Rezko to be sentenced Jan. 28; Blago trial testimony unlikely (the fix is sealed?)

Convicted political fixer Tony Rezko will be sentenced in January for his crimes under Rod Blagojevich, a federal judge in Chicago said Thursday — which makes it unlikely he’ll testify at the former governor’s retrial on corruption charges in April.

U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve set Jan. 28 for sentencing Rezko, who was convicted in June 2008 of shaking down people who wanted state business under Blagojevich's administration.

His lawyer, Joseph Duffy, told St. Eve that Rezko wanted to be sentenced before Blagojevich's April retrial on 23 charges on which a jury at his first trial was deadlocked.

Rezko has cooperated with prosecutors since his June 2008 conviction and was willing to testify at Blagojevich's new trial, according to Duffy.

But prosecutors have been reluctant to put Rezko on the stand, sources have said.

Rezko did not testify at the ex-governor's first trial, which ended with Blagojevich convicted on just one count — lying to the FBI. Jurors couldn't agree on a verdict on the other charges Blagojevich faced.

Typically, defendants don’t ask to be sentenced until their cooperation is completed, so that they can reap the benefits of having helped prosecutors.

Prosecutors have said they expect Blagojevich’s retrial to be shorter — which seems unlikely if Rezko were to testify.

William Cellini Obama Rezko Levine, et al, All searches lead back to Obama and Rezko, Citizen Wells open thread, November 1, 2010

Posted on November 1, 2010

Excerpt:

I was following up on news on Obama corruption cronies in Chicago and Illinois and the Blaogojevich trial saga and came across an article that was probably much unnoticed.

From John Kass of the Chicago Tribune August 13, 2010.

“Cellini, 75, a Republican boss, was once Democrat Blagojevich’s co-defendant in the corruption case known as Operation Board Games. And who says the bipartisan Illinois Combine doesn’t exist?

Cellini has been a hobby of mine for years. And although Sun-Times reporter Tim Novak has done excellent work on Cellini’s deals, Cellini has mostly flown under the media radar.

In 2008, Cellini was indicted on federal charges that he conspired with convicted influence peddler Tony Rezko and others to shake down Hollywood movie producer Thomas Rosenberg for $1.5 million in campaign cash for Blagojevich.

Since Blagojevich was arrested, Cellini’s volcano has been dormant. A trial date has not been set. If Blagojevich ends up with a hung jury and the case is retried and drags out for years, Cellini might turn 80 by the time of his trial, if ever.”

Whether there will actually be a Cellini trial is an open question. If the Blagojevich case withers and dies, the Combine will ask its mouthpieces to call for the head of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. It’s been alleged that they already tried to get rid of Fitzgerald during the Bush administration.

Cellini made friends in all the high places. Yet federal tape recordings previously introduced in court show that he’s a guy who likes to lie low.

In a phone call recorded by the FBI on May 7, 2004, Cellini was reporting back to a fellow Republican, the since-convicted Stuart Levine. They were talking about the alleged shakedown of Rosenberg, who was threatening to go to the feds.”

Rest HERE .. and HERE

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Riiiight .. how conveeeenient, Fitzie. We're so onto you and your fishiness. All roads lead to the WH.

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