Partisan Feds Looking for Dirt on Obama??

[HuskyCaucasian]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/11041.html

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/060...nate_Obama.html

 

My colleague Ken Vogel sends over a copy of a letter from Tony Rezko to the judge in his corruption trial, in which he accuses prosecutors of pressuring him to incriminate Obama:

Your Honor, the pro

s

ecutor

s

have been overzealou

s

in pur

s

uing a crime that never happened. They are pre

s

s

uring me to tell them the

“

wrong

”

thing

s

that I

s

uppo

s

edly

k

now about Governor Blagojevich and

S

enator Obama. I have never been party to any wrongodoing that involved the Govenror or the

S

enator. I will never fabricate lie

s

about anyone el

s

e for

s

elfi

s

h purpo

s

e

s

.

 

In the letter, Rezko -- who was later convicted on corruption charges -- maintains his innocence and pleads for time with his family before what he says is his likely conviction.

 

His conviction was thought to have badly damaged Blagojevich and cast his political future in doubt; the trial hardly touched Obama.

 

The U.S. Attorney's office declined comment in the Tribune piece on the letter, and it's worth keeping in mind that Rezko's case doesn't fit into the pattern of reportedly political federal prosecutions: The U.S. Attorney in Chicago is Patrick Fitzgerald, not a man whose taking his guidance from Karl Rove.

Edited June 12, 2008 by Athomeboy_2000

[southsider2k5]

Your Honor, the prosecutors have been overzealous in pursuing a crime that never happened. They are pressuring me to tell them the “wrong” things that I supposedly know about Governor Blagojevich and Senator Obama. I have never been party to any wrongodoing that involved the Govenror or the Senator. I will never fabricate lies about anyone else for selfish purposes.

 

Umm didn't he admit to doing illegal activities for Blago?

[NorthSideSox72]

Umm didn't he admit to doing illegal activities for Blago?

I thought he was found guilty, yes. But I don't think he admitted it.

 

The Obama stuff was always a side show, nothing going there, other than that real estate deal (which was dicey but not illegal).

 

[southsider2k5]

I thought he was found guilty, yes. But I don't think he admitted it.

 

The Obama stuff was always a side show, nothing going there, other than that real estate deal (which was dicey but not illegal).

 

I thought he admitted to shaking down people for "donations" in exchange for favors such as jobs and influence.

[jackie hayes]

I would guess that prosecutors do this sort of thing whenever anyone is connected to a major political figure. It doesn't mean they're out to get Obama, it's just that bringing down any crooked politician has got to be one hell of a colorful feather in a prosecutor's cap.

[lostfan]

I would guess that prosecutors do this sort of thing whenever anyone is connected to a major political figure. It doesn't mean they're out to get Obama, it's just that bringing down any crooked politician has got to be one hell of a colorful feather in a prosecutor's cap.

They were doing it to Jason Grimsley trying to nail Barry Bonds too.

[jackie hayes]

They were doing it to Jason Grimsley trying to nail Barry Bonds too.

Yeah, but they were already investigating Bonds's testimony at that point. It wasn't as much a 'fishing trip' as asking about Obama. (Unless it was a different investigation than the BALCO case.)

[HuskyCaucasian]

I would guess that prosecutors do this sort of thing whenever anyone is connected to a major political figure. It doesn't mean they're out to get Obama, it's just that bringing down any crooked politician has got to be one hell of a colorful feather in a prosecutor's cap.

unfortunately, there has been so much politicizing of the justice department by this administration that NOTHING is out of the realm of possibility.

[whitesoxfan101]

Realistically, Obama has significant ties to politics in the state of Illinois, how can he NOT be at least a bit dirty? Then again, I think the next clean politician you'll find in either party is the first, so my opinion is skewed.

[jackie hayes]

unfortunately, there has been so much politicizing of the justice department by this administration that NOTHING is out of the realm of possibility.

Fitzgerald has hardly been a Bush puppet.

[southsider2k5]

I would guess that prosecutors do this sort of thing whenever anyone is connected to a major political figure. It doesn't mean they're out to get Obama, it's just that bringing down any crooked politician has got to be one hell of a colorful feather in a prosecutor's cap.

