Jury: Rezko guilty of 16 counts in corruption case

[Milton Bradley]

Jury: Rezko guilty of 16 counts in corruption case - Yahoo! News

By MIKE ROBINSON, Associated Press Writer CHICAGO - A prominent fundraiser for Sen. Barack Obama and Gov. Rod Blagojevich was convicted Wednesday of fraud and money laundering after a high-profile federal trial provided an unusually detailed glimpse of the pay-to-play politics that has made Illinois infamous. Antoin "Tony" Rezko showed no emotion as the jury found him guilty of 16 of 24 counts, including scheming to get kickbacks from money management firms seeking state business and a contractor who wanted to build a hospital in northern Illinois. He was acquitted of charges that included attempted extortion. "What the jury did was vindicate the interests of the citizens of Illinois and honest government," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said. The nine-week trial included explosive testimony about drug-fueled parties involving the government's star witness and allegations that the governor discussed a state job for a donor after the donor handed over a $25,000 check for Blagojevich's campaign. Testimony barely touched on the relationship between Obama and Rezko, who has known the Democratic presidential candidate since he entered politics and was involved in a 2005 real estate deal with him. Most of the focus was on shakedowns prosecutors said Rezko arranged when he was a top adviser to Blagojevich.

Hmmm, this can't be good for the Obama cause.


I'd say, and this is just a me opining, that this is about on par with all the people you will see him associating himself with in the future as well.


One morally bankrupt snake seeking the council of another.

[Chaossaber314]

Meh. In Washington it seems like the translation of the crime is "Was too stupid and got caught doing what everyone else does all the time".

[Milton Bradley]

Quote by: Chaossaber314 Meh. In Washington it seems like the translation of the crime is "Was too stupid and got caught doing what everyone else does all the time".

Exactly. Which begs the question...


How morally bankrupt must one be to sanction this type of behavior from their "Representatives" in government?


How can anybody send crooks, and fraudsters in to negotiate for them, and expect an acceptable result?


I just can't wrap my brain around that concept.

[Sweet Katie]

This is another example of how Obama continues to bed down with pigs. And, don't forget that Obama benefited by purchasing property from Rezko's wife.