[Bumped up for visibility]
* 10:36 AM - More trouble for the guv…
Jailed political fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko’s sentencing has been postponed indefinitely, possibly adding to the legal problems of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who already is facing federal charges.
The order came at a one-minute hearing Tuesday amid speculation that Rezko has resumed talking to prosecutors about his relationship with Blagojevich and other figures in the federal investigation of state government.
But Rezko’s chief defense counsel, Joseph Duffy, declined to comment.
*** 12:13 PM *** The walls are closing in…
Another card may have fallen in the governor’s house of cards. Christopher Kelly - one of Gov. Blagojevich’s closest advisers, fund-raisers and friends - is set to plead guilty in his federal criminal case, according to a court filing.
*** 12:31 PM *** From the AP…
A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. tells The Associated Press the congressman has been talking to federal investigators about his dealings with Gov. Rod Blagojevich since summertime.
Spokesman Rick Bryant wouldn’t give details of those discussions Tuesday morning.
But a report from WLS-TV in Chicago cites unidentified sources as saying Jackson has told investigators Blagojevich wouldn’t appoint Jackson’s wife as state lottery director because Jackson wouldn’t donate $25,000 to the governor’s campaign fund.
*** 2:01 PM *** It’s not too difficult to read between the lines of Mayor Daley’s comments today…
Pressed on whether the state is “rudderless” with Blagojevich at the helm, Daley said, “It’s gonna be very, very difficult.You have economic problems in every home and every business. Every city and county and township and every state [has financial problems]. It’s not unique.
“So, you need a person 24 hours [a-day], seven-days-a-week who cannot ever be distracted on any other issue.”
LIVE session coverage...
- Ghost - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 10:43 am:
I thought Rezko sought the delay based upon his cooperation.
- Fire Ron Guenther - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 10:46 am:
The story isn’t clear on who requested the continuance (or if the court decided unilaterally to grant a continuance).
- Pat collins - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 10:50 am:
I think Rezko now knows he needs to talk fast, and talk totally to avoid a seriously long jail term.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 10:50 am:
Tony lost a lot of leverage with the arrest. The G has wiretaps on the guv and there’s a growing choir singing about the administration at the Dirksen Building . Tony has to show all his cards now to make his best deal.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 11:11 am:
Mr. Rezko lost the leverage of what he has said so far. There will be more pressure on him to turn in more facts, and expose even more individuals. He will sing even higher and those that dealt with him should be quite concerned, including Barack Obama.
- Gabriel - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 11:33 am:
Weren’t the Feds having difficulty verifying Rezko’s information?
Now, maybe that’s not so difficult. They have tapes.
- Little Egypt - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:02 pm:
VanMan - also Bob K should not be feeling real comfortable today.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:18 pm:
Bill Cellini and the repub fundraisers in bed with blago wil be a lot more alarmed at this point then Obama.
- Downstate weed chewing hick - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:31 pm:
When all the dust (eventually settles) from this mess, it will be intersting to see who writes the most accurate and interesting book. Watergate produced so many different inside and outside accounts. Will this too? I would like to hear honest accounts from the perspective of Kelly, Rezko and others.
- Jail house Rod - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:37 pm:
When the dust settles….not only several books but on the big screen too!
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:41 pm:
Hmmm.
- tubbfan - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:42 pm:
So, JJJr’s spokesperson claims that the Gov. shook down the Congressman for $25 large. First, this appears to be a “he said, he said” claim. Second, doesn’t this appear to be a slash and burn tactic by the Congressman?
- tubbfan - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:44 pm:
. . .and didn’t Jackson claim to have NEVER spoken to the Governor before this recent dust-up?
- Gabriel - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:44 pm:
Is the first rule about getting into Illinois politics to first have a spouse?
J3 gets a lift from WLS-TV.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:49 pm:
I thought the Channel 7 story last night was shoddy if not bizarre, given the accusations. None of the principles in the story had a quote on the record.
Trips is all over the place now. Didn’t he at least whisper in Rod’s ear when he arranged the lovefest in Denver?
- Gabriel - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:49 pm:
Missed this WLS-TV report last night. It has new information about J3.
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6557529&pt=print
- Pat collins - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:51 pm:
So, did Jesse Jr. “wear, Jesse, transmit”? :)
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:52 pm:
Rich, don’t go Hollywood on us.
Like the great philosphers, the Gatlin Bros., said: “It don’t matter at all where you played before (Hollywood) California’s a brand new game.”
Vipers, vipers, everywhere!
- Amy - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:55 pm:
that’s good news for JJJr. but it does not explain his conduct in the, what, three interviews that he gave. he talks about fighting for his political life, and was very distraut, almost crying. it seems weird if he was some longtime fed informant. did they catch him and flip him? it will be interesting to hear the truth as it comes out.
- Gabriel - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 1:00 pm:
The talk about appointing Sandi Jackson to the Lottery board was in 2003. Is that when J3 went to the Feds? Or is it after the 2006 meeting at the Gold Coast hotel with Rezko to talk about a third airport?
