Posted on 08/12/2010 9:32:40 AM PDT by STARWISE
Good call. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit....although the media in this country hides all damaging info on Obama anyway.
THE PROSECUTION
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/2336924,CST-NWS-blagoprose31.article
Leading the government’s team will be Schar, 38, a Northwestern University Law School graduate who has tried some 157 cases for the federal government since 1999, including fraud and corruption cases. He graduated undergrad from Stanford University with departmental honors, clerked for U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo and worked as an associate with Sidley & Austin from 1998-1999.
“Anyone in the office would say Reid is one of the best trial lawyers in recent memory,” said Cramer. “Reid knows how to structure a case with a lot of moving pieces.”
In the Blagojevich case, that will include cooperating witnesses, playing 97 recorded conversations, referring to seized documents, analyzing bank and tax records.
They will try to convince the jury that Blagojevich was a greedy, desperate politician, grasping at a chance to benefit from his power to appoint a replacement to President Obama’s vacant Senate seat. But the prosecution has a wide-ranging case that will delve into Rod Blagojevich’s — and his wife, Patti’s — dealings with Tony Rezko, who is not expected to take the stand.
“Reid is extremely adept at weaving a cohesive, coherent and persuasive narrative,” Cramer said. “He’s probably one of the best I’ve ever seen do that.”
Niewoehner, 40, was the lead prosecutor in the Rezko case as well as the corruption case against former 10th Ward Ald. Edward Vrdolyak. He earned his law degree from Harvard with high honors and joined the U.S. attorney’s office in 2000. He clerked for U.S. District Judge Milton I. Shadur from 1997 to 1998 and worked as an associate at Sidley Austin from 1998-2000.
Hamilton, 39, is a Bloomington native and a 1996 Northwestern Law School graduate who also worked as an associate at Katten Muchin as well as Grippo & Elden. Hamilton joined the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago in 2001 and prosecuted Muhammad Salah, a Bridgeview man accused of fund-raising for a Palestinian terrorist organization, and ex-Death Row inmate Aaron Patterson.
Also on the trial team are FBI, IRS and U.S. Postal Service investigative agents, including FBI Special Agent Daniel Cain. Working behind the scenes is FBI supervisory agent Patrick Murphy, described by insiders as the architect of the underlying Operation Board Games investigation, which included the cases against Blagojevich, Rezko, Stuart Levine, Ed Vrdolyak and businessman William Cellini.
Makes me sick & especially the fact that the big guns are not going down with Blago, you KNOW they are involved!
What a nest of vipers, huh ?
____________________________________________________________
Addition to - Jury unanimous on only two counts; has not yet deliberated on 11 wire fraud counts
$$$
While we wait, Rod and Patti huddle with a family member and an adviser, who reached over and straightened Rod’s blue tie as they spoke. Rod’s face showed no emotion. At the next table. Robert Blagojevich stood with his wife and friends, likewise not letting his face betray emotion.
Back in court, attorneys say they are OK with the wording of the note with the exception of the word “vote,” which they want to change to the word “decide.”
“We don’t want a situation where this is viewed as a supplemental instruction,” a defense attorney tells the judge. Zagel agrees.
“The jury is at lunch,” the judge says. “When they return, they will receive this in written form.”
At the conclusion of court, Rod walks up to Patti and hugs her, rubbing her shoulders from behind.
Court is adjourned.
http://blogs.suntimes.com/blago/2010/08/jury_unanimous_on_only_two_cou.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Flashback:
###
Obama Knew of Blagojevich Deal
Posted by Matt Margolis in Barack Hussein Obama on June 24th, 2010
$$$
Excerpt:
Rod Blagojevich’s chief-of-staff testified that he believed Obama “knew of Blagojevich’s plot to win himself a presidential Cabinet post in exchange for appointing Valerie Jarrett to the U.S. Senate.”
John Harris, Blagojevich’s former chief of staff, testified Wednesday in the former governor’s corruption trial that three days after the Nov. 4, 2008, presidential election, the ex-governor told Harris he felt confident Obama knew he wanted to swap perks.
