UPDATE: Blagojevich-Obama Subpoena: Where’s REZKO?

 (For some background on the Blagojevich/Rezko connection, click here: http://writewingpolitics.wordpress.com/2008/12/13/culture-of-corruption-rod-blagojevic/)

It’s been almost two (2) years since Antoin “Tony” Rezko was convicted on 16 of 24 felony counts by a federal grand jury in Chicago. The counts included fraud, money laundering and joining a bribery conspiracy. However Rezko still has not been sentenced. On October 9, 2008, the Chicago Sun-Times reported:

October 9, 2008

BY NATASHA KORECKI Federal Courts Reporter

A federal judge this morning officially postponed the sentencing of political fund-raiser Tony Rezko as he continues his discussions with the government.

U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve indefinitely delayed Rezko’s Oct. 28 sentencing date and told the parties to meet again for a status in the case in December.

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More on the Rezko trial in our “Eye on Rezko” blog

The sentencing, originally scheduled for Oct. 28, just before the election, was likely to bring unfavorable publicity to Rezko’s onetime friend Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama.

Prosecutors and Rezko lawyers said this morning they did not want to set a future date for sentencing.

Rezko lawyer William Ziegelmueller said they sought the delay to “work together to agree to otherwise narrow differences at sentencing.”

The agreement comes as Rezko is talking to federal prosecutors. The Sun-Times first reported Rezko’s meetings with the feds in August and sources close to the investigation later confirmed the talks last month.

Ziegelmueller said this morning there was presently no deal in place, otherwise “today would have been different.”

Ziegelmueller said Rezko remains in solitary confinement in the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

Two (2) years is a long time to be engaged in a conversation with federal prosecutors.

So, where’s Rezko? A quick search of the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator revealed INMATE NOT FOUND. 

Rezko was moved out of a downtown Chicago jail in December 2009. The Chicago Sun-Times reported:

Prosecutors help move Rezko out of MCC

By

Natasha Korecki

on

February 3, 2009 3:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

By Natasha Korecki
Federal Courts Reporter/nkorecki@suntimes.com

Convicted businessman Tony Rezko — who is poised to become a crucial witness in the massive corruption case against ex-Gov. Blagojevich — was quietly moved out of a downtown jail and into another facility last month, the Sun-Times has learned.
Authorities seeking Rezko’s cooperation pushed for the move after Rezko complained about being held in the tough confines of solitary imprisonment, known as “the hole,” even as he was providing information to prosecutors, sources said.
U.S. Bureau of Prisons records show Rezko was released from the Metropolitan Correctional Center downtown on Dec. 16.
Kim Widup, the U.S. Marshal in Chicago, said Rezko was relocated.
“He is still in marshal service custody,” Widup said. “We have moved him into another institution.”
Widup wouldn’t specify the new lockup, but the Marshal’s Service uses space in more than half a dozen county jails in Illinois and Wisconsin in addition to the MCC.
Rezko’s relocation is a sign that even with thousands of taped conversations of the governor, investigators still highly value Rezko’s potential as a witness. The MCC is considered by some inmates to have harsher conditions than county jails.
Upon his conviction in early June of schemes involving state deals, Rezko went to jail voluntarily, saying he wanted to start serving his time. Then, in August, the Sun-Times first reported that the 53-year-old Wilmette resident began meeting with prosecutors.
Rezko, who served as an adviser and fund-raiser to Blagojevich, provided authorities with substantial information involving the governor and bolstered pay-to-play testimony by former Illinois Finance Authority director Ali Ata, as well as talking about other alleged deals.
But the talks hit a stumbling block when Rezko grew frustrated at being held in solitary at the MCC. In late November, Rezko’s lawyers asked a federal judge to sentence their client — a threat to stop talking. Cooperating defendants usually aren’t sentenced until after they testify. But after that move, the two sides appeared to find a resolution. On Dec. 16, U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve indefinitely postponed Rezko’s sentencing — that was the same day he was moved to another jail.

