Tag Archives: Pay for Play

Obama arrested next?, Obama indictment?, Patrick Fitzgerald, December 18, 2008, Rezko connections, Pay for Play, FBI, Rezko Blagojevich investigations, Lobbyists, Poker, Davis Miner Barnhill & Galland, Rezko deals slums

Why Barack Obama should be indicted

Part 8

One or more of the following events should happen:

  • Obama steps down.
  • Obama is forced to prove eligibility.
  • Obama is indicted and/or arrested.

If one of the above does not occur within a few months,
perhaps we should look to the Declaration of Independence
or Thomas Jefferson, for our next strategy.

 

Many great writers such as Evelyn Pringle and many bloggers and
websites have attempted to reveal the truth about Barack Obama by
early 2008 and in some cases past years. Very little coverage about Obama
has made it to the MSM except for the articles in the Chicago Tribune,
Sun-Times and a few other papers. Fox News has been the only major
TV outlet to attempt to uncover the real Obama. Barack Obama has long
time ties to crime and corruption in Chicago and Illinois. His guilt
and ties are every bit as strong as recently arrested Rod Blagojevich.

The Citizen Wells blog will be revisiting older news stories about Obama
and presenting them in the new light of Chicago corruption that is before
the public as a result of the Tony Rezko trial and Blagojevich
investigation and prosecution. After reading a few of the articles the
following will be clear.

One or more of the following events should happen:

  • Obama steps down.
  • Obama is forced to prove eligibility.
  • Obama is indicted and/or arrested.

If one of the above does not occur within a few months, perhaps we
should look to the Declaration of Independence or Thomas Jefferson,
for our next strategy.

 
The following is from an article written by looseheadprop on February 6,
2008. As you read the article, consider this biographical description
provided by looseheadprop ( a Democrat ):

“About Me:
In rugby, the loosheadprop is the player in the front row of the scrum, who has the ability to collapse the scrum, pretty much at will and without the referee knowing who did it. While this can give the LHP’s team a great tactical advantage, it also exposes scrum players from both teams to the dangers of catastrophic spinal cord injury. Consequently, playing this position makes you understand your responsibility to put doing the right thing ahead of winning, and to think beyond your own wants and desires. It also makes you very law and order oriented. I am a former federal prosecutor who also served at other levels of government, both in civil and criminal law, including as Counsel to an Inspector General. These days, I’m a a soccer mom and a partner in a small law practice with a buddy of mine from the US Attorney’s Office.”

Article

“I have long been an admirer of Ms. Kennedy’s and I think she has point. Problem is, Obama has a Tony Rezko problem. Actually a whole bunch of Tony Rezko problems. And a few other problems here and there which do not say very good things about his character or his sense of ethics or his ability to spot the appearance of impropriety. I include on that list the recent revelations about the legislation which he claims to have “passed” relating to leakage of nuclear material into drinking water.

REZKO

When Obama became president of the Harvard Law Review, Rezko interviewed him for a job working for one of Rezko’s companies. Obama turned down the job, but instead accepted more indirect employment at the law firm representing a series of Rezko’s not-for-profit partners in the series of transactions to build and rehab low income housing that are now the subject of federal indictment in Chicago which US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald described as “pay to play on steroids.”

Obama was an attorney with a small Chicago law firm — Davis Miner Barnhill & Galland — that helped Rezmar get more than $43 million in government funding to rehab 15 of their 30 apartment buildings for the poor.

Resko got millions of dollars to build and rehab low income housing and according to the government, embezzled the money. The people in those houses had no heat, no water. They lived in squalor–many in Obama’s State senate district. You could assume constituent complaints would have come in and Obama’s law firm did the legal work for those government contracts and grants. Yet he denies knowing about it.”

