Tag Archives: Weinstein

Fox News Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck protect Obama, Saudi pressure?, Obama threats?, Obama money?, Obama eligibility, Obama corruption ties, Blagojevich indictment, Rezko, Levine, Weinstein, Obama arrest

Why has Obama employed a legion of private and government attorneys to avoid presenting a legitimate birth certificate and college records?…Citizen Wells and millions of concerned Americans

Why has the MSM and Fox News ignored the other counts of corruption against Rod Blagojevich, the same corruption tied to Obama, Rezko, Levine, Weinstein, et al? Why has the MSM and Fox only covered the alleged attempt to sell Obama’s old senate seat?

Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck continue to insult concerned Americans who question Obama’s eligibility. They refer to them as birthers and right wing nuts. However, even Lou Dobbs while still at CNN asked why Obama doesn’t present a legitimate birth certificate.

I have tried to make this simple enough even for the bloviating idiots O’Reilly and Beck. On February 14, 2010, the Citizen Wells blog presented this simple, uncomplicated information.

“Obama and Congress Request and Obtain an Extension of Time to File Opposition Brief to Kerchner v Obama & Congress Appeal.”

From the docket of the Kerchner v Obama lawsuit.

“02/12/2010
1 pg, 83.15 KB
ECF FILER: Letter from Dick Cheney, Congress of US, House Represenatives,
Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, US Senate and USA confirming extension of time
pursuant to Third Circuit LAR 31.4 with service on opposing counsel. Service
date 02/12/2010. (EF)”

Even Beck and O’Reilly can figure this one out. Obama is hiding his records and the taxpayers are paying for his defense.

Glenn Beck, I emailed and left voice messages with a cell phone number you can call if you have any questions or if anything here appears incorrect.

Glenn, I am still waiting for the phone call.

Obama attorneys fight to hide records

On February 15, 2010, the Citizen Wells blog provided an intro into what Blagojevich was indicted for versus what Bill o’Reilly interviewed him about.

“Let’s focus om the Rod Blagojevich indictment and upcoming trial. This, like the Tony Rezko trial, is more about rampant Chicago and Illinois corruption and Obama strong, long time ties to not only Blagojevich, but especially Tony Rezko who is at the center of so much of this corruption.

The Obama Administration and Obama camp are masters of deceit and diversions. It is now clear that the alleged attempt by Rod Blagojevich to sell Obama’s old US Senate seat was crafted as a masterful diversion to keep the attention away from the years of corruption that Blagojevich and Obama were involved in. Of course this benefits Blagojevich and Obama. It is an excellent diversion.”

Bill O’Reilly and Fox ignore most of Blagojevich indictment

Here is the truth about Blagojevich, Obama and their crime buddies.

From the Rod Blagojevich Indictment press release APRIL 2, 2009.

“CHICAGO – Since 2002, even before he was first elected governor that November, and continuing until he was arrested on Dec. 9, 2008, former Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and a circle of his closest aides and advisors allegedly engaged in a wide-ranging scheme to deprive the people of Illinois of honest government, according to a 19-count indictment returned today by a federal grand jury. Blagojevich, 52, of Chicago, was charged with 16 felony counts, including racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion conspiracy, attempted extortion and making false statements to federal agents. He allegedly used his office in numerous matters involving state appointments, business, legislation and pension fund investments to seek or obtain such financial benefits as money, campaign contributions, and employment for himself and others, in exchange for official actions, including trying to leverage his authority to appoint a United States Senator, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.”

“The charges are part of Operation Board Games, a continuing public corruption investigation of pay-to-play schemes, including insider-dealing, influence-peddling and kickbacks involving private interests and public duties. The investigation began in 2003 and has resulted in charges against a total of 17 defendants. Today’s charges were brought in a superseding indictment that replaces one brought Oct. 30, 2008, against Cellini alone for allegedly conspiring with others to obtain campaign funds for Blagojevich by shaking down an investment firm that was seeking a $220 million allocation from TRS.”
Citizen Wells: The following ties Blagojevich, Obama, Rezko, Levine, Weinstein and a host of other in a web of corruption.

“The principle fraud scheme count, which names Blagojevich, Monk, Harris and Robert Blagojevich as co-schemers, together with Kelly, Cellini, Rezko, Levine and others, alleges that they deprived the people of Illinois and the beneficiaries of TRS of the honest services of Blagojevich, Harris, Monk and Levine, who was a member of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board and the TRS board of trustees.”

From the Tony Rezko Indictment:

“The Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board (“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. 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.”

“REZKO used his relationship with certain State of Illinois officials, to ensure that REZKO and LEVINE had the ability to influence the actions of TRS and the Planning Board for the benefit of themselves and their nominees and associates.”
“4. It was further part of the scheme that REZKO sought to influence certain State of Illinois officials, in order to ensure that LEVINE, and persons allied with REZKO and LEVINE, retained and obtained memberships on the TRS Board and the Planning Board that enabled REZKO and LEVINE to influence the actions of those boards for the benefit of REZKO, LEVINE, and their nominees and associates. As part of this aspect of the scheme:”

From the indictment of

STUART LEVINE, JACOB KIFERBAUM, P. NICHOLAS HURTGEN

“The Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board (“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. 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.”

“7. It was further part of the scheme that LEVINE solicited a kickback of approximately $1.5 million from KIFERBAUM relating to the construction of Mercy Hospital’s Crystal Lake facility. KIFERBAUM agreed to pay a kickback, with the exact amount and manner of the payments to be determined at a later date. At LEVINE’s direction, the kickback proceeds were to be paid to Individual 1 pursuant to a sham consulting contract. LEVINE agreed to and did use his influence with the Planning Board to ensure that Mercy Hospital would and did receive approval of its application to build the Crystal Lake facility after it contracted with Kiferbaum Construction Company to build that facility. In voting for, and influencing other Planning Board members to vote for, the application for Mercy Hospital’s Crystal Lake facility, LEVINE concealed from the Planning Board his personal financial interest in the construction of the Crystal Lake facility. In furtherance of this aspect of the scheme:”

From the DR. Robert Weinstein Indictment.