If Rezko is not currently incarcerated with the Bureau, is he under federal witness protection? Given his name has now re-surfaced in the Blagojevich prosecution, does Rezko have information to contradict what Obama told the FBI? Only time, and Tony Rezko will tell.

SHORTLINK: http://wp.me/pjWTB-Mp

Subpoena Suggests Obama Gave Blagojevich Advice on Senate Replacement

Read the defense motion HERE. As I speculated yesterday, will the Fed’s prosecution of Blago ultimately bring down the Obama administration?

The Source for the information below can be found here: http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/The-Six-Secrets-You-Need-to-Know-From-the-Blagojevich-Filing-91848634.html

1. Obama may have lied about conversations with convicted fraudster Tony Rezko

Blagojevich’s lawyers allege that Rezko admitted breaking the law by contributing “a large sum of cash” to a public official. Blagojevich’s attorneys say that public official is Obama. Obama said that Rezko never relayed a request from a lobbyist to hold a fundraiser in favor of favorable legislative action. But the point may be moot: regardless of Obama talking/not talking to Rezko, Blagojevich’s attorneys say that Obama refused the request regardless.

Redacted portion: However, the defense has a good faith belief that Mr. Rezko, President Obama’s former friend, fund-raiser, and neighbor told the FBI and the United States Attorneys a different story about President Obama. In a recent in camera proceeding, the
government tendered a three paragraph letter indicating that Rezko “has stated in interviews with the government that he engaged in election law violations by personally contributing a large sum of cash to the campaign of a public official who is not Rod Blagojevich. … Further, the public official denies being aware of cash contributions to his campaign by Rezko or others and denies having
conversations with Rezko related to cash contributions. … Rezko has also stated in interviews with the government that he believed he transmitted a quid pro quo offer from a lobbyist to the public official, whereby the lobbyist would hold a fundraiser for the official in exchange for favorable official action, but that the public official rejected the offer. The public official denies any such conversation. In addition, Rezko has stated to the government that he and the public official had certain conversations about gaming legislation and administration, which the public official denies having had.

Redacted footnote: The defense has a good faith belief that this public official is Barack Obama.

2. Obama may have overtly recommended Valerie Jarret for his Senate seat
Blagojevich’s defense team basically alleges that Obama told a certain labor union official that he (Obama) would support Valerie Jarrett’s candidacy for the Senate seat. Jarrett, referred to as “Senate Candidate B”, is now a senior advisor to the president.

Redacted portion: Yet, despite President Obama stating that no representatives of his had any part of any deals, labor union president told the FBI and the United States Attorneys that he spoke to labor union official on November 3, 2008 who received a phone message from Obama that evening. After labor union official listened to the message labor union official told labor union president “I’m the one”. Labor union president took that to mean that labor union official was to be the one to deliver the message on behalf of Obama that Senate Candidate B was his pick. (Labor union president 302, February 2, 2009, p. 7).

Labor union official told the FBI and the United States Attorneys “Obama expressed his belief that [Senate Candidate B] would be a good Senator for the people of Illinois and would be a candidate who could win re-election. [Labor union official] advised Obama that [labor union official] would reach out to Governor Blagojevich and advocate for [Senate Candidate B] … [Labor union official] called [labor union president] and told [labor union president] that Obama was aware that [labor union official] would be reaching out to Blagojevich.” (Labor union official 302, February 3, 2009 p. 3).

3. A supporter of President Obama may have offered quid pro quo on a Jarrett senate appointment
Redacted portion: Supporter of Presidential Candidate Obama is mentioned in a phone call on November 3, 2008, having offered “fundraising” in exchange for Senate Candidate B for senator (Blagojevich Home Phone Call # 149).

