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Corruption sentencing delayed for Rezko, fundraiser for Blagojevich
Chicago Tribune ^ | 9:37 a.m. CDT, October 3, 2011 | Annie Sweeney

Posted on 10/03/2011 10:06:03 AM PDT by glorgau

A judge has delayed sentencing for Antoin “Tony” Rezko, a top fundraiser and adviser to disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Rezko, convicted on corruption charges, was scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21. But prosecutors asked U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve to move the sentencing because another corruption trial connected to the Blagojevich administration starts this week – and includes allegations of an extortion plot involving Rezko.

Prosecutors most directly involved in the Rezko sentencing are also handling the prosecution of William Cellini, a Springfield powerbroker whose trial on charges including attempted extortion and fraud starts this morning.

In addition to worries over time constraints, prosecutors were also concerned about the publicity that will be generated by the sentencing of Rezko, who was convicted in 2008.

Both Rezko and Cellini were accused of being involved in the same plot to try and squeeze a campaign contribution out of a Hollywood producer. Cellini's trial is expected to continue through most of October. St. Eve rescheduled Rezko's sentencing for Nov. 22.

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: 20111021; 20111122; antoinrezko; auchi; billcellini; cellini; chicago; corruption; democrats; extortion; hollywood; illinois; iraq; nadhmiauchi; obama; rezco; rezko; rodblagojevich; syria; williamcellini
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Yet another excuse to keep Rezko from talking.
1 posted on 10/03/2011 10:06:08 AM PDT by glorgau
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To: glorgau

In case nobody remembers, Rezko is the guy that gave Obama a deal on the lot next to his house in Chicago.


2 posted on 10/03/2011 10:07:28 AM PDT by glorgau
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To: glorgau

Next step: EPA refuses to allow plant to rebuild.
Following step: New plant in China.
After that: Company donations to the Felon/Cretin-in-Chief


3 posted on 10/03/2011 10:09:19 AM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: glorgau

Wanta bet if Obama gives him a pardon or not to keep him quiet?


4 posted on 10/03/2011 10:10:47 AM PDT by RC2
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To: glorgau

White House pleased! I a sure they are behind this as well.


5 posted on 10/03/2011 10:11:14 AM PDT by ColdOne (I miss my poochie... Tasha 2000~3/14/11)
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To: glorgau

Yes. This story conveniently forgets to mention Rezco in Connection with the Muslim in the White House.

Blagojevich could have skated if he had just appointed Valerie Jarrett to fill Obama’s spot like he was asked to do, but he got greedy.


6 posted on 10/03/2011 10:14:50 AM PDT by Venturer
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To: glorgau

Not a word about his connection to Obama.


7 posted on 10/03/2011 10:24:58 AM PDT by hattend (If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. - Cameron Connor)
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To: glorgau
Correction:

"Corruption sentencing delayed for Rezko, fundraiser for Obama, Blagojevich"

8 posted on 10/03/2011 10:31:08 AM PDT by americanophile ("this absurd theology of an immoral Bedouin, is a rotting corpse which poisons our lives" - Ataturk)
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To: glorgau
was scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21.

To be delayed another 13 months.

Obama wins, Rezko get a slap on the wrist.

Obama loses, Rezko is pardoned.

9 posted on 10/03/2011 10:36:02 AM PDT by Designer (Nit-pickin' and chagrinin')
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To: glorgau

Let’s not forget Rep. Luis Gutierrez, either. (the congressman jerk that gets himself arrested for illegals rights)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2627211/posts


10 posted on 10/03/2011 10:40:55 AM PDT by Irenic
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To: glorgau

I would say delay his sentancing to next September, and hopefully we’ll have a candidate with the cojones to bring up his ties to Odumbo.


11 posted on 10/03/2011 10:53:43 AM PDT by sharkhawk (Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall.)
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To: hattend

“Not a word about his connection to Obama.”

Of course not.

But if Rezko had a sister-in-law who had a housekeeper who had a second cousin who thought he saw GW Bush in the same state together at about the same time 25 years ago, well, THERE’S a connection you can hang your hat on!