I’ll guess no more interviews with J3 for a while.
- IrishPirate - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 1:07 pm:
Did the Feds give JJJ a special decoder ring when he was acting like an informant?
I guess it is possible, but if he was why was he begging Blago for the Senate seat last week if he was acting as a junior G-Man?
It doesn’t smell right to me.
- Excessively rabid - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 1:09 pm:
===Hmmm.===
Isn’t there a federal statute that prohibits criminals from profiting from book/movie deals based on their crimes? I would hope it would apply to Blago, but if not maybe we can help with some titles: “Bleepless in Springfield” quickly comes to mind….
- Paul - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 1:14 pm:
Not a single one of these dirtballs should make money off this. Do we have that law in Illinois? I hated hearing Laski trying to cash in on his own corruption and notoriety. We really need a law prohibiting profiteering based on storytelling of your own criminal activity.
Rich Miller should write the authoritative story and screenplay. It’s a combination of typical corruption and strange behavior (let me shake down these guys - pull over here driver I have to ring Stallone’s doorbell!)
Rich you have said numerous times that he loves Blago for making him rich, you should take that theme and run with it. Maybe one of your traditional media journalist friends can co-author with you.
Need help Rich? I’ll help ghost write some of it for you for a reasonable fee. I’m only half kidding.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 1:17 pm:
If nothing else there will be a Lifetime movie about Patty
- Just My Opinion - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 1:19 pm:
My all time favorite movie, “Gone With The Windy City”.
- Lefty - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 1:25 pm:
WHO WILL PLAY BLAGO IN THE MOVIE?
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 1:28 pm:
Steve Carell with a wig. No-brainer.
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 1:51 pm:
So J3 says he didnt talk to the gov until a couple of weeks ago, then he says the Gov tried to shake him down in order for his wife to get a job during the summer…….Tell us, did you tell the Gov that you couldn’t do the 25k because you were saving it for your Senate payment????
- Boone Logan Square - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 1:53 pm:
Kelly and Rezko both talking?
Blagojevich may find he preferred the events of last Tuesday to today when all is said and done.
- Warner Bros. - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 2:03 pm:
Possible Movie Titles (some familiar, some new)
1. To Have and Have Not
2. Grease-2(-play)
3. (Sentenced) From Here to Eternity
4. Gentlemen Prefer (Personal Recognizance) Bonds
5. The Sting
6. Throw Blago from the Train
7. (Not So) Goodfellas
8. The Usual Suspects
9. It’s (Not Such) a Wonderful Life
10. Full Metal (Strait)Jacket
11. Unforgiven
12. Notorious
13. (No One Will) Stand By Me
14. The Lying King
15. The Hustler
16. The Conversation(s)
17. The Adventures of Rod the Hood
18. Great Expectations
19. A Bribe for All Seasons
20. The Nightmare Before Christmas
21…
- Just My Opinion - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 2:13 pm:
Rick Sanchez on CNN just finished interviewing Rep. John Fritchey about this whole impeachment thing. Fritchey laid out a lot of the reasons for impeachment, not limited to what is in the papers that Fitzgerald released. Sanchez asked Fritchey, “If you knew this about this guy, why haven’t you tried to impeach him long before this?” Rep. Fritchey, you would have done this state a service if you had have been honest and said that there was not one single Democratic rep who had the testicular virility to do so. It took the cooperation of MMadigan and the rest of the Dems to start this ball rolling and it should have begun long before Fitzgerald blew the whistle. Rep. Fritchey, you would have looked a lot better if you had fessed up instead of dodged the question.
- The Doc - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 2:19 pm:
Ah, the fearless Mayor Daley finally chimes in with a wishy-washy statement. As usual, he whines about money, and nothing else.
Sing it loud and proud, John Harris. Please.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 2:27 pm:
“Rep. Fritchey, you would have looked a lot better if you had fessed up instead of dodged the question.”
Unless I’m mistaken, Rep. Fritchey has been the most vocal critic of the Governor and his practices a long time now. If anything, I’m quite impressed by how restrained he’s been in his comments over the last week.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 2:30 pm:
J3 appears to have painted himself into a corner, depending on when this shakedown for sandi occured. if it was in 2003, then he failed to report and sat silently by while the Gov engaged in criminal conduct (required to report under Ethics act?). If it happened recently, then he ignore the conduct hoping to get the Senate appointment.
- Captain Flume - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 2:40 pm:
A New York Times story is saying that the impeachment proceedings have stalled, that Fitzpatrick has concerns about the committee granting some kind of immunity to witnesses. This impeachment committee can only recommend (or not) that the Governor be tried in the Senate for impeachable offenses, whatever those happen to be. I think there are plenty of bones for the committee to chew on without digging into Fitzpatrick’s dish. And it’s not like there are sudden revelations to this inquiry that have not been floating around for quite a while. And I refuse to believe that Speaker Madigan just brainstormed the procedurals for this committee only in the past 6 days. he had to have been giving all this a lot of thought for quite a while. Sorry, but I don’t buy Fitzpatrick’s reported concerns. He, too, would know that an impeachment proceeding was likely, if not inevitable, even without the recent arrest of the Governor. And surely a prosecutor with his acumen would realize that the arrest would certainly hasten such proceedings.