“The president understands that the governor would be willing to make the appointment of Valerie Jarrett as long as he gets what he’s asked for. . . . The governor gets the Cabinet appointment he’s asked for,” Harris said, explaining a recorded call.
http://blogsforvictory.com/2010/06/24/obama-knew-of-blagojevich-deal/
http://twitter.com/msjournalist
Rod doesn’t look good. Face puffy.Nervously clenching fists. All eyes on him.Tapping fingers on defense table.Fist on mouth #blagojevich 33 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®
# Jury is at lunch judge said. Will send note with slight language change. Use word decide instead of vote #blagojevich 9 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®
*snip*
But over the past 45 years I have been in and out of that building, winning some cases and losing others. The U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago once said I would “not win a personality contest in this circuit” because of my relentless efforts to expose judicial arrogance and corruption in Chicago. In other words, the appeals court admitted federal judges would scheme to fix cases against me because I was too honest to litigate in Chicago’s courts.
I think it is fair to say 45 years of experiences gives me an insight into federal justice in Chicago that few others can provide.
So here is my assessment of the Blagojevich trial. The good, the bad and the ugly.
First, the crooked judge. Then the prosecution case. Next, Blago the Magnificent. Finally, The Jury.
1. The crooked federal judge
In federal court, as in many courts, judges are assigned to civil and criminal cases by lottery. They call the assignment process the “wheel.”
But Judge James Zagel was not assigned to hear Blago’s case by random assignment. Instead, prosecutors “fixed” the assignment of Zagel by pretending that the Blago prosecution was linked to a case already pending before Zagel and piggybacking the two “cases” together.
In other words, the Blago prosecution was “steered” to Zagel. That “fixed” assignment was a naked example of crooked federal court justice in Chicago. Prosecutors knew they had a weak case to start, and they were trying to bolster their prosecution by steering it before a crooked judge.
Blago’s defense team was disorganized at the outset, and missed a major opportunity to jam the case by attacking the rigged assignment process. Since the corrupt assignment, Zagel has done everything he can to rig the trial against Blago.
Who is Judge James Zagel? He is a Republican Party hack. Zagel was a stooge and errand boy for former Illinois Governor James Thompson. Zagel does what he is told.
Blago may be an unsavory character, but he still deserves a fair trial. Zagel is doing everything he can to deny Blago a fair process. Why? Because former Governor Thompson is the “King” of the “Combine” of bipartisan corruption in Illinois.
Thompson and his cronies in both political parties want to wipe out Blago before he can wipe them out.
Watch for Zagel to try to prevent Blago from presenting a complete defense.
II. The prosecution case
Federal prosecutors in Chicago are not dumb. The U. S. Attorney runs an exemplary office when he is pursuing the Mafia and common everyday crooks.
But his assistants knew the case against Blago was watery. So they schemed to deny Blago a fair trial and a fair defense. They rigged the assignment of the case to a fixed judge who is a Thompson stooge and who could be counted on to manipulate the trial against Blago. And Judge Zagel has done just that.
Earlier this week, prosecutors were afraid to “close” their case by calling Tony Rezko as a witness. Rezko was the kingpin of Illinois corruption, the “fund raiser” for President Obama and Governor Blagojevich.
Prosecutors were afraid of Rezko’s testimony. The biggest crooks in Illinois politics never testified in the Blago trial. Instead, the feds tried to rope-a-dope their case by calling minor players as prosecution witnesses. The big boys were too tainted. Where’s Rezko? Where, indeed.
At the end of the day, after promising a multi-month extravaganza, federal prosecutors folded their case Tuesday with only a few weeks presentation. “Not with a bang but a whimper.” Their case imploded.
III. Blago the magnificent
The prosecution case was flawed from the start. Blago was originally arrested and charged with trying to “sell” a U. S. Senate seat. The prejudicial publicity in Chicago and nationally was horrific. (At the time of his arrest I defended Blago.)
Does anyone remember how the Clintons feathered their interests in the White House? How favored contributors slept in the Lincoln bedroom? How Clinton was raising funds for his “library” while still president? How people who give to Clinton’s “library” get preferred access to the former president even today? Fund raising in this county is rotten to the core.