“Barack Obama, for his part, went to Rezko for “advice” about how to buy a house he cannot afford and “poof” Rezko’s wife pays full price for a portion of the property and Obama gets a discount on the house. A while later, he bought back 1/6 of the lot from her for 1/6 of the price she paid for it. How is that different from an interest free loan equal to the amount paid for that 1/6 of the lot? According to MyDD, Obama pays for the landscaping of the Rezko lot and may have been using it to park his cars because his neighborhood does not allow on street parking, in which case how is this different from rent free occupancy of the land?”

“One of the things that came out about Abramoff et al. was that they would invite Congress critters to play poker and wine and dine in a hotel suite that the lobbyist paid for, and then let them win. It was a way of passing money to them without leaving a paper trail. The Chicago events were hosted at the HQ of a lobbying organization, I think it’s fair to assume that the cocktails and Cohibas were provided by the hosts and the article makes a point of saying that he was a stingy better and a cautious player–directly suggesting that he seldom lost. And what kind of message are you sending joking about the game being a “Committee Meeting”?

One of the reasons public corruption cases, at least the bribery part, are often so hard to prove is that the participants go to great lengths to have a “beard” for the transactions. Paying for vacations, losing at poker, doing repairs on the elected’s house without any invoices, throwing business to the elected’s (or their relative’s) law firms or companies, regularly taking the elected out for very expensive meals is known as soft bribery. In the Bess Meyerson case, which the government lost, the bribe was a job for the judge’s otherwise unemployable daughter.

Unless someone flips and gives you testimony, or unless, as in Operation Greylord, you have audio or video tapes, it’s really really hard to get a conviction because there usually is not much of a paper trail. Since there wouldn’t even be hotel records for the Chicago games, they are particulary fuzzy.”

“As a state senator, Barack Obama wrote letters to city and state officials supporting his political patron Tony Rezko’s successful bid to get more than $14 million from taxpayers to build apartments for senior citizens.

In that deal Rezko paid only $1 for the land. The rest of the deal, which included an $800,000 development fee paid to Rezko’s company, was entirely financed by public money.”

“Was it simply enough that Obama didn’t make waves about the lack of heat and deplorable conditions in the Rezko buildings situated within Obama’s state senate district? I don’t know. But I was struck by a comment Obama made in the debate on of the debates to the effect of “you know how Illinois politics are” or some such. Followed later on by

Nobody’s hands are perfectly clean in politics. That is true. I mean, there a distinction, though, between not taking PAC and federal lobbyist money and having that as a major way of driving your campaign and having some ancillary involvement.”

Comments below the article

“looseheadprop February 6th, 2008 at 4:57 pm 40
In response to Siun @ 13
Sorry Siun, maybe I just assumed eveybody would get the Abramoff reference. It’s not a leap at all.

Abramoff as you may recall did his bribery often in subtle ways, He took his “friends” on all expense paid luxury vacations/ he took his “golfing buddies” to play at St. Andrews, on him, er, his clients

He and other lobbyists would rent out hotel suites and with free flowing liquor and food, “lose” at poker to people from Capitol Hill.

The “Committee Meetings” seem even more brazen in that they took place in the actual building of a lobbying organization and because of the name.”
“looseheadprop February 6th, 2008 at 5:06 pm 62
In response to Siun @ 18
As much as the house deal troubles me-and folks you really DO want to click through to the MyDD piece. It’s obvious a lot of research hours went into it–the “committee Meetings” disturb me even more.

Rezko is just one bad guy. The Committee Meeting has all sorts of potenial. It’s an instinctive reaction, not per se based on fact. But if I were still a public corruption investigator I would want to know a lot more about those poker games.”

“looseheadprop February 6th, 2008 at 5:21 pm 87
In response to martha @ 51
Yes, the house deal looks bad, but the rest is quite circumstantial. Friendship with slumlord = crook.

I know slumlords. Am I a crook?

I never said friendship with a slumlord = crook. Don’t put a strawman argument in my mouth. I said that Obama is telling us to ignore the fact that he doesn’t have much of record to run on or much experience and instead to trust in his character.

That was the thrust of Caroline Kennedy’s argument on his behalf, ignore the other stuff and concentrate on his judgement and character.

