

“Monk said Rezko began paying him cash in 2004. At Monk’s wedding, Rezko’s present to Monk was $10,000 in cash and an offer to pay for a remodeling project at the newlyweds’ home. Thanks to the flow of cash, which Monk kept at home, he said he never had to withdraw money from the bank or use an ATM. ”
“Earlier Thursday, Monk testified about how Blagojevich put supporters and fundraisers on state boards that oversaw major business sectors, often at the urging of members of his inner circle. ”

Read more:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/suburbs/naperville/chi-ap-us-blagojevichtrial,0,391403.story

19 Comments

Posted in Announcements, Attorneys, Chicago, Chicago machine, Chicago Tribune, Citizen, Citizen Journalism, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, corruption, Courts, Crime, Criminal Complaint, Defense, Election, Election 2008, FBI, Federal Court, fraud, Government, Grand Jury Indictment, Illinois, impeachment, indictment, Judges, Jury, Law firms, Lawyers, Money, News, Obama thugs, Patrick Fitzgerald, Pay to play politics, politicians, Politics, Prosecution, Senator Obama, Stuart Levine, The Case Against Barack Obama, Tony Rezko, United States, US Department of Justice, US District Court

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Blagojevich trial update, Alonzo Monk testimony, Blagojevich Monk Kelly Rezko, Secret meetings at Rezko’s offices in 2003, Rahm Emanuel grant

Posted on June 9, 2010 | 26 comments

Blagojevich trial update, Alonzo Monk testimony, Blagojevich Monk Kelly Rezko

Today, Wednesday, June 9, 2010, the first day of testimony in the Rod Blagojevich trial, is off to a interesting start.

From the Chicago Tribune.

“Blago pal talks of secret meetings, code names and favors”

“They met in secret and referred to each other as “1,2, 3 and 4.”

Rod Blagojevich, his longtime friend Lon Monk and trusted fundraisers Chris Kelly and Antoin “Tony” Rezko.”

Their agenda: How to exchange state contracts and jobs for campaign cash for Blagojevich.

The plotting started even before Blagojevich was elected governor in 2002, according to Monk, who took the stand today to testify against his pal from college days.

“This was something that we were going to be able to do now that we were close to Rod and he was going to become governor,” Monk said as Blagojevich stared straight at him and shook his head.

“I was intrigued,” Monk added. “And I wanted to make money.”

At one of the secret meetings — at Rezko’s offices in 2003 — the four discussed money-making ideas that involved state action, said Monk, sometimes sighing loudly as he testified.”

“Collecting kickbacks was too risky while Blagojevich was still governor, Monk said.  “It would be easier for people to find out we were receiving money.”

Rezko was to hold the funds while Blagojevich was in office,  Monk alleged. “Any money found would be held in separate accounts that would be difficult to locate.”

Rezko would often bring up firms and individuals to help with state business or an appointment to a state board, Monk said.

Prosecutor Christopher Niewoehner asked why Rezko would do that.

“So that he could ask them for more money or additional money for donations,” Monk replied.

Asked whether Rezko was trying to give rewards for political contributions, Monk answered yes.

Monk said he also had conversations with Kelly also about helping people get state business or positions.

What would Monk do when Rezko or Kelly asked him for help getting someone appointed or a contract, Niewoehner asked.

“Whatever they asked,” he said. 

Monk also recalled being a meeting with Blagojevich and Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff who was then a congressman. Emanuel was help getting a state grant for the Chicago Academy, Monk said.

Blagojevich had a simple answer. “He’d try and get it done,” Monk recalled as jurors were shown a photo of Emanuel.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/06/blagos-close-friend-and-top-aide-likely-to-testify-today.html

26 Comments

Posted in Announcements, Attorneys, Barack Obama, Blagojevich, Blagojevich Impeachment, Blagojevich trial, Chicago, Chicago machine, Citizen, Citizen Journalism, Citizen News, Citizens for the truth about Obama, CitizenWells, corruption, Courts, Crime, Defense, District Court, Election, Election 2008, FBI, Federal Court, fraud, Government, Illinois, impeachment, indictment, Judges, Jury, Justice, Law firms, Lawyers, Money, money laundering, News, Obama, Obama administration, Obama impeachment, Obama indictment, Obama lies, Obama Nation, Obama records, Obama thugs, Patrick Fitzgerald, Pay to play politics, politicians, Politics, Prosecution, Rahm Emanuel, Rezko, Senator Obama, Stuart Levine, The Case Against Barack Obama, Tony Rezko, United States, US Department of Justice, US District Court, Washington DC, white house

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