Blago’s shenanigans involving the appointment to Senator (President-elect) Obama’s seat in 2008 was simply not a crime.
Before the start of the trial Blago said he wanted to testify. The ham-handed federal case has probably increased the likelihood that he will take the stand. He would probably be a magnificent witness.
I could see Blago playing the “family man” card in a devastating manner. He testifies, “Yes, I was out of the office a lot because I have young children at home. I wanted to be home for them, to be their father. And so I trusted my staff (tears in the courtroom here) to carry on. And they betrayed me.”
Blago’s own staff have repeatedly testified they lied to him, and took action in his absence. Being an incompetent or lackadaisical administrator may be bad leadership, and poor politics, but it is not a federal criminal offense. “My staff betrayed me” will be a strong defense.
Blago’s F-bombs? When has vulgarity and swearing been a criminal offense? Greed is not a federal criminal offense. Arrogance? Not a crime. Blago was frustrated because he passed out goodies to voters (e. g. free transit to senior citizens) and people still didn’t love him (they loved his Republican opponents even less). Where’s the crime?
With all due respect, the appointment of Obama’s successor as U. S. Senator was handled in the traditional “Chicago way.” Lots of people wanted to be appointed a senator. They cozied up to Blago. They offered to help him. He was looking for the best offer.
Sleazy? Sure. But it happens in New York, and California and everywhere else that governors have unlimited power to appoint a replacement U. S. Senator.
Look at the way now-Senator Kirsten Gillibrand machine-gunned Caroline Kennedy. Compared to New York Governor Patterson, Blago looks like a gentleman by comparison. Kennedy was destroyed and disgraced. Blago did not destroy anyone.
IV. The Jury
I have not been in the Blago courtroom (though I will stop into witness the Blago defense in person). But I know enough about Chicago jurors to make my prediction. Even though almost all of them are ordinary citizens, jurors can smell a fixed case. Judge Zagel’s shenanigans have probably left a bad taste in the minds of the jury.
Blago’s lawyers are not “federal” lawyers who work primarily in the federal courts. Instead, Blago chose state court criminal defenders, who often have a more visceral approach to a criminal defense.
My guess: the jury is going to agree Blago was nutty, and sloppy, and probably greedy. But being a relentless fund raiser is not a criminal offense. Not in Illinois, not anywhere else. Blago was much too brazen with his “quid pro quos” but bad manners is not a criminal offense.
Judge Zagel is probably going to be forced to allow enough of a Blago defense to sink the prosecution case. Based on the evidence admitted at trial, I believe President Obama is a proper defense witness.
Zagel is engaged in a political protection racket by trying to protect Obama from testifying. But how can the big man be left out of the case? Expect to hear that challenge in closing arguments.
The bottom line: Chicago is America’s capital of corruption. And the crooks are everywhere: federal and state courts, federal and state prosecutors, lawyers, law firms, politicians, public officials. The whole kit and caboodle.
The “system” produced Blago, and voters elected him twice (which says something about the intelligence of Illinoisans and explains why the state is now bankrupt). But Blago won free and fair elections. The Republican candidates were even worse. Blago’s predecessor is currently in federal prison.
Republicans could not defeat Blago at the ballot box. Now Republican influence peddlers are trying to convict him in court. Jurors will not only “smell” a rat, they’ll see that the entire judicial process is rat-infested. And they will vote to acquit Blagojevich.
Blagojevich may have been a terrible governor, but I do not believe that federal prosecutors have shown he was a crook. I could be wrong. But forty-five years of experience in that courthouse tells me Blago walks.
http://contrariancommentary.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/andy-martin-on-the-rod-blagojevich-trial/
So the judge ordered the jury to keep deliberating.
It's not known which 2 counts the jury has agreed on.
In further Chicago area news, Illinois Senator Dick Turban has just undergone surgery to remove a stomach tumor. Doctors say no cancer, but then, they always say that about a sitting high politician.
Leni
Important Question for the Media: When Did This Meeting Between Obama and Blagojevich Take Place?