Opposing the war and opposing land mines are examples of good judgement on his part.

Voting to fund the war, voting present during votes relating to a woman’s right to choose, hanging out at poker games in a lobbyist’s stronghold while imbibing the lobbyists’ liquor and cigars, APPROACHING a guy already publicly known to be under federal investigation for fraud and asking that guy for help in buying a house you cannot afford–and then accepting the equivalent of both an interest free loan and a rent free use of the the property the guy bought to help you out with your PERSONAL FINANCIAL transaction?

Examples of bad judgment and lack of character”

” looseheadprop February 6th, 2008 at 5:38 pm 123
In response to JoeBuck @ 73
I was trying to rebut paragraph by paragraph but the site keeps hanging up for me. And I am falling WAYY behind in reading the subsequent comments.
I stand behind my belief that someone as bright as Obama HAD TO KNOW how bad those poker games looked. There is a phrase used in government ethics (and until recently I sat as a voting member on a government ethics commsion) there is an actual legal standard called

“Appearance of impropriety”

The mere fact of these games, and their cheeky nickname “committee meetings” (committe of what? to do what?) certainly meets that standard.”

“looseheadprop February 6th, 2008 at 5:44 pm 137
In response to Scarecrow @ 92
Actually all I am trying to do, is get this stuff out now, on Dem terms.

Christy mentioned it above, it is trial tactics 101: Whatever problems your witness has, the jury better hear it from your side before the other side can play gotcha.

Obama would be a fool to think that the Rovians won’t go after him with this yet he has done virtually nothing to innoculate against it”
“looseheadprop February 6th, 2008 at 6:14 pm 187
In response to martha @ 141
If you mean why did Obama go to work for a firm that he was clearly overqualified for? This firm has had a spotty ethical history (one of the law firm’s partners left to become a partner of Rezko’s)

It’s not like he was doing something altruistic by joining this firm. It’s not like he went to work for the SCLU or Legal Aid.

I don’t think it equates with your not-for-profit service. BTW, Brava”

“looseheadprop February 7th, 2008 at 4:07 am 290
In response to Siun @ 214
The partner began working in Land develpoment with Rezko while the firm was still reprsenting the not for profits in the land deals –a clear conflict of interest, which is why the partner had to leave.

That kind of conlfict of interst is a violation of legal ethics which in most states (and I believe in Illinois) is written in law. So yeah, that’s an example of spotty ethical history”

“looseheadprop February 7th, 2008 at 8:09 am 326
In response to CasualObserver @ 300
LHP, by the quote above, I take it that you wrote this piece to actually protect Obama in a sense? In other words, knowing how rough things will get, you want to air this out now.

And not the alternative context, which would be that you support Hillary Clinton, and have written this piece in order to assist her campaign

I am not trying to protect Obama or Hillary per se. I am trying to prevent the election of a GOP candidate in November”

“looseheadprop February 7th, 2008 at 10:24 am 362
In response to Flavius @ 353
Thanks. I’m not sure why you think the voting “present” isn’t an example of not great character. It’s not henious, but it’s not admirable either.

The law firm’s actions, I do find very troubling. And I’m not sure we know the whole story about the firm and these not for profits, which apparently didn’t exist until Obama incorporated them. Where they incorporated soley to partner up with Rezko? And if they were actual functioning independant groups, how is it that they all coincidently went to the same law firm?

And yes, a partenr becoming involved with Rezko’s underlying business while still at the firm, is a clear conflict of interest.

So, I think sleazy –which does not = violation of law, but does connote suspect practices is prabably the right word”

Read more here:

http://firedoglake.com/2008/02/06/nobodys-hands-are-perfectly-clean-in-politics/

Consider the following:

Obama’s role in rigging the IL Health Board

Advertisement

Obama next?, Obama to be indicted?, Patrick Fitzgerald, December 15, 2008, Rezko kickback, Rezko real estate deal, Pay for Play, Kenneth J. Conner fired by bank, FBI, Land appraisals, Jerome Corsi article

Why Barack Obama should be indicted

Part 5

One or more of the following events should happen:

  • Obama steps down.
  • Obama is forced to prove eligibility.
  • Obama is indicted and/or arrested.