12 posted on 10/03/2011 10:56:40 AM PDT by MichaelCorleone (Those who love liberty love Sarah)
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13 posted on 10/03/2011 10:59:29 AM PDT by TheOldLady (FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list)
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To: glorgau; Designer; onyx; RedMDer; Lady Jag; The Cajun; tubebender; musicman; trisham; DJ MacWoW; ...

CHICAGO-IL CORRUPT COMBINE, DEMS AND PUBBIES .. PAY TO PLAY WAY .. Ping!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John Kass
Cellini flies into court under the radar, and that’s the way he likes it

Springfield insider’s trial is the last big corruption case of the Blagojevich scandal

###

Excerpt:

But Bill Cellini?

Who?

Cellini has been charged with extortion and other crimes, for allegedly using his political influence with government officials (both Democrats and Republicans) to squeeze people.

His attorney, the distinguished former federal prosecutor Dan Webb, has dismissed the prosecution’s case, calling it weak. And Webb also makes the valid point that while Cellini is indeed a wealthy man, there is nothing illegal about becoming wealthy and knowing politicians.

Cellini has made fortunes in state-licensed casino gambling ventures, real estate development with state and Chicago City Hall connections, and management of state pension funds.

*snip*

Webb had hoped to narrow the scope of the trial, to have it focus strictly on whether Cellini did or did not use his connections on state pension boards to muscle a Hollywood producer for campaign cash for then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-met-kass-1002-20111002,0,7040997.column

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John Kass
Democrat, Republican — Cellini can play them all
Powerbroker the unsung spider at the center of bipartisan web

###

Excerpt:

“I’ve fought him my entire career,” Sen. Fitzgerald once told me about Cellini. “And for near 40 years, Cellini has been calling the shots from behind the scenes in Springfield. He’s gotten very rich off the taxpayers. Very rich.”

But Cellini stayed to pull the strings. And the Illinois Republican Party ran Pete Fitzgerald out of politics. So don’t tell me there’s not a Combine. The Cellini trial, one of the last chapters of the federal government’s Operation Board Games investigation, will lay out how the Combine works.

Powerful Illinois Republicans team up with powerful Illinois Democrats, and some earthy characters are thrown in. One is convicted political fixer Tony Rezko, fundraiser and real estate fairy to President Barack Obama, and fundraiser to Blagojevich as well.

In one FBI-recorded phone call, Cellini was in serious conversation with a Republican crook, the since-convicted Stuart Levine, a big fan of gladiator movies.

*snip*

They allegedly tried to use a government pension board they controlled — investing billions upon billions of teacher pension money — to threaten Rosenberg. The offer:

Rosenberg could fork over campaign cash for Blagojevich, or forget about doing state business.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-met-kass-0909-20110909,0,3820561.column

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Barack Obama - Operation Board Games For Slumlords
Monday, 7 April 2008, 12:03 pm
Column: Evelyn Pringle

Barack Obama - Operation Board Games For Slumlords

by Evelyn Pringle
Previously: Barack Obama - The Wizard of Oz

Excerpt:

Rezko’s partner in the Rezmar development company, Daniel Mahru, is referred to as “Individual Z” in the indictment, and according to court filings, Rezko told Mahru that “$500 million” of TRS money was earmarked for their company. Mahru is reportedly cooperating with federal investigators.

In addition to lining their own pockets, the money gained through the scheme was funneled to the campaigns of Blagojevich and Obama. Prosecutors have identified two $10,000 payments that were made to Obama’s US Senate campaign through straw donors Joseph Aramanda and Elie Maloof, which originated from a kickback paid by investment firm, Glencoe Capital, to secure approval for a $50 million deal.

Aramanda and Maloof also each gave Obama $1,000 for his failed run for Congress in 2000. Once Obama became a US Senator, Aramanda’s son was granted a coveted intern position in Obama’s Senate office in Washington during the summer of 2005, based on a request which the Obama’s camp has admitted came from Rezko.

Levine was appointed to the TRS Board in 2000, by Republican Governor George Ryan and was reappointed in 2003 by Blagojevich. As part of the team led by Levine to rig the votes, Blagojevich appointed, attorney Anthony Abboud, to serve. He is “Individual Q” in the indictment. He has been donating money to Obama’s political career since March 2000, with a total of more than $2,800.

Blagojevich also appointed, attorney Jack Carriglio, or “Individual R.” On June 30, 2003, Carriglio donated $1,000 for Obama’s US Senate campaign.