“Investigation Special Agent that Levine never told WEINSTEIN that Rezko had influence over the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, whereas at the time WEINSTEIN made this statement and representation, WEINSTEIN knew the statement and representation was false because, in truth and fact, WEINSTEIN and Levine discussed Rezko’s influence over the Planning Board, including in a recorded conversation on April 21, 2004 in which they discussed Rezko’s involvement in the Planning Board and Levine explicitly advised WEINSTEIN of Rezko’s role in manipulating the Planning Board’s vote earlier that day on the CON application of Mercy Health System Corporation Hospital, as well as other Planning Board matters;
In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2).”

From the indictment of

ROD BLAGOJEVICH, CHRISTOPHER KELLY, ALONZO MONK, WILLIAM F. CELLINI, SR., JOHN HARRIS, and ROBERT BLAGOJEVICH

“It was further part of the conspiracy that defendants ROD BLAGOJEVICH and KELLY, along with Monk, Cellini, Robert Blagojevich, Harris, Rezko, and 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 the influence of 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.”

“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;”

Pay attention to the following. It is but one of many examples of Obama’s connections to shady dealings in Chicago. However, it is strong one and well documented.

Barack Obama’s role in rigging the IL Health Facilities Planning Board

The number of members was reduced from 15 to 9 and therefore allowed Tony Rezko, Stuart Levine and Rod Blagojevich to control the board with only 5 members.

From Journalist Evelyn Pringle.

“Curtain Time Part II will show that Obama was the inside guy in the Illinois senate as far as setting up the Health Facilities Planning Board to extort contributions from companies in exchange for the approval of applications to build medial facilities.

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:

http://therealbarackobama.wordpress.com/2008/10/01/evelyn-pringles-operation-board-games-and-curtain-time-for-obama/

From the Chicago Tribune Tony 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.”

I promised you more details. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

One thing is obvious, Rod Blagojevich’s alleged attempt to sell Obama’s old senate seat is minimal in the scheme of things. Another thing is obvious, Rod Blagojevich and Barack Obama are guilty as sin of long time crime and corruption.

Sadly, another thing is obvious. Fox News is not doing their job. Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck et al are covering for Obama. Here are some possible reasons.

Saudi pressure and ownership of Fox.

Bought out by Obama.

Threatened by Obama.

Fear of riots or reprisals if the truth emerges.

Ironically, Sean Hannity, who I respect the most on Fox, states repeatedly that journalism died in 2008.

USDOJ documents:

http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/

Advertisement

Obama, Baxter International, CDC, Dr. Robert Weinstein, corruption ties, Chicago, Weinstein, Levine, Rezko, Blagojevich, Obama

Are you sleeping well these days with the corrupt Obama in the White House and concerns about the H1N1 Swine Flu?

Flu epidemics or pandemics are scary enough under normal circumstances, but with the reputation of Obama and his long time ties to crime and corruption in Chicago, it is hard to trust anything coming out of his administration.

Remember Dr. Robert Weinstein? He pled guilty to corruption charges a few months ago, corruption charges that linked him to Stuart Levine, Tony Rezko, Rod Blagojevich and ultimately Barack Obama. Well, it turns out that there is a Dr. Weinstein that has ties to the CDC and possibly Baxter. Are these Dr. Weinstein’s related?

Now revisit the following article:

 Obama baxter ties in corrupt Chicago

To refresh your memory:

Dr. Robert Weinstein Indictment

Governor Rod Blagojevich Criminal Complaint

Citizen Wells request to Patrick Fitzgerald, Indict Obama

Dr. Robert Weinstein pleads guilty

Dr. Robert Weinstein and the CDC

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Past Issue

Vol. 7, No. 2
Mar–Apr 2001

“Controlling Antimicrobial Resistance in Hospitals: Infection Control and Use of Antibiotics

Robert A. Weinstein
Cook County Hospital and Rush Medical College, Chicago, Ilinois, USA”

“Dr. Weinstein is chair, Division of Infectious Diseases, Cook County Hospital; director of Infectious Disease Services for the Cook County Bureau of Health Services; and professor of medicine, Rush Medical College. He also oversees the CORE Center for the Prevention, Care and Research of Infectious Disease and directs the Cook County Hospital component of the Rush/Cook County Infectious Disease Fellowship Program. His areas of research include nosocomial infections (particularly the epidemiology and control of antimicrobial resistance and infections in intensive care units) and health-care outcomes for patients with HIV/AIDS.

Address for correspondence: Robert A. Weinstein, Division of Infectious Diseases – Suite 129 Durand, Cook County Hospital, 1835 W. Harrison St.,Chicago, IL 60612, USA; fax: 312-572-3523; e-mail: rweinste@rush.edu

Read more:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no2/weinstein.htm

October 24, 2006

“Yet the CDC refuses to endorse search and destroy. It is sticking to the mantra that hospital workers should wash their hands more carefully and frequently, and that in most cases patients should be isolated only after symptoms of infection with MRSA appear. Routine surveillance to find patients who may not be symptomatic, but are still contagious, is rarely practiced, and not recommended in the CDC’s new hospital infection-fighting guidelines, which were released last week after five years of deliberations. The guidelines do not include a routine recommendation for search and destroy.”

