Rezko Defends Obama in Letter to Judge

By Jeralyn, Section Corruption Cases
Posted on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 06:52:00 AM EST
Tags: Tony Rezko, Barack Obama (all tags)

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The judge in the Tony Rezko trial has released a two page letter Rezko wrote her while seeking to have his bail reinstated in April. In it, he defends Sen. Barack Obama, saying the Government was overzealous in its pursuit of "a crime that never happened" and sought information from him about Obama but he had none to give. The actual letter is here.

Two months before he was convicted of federal corruption charges, political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko told his trial judge that "overzealous" prosecutors were pressuring him to tell them about any wrongdoing involving Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama or Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

But in a two-page typed letter, Rezko said he was never involved in any wrongdoing with either of the Democrats and wouldn't make up stories about them in an attempt to benefit himself.

[More...]

From the letter:

"They are pressuring me to tell them the 'wrong' things that I supposedly know about Governor Blagojevich and Senator Obama," Rezko wrote St. Eve in an April bid to be released on bail during his trial. "I have never been party to any wrongdoing that involved the Governor or the Senator," Rezko continued. "I will never fabricate lies about anyone else for selfish purposes. I will take what comes my way, but I will never hurt innocent people."

Rezko's lawyer says he was not aware of the Government seeking information about Obama:

Rezko attorney Joseph Duffy said Wednesday the government has never intimated it is investigating anything about Obama.

"I'm not aware of any impropriety related to Rezko and Obama," Duffy said. "At no point has the government ever asked me a single question about Obama, or any wrongdoing involving Rezko and Obama."

Rezko told the judge he was not going to provide information to the Government, writing:

"I am not Levine, Loren Mahru or Winter. I am simply an honest, humble immigrant who believes in the American dream.

....Despite my belief in my innocence, I understand I may well lose this case. If I do, I am prepared to serve my sentence."

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Rezko Defends Obama in Letter to Judge | 17 comments (17 topical)

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I covered a case... (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by tnjen on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 02:03:34 AM EST

..where the bookkeeper gave a report to Council informing them that a large amount of money was missing from public coffers. The bookkeeper did this during an open meeting and while she was speaking a city official stood up and announced their innocence. No one had asked, btw. It was both out of place and comically bizarre (like out of an old black and white movie). To make a long story short, the official that professed their innocence during the bookkeepers report was investigated and later found guilty.

I wonder why the federal district judge (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by oculus on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 02:15:27 AM EST

placed the letter, which was written to her in April, in the court file of Rezko's criminal case today. Very curious.

: typically they unseal (5.00 / 2) (#11)
by Jeralyn on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 03:01:18 AM EST

this kind of stuff when the trial is over.

That was then. This is now. Stellaaa (none / 0) (#2)
by oculus on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 02:00:45 AM EST

Hmmm (none / 0) (#3)
by janarchy on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 02:01:34 AM EST

Considering what a crook Rezko is, why should anyone believe a word he's saying now? Not to mention the old adage "There's honor amongst theives".

Democratic Strategists were all over cable news today trying to pooh-pooh the idea of Jim Johnson had gotten any sort of sweetheart deal, claiming that he got the same interest rates as everyone else at the time on his $1M mortgage.

Who the hell wrote that? (none / 0) (#4)
by phat on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 02:03:24 AM EST

n/t

Not Rezko's attorney, apparently. (none / 0) (#6)
by oculus on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 02:04:51 AM EST

: This might be terrible (none / 0) (#8)
by phat on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 02:09:53 AM EST

n/t

So does Rezko want attention? (none / 0) (#7)
by catfish on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 02:06:43 AM EST

Or does Rezko want Obama to look bad:

Shouldn't he lay low and not call attention to himself? Between Wright, Pfleger and now Rezko they don't seem to want him to win.

