Posted on 06/10/2010 3:29:37 PM PDT by STARWISE
Once Chris Kelly was charged in 2007, Rod Blagojevich took a more direct and active role in fund-raising, Monk said. Blagojevich picked up the phone and called people himself. He was more active.
Then the brakes were going to be put on him. The Illinois Legislature in 2008 passed a far-reaching ethics bill that would keep him from soliciting donations from people who did business with the state. After Jan. 1, 2009, there was a fairly large group of donors who were no longer able to give him money
Blagojevich thought: "It was overreaching and unfair because it focused only on the governor's office and not the legislature," Monk said.
Then Monk spoke of an alleged deal:
Blagojevich told Monk the President of the Illinois Senate, Emil Jones (who has since retired) would not call the ethics bill if "Rod named him to Obama's Senate seat if Obama won in November," Monk said.
Did you understand he was serious? "Yes," Monk said.
As an aside: When the bill stalled in the senate, there were many negative headlines. That included in the Chicago Sun-Times where an editorial asked then-Presidential candidate Obama to call Jones and force the bill to be called. The editorial included Jones' office phone number.
Monk said that Obama himself then called Jones and told him to call the bill for a vote. Jones then called to tell Blagojevich he was going back on the deal.
Jones
Rod Blagojevich was writing furiously and leaning into his notebook during this part of the testimony.
June 10, 2010
###
A federal judge this morning warned Rod Blagojevich to not be so animated in front of jurors, but the former governor had a hard time containing himself when his onetime best friend testified about “code names” that he and the governor used.
Former gubernatorial chief of staff Alonzo “Lon” Monk told jurors that the numbers “1,2,3,4” were code for Blagojevich and Monk “when talking about the four of us making money.” Besides Blagojevich and Monk, the other two numbers represented top Blagojevich political fund-raisers Chris Kelly and Tony Rezko.
Lon Monk -- a former friend and key aide who was by the side of Rod Blagojevich through most of his political career -- took the stand at the former governor's corruption trial Wednesday.
Monk testified that in 2007 or 2008 when the two were alone in Blagojevich’s office, they discussed an FBI investigation.
“ ‘If ever asked about 1,2,3,4, don’t talk about it,’ ” Monk said Blagojevich told him.
Monk then silently mimicked Blagojevich’s actions, putting up his fingers one at a time and then putting a single finger across his throat.
The gesture caused Blagojevich to mutter something as he grew unsettled in his chair at the defense table. But he quickly composed himself, folding his hands.
Monk then went on to describe how he flat-out lied to FBI agents in the summer of 2005 when they approached him about whether Rezko and Kelly held potentially illegal influence over Blagojevich’s administration.
After that, Monk told jurors about cash payments that Rezko had given to him — a total of up to $90,000 doled out in increments of $10,000, usually passed in overnight envelopes.
The payments began before Monk got married in 2004, and even included a $10,000 cash wedding gift. Monk said he never deposited the cash because he knew “it was wrong” and might draw attention from law-enforcement authorities.
In the summer of 2004, Rezko also briefly provided Monk with use of a condominium for free. Rezko also helped Monk “build out” a basement at a home he’d bought in Park Ridge. Monk also said he wasn’t aware of Rezko providing any cash directly to Blagojevich.
His testimony is to continue this afternoon.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Schar started the morning by complaining that Blagojevich Wednesday had been gesturing inappropriately to people in the courtroom during Monk’s testimony and that his movements could be impacting the jury.
Schar described it as “not proper decorum. It’s clearly distracting.”
Blagojevich, sitting down, frowned.
U.S. District Judge James Zagel told Blagojevich to stop gesturing.
“By and large, it’s for their own benefit,” Zagel said, referring to jurors.
~~~~~~~~~~
Blagojevich trial: Fund-raising faltered as feds closed in
###
Lon Monk is now describing meetings in 2008 where Blagojevich and those close to him would pore over fund-raising lists and set goals for the end of the year.
How high was Blagojevich's fund-raising goal in 2008? "As high as possible," Monk said.
That's because the ethics law would take effect in 2009, stifling the then-governor's ability to tap into anyone who did significant business with the state.
The sheets of paper jurors are seeing show past donors and had a "low projection" of $2.5 million and a high projection at $3.3 million.
Though Monk was a lobbyist at the time and no longer working for Rod Blagojevich, he still said he played a role in helping raise money for the then-governor. Otherwise their relationship would be "strained," he said.
Monk said Blagojevich pushed them to raise money but they ran into brick walls. The next election wasn't for another two years.
"A lot of people we were asking for money didn't see a need to be donating money," Monk said.
Plus, there was a presidential election.
"We had Barack Obama in Chicago running for president," and they were hitting up some of the same people, Monk said.
And one more reason: "The economy was not good and there were federal investigations that I'm sure was concerning donors," Monk said.
Blagojevich could not use the money for anything he wanted if he didn't run for governor in 2010.
He could donate it to another candidate or create political action fund or some other entity to promote various issues, Monk said.
~~~~~~~~~
Rest of today's packed trial happenings HERE
Emil Jones or Amyl Nitrite ?
These guys are whacked on something.