“This is a bitter pill for many infectious-disease experts, who have been joined by the relatives of dead patients, Consumers Union, and even a few Congress members in pressing the CDC. “Why are we spending millions if not billions on bird flu, a ghost that might not happen, when you have thousands being colonized by MRSA and dying of it?” asks Dr. William Jarvis, a top CDC hospital-infection expert until he resigned in 2003. At a March 29 hearing on hospital infections—which, all told, kill an estimated 90,000 patients each year—Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., charged that the CDC had stood by, despite a steady rise in infections since the early 1970s. “During that time, hospital stays have grown dramatically shorter yet infection rates continue to go up,” Stupak said. “What do we have to do to motivate CDC?””

“The counterargument is made by Dr. Robert Weinstein, a hospital-infection expert at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, and a leader on the CDC advisory committee that issued last week’s guidelines.”

Read more:

http://www.slate.com/id/2152118/

Rod Blagojevich impeachment trial, January 27, 2009, IL Governor impeachment, Obama ties, IL Health Planning Facilities Board, Bid rigging, Obama senate seat, Rezko, Levine, Weinstein, Criminal complaint, Blagojevich indictment, Patrick Fitzgerald

The impeachment trial of Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois
began on Monday, January 26, 2009. Governor Blagojevich was
not present at the trial Monday, instead he continued his
road show antics of pleading innocence and being the victim
of a witch hunt. Anyone that followed the Tony Rezko trial,
read the indictments of Rezko, Stuart Levine, Dr. Robert
Weinstein and a host of others and compared those revelations
to the details of the Blagojevich criminal complaint knows
of Rod Blagojevich’s deep involvement in Chicago pay to play
politics. It is also clear that the case against Blagojevich
is not simply about selling Obama’s senate seat, but about
many years of corruption that ties Blagojevich to many Chicago
corruption figures as well as Obama.

One of the more flagrant cases of corruption involving
Blagojevich and Obama was their part in rigging the IL Health
Planning Facilities Board. Obama was in the IL Senate at that
time and was instrumental in reducing the number of members
from 15 to 9. Why is that important? Because the governor, Rod
Blagojevich, had the power to appoint up to 5 members.
Blagojevich, in cahoots with Rezko and Levine, appointed
members that would follow their wishes and consequently Obama and
Blagojevich received campaign contributions from the new
members. The board was involved in bid rigging.

Obama and Blagojevich and Health Planning Board rigging

Obama, Blagojevich and IL Teachers Retirement System
reveal more Chicago and Illinois corruption ties.

Obama corruption ties in IL TRS should lead to indictment

Blagojevich investigation should lead to Obama Indictment

Listen to Blagojevich Impeachment Trial

Barack Obama must be indicted, Patrick Fitzgerald, January 15, 2009, Obama corruption, Rod Blagojevich, Rezko, Levine, Weinstein, Chicago corruption, Obama indictment, Obama is not eligible

Why Barack Obama should be indicted
Part 13

One or more of the following events should happen:

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

Barack Obama was not only in cahoots with corruption figures
like Rezko and other slumlord types like Valerie Jarrett, but
also corrupt figures that fraudulently used the IL Health
Planning Facilities Board and the IL TRS, Teachers Retirement
System.

What do Barack Obama and Rod Blagojevich have in common with
these indicted corruption figures?
Tony Rezko
Stuart Levine
Ali Ata
Joseph Cari
William Cellini
P. Nicholas Hurtgen
Jacob Kiferbaum
Steven Loren
Edward Vrdolyak
Dr. Robert Weinstein
A host of others mentioned in indictments, complaints and
court transcripts.

The Citizen Wells blog has already urged Patrick Fitzgerald to
indict Barack Obama based on his involvement in rigging the IL
Health Planning Facilities Board Indict Obama . The focus of this
article will be Obama’s ties to corruption involving the
TRS, Teachers Retirement System.

TRS, Teachers Retirement System described.
From Rezko indictment

“The Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Illinois (“TRS”) was a
public pension plan created by Illinois law for the purpose of providing
pension, survivor, and disability benefits for teachers and administrators
employed in Illinois public schools except in the City of Chicago. It served
approximately 325,000 members and annuitants, and had assets in excess of
approximately $30 billion. TRS was funded by annual contributions from
teachers, their employers, and the State of Illinois, as well as investment
income.”
“The activities of TRS were directed by an 11-member Board of Trustees. Certain
of those trustees were appointed by statute by the Governor of the State of
Illinois, while other trustees were elected by teachers and annuitants. Among
its other responsibilities, the Board of Trustees reviewed and voted to approve
or reject proposals by private investment management companies to manage funds
on behalf of TRS. At any given time, TRS assets were managed by numerous
different investment management companies. These companies were compensated by
TRS for their activities, typically through fees calculated as a percentage of
the TRS assets they managed.”
“In carrying out all of their duties, including reviewing and deciding whether
to approve or reject proposals by private investment management firms to manage
TRS assets, members of the TRS Board of Trustees owed a fiduciary duty to the
beneficiaries of TRS and were required to act solely for the benefit of the
beneficiaries of TRS. In order to assist members of the TRS Board of Trustees
in evaluating proposals to manage TRS assets, TRS required an investment firm to disclose, before TRS decided whether to authorize it to manage TRS assets, all
finder’s fees, placement fees, and commissions (hereafter collectively referred
to as “finder’s fees”) to be paid by that investment firm in connection with its
TRS business. Such fees at times were paid by investment firms to individuals or
entities in exchange for bringing the investment firm to the attention of TRS or
facilitating the communications between the investment firm and TRS.”