The TRS story has the makings of a great Hollywood movie with subplots upon subplots. Allison Davis, or “Individual BB,” was a friend of Hollywood producer Tom Rosenberg, who produced the movie, “The Human Stain,” with Anthony Hopkins and Davis in a small part. He also produced the Oscar winning, “Million Dollar Baby.”

Rosenberg, or “Individual J,” is a central figure in the case. His investment firm, Capri Capital Advisers, a real estate manager, had done about a billion dollars of business with the TRS in the past and wanted to do more. In 2004, the Schemers tried to coerce a bribe from Rosenberg, or in the alternative a $1.5 million contribution for Blagojevich, in exchange for approval of a $220 million deal.

According to the indictment, Davis admitted to Rosenberg that Rezko, and Blagojevich’s top fund raiser, Christopher Kelly, or Co-Schemer B, had asked Davis who could raise funds for Blagojevich from the state pension system and he volunteered Rosenberg’s name.

During his testimony on April 1, 2008, Levine explained that he was already mad at Rosenberg because he expected $500,000 for help he gave Rosenberg in getting the TRS board to approve a $100 million deal in 2001, but he never came through with the money.

The only benefit Levine received from the deal was that Rosenberg said Levine no longer had to pay him $50,000 a year for lobbying efforts, according to the monitoring by Gavel-to-Gavel.

However, all hell broke lose when Rosenberg refused pay the $1.5 million. During the trial, prosecutors played tapes of phone calls in which comical conversations were discussed between the bipartisan group of Co-Schemers and Individuals, as they were trying to figure out how to deal with Rosenberg and his threats.

The jury heard conversations between Republican power broker, William Cellini, or Co-Schemer A, and Levine, in which they said Rosenberg was threatening to “stand at State and Madison,” and make public the attempt to extort money for Blagojevich’s campaign and that he would “take them all down,” and even threatened to go to the Feds.

They claimed Rosenberg said he considered Rezko and Christopher Kelly the two most likely members of Blagojevich’s inner circle to end up in prison someday, according to Gavel-to-Gavel. Kelly has been charged in a separate case with hiding $1.3 million from the IRS and using money from his business to pay gambling debts with Chicago bookies and Las Vegas casinos.
Levine testified that Rezko wanted things to settle down and quoted Rezko saying, “Mr. Rosenberg was a dangerous individual, and nobody wanted to be put in a dangerous situation.”

Levine said Rezko told him that TRS should grant Capri the $220 million. “But, in fact, that should be the last business that Mr. Rosenberg does with the State of Illinois,” Levine recalled Rezko telling him, according to Gavel-to-Gavel.

Levine testified that Rezko said Blagojevich had been briefed on the plan and agreed with it.

During his testimony, Levine also told the jury that Rezko had plans for Blagojevich to run for President. “He said that he had raised a great deal of money for Gov. Blagojevich and that he had great hopes and expectations that Gov. Blagojevich would run for president,” Levine told the jury.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0804/S00064.htm


14 posted on 10/03/2011 11:00:29 AM PDT by STARWISE (The overlords are in place .. we are a nation under siege .. pray, go Galt & hunker down)
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To: glorgau
Long before obegone...


15 posted on 10/03/2011 11:06:21 AM PDT by MestaMachine (Farrago fatigans!)
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To: STARWISE
Too bad the legal system is as corrupted as the other branches of government.
16 posted on 10/03/2011 11:16:51 AM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)
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To: STARWISE
Too bad the legal system is as corrupted as the other branches of government.
17 posted on 10/03/2011 11:17:00 AM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)
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To: glorgau

Something very wrong about someone convicted in 2008 but not yet sentenced.


18 posted on 10/03/2011 11:29:02 AM PDT by 1066AD
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To: glorgau

bump.


19 posted on 10/03/2011 1:07:55 PM PDT by ken21 (ruling class dem + rino progressives -- destroying america for 150 years.)
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To: glorgau
I tried to find out if Tony Rezco is now in prison ... and came up with nothing convincing.

Is Tony Rezo today walking around in public?

20 posted on 10/03/2011 1:48:54 PM PDT by OldNavyVet (One trillion days, at 365 days per year, is 2,739,726,027 years ... almost 3 billion years)
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