The Syrian-born Rezko, who made a small fortune in pizza and Chinese food, was an ambitious Chicago businessman and a cultivator of political talent who happened to become a trusted adviser to Blagojevich.
Between 2001 and 2004, an FBI agent told the federal court jury, Rezko raised $1.4 million for Blagojevich, a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan who spent three terms in the House seat once held by Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D), later jailed for mail fraud in the House post office scandal.
Levine, who finished his sixth day under cross-examination on Thursday, testified that he conspired with Rezko to rig state business and extort kickbacks. Jurors heard Rezko say in a secretly recorded conversation that the hospital board's decisions were dictated by its chairman. Prosecutors say the chairman, in turn, followed Rezko's commands.
"I have good reasons for doing things the way I'm doing," Rezko said on the tape. He is now charged with 24 felonies, including fraud, money laundering and attempted extortion. Obama has no connection to the case.
Pressed this week by defense attorney Joseph Duffy to explain what Levine meant when he said there was "control of the central apparatus," Levine said Rezko and indicted Blagojevich friend Christopher Kelly had such close ties to the Blagojevich administration "that they could, in fact, get things done in a way I had never seen before."
Duffy asked Levine, who has admitted being a liar, a thief and a con man, whether he was "embellishing for the jury."
"No, sir," Levine answered in a strong voice.
Day after day, Duffy has tried to shake Levine, who admits spending $20,000 a year on drugs including cocaine and crystal methamphetamine, sometimes spiked with ketamine, an animal tranquilizer. His drug use began in 1972 and continued to 2004, when federal authorities said they had him cold on corruption charges. |