Here is a great overview of Obama and Blagojevich ties to corruption
from a April 7, 2008 article on the LA Times blog titled

“Ticket Special Report: Obama and Rezko, the early years”

Written by Andrew Malcolm “A veteran foreign and national correspondent,
Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist
in 2004.”
“The trial of Antoin “Tony” Rezko, one-time patron to Sen. Barack Obama and
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, has turned lurid.

Under cross-examination by Rezko attorney Joseph Duffy, star prosecution witness
Stuart Levine, a Chicago-area lawyer, is admitting to conspiracy, extortion,
bribery, fraud and other bad acts while he “served” at the Illinois public school
teachers pension fund board.”
“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.”

 

“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.”

 

“Those Obama-Blagojevich donors include Rezko himself, along with his family members,
employees and associates of his various business enterprises. There’s also the head
of a major Chicago investment firm that received Illinois public teachers’ pension
money to invest.”

 

“Another overlapping donor is John Rogers, head of Ariel Capital, a major
Chicago-based investment firm. Rogers gave $12,500 to Blagojevich in 2004, the FBI
spreadsheet shows. Rogers has also given Obama $25,000, state and FEC records reveal.”

 

“As an Illinois state senator, Obama appeared before Illinois pension funds in 2000
and 2001 to urge that they provide more business to black-owned investment houses
including, as it happens, Ariel.

Describing his efforts to the Urban League last year, Obama said African-American-owned
firms were not getting any business from state pensions. Obama singled out Rogers’ Ariel
Capital, calling it a well-respected investment house, but one that received no business.

“We didn’t have to implement a formal program,” Obama told the Urban League, taking no
credit. “I simply said, ‘Listen to what these folks have to say,’ and in about six
months they got about a half billion dollars worth of business simply on their own
excellence.”

In 2002, the year after Obama made the pitch, the Illinois Teacher Retirement System
reported an 18% increase in assets managed by minority-owned firms. Ariel’s share grew
to $442 million by 2005.

In 2006, after the federal investigation became public, the teacher pension board severed
its relationship with Ariel, concluding that Ariel’s investment returns were insufficient.”

Evelyn Pringle is an investigative journalist and she deserves
a lot of credit for researching and writing about Obama’s ties
to crime and corruption in Chicago and Illinois. The following
exerpts from her articles will provide important insights into
these ties.
Access Evelyn Pringle’s articles

Barack Obama — Operation Board Games For Slumlords

“In Obama’s case, a whole gang of slumlords in Illinois made their “voices heard”
by writing campaign checks to fund his rise to fame. But as long as the focus
of the slumlord allegations remains solely on a crook named Rezko, the other
members of the gang will not get the credit they deserve.”
“The prosecution team is led by the US Attorney for Northern Illinois, Patrick
Fitzgerald, of Scooter Libby fame; the same guy who put the last Illinois
Governor behind bars and convicted a host of government officials from the
Daley administrations who were involved in what prosecutors called “pervasive
fraud” to rig city hiring for 12 years with persons who got out the vote for
Mayor Daley, and the candidates he endorsed, as well as numerous crooks rounded
up during the scandal involving Daley’s Hired Truck program.

The list of names in the indictment includes about eight persons referred to
as “Co-Schemers,” and reads like a “who’s who list” of major campaign donors
to Obama, Blagojevich, Daley and other powerful Illinois politicians.

Blagojevich is referred to as “Public Official A,” Obama is referred to as a
“political candidate,” and there is a list of “Individuals” from “Individual A”
all the way up to “Individual HH.””
“The case involves the corruption of two state regulatory boards. The
investigation, dubbed “Operation Board Games,” by the Feds, began in December
2003, based on information supplied by an informant. Its now obvious that Rezko
was aware of the investigation as early as 2004, because during a January 16,
2007, court hearing his attorney, Joe Duffy, told US District Judge Amy St Eve
that he was hired in 2004.”
“On Blagojevich took office, the Schemers were able to stack the TRS board with
members who would vote whichever way they were told. Once they accomplished that
feat, they demanded kickbacks from investment firms in exchange for the approval
of their proposals.

Rezko’s partner in the Rezmar development company, Daniel Mahru, is referred to
as “Individual Z” in the indictment, and according to court filings, Rezko told
Mahru that “$500 million” of TRS money was earmarked for their company. Mahru is
reportedly cooperating with federal investigators.

In addition to lining their own pockets, the money gained through the scheme was
funneled to the campaigns of Blagojevich and Obama. Prosecutors have identified
two $10,000 payments that were made to Obama’s US Senate campaign through straw
donors Joseph Aramanda and Elie Maloof, which originated from a kickback paid by
investment firm, Glencoe Capital, to secure approval for a $50 million deal.

Aramanda and Maloof also each gave Obama $1,000 for his failed run for Congress
in 2000. Once Obama became a US Senator, Aramanda’s son was granted a coveted
intern position in Obama’s Senate office in Washington during the summer of 2005,
based on a request which the Obama’s camp has admitted came from Rezko.

Levine was appointed to the TRS Board in 2000, by Republican Governor George Ryan
and was reappointed in 2003 by Blagojevich. As part of the team led by Levine to
rig the votes, Blagojevich appointed, attorney Anthony Abboud, to serve. He is
“Individual Q” in the indictment. He has been donating money to Obama’s political
career since March 2000, with a total of more than $2,800.

Blagojevich also appointed, attorney Jack Carriglio, or “Individual R.” On June
30, 2003, Carriglio donated $1,000 for Obama’s US Senate campaign.”

“But Obama’s using the lure of the pension funds to raise campaign money goes way
back. In 1999, he “was instrumental in the formation of a coalition of black
investment firm owners and legislators in Illinois to create an initiative that
would award black-owned firms with the management of some of the state’s
retirement funds,” according to a 2004 article on Black Enterprise.com.