- nino - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 2:44 pm:
hmmm
when is the book coming out?
- RobRoy - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 3:07 pm:
Casting call:
Richard Dreyfuss (bearded/frumpy) as Rich Miller
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 3:08 pm:
Richard Dreyfuss is really old, man.
- RobRoy - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 3:21 pm:
LOL I still picture him from Close Encounters
- RobRoy - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 3:24 pm:
Ok, so how’s about Paul Giamatti?
- Belle - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 3:29 pm:
or Nick Nolte…
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 3:30 pm:
Watch it.
Let’s move along.
- ANON - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 3:36 pm:
I did not know that JJ’s wife had the expertise to be Director of the Lottery. You would think he would have offered someone with more experience. Say someone from Todd Stroger’s family tree.
- A Citizen - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 4:46 pm:
Or Rich could be played by James Cagney. Jimmy Durante is probably not available.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 4:55 pm:
Captain, hold out for Brad Pitt. He can grow a beard. With skillful makeup and costumery, he could play both you and that other guy, keeping the costs down.
Kevin Costner has already agreed to a similar deal wherein he will portray both AA and Bill.
“Urkel” is negotiating to play John Rogers and Todd Stroger.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 5:03 pm:
A shaven-headed Sasha Baron Cohen as Tony Rezko.
Sandra Bernhard as Patti Mell Blagojevich
- Boyd of the lakes - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 5:09 pm:
CNN reports that Jesse Jackson, Jr. has served as an informant to the U.S. attorney’s office in Illinois for more than a decade.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 5:37 pm:
Boyd, that can’t be right. Not saying that you didn’t hear it, but that is just unbelievable.
Back to Blago-The Movie.
Two good choices, Six.
How about a couple from The Sopranos:
Paulie Walnuts as Chris Kelly
Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Abby Ottenhoff
a couple more:
Adam Sandler as Bradley Tusk
Tom Cruise as Lon Monk
(I have the other SpinSisters, but one could be perceived as snarky and I don’t wanna get deleted)
William H. Macy as John Filan
- Suburban Republican - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 5:37 pm:
Talia Shire as Patti Blagojevich
Paul Giamatti as Rich Miller
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 5:58 pm:
another package deal…Michael J. Fox as John Glennon AND Stu Levine.
- Boyd of the lakes - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 6:19 pm:
First in print on the site, then out of Wolf Blitzers mouth. Sources unnamed, so take it as you will!
- hmmmm - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 6:41 pm:
The source IS named:
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (CNN) — Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. — who was cited in a criminal complaint against Rod Blagojevich — has been an informant for at least a decade with the U.S. Attorney’s office, and has informed on the embattled governor of Illinois, though not in the case currently under investigation, Jackson spokesman Kenneth Edmonds told CNN Tuesday.
- Bill - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 6:44 pm:
Vincent D’Onofrio as Miller, Katherine Erbes as Rebecca Rausch,Jennifer Aniston as Becky Carrol, Don Knotts as John Filan,Jim Carey as Monk, George Stephanopolis as Rod,Jennifer Conley as Abby, Joe Pesci as the Speaker.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 7:00 pm:
Lou Dobbs, noted criminal law expert, and a panel of similarly situated geniuses are chortling away about The Defendant’s innocence, Fitzgerald’s “desperation act” and “job retention strategy” of arresting him, and the IL Dems’ rush to toss him under the bus when they insist on full trials for the enemy combatants down at Gitmo. One good line was “Quinn was ready to certify the guy was crazy before the arrest warrant was filled out.”
Way to burnish the State’s rep, gang.
————————————————–
This just in:
Chevy Chase as Pat Quinn in Blago: The Movie.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 7:06 pm:
Lol, Bill. I love Don Knotts. You like our guy?
Way to suck up to the Sisters. AA had a slightly different lineup that’s not ready for release, but includes Lohan.
Pesci definitely has a role to play, but not the Speaker. Maybe DeLeo?
- morality - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 7:12 pm:
Does anyone find it pitiful that JJ Jr decide to inform on the Governor only after his wife did not get a big state job?
- Smitty Irving - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:24 pm:
John Filan - a calmer but meaner Christopher Lloyd.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 10:12 pm:
The big names are hearing the buzz and signing on to Blago: the movie.
Will Farrell as Alexi and Chris Rock as J3.
- sneaker - Wednesday, Dec 17, 08 @ 8:48 am:
JJJ’s story only proves that he knew that Blago was all about pay to play and that any chance of him getting the Senate seat would mean that he had to come to the table with a pot of money for Blago. (I’d say a million would do.)
- Secret Square - Wednesday, Dec 17, 08 @ 9:11 am:
1976: SNL’s Weekend Update breathlessly reports that Spain’s General Franco is “still dead.”
2009: SNL’s Weekend Update breathlessly reports that Illinois Gov. Blago is “still governor.”