If one of the above does not occur within a few months,
perhaps we should look to the Declaration of Independence
or Thomas Jefferson, for our next strategy.

 

fitzgerald
Just as Citizen Wells has predicted, Patrick Fitzgerald, the
federal prosecutor that led the investigation that indicted
Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine, Dr. Robert Weinstein and recently
arrested Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois, is on the trail
of Barack Obama. Obama has long time close ties to these chicago
and Illinois corruption figures and conspired with one or more
of them to rig the IL Health Planning Facilities Board when
Obama was a member of the IL senate.

Jerome corsi has written an article for World Net Daily, dated
December 15, 2008 that reveals Fitzgerald’s ongoing investigation
into Rezko ties and specifically Obama. Here are some exerpts:

“U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald
 
Since arresting Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has renewed interest in convicted fundraiser Tony Rezko’s part in the purchase of Barack Obama’s Chicago mansion, according to a former real estate analyst who says he was interviewed by the federal prosecutor in the past 10 days.

Kenneth J. Conner told WND he was interviewed by investigators from Fitzgerald’s office regarding the purchase of the Obama mansion and the adjacent vacant lot that Rezko’s wife, Rita, purchased simultaneously. As WND reported last week, Connor filed a civil complaint in October with the Illinois Circuit Court in Cook County alleging he was fired by Mutual Bank of Harvey, Ill., because he objected to land appraisals submitted on behalf of the Rezkos and the Obamas, with the complicity of the bank.

Connor previously confirmed to WND that he told the FBI, months ago, when he initially was fired, that the bank and the Rezkos were engaged in “fraud, bribes or kickbacks, use whatever term you want,” to benefit the Obamas.

Connor said his lawyer, Glenn R. Gaffney, also has been interviewed by the FBI about the Rezko-Obama deal within the past 10 days.

Connor has disclosed that during the initial investigation he met with two FBI agents for approximately an hour and a half to discuss the Rezko-Obama home purchase.

“The entire deal amounted to a $125,000 payoff from Tony Rezko to Barack Obama,” Conner previously told WND.

He explained: “If in fact the entire deal was a payoff from Tony Rezko to Barack Obama, a payoff or kickback, use whatever word you like, then for the deal to work, what had to happen was that Rezko had to over-pay for the vacant lot by as much as possible, or by the desired amount of the payoff, in any event.” ”

Read more here:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/

April 7, 2008 article on Rezko, Blagojevich Obama

Obama’s role in rigging the IL Board

Obama indictment to follow Blagojevich arrest?, Patrick Fitzgerald, December 14, 2008, Rezko trial, Rezko Blagojevich and Obama involved in corruption, Health Planning Board, Pay for Play, Rezko related Blagojevich donors, US Department of Justice investigation

Why Barack Obama should be indicted

Part 4

One or more of the following events should happen:

  • Obama steps down.
  • Obama is forced to prove eligibility.
  • Obama is indicted and/or arrested.

If one of the above does not occur within a few months,
perhaps we should look to the Declaration of Independence
or Thomas Jefferson, for our next strategy.

 

I began learning about Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich early in
2008 and wrote my first article mentioning Blagojevich in April.
Why did I begin scrutinizing Rod Blagojevich? I was reading the
transcripts from the Tony Rezko trial and investigation and the
names of Rezko, Obama and Blagojevich were intertwined in a web
of corruption and deception. On December 12, 2008, the Citizen
Wells blog presented an article about corruption in the IL Health
Planning Facilities Board. The article revealed the ties to Rezko,
Levine and Weinstein in their indictments and Blagojevich in
criminal charges placed against him. The article also requests
that Federal Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald indict and/or arrest
Barack Obama for his role in rigging the board when Obama was in
the IL Senate. Article that was published and faxed to Fitzgerald

Patrick Fitzgerald and the investigators working with him have
obviously been aware of Obama’s ties to crime and corruption in
Chicago and IL for many months. They have been proceeding in a
logical and methodical manner. Sentencing of Tony Rezko was delayed
and obviously he has been talking. Anyone following this story all
year knows much about Obama’s ties to corruption and Fitzgerald
knows much more. Obama is the next logical target of indictment
and/or arrest.

