"... I'm shocked, - shocked i tell you, by this judge's actions...".
Posted on 06/29/2010 6:15:02 PM PDT by STARWISE
Sheldon Sorosky, one of Rod Blagojevich’s lawyers, has been trying to drag President Barack Obama into the fray this afternoon, asking union official Tom Balanoff whether the FBI asked him about campaign money going to Obama.
Prosecutors objected, as they have so often during cross-examinations, and U.S. District Judge James Zagel said Sorosky should only ask in general what the FBI had said to Balanoff.
Rest @ link Sorosky tried the question again, using Zagel’s recommended wording. “I know that won’t be objected to,” Sorosky said, causing the nearby Blagojevich to laugh.
But Balanoff didn’t get to give an answer, and Zagel wouldn’t let the line of questioning go on after a private sidebar discussion among the lawyers.
Sorosky did get to ask about Balanoff’s labor group -- the Service Employees International Union -- supporting candidates for office. He asked whether the SEIU had supported “a young state senator” named Barack Obama as well as Blagojevich in his first run for governor in 2002
(Excerpt) Read more at newsblogs.chicagotribune.com ...
~~Ping!
I wonder if this could lead to another scandal.
I wonder if this could lead to another scandal.
bkmk
“Hope this sets up grounds for an appeal.”
No doubt that is one of the cards his lawyer is playing.
"... I'm shocked, - shocked i tell you, by this judge's actions...".
OMG no wonder some people sarcastically call him the “annointed one.” It’s like he’s untouchable. I guess maybe his daddy’s minions are taking over people’s brains bwaaahaaa.
Seriously, we are also in a spiritual war. Can you feel it too?
We don’t have a country anymore, they are all traitors.
We are but handy slaves for the tax masters, to be driven into poverty, and our goods and labor stolen from us, so that they may remain as they are, ... above us.
The Chicago way....
Ain’t this trial going on in shitcago? You don’t think they’ve got em a crooked judge do ya?
The 68-year-old (Judge James B. Zagel) is a Chicago native who graduated from the University of Chicago and got his law degree from Harvard. He became a prosecutor in the Cook County state's attorney's office and later chief of the criminal division of the Illinois attorney general’s office.
In that post, he appointed a budding young lawyer, Jayne Carr, as his top aide. She later became Jayne Carr Thompson, wife of former Illinois Gov. James R. Thompson.
Gov. Thompson picked Zagel to head the Illinois Department of Law Enforcement in his administration and eventually recommended him to President Ronald Reagan for a judgeship. He was appointed to the District Court bench in 1987.
//
(no link)
Senate OKs James Zagel as U.S. judge
Chicago Sun-Times - Wednesday, April 22, 1987
Author: Michael Briggs
WASHINGTON The Senate yesterday confirmed President Reagan's nomination of James B. Zagel , the Illinois State Police Department director, to be a federal judge in Chicago.
Without debate, the Senate approved Zagel ‘s appointment to the bench of the U.S. District Court for Northern Illinois.
Zagel , 46, has headed the state law enforcement agency since 1980. Prior to that he was Revenue Department director in Gov. Thompson ‘s Cabinet.
When Zagel is sworn in as a judge, Thompson is expected to nominate Jeremy D. Margolis, now inspector general, to the top State Police post.
Groomed as an understudy to Zagel , Margolis has been a troubleshooter for Thompson since the governor created the inspector general job in part as a political foil to what turned out to be a short-circuited 1986 gubernatorial challenge by Illinois Attorney General Neil F. Hartigan.
//
http://illinoiscorruption.blogspot.com/2008/12/why-is-illinois-so-corrupt.html
Friday, December 12, 2008
Why is Illinois So Corrupt?
Watch the videos on this site:
http://www.crimefilenews.com/2008/12/chicago-corruption-fighter-and-author.html
Robert Cooley is a former mafia lawyer who worked with corrupt Illinois officials and judges. He turned state’s witness and he explains how the Chicago “Machine” still run by Alderman Ed Burke who “picks” the judges and controls the Chicago City Finance Committee and his wife corrupt Illinois Supreme Court Justice Ann Burke still are up to their ears in corrupt politics as usual. He talks how this cabal of corruption:
1- controls the media,
2-pays off the U S Attorney (former and probably still pays off his middle men, hired during this super corrupt era, who hide stuff from present US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald so the only people prosecuted are fall guys like Blagojevic so as to take the heat off the real top dog crooks like:
A- Jim Thompson (former Gov X 16 years, Director of CIA oversight committee under 1st
President Bush and member of 911 Commission under W)
B-Madigans (Speaker of the House Michael and his daughter Attorney General Lisa, who
lauder all the bribery money kicked back from State, County and City contracts through
their political fund “friends of Madigan”),
C-the Burkes, and
D-the Daleys(Richard - Chicago Mayor and partner of John Burge [the torturer to get
murder confessions] while he was state’s attorney, John - Cook Co. Commissioner who
controlled Co. Board President John Stroger Sr and his Son Todd who replaced him, and
William former Commerce Secr. under Cliniton and now wants to be Gov of IL and
therefore needs to discredit Blagojevic and Lisa Madigan).
