How much time will Tony Rezko serve? (sentencing today- will he stay mum forever?)

Chicago Sun Times ^ | 11-21-11 | Natasha Korecki

[STARWISE]

Long known as the “political fixer,” who was friends with a politically young Barack Obama, Tony Rezko once grabbed headlines in a presidential campaign. At the same time in Illinois, Rezko’s name was synonymous with a federal investigation into former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

But since Rezko volunteered to go jail after his 2008 conviction, he’s settled in as not much more than a footnote in both politics and corruption.

That’s partly because the investigation into Blagojevich exploded after Rezko’s trial, taking a new turn involving the sale of President Obama’s U.S. Senate seat — conduct that happened when Rezko was already behind bars.

However, even though he cooperated with federal authorities after his conviction on 16 of 24 counts of corruption under Blagojevich’s tenure as governor, Rezko was never used as a witness in subsequent criminal cases.

It’s left the once high-profile defendant, set to be sentenced on Tuesday in Chicago federal court, in a precarious position.

Rezko volunteered to go to jail immediately, volunteered to cooperate and volunteered to delay his sentencing so he could be called as a witness at both of Blagojevich’s trials as well as the trial of Springfield power broker William Cellini, according to his lawyers.

Being behind bars — but not sentenced — meant he endured more oppressive prison conditions than most white collar criminals who are usually sentenced then shipped off to prison camps, his lawyers said.

But in the end, the government never called him to the witness stand. While Rezko’s lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve. to sentence him to time served, the government has requested a stiff penalty: 11 to 15 years in prison.

Prosecutors argue Rezko’s cooperation wasn’t that helpful, that he lied to them in debriefing sessions and that their proposed penalty would cover a second criminal case before a different judge involving loan fraud.

“Rezko’s cooperation was heavily tainted by the timing of when he decided to cooperate, by his repeated lies to judges, and by his pervasive and sustained lies made to the government over the first several months of his purported cooperation with the government,” prosecutors wrote in a recent filing.

Because he was in talks with federal authorities, Rezko served about nine months in the most restrictive jail conditions at the downtown Metropolitan Correctional Center — a Special Housing Unit called the “SHU” where “high-risk” inmates — including accused terrorists and currently, a suspected high-ranking leader of a violent Mexican drug cartel -- are held.

It’s also a place where the jail houses high-profile defendants or those cooperating, under the argument that it’s for their own protection.

Legal observers say a judge can credit defendants for harsher conditions — as well as for their cooperation, even if the prosecution doesn’t use the witness at trial.

“A lot of courts over the years have thought about and considered the conditions of confinement,” during sentencing, defense lawyer Patrick Cotter said.

Scott Fawell, onetime chief of staff of convicted ex-Gov. George Ryan, said time in the SHU should not be shrugged off. Fawell once spent two nights there and pleaded with prison officials to allow him into general population.

“I said: ‘I’ll sign anything, just get me out of here,’” Fawell said in an interview. There’s no TV, no card-playing, no interaction with other inmates, he said.

“You can’t see outside,” he said. “You have to stick your hand-cuffed hands through a slot to get food.”

After complaining about the conditions, Rezko was moved to a county jail in Wisconsin where he continued his cooperation. But its rules meant he hasn’t had any physical contact with family and isn’t allowed outdoors.

He’s lost more than 80 pounds, his lawyers say.

“He has not enjoyed a breath of fresh air or a ray of sunlight for nearly three and a half years, and he has not been allowed to hug his wife or daughter since he left the MCC nearly three years ago,” his lawyers wrote.

The government’s recommendation is significantly more steep than the roughly five and a half years that serial conman and drug abuser Stuart Levine faces. Levine is accused of conspiring with Rezko during Blagojevich’s administrations to win kickbacks from state deals.

“The general rule of thumb is if someone cooperates after he’s convicted at trial, his credibility is pretty much shot,” said federal defense lawyer Lawrence Beaumont. “His motive for his cooperation is not so much for telling the truth than for getting a deal.”

Rezko’s lawyers said his talks with the government helped spur others to cooperate against Blagojevich, including onetime chief of staff Lon Monk, who was a major witness in the ex-governor’s trial.

Beaumont said St. Eve can credit Rezko for cooperation — even though he wasn’t called at trial.

“The court can reward him for that and (possibly) give him a lesser sentence, without the government supporting that move,” Beaumont said.

[STARWISE]

Obama on Rezko deal: It was a mistake, Chicago SunTimes, November 5, 2006, BY DAVE MCKINNEY AND CHRIS FUSCO,
Obama regrets Rezko lot purchase

Posted on November 2, 2011

Excerpt:

Obama on Rezko deal: It was a mistake, Chicago SunTimes, November 5, 2006, BY DAVE MCKINNEY AND CHRIS FUSCO, Obama regrets Rezko lot purchase

“Why did Mutual Bank fire whistleblower Kenneth J Connor after he challenged the appraisal on the land purchased by Rita Rezko, just prior to the land sale to Obama?”…Citizen Wells

“Where did Rita Rezko get the money to buy the lot she sold to Barack and Michelle Obama?”…Citizen Wells

The following article was presented by the Chicago SunTimes on November 5, 2006. It has been quoted numerous times since then.

The article disappeared from the internet quite some time ago due to what appears to be the standard policy of the SunTimes to not retain articles for any length of time. I cannot guarantee that this is the entire original article.

***From the Chicago SunTimes November 5, 2006.

“Obama on Rezko deal: It was a mistake - November 5, 2006 - BY DAVE MCKINNEY AND CHRIS FUSCO Staff Reporters Contributing: Mark Brown

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama expressed regret late Friday for his 2005 land purchase from now-indicted political fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko in a deal that enlarged the senator’s yard.