“He’s out there fighting for us,” said John Rogers, chairman and CEO of
Chicago-based Ariel Capital Management in the article. Rogers donated $9,000 to
Obama’s US Senate campaign.”

“However, the Times pointed out that Obama’s political career had benefited many
times over from his ties to the group. “Several of the businessmen or their wives
would help clear the debts from his Congressional race,” the Times wrote, “and six
of the group’s members are now among the top fund-raisers for his presidential
campaign, according to campaign finance records.”

All totaled, the Times said, employees at more than 30 companies listed on the
group’s website and their relatives donated more than $300,000 to help Obama win
his US Senate seat in 2004 and “set fund-raising records early in the 2008
presidential race.””

“John Rogers and two other people at Ariel each bundled at least $50,000 in
donations for Obama’s presidential campaign, according to the Times.

An October 3, 2005 article in the Sun-Times, by Chris Fusco and Dave McKinney,
reported that Ariel and its top executives also contributed $117,500 to
Blagojevich’s campaign.”

Barack Obama — Subplots of Operation Board Games

“Fitzgerald further reported that, “Cari and Loren, both formerly prominent
Chicago lawyers, each pleaded guilty in the pending TRS fraud case. Kiferbaum,
a suburban construction executive, pleaded guilty in the pending Planning Board
case.”

“All three are cooperating with the government and awaiting sentencing,”
the release said.

“This basically involved a pay to play scheme on steroids,” Fitzgerald told
reporters.

Allison Davis, Obama’s boss at the law firm, is also listed in legal documents
as playing a part in setting up a major extortion attempt in the Board Games case.”
Obama’s political career was bankrolled by the same gang that planned to make
Blagojevich president. For instance, Fortunee Massuda, another participant
identified in the “pay-to-play” schemes, contributed $25,000 to Blagojevich
compared to $2,000 to Obama. Michel Malek, another participant, threw $25,000 to
Blagojevich and $10,500 to Obama.

Ali Ata, another guy listed as a co-schemer in one indictment, was made executive
director of the Illinois Finance Authority, and he contributed $25,000 to
Blagojevich and $5,000 to Obama.

Jay Wilton, identified by prosecutors as a major contributor to Blagojevich, is
the owner of Wilton Partners, a construction company in California. He donated
$50,000 to Blagojevich shortly after his firm cinched an $83 million contract
with the state to refurbish the Illinois tollway’s oasis rest stops. Wilton also
gave $5,000 to Obama.

Joe Cari donated $15,000 to Blagojevich but only gave $1,335 to Obama.

A trial exhibit produced by an FBI agent, identifies major contributors who
donated $1.43 million to Blagojevich between 2001 and 2004. The Chicago Sun-Times
compared the exhibit to government campaign records on Obama and found he
received more than $220,000 from many of the same donors between 2001 and 2004.

John Rogers, the head of Ariel Capital, an investment firm that ended up with
major money from the pension funds, is on the FBI’s summary of Blagojevich’s
top contributors. He also gave Obama $25,000.

Rogers is a member of the finance committee for Obama’s presidential campaign.
Rogers also served on the campaign finance committee for Obama’s US Senate run
with Tony and Rita Rezko, Allison Davis, and Myron “Mike” Cherry.

Mike Cherry is listed in the indictment for the pay-to-pay schemes and the FBI
shows he gave Blagojevich $25,000 in 2003.

Daniel Mahru, a major player in the Chicago slumlord racket, has reportedly
flipped in the Board Games case and is cooperating with the prosecution. He is
 the owner of Automatic Ice Company, which donated $10,000 to Blagojevich. Mahru
gave $5,000 to Obama.

Attorney, Jack Carriglio, contributed $25,000 to Blagojevich and was appointed
to the TRS Board. He also gave $1000 to Obama.”
“In a January 11, 2006, report by Better Government Association, the groups
Executive Director, Jay Stewart, stated: “Illinois is awash in scandal and
corruption.””

 

Curtain Time for Obama — Part 1

“Ata told the jury he delivered one $25,000 contribution to Blagojevich at
Rezko’s office in the latter part of 2002, and the three men discussed the
prospects of Ata getting an appointment in the administration. He said people
at the office that day included Blagojevich’s campaign chief and later chief of
staff, Lon Monk, Christopher Kelly, and state Representative Jay Hoffman.

“I learned that Mr. Hoffman was part of a select group of advisers that were
referred to as the kitchen cabinet,” Ata told the jury.

“The way Ali Ata described it, the waiting room in the North Side office of
Antoin “Tony” Rezko seemed as busy as an airport terminal,” the Tribune noted
on May 1, 2008.

Ata brought another $25,000 check to a fundraiser on July 25, 2003, and he was
appointed to lead the 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.”

Indictments, Criminal Complaints regarding TRS

Levine, Cari, Loren Indictment

March 2004

“Beginning no later than early 2002 and continuing through
at least June 2004, in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern
Division, and elsewhere, STUART LEVINE,
defendant herein, together with Joseph Cari, Steven Loren, and
others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, devised and intended to
devise, and participated in, a scheme and artifice to defraud TRS
and its beneficiaries of money, property, and the intangible right
to the honest services of defendant LEVINE, by means of materially
false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, and
material omissions, and in furtherance thereof used the United
States mails and other interstate carriers, and interstate and
foreign wires, which scheme is further described below.”
“In the course of the scheme, LEVINE solicited,
demanded, and received hundreds of thousands of dollars in
undisclosed kickbacks and payments for LEVINE and his nominees and
associates from investment firms seeking to do business with TRS.”