 

Patrick Fitzgerald has chased after the criminals no matter what letter is behind their name. He buried George Ryan too, so the idea that he is partisian is a joke. He is after criminals, and for once it doesn't seem to matter who they are. It would be irresponsible for them to know all of the Rezko connections and not explore them to see if other top officials were corrupt as well. Those kind of investigations don't start at the top. They start at the bottom.

[NorthSideSox72]

Fitzgerald has hardly been a Bush puppet.

^^^

 

Fitz is a bulldog, and BushCo has in fact tried to get him out of the way multiple times. He's just so damn good at what he does, they can't really fire him.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

I thought he admitted to shaking down people for "donations" in exchange for favors such as jobs and influence.

And as I understand it, the influence and jobs went through Blago.

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

Fitzgerald has hardly been a Bush puppet.

Let me clarify, I am not suggesting Fitzgerald is involved. I also made sure I said consider the source int he title. I actually have a lot of respect for Fitzgerald/ He's done a really great job.

[southsider2k5]

And as I understand it, the influence and jobs went through Blago.

 

Exactly. Which means Rezko admitted that he did illegal work for Blago.

[NorthSideSox72]

Exactly. Which means Rezko admitted that he did illegal work for Blago.

Basically, yes.

 

And because Lisa Madigan can't chase down Blago for it (being the daughter of Michael), they will punt to the feds. And I wouldn't be surprised if Blago is indicted, either before or after the next election.

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

Basically, yes.

 

And because Lisa Madigan can't chase down Blago for it (being the daughter of Michael), they will punt to the feds. And I wouldn't be surprised if Blago is indicted, either before or after the next election.

preferably before

[southsider2k5]

Basically, yes.

 

And because Lisa Madigan can't chase down Blago for it (being the daughter of Michael), they will punt to the feds. And I wouldn't be surprised if Blago is indicted, either before or after the next election.

 

From the sounds of it, he needs to be. Hopefully Fitz takes him down.

[southsider2k5]

Consider the source is right...

 

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/1...rezko16.article

 

'Pressure' on Rezko to discuss Obama in doubt

LETTER TO JUDGE | Claim of interview by prosecutors is false: sources

 

June 16, 2008

Recommend (17)

 

BY NATASHA KORECKI Federal Courts Reporter [email protected]

 

In a letter to a judge publicized last week, political fund-raiser Tony Rezko said "overzealous" prosecutors pressured him to tell them "the wrong things" about presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

 

But that letter appears to be misleading, given that Rezko never submitted to an interview with federal prosecutors or any federal investigators, sources said.

 

Rezko's lawyer, Joseph Duffy, said Rezko never sat down for an interview and was never pressured directly, or indirectly, through Duffy, to talk about Obama, Gov. Blagojevich -- or anyone else.

 

Rezko's correspondence to U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve came in April, in the midst of his corruption trial and as he sat in solitary confinement at a downtown lockup. Arrested in January after a bond violation, Rezko pleaded with St. Eve to release him so he could see his family and assist in his defense. She eventually did release him.

 

"Your honor, the prosecutors have been overzealous in pursuing a crime that never happened," Rezko said. "They are pressuring me to tell them the wrong things that I supposedly know about Gov. Blagojevich and Senator Barack Obama."

 

Sources say Rezko believed he was put in jail just before his trial as a tactic to get him to flip.

 

Rezko, 52, of Wilmette, was convicted of far-reaching fraud tied to state deals. He was a longtime fund-raiser to Blagojevich and Obama.

 

The letter sent a clear signal that Rezko was not interested in making a deal.

 

But Rezko's situation changed dramatically after his June 4 conviction. He not only landed right back in jail, but faces significant prison time. Beyond that, Rezko still faces two other criminal trials.

 

If Rezko were to have a future change of heart, the note he sent could end up backfiring on him, legal observers say.

 

Former prosecutor Zachary Fardon noted that Scott Fawell, former chief of staff to Gov. George Ryan, wrote a similar letter, saying he wouldn't make up lies about Ryan. Fawell was the star witness in Ryan's trial.

 

"Do I think he could effectively be crossed on this letter? Yes," Fardon said. "Does that mean they can't call him or use him [as a witness]? No."

 

A U.S. attorney's spokesman had no comment.