Consider this article from the LA Times Top of The Ticket Blog from
April 7, 2008. Here are some exerpts from the article written by
Andrew Malcolm.

“It’s an unfolding, seemingly local political story that’s fascinating
in its revealing details about the subterranean world of business,
financial and family connections in Illinois and Chicago politics
that helped take a virtually unknown black Chicago attorney, nurtured
him politically and financially and turned him into….

the polished candidate who today thrills crowds of thousands across
the country with his eloquence.

Obama currently leads in delegates for the Democratic nomination for
president.”

“This story concerns two men, neither of whom face any legal charges
today. They are two of Illinois’ top Democratic politicians — Gov.
Blagojevich, who’s been mentioned often in court, and Sen. Obama,
who’s received only passing mentions. They’re entwined in the Rezko
saga, particularly through the bounteous campaign money he raised
for them both.

Get used to that name. Rezko’s currently in a long-running Chicago
trial on federal extortion and bribery charges. Few campaign donors
were more responsible than Rezko for the rise of Blagojevich
(Blah-goy-ah-vitch) and Obama. Both politicians came to rely on him
for political and personal advice — and lots of campaign money.”

So far, Blagojevich, reelected in 2006, is more deeply enmeshed in
the scandal than Obama, who’s not been implicated in any wrongdoing.

But all three operated in the murky world of Illinois Democratic
politics, where money, family relationships and long business
associations provide the invisible glue of the local political world.

Witnesses in Rezko’s trial have testified that Rezko recommended friends
and associates for government jobs and posts on Illinois state boards
when Blagojevich took office in 2003, and some of those friends were
generous donors to Blagojevich.

An early trial exhibit from prosecutors was a spreadsheet. Prepared by
an FBI agent , the spreadsheet identifies Rezko-related donors who
supplied $1.43 million between 2001 and 2004 to Blagojevich, who was
first elected governor in 2002.

Using Federal Election Commission and Illinois state records, The
Times’ Dan Morain compared donors on the FBI spreadsheet to Obama’s
contributors. Guess what.

Sen. Obama received $222,000 during the same 2001-2004 period from
Rezko-related Blagojevich donors.”

Read more here:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/04/obamarezko.html
Several things are important about this article and facts that were
surfacing about Rezko, Blagojevich and Obama. Rezko had already been
indicted. It was clear that Blagojevich and Obama were heavily
involved with Rezko. Blagojevich has just recently been indicted.
The fact that Obama has not been officially implicated and charged
is meaningless. That is standard operating procedure.

Get used to this expression:

Obama trial.

Obama indictment, Blagojevich arrest, Patrick Fitzgerald, December 11, 2008, Rezko trial,Obama, Rezko, Levine, Blagojevich, Health Planning Board, Pay for Play, IL Senate, Obama arrest and indictment by USDOJ, US Department of Justice, Update December 12, 2008

Yesterday, Thursday, December 11, 2008 the Citizen Wells blog posted
an article that ended with:

“Since Barack Obama is attempting to sneak through the election
process with a great many legal questions clouding his past and
since the American public needs and depends on the Judicial Branch
of government to protect it from criminals and imposters, I
Citizen Wells, on behalf of the American public, ask that Mr.
Patrick Fitzgerald or any authorized employee of the US Justice
Department, present Mr. Barack H. Obama with an indictment and/or
Criminal Complaint at the earliest possible moment, with time being
of the essence. The Electoral College meets next week and it is
imperative that we do all that is in our power to prevent a
constitutional crisis in this country.”

Citizen Wells plea to Patrick Fitzgerald and US Justice Dept.