Tony Rezko Indictment

February 2005

“STUART LEVINE and ANTOIN REZKO, also known as “Tony Rezko,”
defendants herein, together with Joseph Cari, Steven Loren, Jacob Kiferbaum,
Individual A, and others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, devised and
intended to devise, and participated in, a scheme and artifice to defraud the
beneficiaries of TRS and the people of the State of Illinois, of money,
property, and the intangible right to LEVINE’s honest services, by means of
materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, and
material omissions, and in furtherance thereof used the United States mails
and other interstate carriers, and interstate and foreign wires, which scheme
is further described below.”
“It was part of the scheme that defendants REZKO and LEVINE, with the
assistance of Cari, Loren, Kiferbaum, Individual A, Individual B, and others,
fraudulently used and sought to use the position and influence of LEVINE and
other members of the TRS Board of Trustees and the Planning Board to obtain
financial benefits for REZKO, LEVINE, and their nominees and associates. In
the course of the scheme, REZKO and LEVINE solicited and demanded millions of
dollars in undisclosed kickbacks and payments, and received and directed
hundreds of thousands of dollars in actual undisclosed kickbacks and payments,
for the benefit of REZKO, LEVINE, and their nominees and associates, from
investment firms seeking to do business with TRS, and from Kiferbaum. Among
the defendants’ fraudulent activities in the course of the scheme were the
following:”

“REZKO used his relationship with certain State of Illinois officials, to
ensure that REZKO and LEVINE had the ability to influence the actions of TRS
and the Planning Board for the benefit of themselves and their nominees and
associates.”

William Cellini Indictment

February 2008
“Beginning no later than in and about the spring of 2003 and continuing
through in or about the summer of 2005, in the Northern District of Illinois,
Eastern Division, and elsewhere, WILLIAM F. CELLINI, SR., defendant herein,
together with Stuart Levine, Antoin “Tony” Rezko, Steven Loren, Co-Conspirator
A, and others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, did conspire and agree with
each other to commit offenses against the United States, namely, to devise and
participate in a scheme to defraud the beneficiaries of TRS and the people of
the State of Illinois of their intangible right to Levine’s honest services,
and it was foreseeable that for the purposes of executing and attempting to
execute such scheme, one or more members of the conspiracy would use and cause
the use of the United States mails and private and commercial interstate
carriers, and the transmission of a wire communication in interstate commerce,
in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341, 1343, and 1346.”


Defendant WILLIAM F. CELLINI, SR. (“CELLINI”) had longstanding relationships
and influence with TRS trustees, including Stuart Levine, and TRS staff members,
and was associated with a real estate asset management firm, Commonwealth Realty
Advisors, that managed hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of TRS. CELLINI
also raised significant funds for, among others, Public Official A.”
“It was further part of the conspiracy that in or around the summer and fall of
2004, in an effort to conceal the conspiracy, CELLINI, Rezko and others discussed
the possibility of removing the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of
Illinois in an effort to stop any investigation into the co-conspirators and
others.”

Governor Rod Blagojevich Criminal Complaint

December 9, 2008


“Cari testified that he eventually became involved in the attempted extortion
of JER, a real estate investment firm that was seeking an investment from the
Teachers Retirement System (“TRS”). Details regarding corruption at TRS
involving one of its board members, Stuart Levine, are set forth below. Based
on his conversations with ROD BLAGOJEVICH, Rezko, Kelly, and Levine, in which
he was informed that consultants would be inserted into State of Illinois
transactions and then solicited for campaign contributions, Cari believed that
JER needed to hire a consultant. Cari testified that he informed employees of
JER that they needed to hire a consultant and that in Illinois the “Governor
and the people around the Governor” pick the consultants to be used on
particular deals. Cari informed JER employees that if they did not hire the
consultant then JER would not receive the money it was seeking from the State
of Illinois. Ultimately, JER exposed the attempted extortion and received money
from the State of Illinois.”
“Levine originally was appointed to the TRS Board in 2000. By the summer of 2001,
Levine, working in concert with William Cellini, who had a significant interest
in a real estate asset management firm that had a long-standing business
relationship with TRS, had established effective control over the TRS board by
forming and maintaining a group of TRS trustees who consistently voted together
on matters important to Cellini and Levine.”
“Levine testified that among the steps Cellini took to ingratiate himself with
ROD BLAGOJEVICH was raising considerable money for ROD BLAGOJEVICH.”
“As set forth more fully in the following paragraphs, Levine and Cellini, in order
to keep their control over TRS, agreed to an accommodation with Rezko and Kelly
that Rezko and Kelly would use their influence with ROD BLAGOJEVICH to stop the
consolidation of TRS with other pension boards and, in exchange, Levine and Cellini
would assist investment firms named by Rezko and Kelly to receive TRS money because
those investment firms had made or would make political contributions to ROD
BLAGOJEVICH.”

Conclusion

One getting their primary information from the MSM could easily get the impression
that Rod Blagojevich is being investigated primarily for trying to sell the US
Senate seat vacated by Obama and that Obama is innocent of all wrongdoing. However,
the truth of the matter is that Blagojevich has been under investigation for many
months and that he and Obama have long time close ties to crime and corruption in
Chicago and Illinois. There is so much damaging material about Blagojevich that
Patrick Fitzgerald requested a 90 day extension to prepare an indictment. The
Citizen Wells blog predicted months ago that Blagojevich would be indicted and
that Barack Obama would be indicted shortly thereafter.

It is clear that Patrick Fitgerald has been working his way up the job title chain
and that Barack Obama is next.

US Supreme Court, Chief Justice John Roberts, US Department
of Justice, Patrick Fitzgerald, we have a president elect
that is not eligible and should already have been indicted.
Are you going to do your job and protect this country or is
it too late.

Impeach Obama Petition, Stevens indictment, Compare Obama, Rezko, Weinstein, Levine, Sign Petition, Obama indictment next?