Posted by Morgen Richmond Jun 30th 2010
###
In December 2008, a few days after Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested, I discovered this photograph in a newsletter published by the State of Illinois on November 12 celebrating the election of Barack Obama:
http://bigjournalism.com/files/2010/06/Obama-photo.jpg
The photo was posted along with an article discussing the selection process for Obama’s replacement in the Senate. The caption to the photo read simply:
Governor Blagojevich confers with now President-elect Barack Obama
Within hours after we published the photo on Verum Serum, and after it was picked up by Hot Air and ultimately the Drudge Report (along with other blogs), the newsletter disappeared from the State of Illinois web site. Fortunately we were smart enough to save a copy.
The question of course is this: when did this meeting take place and what exactly were Blagojevich and the President-elect “conferring” about?
The governor is on trial accused of trying to auction off Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder.
An SEIU official has testified that Obama contacted him the night before the election to discuss the seat, with the clear understanding that he would function as an intermediary between Obama and Governor Blagojevich.
But is it so far-fetched to think that the President met with Blagojevich directly to discuss the opening sometime shortly before or subsequent to the election? This would be consistent with media reports from the time.
•Local Chicago media reported on a meeting between Obama and Blagojevich held on November 5, 2008.
•Governor Blagojevich’s own press office put out a press release on November 5 headlined “Governor Blagojevich Congratulates President-elect Obama and Discusses U.S. Senate Seat”.
•In an interview with Fox News on November 23, Obama-adviser David Axelrod stated unequivocally “I know he’s talked to the Governor” in reference to the President-elect. (Axelrod’s office subsequently claimed he “misspoke.”)
Here is why this is all important.
After Blagojevich was arrested, Obama claimed that nothing improper had taken place and that he “had no contact with the Governor or his office.” Weeks later the official White House investigation of this matter supported the President’s assertion on this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf16Vc3iZjE&feature=player_embedded
It’s possible of course that the meeting in the photo took place some time well in advance of the election, about other matters. But Blagojevich had no role in Obama’s campaign and I’m hard pressed to think of anything important enough to warrant such a serious face-to-face meeting between them.
In fact if anything Obama did everything possible to avoid Blagojevich during the campaign to avoid reminding voters of their mutual ties to Tony Rezko.
On the flip side Obama was in Chicago for the post-election celebration, and based his transition team there as well. Thus, he would have had plenty of opportunity to have a little chat with the governor about a subject he was clearly interested in, given the testimony this week about his call with the SEIU official.
In any case, given the timing of when the photo was published, and the context of the newsletter, it certainly warrants follow-up by someone in the media with access to the White House or Rod Blagojevich.
http://bigjournalism.com/files/2010/06/rezko_obama.jpg
*snip*
... President-elect Obama today said “I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening.”
But on November 23, 2008, his senior adviser David Axelrod appeared on Fox News Chicago and said something quite different.
While insisting that the President-elect had not expressed a favorite to replace him, and his inclination was to avoid being a “kingmaker,” Axelrod said, “I know he’s talked to the governor and there are a whole range of names many of which have surfaced, and I think he has a fondness for a lot of them.”
UPDATE: An Obama Transition Team aide says that Axelrod misspoke on Fox News Chicago.)
(UPDATE #2: Axelrod this evening issued a statement saying. “I was mistaken when I told an interviewer last month that the President-elect has spoken directly to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. They did not then or at any time discuss the subject.”)
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/12/questions-arise.html
natashakorecki
.
Your lists:
Blagojevich attorney: “There’s a lot of cautious optimism” http://bit.ly/alZXEi
43 minutes ago via twitterfeed
Reply Retweet . Blagojevich attorney: “There’s a lot of cautious optimism” in Blagojevich camp http://bit.ly/bSwoRT
43 minutes ago via twitterfeed
Reply Retweet . Rod Blagojevich skips lunch, opts for a Snapple http://bit.ly/9ViSOc
43 minutes ago via twitterfeed
https://twitter.com/natashakorecki
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blagojevich attorney: “There’s a lot of cautious optimism”
By Sarah Ostman on August 12, 2010 12:08 PM Reporting with Natasha Korecki, Dave McKinney and Abdon Pallasch
$$$
After court, defense attorneys gathered in the hot and humid lobby of the Dirksen Federal Building to address the media.