4. Obama maintained a list of good Senate candidates
Redacted portion: President-elect Obama also suggested Senate Candidate A to Governor Blagojevich. John Harris told the FBI and the United States Attorneys that he spoke to President’s Chief of Staff on November 12, 2008. Harris took notes of the conversation and wrote that President’s Chief had previously worked as Blagojevich’s press secretary. Obama agreed of Staff told Harris that Senate Candidate A was acceptable to Obama as a senate pick. (Harris handwritten notes, OOG1004463) President’s Chief of Staff told the FBI that “he could not say where but somewhere it was communicated to him that” Senate Candidate A was a suggested candidate viewed as one of the four “right” candidates “by the Obama transition team.”

5. Rahm Emanuel allegedly floated Cheryl Jackson’s name for the Senate seat
Redacted portion: President’s Chief of Staff told the FBI that he had a conversation discussing the Senate seat with Obama on December 7, 2008 in Obama’s car. President’s Chief of Staff told the FBI “Obama expressed concern about Senate Candidate D being appointed as Senator.

[President’s Chief of Staff] suggested they might need an expanded list to possibly include names of African Americans that came out of the business world. [President’s Chief of Staff] thought he suggested Senate Candidate E who was the head of the Urban League and with President’s Chief of Staff’s suggestion.

6. Obama had a secret phone call with Blagojevich
Redacted portion: President-elect Obama also spoke to Governor Blagojevich on December 1, 2008 in Philadelphia. On Harris Cell Phone Call # 139, John Harris and Governor’s legal counsel discuss a conversation Blagojevich had with President-elect Obama. The government claims a conspiracy existed from October 22, 2008 continuing through December 9, 2008.6 That conversation is relevant to the defense of the government’s theory of an ongoing conspiracy. Only Rod Blagojevich and President Obama can testify to the contents of that conversation. The defense is allowed to present evidence that corroborates the defendant’s testimony.

BY Ward Room Staff // Friday, Apr 23, 2010 at 07:08 CDT

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/The-Six-Secrets-You-Need-to-Know-From-the-Blagojevich-Filing-91848634.html#ixzz0lwxpB6c3

Blagojevich Impeached by Illinois House

Corruption We Can Believe In

The Illinois House voted to impeach DEMOCRAT  Rod “Show Me the Money” Blagojevic today by a vote of 114-1. Blagojevic’s response at his press conference: “The House’s action was, of course, not a surprise.” Really Governor? Blagojevic did not deviate from the Democrat Playbook, claiming his impeachment was partly as a result of his “fight” for Illinois families. I am somewhat shocked and dismayed that he did not specifically  include the word “kids” at the press conference. Fighting for both “working families” and “kids” is part of the Democrat mantra as they continue to tax “working families” (i.e. those responsible Americans who choose not to partake in the debacle known as welfare)  into bankruptcy. Based on paragraph 65 of the unsealed criminal complaint, perhaps the Governor did not want to remind reporters he was accused of using sick Illinois children as a bargaining chip for political contributions. The criminal complaint alleged the Governor contemplated rescinding state funds to Childrens Memorial Hospital because a hospital executive  had not contributed $50,000 to his political campaign:

65. According to Individual A, on October 8, 2008, during a discussion of fundraising from various individuals and entities, the discussion turned to Children’s Memorial Hospital, and ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Individual A words to the effect of “I’m going to do $8 million for them. I want to get [Hospital Executive 1] for 50.” Individual A understood this to be a reference to a desire to obtain a $50,000 campaign contribution from Hospital Executive 1, the Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Memorial Hospital. Individual A said that he/she understood ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s reference to $8 million to relate to his recent commitment to obtain for Children’s Memorial Hospital $8 million in state funds through some type of pediatric care reimbursement. As described in further detail below, intercepted phone conversations between ROD BLAGOJEVICH and others indicate that ROD BLAGOJEVICH is contemplating rescinding his commitment of state funds to benefit Children’s Memorial Hospital because Hospital Executive 1 has not made a recent campaign contribution to ROD BLAGOJEVICH. [emphasis added]

Keep up your fight for Illinois families governor. Perhaps as “Cellies“, you and Tony Rezko can topple the myth of “change” espoused by  Barack Hussein Obama a/k/a Barry Soetoro.