Theodore F. Stevens, a U.S. Senator from Alaska, was indicted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008,  of seven counts of making false statements related to Stevens’ financial disclosure forms. Stevens is a Republican Senator. Will Stevens be pressured to resign? William Jefferson (D-LA) in the House,  was indicted on corruption charges. He remains in Congress and still has his committee assignments.  Stevens was stripped of his committee assignments by Senate leadership.

Pay close attention to the following:

Obama has a long time close association to convicted corruption figure Tony Rezko. Obama is tied to recently convicted Dr. Robert Weinstein, who also worked with Michelle Obama. Look at the conviction counts of Tony Rezko, the indictment of Weinstein and then compare them to the indictment of Theodore F. Stevens. After reviewing them look at the petition to impeach Barack Obama.

Here is the Department of Justice announcement of Steven’s indictment:

“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
WWW.USDOJ.GOVCRM
(202) 514-2007
TDD (202) 514-1888

U.S. Senator Indicted on False Statement Charges
WASHINGTON – United States Senator Theodore F. Stevens of Alaska was charged today in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia with seven counts of making false statements related to Stevens’ financial disclosure forms, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division announced.

The seven-count indictment charges Sen. Stevens, the former chairperson of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, with engaging in a nearly eight-year scheme to conceal his receipt of more than $250,000 in things of value from VECO Corporation, formerly a multi-national oil services company based in Alaska, and Bill J. Allen, the Chief Executive Officer of VECO at the time. According to the indictment, Stevens concealed these things of value from his publicly filed United States Senate financial disclosure forms. The things of value that Stevens allegedly received included: substantial home improvements to property Stevens owns in Girdwood, Alaska; automobile exchanges in which Stevens received new vehicles worth far more than the used vehicles Stevens provided in exchange; and household goods. The indictment also alleges that Sen. Stevens, during the same time that he was concealing his continuing receipt of these things of value from VECO and Allen, received solicitations for official actions from Allen and other VECO employees, and that Sen. Stevens used his position and office on behalf of VECO during that same time period.

The indictment specifically charges Stevens with making false statements on his financial disclosure forms for calendar years 2001 to 2006. The indictment alleges that, during each of those years, Stevens knowingly failed to report his receipt of any thing of value from Allen, VECO or two other individuals, despite the fact that the forms required Stevens to report his receipt of such things of value.

As set forth in the indictment, the Ethics in Government Act requires all members of the United States Senate to file a financial disclosure form, detailing specified financial transactions that the elected official engaged in during the prior calendar year, including disclosure of gifts over a specified monetary amount and disclosure of liabilities in excess of $10,000 owed during any point of a calendar year.

The indictment is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation in the state of Alaska. An indictment is merely an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
To date, there have been seven criminal convictions arising out of the ongoing investigation. Thomas T. Anderson, a former elected member of the Alaska House of Representatives, was convicted in July 2007 and sentenced to five years in prison for extortion, conspiracy, bribery and money laundering for soliciting and receiving money from an FBI confidential source in exchange for agreeing to perform official acts to further a business interest represented by the source. Peter Kott, a former Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives, was convicted in September 2007 and sentenced to six years in prison for extortion, bribery and conspiracy. Victor H. Kohring, a former elected member of the Alaska House of Representatives, was convicted at trial in November 2007 for attempted extortion, bribery and conspiracy, and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. In March 2008, James A. Clark, chief of staff to the former governor of Alaska, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services mail and wire fraud. In addition, former Anchorage lobbyist William Bobrick pleaded guilty in May 2007 to felony public corruption charges.

Former VECO Chief Executive Officer Bill J. Allen and former VECO Vice President of Community Affairs and Government Relations Richard L. Smith, pleaded guilty in May 2007 to providing more than $400,000 in corrupt payments to public officials from the state of Alaska.

This case is being prosecuted by Principal Deputy Chief Brenda K. Morris, Trial Attorneys Nicholas A. Marsh and Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, headed by Chief William M. Welch II, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph W. Bottini and James A. Goeke from the District of Alaska. The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigative Division.”

Here are the counts of corruption Tony Rezko was convicted of:

The Rezko verdict, count by count
June 5, 2008

Here’s how Tony Rezko fared on each of the 24 charges he faced and what each involved:
GUILTY:
COUNT 1, Mail Fraud: A completed questionnaire sent July 18, 2003 via United Parcel Service from Glencoe Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm, to the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System’s Springfield office.
COUNT 2, Mail Fraud: Glencoe Capital presentation materials sent to TRS via United Parcel Service July 30, 2003.
COUNT 4, Wire Fraud: An April 14, 2004, phone call from Stuart Levine in Highland Park to attorney Joseph Cari in Hong Kong to discuss the name of a consultant to receive a finder’s fee from the Virginia-based investment firm, JER Partners, in exchange for an allocation from TRS.
COUNT 5, Wire Fraud: A $750,000 compensation agreement faxed May 19, 2004, from a firm in the Turks & Caicos Islands, British West Indies, to JER in Virginia on May 19, 2004.
COUNT 6, Wire Fraud: A May 20, 2004, phone call from Chicago attorney Joseph Cari pressuring JER to sign the compensation agreement.
COUNT 7, Mail Fraud: A May 10, 2004, Federal Express shipment of materials related to investment firm Sterling Financial’s application for an allocation of TRS assets.
COUNT 8, Mail Fraud: A May 19, 2004, Federal Express envelope from Sterling to TRS containing materials related to its planned presentation at the May 2004 TRS board meeting.
COUNT 11, Mail Fraud: A Nov. 25, 2003, letter from contractor Jacob Kiferbaum seeking the contract for construction of a hospital in Crystal Lake and offering help in obtaining approval for the project from the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board.
COUNT 12, Mail Fraud: A May 24, 2004, letter from the planning board to Mercy Hospital confirming that the board approved the hospital project.
COUNT 13, Wire Fraud: An April 17, 2004, phone call from Levine to friend and partner Dr. Robert Weinstein to discuss the applications of three money management firms, Stockwell, IMH and Capri Capital for TRS allocations.
COUNT 14, Wire Fraud: An April 21 phone call from Levine to Weinstein to discuss IMH and Mercy Hospital.
COUNT 15, Wire Fraud: A May 21, 2004, phone call from Levine to Weinstein to discuss JER, IMH, Capri, Mercy Hospital and TRS assets.
COUNT 17, Aiding and Abetting Bribery: Plan under which Chicago money manager Sheldon Pekin was told by Levine to split a finder’s fee from Glencoe Capital and pay Rezko business associate Joseph Aramanda $250,000.
COUNT 20, Aiding and Abetting Bribery: The illegal solicitation by Levine of funds from JER to be paid to a consultant named by Rezko and Levine.
COUNT 23, Money Laundering: A March 24, 2004, check from Pekin to Aramanda for $125,000, part of a fee from Glencoe Capital.
COUNT 24, Money Laundering: An April 26, 2004, check from Pekin to Aramanda for $125,000, part of a fee from Glencoe Capital.