I just got off the phone. I attempted to contact the US Department
of Justice Office of Patrick Fitzgerald in Chicago, IL. I informed
the last person I was connected to that I had posted an article
yesterday on the Citizen Wells blog requesting that the USDOJ indict
and/or arrest Barack Obama. I also indicated that I would fax the
article today. Both people I talked to were a bit short with me, however,
they are getting bombarded with phone calls.

I then called the number for the press office and reached the same lady.

I will provide updates on this important story as I get them.

Obama indictment, Blagojevich arrest, Patrick Fitzgerald, December 11, 2008, Rezko trial,Obama, Rezko, Levine, Blagojevich, Health Planning Board, Pay for Play, IL Senate, Obama arrest and indictment by USDOJ, US Department of Justice

Why Barack Obama should be indicted

Part 2

One or more of the following events should happen:

  • Obama steps down.
  • Obama is forced to prove eligibility.
  • Obama is indicted and/or arrested.

If one of the above does not occur within a few months,
perhaps we should look to the Declaration of Independence
or Thomas Jefferson, for our next strategy.

Legal Notice

To:

Mr. Patrick Fitzgerald
US Department of Justice
219 S. Dearborn Street, Fifth Floor
Chicago, IL 60604

The US and state governments are composed of Executive,
Legislative and Judicials branches. This is designed to
provide a system of checks and balances and protect the
American public. We now need the protection from the American
Government more than ever. We have a presidential candidate
that will soon be voted for by the Electoral College with
these issues threatening to cause a constitutional crisis:

  • Obama is not a natural born citizen and is ineligible to be
    president.
  • Obama in his official capacity as IL State Senator and US
    Senator has committed High Crimes and Misdemeanors on multiple
    occasions.
  • Obama lied on his IL Bar Application.
  • Obama has a very suspect Selective Service Application.
  • Obama has been involved in illegal and corrupt dealings with
    the following indicted and/or convicted IL officials and
    businessmen:  

Tony Rezko
Stuart Levine
Dr. Robert Weinstein
Governor Rod Blagojevich

  • Obama conspired with one or more of the above named to rig
    the IL Health Facilities Planning Board.

Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department have been involved
in an investigation of crime and corruption in Chicago and IL,
sometimes referred to as “pay for play.” This investigation and
subsequent prosecutions has been methodical and well executed. The
initial focus was on Tony Rezko and his trial and conviction that
evolved out the testimony of Stuart Levine who had been wiretapped.
Multiple indictments and arrests have developed from the Rezko trial
leading up to the recent arrest of IL Governor Rod Blagojevich. All
of the people indicted or arrested  out of the investgation have one
thing in common. Connections to Barack Obama. It has been believed for
months that Rezko would talk and that Blagojevich and/or Obama was next.
It is now time to indict Barack H. Obama.

From the Petition to Impeach, expel Senator Obama

Whereas: Senator Barack Obama used the office of IL Senator to facilitate the vote rigging in Chicago as chairman of the Illinois Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Mr. Obama pushed legislation in Senate Bill 1332 to reduce the number of members of the Health Facilities Planning Board from 15 to 9. Mr. Obama did conspire with Stuart Levine, Tony Rezko and Rod Blogojevich to rig the committee and was rewarded with campaign contributions. The new members appointed included 3 doctors who contributed to Mr. Obama. On April 21, 2004, Stuart Levine explicitly advised Dr. Robert Weinstein, who is now indicted, of Tony Rezko’s role in manipulating the Planning Board’s vote.

The following have been indicted and/or arrested

Tony Rezko

“During the same time period, the indictment alleges, Rezko and Levine also were seeking to obtain a kickback of at least $1 million from contractor Jacob Kiferbaum, whose construction company was to build a new facility for Mercy Hospital in Crystal Lake, Illinois, if that facility received approval from the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, on which Levine sat.”