The Illinois Legislature in 2008 passed a far-reaching ethics bill that would keep him from soliciting donations from people who did business with the state. After Jan. 1, 2009, there was a fairly large group of donors who were no longer able to give him money. Blagojevich thought: "It was overreaching and unfair because it focused only on the governor's office and not the legislature," Monk said... Blagojevich told Monk the President of the Illinois Senate, Emil Jones (who has since retired) would not call the ethics bill if "Rod named him to Obama's Senate seat if Obama won in November," Monk said... Monk said that Obama himself then called Jones and told him to call the bill for a vote. Jones then called to tell Blagojevich he was going back [out] on the deal.And it was Zero's business because???...
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Obama’s state legislative record—he got a lot of help
###
We all know that Barack Obama’s US Senate accomplishments—just one bill passed—is nothing the junior senator from my state can’t brag about.
But Obama’s record in the Illinois State Senate is something the Cult of Change leader likes to tout.
But were they his accomplishments?
Todd Spivak, who was a reporter for two small South Side Chicago community papers during Obama’s stint representing the 13th District, is someone who knew Obama when, all things considered, he was a nobody.
Writing now for the Houston Press, Spivak recalls that Emil Jones, president of the State Senate, was Obama’s starmaker.
Jones appointed Obama sponsor of virtually every high-profile piece of legislation, angering many rank-and-file state legislators who had more seniority than Obama and had spent years championing the bills.
“I took all the beatings and insults and endured all the racist comments over the years from nasty Republican committee chairmen,” State Senator Rickey Hendon, the original sponsor of landmark racial profiling and videotaped confession legislation yanked away by Jones and given to Obama, complained to me at the time. “Barack didn’t have to endure any of it, yet, in the end, he got all the credit.
“I don’t consider it bill jacking,” Hendon told me. “But no one wants to carry the ball 99 yards all the way to the one-yard line, and then give it to the halfback who gets all the credit and the stats in the record book.”
During his seventh and final year in the state Senate, Obama’s stats soared. He sponsored a whopping 26 bills passed into law — including many he now cites in his presidential campaign when attacked as inexperienced.
http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-02-28/news/barack-obama-screamed-at-me/full
And without Jones, Spivak reasons, it couldn’t have happened.
Perhaps Emil Jones should be running for president?
Spivak attempted to contact Obama for his story. But the man who has time for Us Magazine now has no use for a reporter who covered him when he needed exposure.
His entire article is worth reading.
Hat tip to Cal Skinner of the McHenry County Blog.
http://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2008/03/obamas-state-legislative-record-he-got.html
~~~~~~~
Friday, May 23, 2008
Obama mentor Emil Jones loans self money from campaign fund, interest free
###
The man who built Barack Obama’s state legislative resume—which was pretty flimsy for most of his career in Springfield—State Senate President Emil Jones, finds himself in the news today—not that he wants to be in such a manner.
From CBS 2 Chicago:
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/emil.jones.loans.2.731285.html
Before championing a big legislative pay increase, Illinois Senate President Emil Jones provided himself with tens of thousands of dollars in interest-free loans from his campaign fund.
Under Illinois’ relatively loose campaign-finance laws, there’s nothing illegal about politicians dipping into their campaign funds that way. But it’s highly unusual.
Since 1989, the South Side Democrat has taken out $120,528 in personal loans from his political fund and repaid $96,900 of that amount — leaving nearly $25,000 unaccounted for.
Just last year, Jones withdrew $5,800 from his fund in 20 separate loans of $200 or $300 each between July and December.
http://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2008/05/obama-mentor-emil-jones-loans-self.html
That looks like Gov Christie with the popcorn.
Maybe an attempt to make IL politics look ethical ?
You’re right .. it does! LOL ..
Monk: Deal would have given Emil Jones Obama’s Senate seat
Rest of Chicago Tribune trial coverage from today:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/blagojevich/
I like the fact the Blago is interested in and uses sign language. It’s kinda like Zer0 scratching his nose with his middle finger, but more intelligent.
BRAVO !!!! (and swiped .. ;)
From the Sun article:
“Monk testified that a call from Barack Obama in 2008 unwittingly killed a deal...”
UNWITTINGLY? Hardly. (eye roll) Thanks for the pings and the popcorn...lol. Can’t wait to read everyone’s posts on this latest stuff.
This was interesting testimony from your links too:
“ ‘If ever asked about 1,2,3,4, don’t talk about it,’ ” Monk said Blagojevich told him.
Monk then silently mimicked Blagojevich’s actions, putting up his fingers one at a time and then putting a single finger across his throat.”
Do we know what 1,2,3,4, stood for yet?
Lol, thanks SW.
That’s a big file gif.
That was their code language for each other
so they wouldn’t have to use names, apparently.
And it was Zero's business because???...
Very strange. Why would a U.S. Senator/Presidential candidate involve himself in a state's bill? When he was a state senator he barely cared enough to vote 'present.' Why why why?
Emil Jones comes from a long line of marxists too. His parents were card carrying commies in Chicago.
It's great to have friends, isn't it?
Didn't Rezko also purchase a small piece of property from Obama? A piece of property that would have been worthless to most people but somehow was worth good money to Rezko as long as Obama was the recipient?
It's great to have friends. Especially friends with money or influence to sell.
Thanks, too. Now in Graphics section of AntiMullah with a link on the Main Page
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