“I think there’s a lot of cautious optimism,” said attorney Aaron Goldstein of the Blagojevich camp.
Goldstein added that the former governor is “anxious.”
We’re back!
WHat a list.....Hope they are also the list to be indicted at a later date.
“A hung jury with no retrial might work for everybody involved.”
####
Except, as usual, honest American citizens.
I thought, with the usual cooperation of completely ball-less Republicans, that the conniving lawyer scum, might be able to find some tightrope path to safety for all the human detritus involved in this case.
On the other hand, the jurors may just tell the judge they can't agree on the remaining counts other than the two they have voted on....and throw in the towel.
The jury has asked for tomorrow off. It had a half day off last Friday.
Blago is playing "Trivia" in the courthouse building somewhere with onlookers. He's described as a "nervous wreck".
The Blago jury foreman is a Japanese-American male, served as a Marine in WW2, born in U.S. internment camp and is a former librarian.
The longest jury deliberations in US was 4 months in California in a year I didn't catch.
Leni
Rezko still has not be sentences, so they're still waiting on his cooperation and since he didn't testify in this case he'll no doubt be a witness in another.
If BLank-0 is convicted, he'll cooperate to protect his wife and kids..
Alderman Sandy and JJJ are in hot water big time over an unrelated matter to this case....Add in the BLank-O tapes and he'll protect his wife and kids.
So much corruption in Chicago that the ‘80s arrest will look small time.
What the jury’s weighing — the different schemes
By Natasha Korecki on August 12, 2010 2:29 PM |
$$$
Here’s a story explaining the different schemes against Rod Blagojevich and maybe give an inkling into what the jury’s hashing through right now.
In all, there’s 24 counts total. Rod is charged in each of the 24 counts, Robert is charged in four of the 24 counts.
SENATE SEAT
THE CHARGE: The most explosive of the allegations against Rod Blagojevich — that he tried trading President Obama’s old Senate seat for a personal gain — is the basis for 11, or nearly half, of the charges in the indictment.
THE DEFENSE: Blagojevich engaged in political negotiations with Obama’s people for the appointment of Obama friend Valerie Jarrett. Indian fund-raisers approached the Blagojevich camp with a bribe attempt for U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., and they were shot down.
According to Robert Blagojevich’s testimony: “That’s just how I viewed the Indians — very awkward and clumsy and naive in our political system.”
THE TAPES: There are many, but prosecutors have charged both brothers in a critical one on Dec. 4, 2008. Rod Blagojevich calls Robert and tells him to deliver a message to Indian fund-raiser Raghu Nayak:
He’s “elevating” Jackson and he wants something “tangible, up front.” And most famous was on Nov. 5, 2008: “I’ve got this thing and it’s f———golden, and I’m not giving it up for f——— nothing.”
THE COUNTS: wire fraud; extortion conspiracy; attempted extortion; bribery conspiracy
http://blogs.suntimes.com/blago/2010/08/what_the_jurys_weighing.html
That's all? How come I hear clips from the tapes........ and I come up with 50 single-spaced typed pages of crimes?
Lawyers: Blagojevich jury is gone for the week
By Natasha Korecki on August 12, 2010 4:21 PM
$$$
So it’s wait until next week.
We’ve reported earlier this week — but it’s just been reiterated — jurors in the Rod Blagojevich case have said they do not want to deliberate tomorrow.
And two attorneys in the case say they were just told this that the jury is gone for the day.
The news comes after jurors indicated today that they were at a stalemate on most of the 24 counts in the indictment. They had only come to a conclusion on two counts, they said.
A note sent to the judge today said they couldn’t reach a consensus on the wire fraud counts, which make up 11 of the 24 charges in the indictment.
“We’ve deliberated on all acts and counts with the exception of the wire fraud counts. We have reached unanimous agreement on two counts. We have been unable to agree on any of the remaining counts.”
http://blogs.suntimes.com/blago/2010/08/lawyer_blagojevich_jury_is_gon.html
~~~~~~~~
Hung jury ? Chicago Way ? Blago talks if he goes up the river.
“Who really cares and who believed there would be a fair trial in Chicago anyway?”
Either those jurors got paid or were told that if all went well they would live to see another day.
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