“I consider this a mistake on my part and I regret it,” Obama told the Chicago Sun-Times in an exclusive and revealing question-and-answer exchange about the transaction.

In June 2005, Obama and Rezko purchased adjoining parcels in Kenwood. The state’s junior senator paid $1.65 million for a Georgian revival mansion, while Rezko paid $625,000 for the adjacent, undeveloped lot. Both closed on their properties on the same day.

Sen. Barack Obama says he regrets purchasing land from politcal fundraiser Antoin Rezko.

Last January, aiming to increase the size of his sideyard, Obama paid Rezko $104,500 for a strip of his land.

The transaction occurred at a time when it was widely known Tony Rezko was under investigation by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and as other Illinois politicians befriended by Rezko distanced themselves from him.

In the Sun-Times interview, Obama acknowledged approaching Rezko about the two properties being up for sale and that Rezko developed an immediate interest. Obama did not explain why he reached out to Rezko given the developer’s growing problems.

“With respect to the purchase of my home, I am confident that everything was handled ethically and above board. But I regret that while I tried to pay close attention to the specific requirements of ethical conduct, I misgauged the appearance presented by my purchase of the additional land from Mr. Rezko,” Obama said. ,P. “It was simply not good enough that I paid above the appraised value for the strip of land that he sold me. It was a mistake to have been engaged with him at all in this or any other personal business dealing that would allow him, or anyone else, to believe that he had done me a favor,” the senator said.

The land deal came up in a court hearing Friday that delved into Rezko’s finances. Obama said he has not been approached by federal prosecutors about the transaction nor has plans to go to them about it.

~~~~

Why so silent, Tony .. hmmmmmm ?

[STARWISE]

... Ding!

[Texas Eagle]

If Rezko DOESN’T stay mum forever, he WILL stay mum forever. If you catch my drift.

[ColdOne]

This will be interesting to see what he gets.

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

[ken5050]

After Obama loses..look for pardons for Rezko AND Corzine....they both have enough dirt to demand them..

And think the Dems wouldn't dare do it....remmber Bill Clinton and Marc Rich?

[STARWISE]

The Feds want him in jail for another 11-15
years. Who knows if that will make him crack,
but one can only imagine the pressure from
the pay-to-play Chicago political/union/underworld
goons and 0’s other comrades. Speak, Tony, speak!

[Jewbacca]

Obama will pardon Rezko the last day he is in office, ala Clinton.

[RC2]

He will, eventually, get a pardon if he keeps his mouth shut. Wanta bet?

[presently no screen name]

I don’t think it’s wise for him to sing while in prison - we wouldn’t want him to be anxious and fall out of the bed or something.

[luvie]

Any bets he gets a presidential pardon?

[STARWISE]

Ex-Blagojevich fundraiser Rezko faces sentencing
http://news.yahoo.com/ex-blagojevich-fundraiser-rezko-faces-sentencing-081551758.html

Excerpt:

More than three years after businessman Antoin “Tony” Rezko was convicted of corruption in a trial that laid bare Illinois’ pay-to-play political culture and presaged notorious cases that battered the state’s reputation, a judge finally will mete out his punishment.

Rezko, 56, a former top fundraiser to disgraced ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is to be sentenced in federal court Tuesday on his 2008 conviction for fraud, money laundering and plotting to squeeze $7 million in kickbacks from firms that wanted to do business with the state during Blagojevich’s tenure.

[In Maryland]

What the newspaper (conveniently) fails to mention is that by buying that "little strip" of land, the adjacent lot owned by Rezko could no longer be developed. So Obama got more than a "little bigger yard" - he got a guarantee there would be no house on that side. And Rezko made his lot essentially worthless. But I'm sure that was all settled before the purchase. And Obama was able to play the game he was only purchasing this "tiny strip" when, in fact, he was assuring a benefit that otherwise could only have been obtained by purchasing the whole lot. In other words, about a 500K "favor".

Rezko knows that if he keeps quiet he will be pardoned, one way or the other, after the 2012 election. If he talks, he knows he is a dead man. Politics, Chicago style.

[ScottinVA]

But since Rezko volunteered to go jail after his 2008 conviction, he’s settled in as not much more than a footnote in both politics and corruption.

Meanwhile, the connections between Jack Abramoff and some Republicans were played in the "media" for months.

[STARWISE]

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Hmmmmm,,, I wonder who is maintaining the lot? Cutting the grass, etc..

[STARWISE]

Mon, 12/15/2008 - 13:20 · Importance: 9 Obama/Blago picture deleted from Illinois state website

Remember the picture of Barack Obama "conferring" with recently-arrested Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich? If not, see this 12/10 post.

Now, the state of Illinois has deleted from their website the PDF that contained that picture.

It was in the state publication "Governors Gazette" and originally at illinois.gov/govgazette/pdfs/Gazetteedition_2008Nov.pdf That page now returns a 404 not found, as does Version 2 of that Gazette (originally located at illinois.gov/govgazette/pdfs/Gazetteedition_2008Nov_2.pdf) and the /gazette directory.

Thankfully, using Obama's habit of "changing things around" on his own sites as a clue - as well as the KHQA example - I saved off a copy, and here's the PDF. The other two documents that were deleted are here; they don't appear to contain anything interesting but bear in mind that Google's cache didn't have whatever images were on those pages.

[RobbyS]

Yeah, billions of bucks are riding on his keeping silent. He and his will be taken care of,provided they keep mum, too.

[crosshairs]

I don’t think it’s wise for him to sing while in prison - we wouldn’t want him to be anxious and fall out of the bed or something.

He would get "McDougaled".

[onyx]

Time for Tony TALK!