Tony Rezko Indictment

Stuart Levine

“Levine used his influence with the Planning Board to ensure that Mercy Hospital received approval of its application to build the Crystal Lake hospital after hiring Kiferbaum’s company. In voting for, and influencing other Planning Board members to vote for, Mercy’s application, Levine concealed from the Planning Board his financial arrangement or contacts with Kiferbaum.”

Stuart Levine Indictment

Dr. Robert Weinstein

“The false statements count alleges that on May 24, 2004, Weinstein lied to an FBI agent when he said that Levine never told him that Rezko had influence over the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, the state board that regulates hospital construction and expansion. In fact, the indictment alleges Weinstein knew that he and Levine had discussed Rezko’s influence over the Planning Board, including in a recorded conversation on April 21, 2004, in which Levine explicitly advised Weinstein of Rezko’s role in manipulating the Planning Board’s vote earlier that day on the Certificate of Need application of Mercy Health System Corp. Hospital and other matters.”

Dr. Robert Weinstein Indictment

Governor Rod Blagojevich

“Rezko was a principal fundraiser for ROD BLAGOJEVICH. 3 His criminal trial
focused on allegations that Rezko and Stuart Levine, a member of the board of trustees of
the Teachers Retirement System and the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, engaged
in a scheme to defraud the State of Illinois of Levine’s honest services by demanding
kickbacks, as well as political contributions to the campaign of ROD BLAGOJEVICH, in
return for the exercise of Levine’s official influence. Relevant evidence presented at the
Rezko trial is summarized below.”

“According to Levine, in approximately late October 2003, after Levine was
reappointed to the Planning Board, he shared a private plane ride from New York to Chicago
with ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Kelly. Levine, ROD BLAGOJEVICH, and Kelly were the
only passengers on the flight. According to Levine, at the beginning of the flight, Levine
thanked ROD BLAGOJEVICH for reappointing him to the Planning Board. ROD BLAGOJEVICH
responded that Levine should only talk with “Tony” [Rezko] or [Kelly]
about the Planning Board, “but you stick with us and you will do very well for yourself.”
ROD BLAGOJEVICH said this in front of Kelly.”

“Levine’s criminal activities included his abuse of his position on the Planning
Board to enrich both himself and Friends of Blagojevich. The Planning Board was a
commission of the State of Illinois, established by statute, whose members were appointed
by the Governor of the State of Illinois. At the relevant time period, the Planning Board
consisted of nine individuals. State law required an entity seeking to build a hospital,
medical office building, or other medical facility in Illinois to obtain a permit, known as a
“Certificate of Need” (“CON”), from the Planning Board prior to beginning construction.”

“Almanaseer testified that Beck instructed him that Rezko wanted
Almanaseer to vote a particular way and that Almanaseer should follow Levine’s lead in
voting on CONs.”

“During his testimony, Levine described a plan to manipulate the Planning
Board to enrich himself and Friends of Blagojevich. The plan centered on an entity
commonly known as Mercy Hospital (“Mercy”) that was attempting to obtain a CON to build
a new hospital in Illinois.”

Governor Rod Blagojevich Criminal Complaint

Chicago Tribune Rezko Trial Transcripts

March 6, 2008; 12:29 a.m.

“Hamilton finished remarks after an hour. She did not mention the name of Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama, whose U.S. Senate campaign in 2004 allegedly was the beneficiary of $20,000 in campaign cash from intermediaries in the kickback schemes the government says were orchestrated by Rezko.”

March 10, 2008; 4:16 p.m.

“The name of Barack Obama, the Democratic front-runner for the presidential nomination, also appears in the e-mail as a member of a strategic team reviewing hospital board matters with the governor’s staff when he was a state senator. The hospital board was scheduled to be revamped in the summer of 2003.

Obama was then chairman of the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services. Other legislative leaders, including Madigan, were part of that review panel as well, according to the e-mail.”

March 13, 2008; 3:09 p.m.

“Dr. Imad Almanaseer is on the witness stand this afternoon, testifying about his links to Antoin “Tony” Rezko and his time on the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board”.
“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.”

March 19, 2008; 11:21 a.m.