A summary of the “system” running Illinois in my view is as follows:
Illinois for too long has been under the control of the:
1- Kingdom of former Gov. Jim (Prince John) Thompson and
2-his Lords, Chicago Mayor Richard M. and Cook Co. Commissioner John Daley (sons of former Mayor Richard J.), County Board Pres. John Stroger Jr. (son of former County Board Pres. John Stroger),
3-House Speaker Michael and his daughter Atty Gen. Lisa Madigan,
4-Alderman Ed (buddy of Fast Ed[dy] now convict Vrydoliak - both of them were leaders against African American Mayor Washington in the “cousel wars” 20 years ago) and IL. Supreme Court Justice Ann Burke,
5-former Sheriff (of Nottingham) Sheahan, and
6-State’s Attorney Richard (Gisbourne) Divine, as well as
7-other Lords such as former Sen. President Emil Jones and now his son Emil Jones Jr.
(snip)
(no link)
THE TAX BASH . . .
Chicago Tribune - Sunday, July 5, 1987
Author: Kathy O`Malley & Hanke Gratteau.
EXCERPT
HOW CLUBBY . . .
Newly appointed U.S. District Judge James Zagel got a nice going-away
present from the Illinois Department of State Police, courtesy of state
taxpayers. To tide Zagel over before he could start collecting his $81,000-a- year judicial salary, Jeremy Margolis, the new state police top gun, gave
Zagel a contract for up to $8,839 to cover ``transition`` duties. Margolis
told INC. that Zagel hasn`t yet billed the state for the work he did between
May 15, when he stepped down as director, and June 17, when he went on the
federal payroll. Apparently there was no time to tend to transitional details while Zagel was still on the state payroll: between February, when President
Reagan nominated Zagel to the bench, and April, when his appointment was
confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Without testimony from the Comrade himself, well, there is no way this can be called a “fair trial.”
Blago will be be found either Not Guilty at trial or on appeal.
Who's who in Big Jim ‘s inner circle - Series: - THE THOMPSON LEGACY (STANDARD)
Chicago Sun-Times - Thursday, October 11, 1990
Author: M. W. Newman
EXCERPT
Samuel K. Skinner, 52, “Sam the Hammer,” crime-busting deputy who succeeded Thompson as U.S. attorney in 1975. A powerful Chicago lawyer, he took charge of the RTA in 1984. Co-manager of George Bush's 1988 Illinois campaign, now U.S. secretary of transportation.
Dan K. Webb, 44, special prosecutor who nailed John M. Poindexter, former White House national security adviser, in the Iran-contra scandal. As U.S. attorney here, 1981-85, he initiated the Operation Greylord cleanup of corrupt judges. A prestigious Chicago defense lawyer.
Anton Valukas, 47, U.S. attorney, 1985-89. Nemesis of crooked judges, law
yers, cops and former Gov. Dan Walker in bank fraud case. Brought indictments in commodities traders sting. Now in private practice.
Daniel H. Weil, 49, veteran prosecutor, former overseer of Cook County Jail. In 1989, he gave up a six-figure law practice to take over Chicago's scandal-stained Inspectional Services Department.
John B. Simon, 48, former assistant federal prosecutor, Thompson ‘s personal attorney. Simon, Valukas, Webb, Weil and Skinner are among Thompson friends whose law firms have collected lucrative fees from the state Insurance Department.
Joel Flaum, 53, right-hand man to Thompson in U.S. attorney's office, now on U.S. Court of Appeals here.
Ilana Rovner, 51, deputy governor 1977-84, now a U.S. District judge in Chicago.
James B. Zagel , 49, former boss of the state police and Revenue Department. A federal judge here since 1987.
James Fletcher, 47. Ran Thompson ‘s first campaign, later chief of staff and deputy governor. A lawyer, he is a top lobbyist in Illinois.
James Reilly, 45, ex-chief of staff. Reilly is paid $168,000 a year to run the board that operates McCormick Place and Navy Pier and is planning $1.5 billion in new facilities.
Gregory W. Baise, 38, onetime Thompson go-fer who escalated to patronage boss, campaign manager, Illinois secretary of transportation. Now GOP candidate for state treasurer. A private consultant.
John D. Kramer, 42, a Democratic holdover who was Thompson ‘s first transportation secretary. Later ran the ill-fated 1992 World's Fair Authority. A real-estate developer.
Dave O’Neal, 53, Thompson ‘s first lieutenant governor. He resigned, complaining there wasn't much to do. Now U.S. undersecretary of the interior.
Gayle M. Franzen, 44, investment banker, a longtime Thompson troubleshooter. He ran the state's toll highways and Corrections Department, spearheaded the deal to keep the White Sox in town. In 1989 he succeeded Skinner as RTA chairman, a part-time assignment.
No Standing, No Questions, No implied testimony....
What do you mean, What do you mean....?
What do you mean, What do you mean....?
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