: Attention I think . . . (5.00 / 3) (#10)
by nycstray on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 02:19:42 AM EST

He reminds me of a drama queen:

I am simply an honest, humble immigrant who believes in the American dream.
....Despite my belief in my innocence, I understand I may well lose this case. If I do, I am prepared to serve my sentence."
Geeze, soap opera material anyone? or is it just me?

: Does that mean the attorney (none / 0) (#13)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 07:11:24 AM EST

didn't know his client had written the letter??
I don't know that it's fair to say Rezko is "calling attention to himself," though. He's surely allowed to plead with the judge for bail, and he wasn't the one who made the letter public.
Even if he by some faint chance has something on Obama, he would surely keep his trap tight shut about it in hopes that a President Obama would pardon him, I would think.

Color me skeptical (none / 0) (#12)
by Alec82 on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 03:26:40 AM EST

A letter asking for reinstatement of bail and simultaneously implying a political prosecution later repudiated by the attorney of record once that letter is released?

No!

Occam's razor, anyone?

Assuming, of course, this is even the full picture, which I doubt, given the media's tendancy to inflate minor episodes for the benefit of high profile (and therefore high selling) "stories."

Of course, it's not unheard of (none / 0) (#14)
by scribe on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 07:24:01 AM EST

for the feds to go around the defendant's attorney to talk about other subjects of investigation or whatever. Even though they are not supposed to do that, the reason there are rules against it is because it does happen. They'll always deny it, too.

Given the politicization of the DoJ (I know - it's the apolitical Fitz's district) and the FBI (don't think there aren't agents who grind their own little axes, or would look to get some later "gratitude" from a pol whose campaign their investigation helped), it wouldn't be surprising.

But, like the others say, Rezko could just be a drama fan or a fabulist.

Complex Rezko ties to influence peddling. (none / 0) (#15)
by wurman on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 08:55:26 AM EST

The Chicago Tribune interviewed Sen. Obama about these issues with Rezko & ended their interest in the connections.

The Chicago Sun-Times continues to investigate the Rezko stories, with Mark Brown & Tim Novak basically following the money trail. There are 2 connections: money skimmed from the Teachers Retirement System & from the Hospital Advisory Board. They have established a sequence of dates when "bagmen" gave money to Gov. Blagojevich & then state legislator Obama. The cash came from 2 different sources, both of whom have pled guilty & made plea bargains.

There is another complex money trail via Rezko that involves his pizza parlors, the airport & the highway toll plazas. This skam has not had any national press interest or coverage.

Evelyn Pringle, through Scoop News, continues to summarize & analyze the various journalism reports & cross-reference them to legal documents & some "insider" tips--of variable plausibility.

These stories are not going to go away.

It is not proceeding rapidly, however, and it appears as if the prosecutors will work more completely on the governor's office & Mayor Daley's groups than on Sen. Obama. Unless a person in the money trail turns snitch, it is unlikely that any direct ties will be made to Sen. Obama before the election in November.

Presidential Pardon? (none / 0) (#16)
by gaf on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 11:16:01 AM EST

Presidential Pardon, anyone?

Could it be? (none / 0) (#17)
by Laertes on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 01:51:44 PM EST

Wait a minute. Is this clown suggesting that the United States Justice Department might be allowing partisan politics to influence its' prosecutions?

Impossible.

Hmmmm (none / 0) (#18)
by Adam88888 on Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 02:49:26 PM EST

I don't know. Wanting attention does not really make sense here. This man was never a guy who liked publicity. Also, this letter was written to the judge when she put him in jail during the trial awaiting bail. I doubt he ever meant for it to get out to the public. Theres some personal stuff in there.

Plus, as crazy as it may seem, it may be true that Fitz and his squad are wrongfully convicting Rezko. I mean, who wouldnt want to go down in the history books as the man who put Blago or Obama in jail.

I mean I have no clue, but you have to believe there are some people out there with morals. After downloading the whole rezko letter off the sun times website, I think Rezko would be the best candidate for that man. Once in a while something like this happens to an innocent person, and this may very well be one of those times.