Here is the Department of Justice announcement of Weinstein’s indictment:

“United States Attorney
Northern District of Illinois
 

Patrick J. Fitzgerald
United States Attorney  

 
 Federal Building
219 South Dearborn Street, Fifth Floor Chicago, Illinois 60604
(312) 353-5300
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY JUNE 27, 2008
www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln PRESS CONTACTS:
AUSA Daniel Gillogly
AUSA/PIO Randall Samborn  (312)886-1328
(312)353-5318
 

DR. ROBERT WEINSTEIN INDICTED FOR ALLEGED ROLE IN DEFRAUDING MEDICAL SCHOOL AND CHARITY OF MILLIONS WITH STUART LEVINE

CHICAGO – An area physician and businessman was indicted on federal charges for his alleged role in defrauding a north suburban medical school and a charitable organization in a multimillion dollar scheme with his longtime business partner and others, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, announced today. The defendant, Robert J. Weinstein, and his partner, Stuart Levine, were both trustees of the two alleged fraud victims – the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, formerly known as the Finch University of Health Sciences/the Chicago Medical School (CMS) in North Chicago, and the Northshore Supporting Organization (NSO), which Weinstein created in 2001 ostensibly to provide financial support to CMS. Weinstein and Levine, who has pleaded guilty in related cases and is cooperating with the Government, and others allegedly fraudulently obtained millions of dollars for Weinstein and Levine by misusing their trustee positions and taking money belonging to CMS and NSO. Weinstein was also charged with lying to federal agents about whether Levine ever told him about the influence that recently convicted businessman and political fund-raiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko had over the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, on which Levine served.

Weinstein, 62, of Northbrook and Delray Beach, Fla., was charged with one count each of wire fraud, mail fraud and making false statements, in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury late yesterday. He will be arraigned at a later date in U.S. District Court.

The indictment is part of Operation Board Games, an ongoing federal public corruption investigation of insider-dealing, influence-peddling and kickbacks involving private interests and public duties related to various state boards and non-profit organizations.

Mr. Fitzgerald announced the charges with Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Thomas P. Brady, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Alvin Patton, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago; and James Vanderberg, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General in Chicago.

Between early 2000 and March 2003, Weinstein and Levine allegedly engaged in two specific fraudulent transactions that deprived CMS and NSO of money and the honest services of the two trustees.

In one deal, according to the indictment, in 2000, Weinstein and Levine sought to obtain millions of dollars for themselves in connection with CMS’s proposed development of property it owned at 2020 West Ogden Ave., Chicago, near various hospitals and healthcare facilities. They allegedly used their influence as trustees of CMS to require Developer A, as a condition of doing business with CMS, to pay their designee, Co-Schemer S, approximately 20 percent of the net profits of the development, even though Co-Schemer S had nothing to do with the project and never even met with representatives of the developer. Unbeknownst to CMS and Developer A, Co-Schemer S was acting secretly as a middleman for Weinstein and Levine to conceal their financial interest in the project, and Co-Schemer S would transfer some or all of the proceeds he received to them. Weinstein and Levine used John Glennon, who has pleaded guilty to other charges related to CMS and was CMS’s consultant on the development project, to convey their unlawful demands to Developer A, thus concealing their roles in demanding to receive any proceeds, the charges allege.

In the second deal, Weinstein and Levine, assisted by C-Schemer S, allegedly looted $6 million from NSO by causing NSO to transfer $3 million to each of them in exchange for two $3 million promissory notes, which neither of them intended to repay. Weinstein and Levine allegedly concealed this fraud by orchestrating a series of sham transactions among NSO, CMS, and Co-Schemer S, which ultimately resulted in neither Weinstein nor Levine having to repay the $6 million, thus allowing them to misappropriate the money from NSO for themselves.

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. The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaarina Salovaara.

If convicted, mail fraud and wire fraud each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or an alternative maximum fine of twice the gross profit to any defendant or twice the loss to any victim. Making false statements carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Court, however, would determine the appropriate sentence to be imposed under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”

There should be one standard for all, Senators and Representatives, Republican and Democrat.

Will Obama be indicted next?

Next, go to the Petition to Impeach Senator Obama site. Read the petition and compare it to what you have just read.

How can you not sign the petition and followup with a hand signed letter?

http://obamaimpeachment.org