Prosecution witness Stuart Levine is walking jurors through the evolution of his relationship with defendant Tony Rezko. The two met at a dinner party shortly before the 2002 election in which Rezko’s close friend Rod Blagojevich was elected governor.”

“Levine said he met increasingly with Rezko in early 2003 after Blagojevich was sworn in as governor. On occasion, Levine said, Rezko described his close relationship with Blagojevich.

“He said that he had raised a great deal of money for Gov. Blagojevich and that he had great hopes and expectations that Gov. Blagojevich would run for president,” Levine recalled. “And although he knew it was a long shot, he was working toward that end.””

“”Mr. Rezko told me that he was able to have individuals appointed to state boards and was able to have individuals hired into state agencies and that he spoke very often — and in fact went over decisions — that Lon Monk would put into place,” Levine said.”

March 21, 2008; 12:10 p.m.

“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.”

Obama’s ties to Rezko, Blagojevich, corruption

Evelyn Pringle: Curtain Time for Obama — Part 2
Feds track Obama’s visits to Rezko

In the media, Obama always made it sound like he rarely saw Rezko, saying they met for breakfast or lunch once or twice a year. However, the FBI mole John Thomas helped investigators “build a record of repeat visits to the old offices of Rezko and former business partner Daniel Mahru’s Rezmar Corp., at 853 N. Elston, by Blagojevich and Obama during 2004 and 2005,“ according to the 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.

He also had a list of all calls between Levine and Rezko from November 2002 to May 2004. Rezko’s attorney brought out a point that backs the assertion that just because records on Obama were not shown, does not mean they do not exist.

The attorney questioned the agent about missing calls, and specifically those to and from Christopher Kelly. The agent first said records were not available, but later admitted the government probably does have records on Kelly that were not available to him.

In addition, the contributions extorted through the Planning Board scheme were for the intended presidential candidate, Blagojevich. Obama’s US senate war chest was already funded and by the time these kickbacks were paid that campaign would be over.

But Obama did end up with $20,000 from the very first kickback paid in the pension fund scheme set up through the Board of the Teacher’s Retirement System.

Elie Maloof and Joseph Aramanda, the straw donors used to funnel the contributions to Obama, also made $1,000 contributions of their own for his failed run for Congress in 2000, on the same day March 17, 2000.

In addition, Aramanda gave $500 to Obama’s senate campaign on June 30, 2003. In the summer of 2005, Aramanda’s teenage son landed a coveted intern position in Obama’s senate office in Washington.

Obama also received contributions directly from the persons appointed to the pension board for the express purpose of rigging the votes. On June 30, 2003, appointee, Jack Carriglio contributed $1,000.

The other appointee, Anthony Abboud, donated $500 to Obama on June 30, 2003, $250 on March 5, 2004, and $1,000 on June 25, 2004.

Michael Winter, who prosecutors say agreed to serve as a funnel for kickbacks paid through an investment firm in one scheme donated $3,000 to Obama on June 30, 2003.”

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.”

Conclusion

 

The names of Blagojevich and Obama were mentioned regularly
during the Rezko trial. Since Blagojevich and Obama were not
on trial at the time, much information known about them was
withheld. To understand this fact simply read the Criminal
Complaint against Rod Blagojevich. It is apparent that much
more is known about Barack Obama and that he is next in line
to be indicted.

Since Barack Obama is attempting to sneak through the election
process with a great many legal questions clouding his past and
since the American public needs and depends on the Judicial Branch
of government to protect it from criminals and imposters, I
Citizen Wells, on behalf of the American public, ask that Mr.
Patrick Fitzgerald or any authorized employee of the US Justice
Department, present Mr. Barack H. Obama with an indictment and/or
Criminal Complaint at the earliest possible moment, with time being
of the essence. The Electoral College meets next week and it is
imperative that we do all that is in our power to prevent a
constitutional crisis in this country.

I do hereby swear that the information provided above is, to the
best of my knowledge, accurate.

Citizen Wells                December 11, 2008