Rezko convicted of corruption
Antoin "Tony" Rezko, center, arrives at the Dirksen Federal Building for the reading of the verdict in his corruption trial. (Tribune photo by Chris Walker / June 4, 2008)
By Bob Secter and Jeff Coen | Tribune reporters
5:07 PM CDT, June 4, 2008
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Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Fark Google Newsvine Reddit Yahoo Print Reprints Post comment Text size: A federal jury today convicted developer Antoin "Tony" Rezko of corruption charges for trading on his clout as a top adviser and fundraiser to Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Rezko's guilty verdict on 16 of 24 corruption counts could have broad repercussions for Blagojevich, who made Rezko a central player in his cabinet. It could also prove a political liability for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, who once counted Rezko as a friend and fundraiser, as the likely Democratic presidential nominee heads into the general election campaign against Republican John McCain.
The 10-woman, two-man jury deliberated for parts of 13 days before convicting Rezko of scheming with Stuart Levine, a longtime Republican insider, to extort millions of dollars from firms seeking state business or regulatory approval.
The jury convicted Rezko of 12 counts of wire and mail fraud, two counts of money laundering and two counts of aiding and abetting bribery. He was acquitted of attempted extortion.
Clad in a light olive suit and red tie, Rezko showed little emotion as the verdicts were read. Sentencing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Sept. 3. On Wednesday afternoon, Rezko voluntarily surrendered himself to federal custody.
"Mr. Rezko on his own decided that if he was convicted, he wanted to immediately begin serving his sentence," said his lawyer, Joseph Duffy, who added he was going to file a motion to appeal the verdict.
"We are obviously very disappointed in the jury's verdict today," Duffy said. "We strongly believe in Mr. Rezko's innocence, as does he."
The verdict was hailed by Better Government Association executive director Jay Stewart.
"This is a pretty significant victory for the prosecution," Stewart said. "It is another chapter in the sad history of Illinois government where our tax dollars, our public institutions were manipulated or attempted to be manipulated by insiders for their own benefit.
"I don't think this is the 'no more business as usual' we were promised when Rod Blagojevich became governor back in 2002. This does not reflect well on [Blagojevich]."
Levine, who pleaded guilty in 2006, became the government's star witness. He testified that in return for kickbacks, Rezko rigged decisions of two state boards on which Levine sat.
But the defense attacked Levine as a drug-addled con man who dodged a life sentence by inventing tales of illegal activity involving Rezko. His lawyers also questioned Levine's memory after decades of abusing cocaine and crystal methamphetamine.
In their closing arguments, prosecutors urged jurors not to disregard Levine's testimony just because they found him offensive. Government wiretaps and other witnesses backed up Levine's account of conspiring with Rezko, prosecutors contended.
Testimony at the trial produced a series of stunning allegations of misconduct that went well beyond the scope of the criminal charges against Rezko.
Former state official Ali Ata told jurors he bought his post with bribes to Rezko and campaign contributions to Blagojevich. Ata was also one of several witnesses who said Rezko talked of a plot to kill the criminal probe against him by pulling strings with the Bush White House to get U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald fired.
The trial also provided ample fodder for cynics who see Illinois politicians as members of a cozy club motivated more by greed than altruism or ideology.
Witnesses against Rezko claimed his alleged schemes involved a host of political insiders from both major parties. Among those whose names came up repeatedly during the trial were Chris Kelly, another top fundraiser for Blagojevich; William Cellini, a veteran Republican power broker; and Robert Kjellander, the longtime Republican national committeeman from Illinois.
Rezko befriended many Illinois politicians and was a major fundraiser for some, most prominently Blagojevich and Obama. The criminal charges against Rezko had nothing to do with his connection to Obama. But that link still proved a nagging headache for Obama during his Democratic presidential run, especially in the wake of Tribune revelations that tied Rezko to a 2005 real estate deal involving Obama's South Side home.
The verdict poses problems that are far more acute for Blagojevich, who swept to victory in 2002 with claims that he would clean up Illinois government after the scandal-plagued years of his predecessor, George Ryan, who is now in prison.
Several trial witnesses placed Blagojevich in conversations in which he appeared to give a thumbs-up to the notion of steering lucrative state business to campaign donors.
Blagojevich's administration has come under broad scrutiny from federal agents, but the governor has not been charged with any wrongdoing and steadfastly maintains his commitment to reform.
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