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* Is Patti Blagojevich next? The Sun-Times has the story…
The state’s former first lady has not been charged with any crimes.
“This is certainly a good sign for her, and I’m sure this is of some relief to the family,” said Mrs. Blagojevich’s lawyer, Raymond Pijon.
Pijon, however, did not rule out possible future charges against his client, a mother of two. “It would not be realistic of me to dismiss that possibility,” he said.
Truer words were never said.
Background…
Rezko directed a $14,396 commission to Mrs. Blagojevich “even though she had done no work to earn that commission,” the indictment states. Rezko also hired Mrs. Blagojevich as “an employee of Rezko’s real estate business at a salary of approximately $12,000 per month” between October 2003 and May 2004 “and supplemented her salary by directing another real estate commission to her in the amount of approximately $40,000, even though she had done little or no work to earn that commission.”
It is my understanding these new revelations are coming from Rezko,” Pijon said. “It is important to understand that it is possible for individuals to be used as a conduit in a scheme without being involved in it.”
* Defense…
Asked about allegations his client took money she did not earn, Pijon said it is common in real estate transactions for brokers to collect fees for little work. “Sometimes you don’t do very much and you get a commission,” he said.
* The totals…
All told, the Tribune uncovered political connections in more than $500,000 in real estate commissions to River Realty since Blagojevich began running for governor in 2000. They include a $32,500 commission from a roads contractor who won three no-bid state contracts worth $10 million; $9,438 from her husband’s then chief of staff, Alonzo “Lon” Monk, who also was indicted Thursday; and $113,875 from a Chicago banker and his wife, who operated a drug testing firm with a long-standing state contract.
* From the indictment…
After Blagojevich’s wife’s real estate business became the subject of critical media coverage, Blagojevich directed Harris to try to find a paid state board appointment or position for her. During several conversations in early 2008, Blagojevich informed Harris that he wanted his wife put on the Pollution Control Board, which pays salaries to its board members. When Harris told Blagojevich that his wife was not qualified for the position, Blagojevich told him to find other employment for his wife.
In the spring of 2008, around the time that Blagojevich’s wife passed a licensing exam that allowed her to sell financial securities, Blagojevich asked Harris and others to set up informational or networking meetings for his wife with financial institutions that had business with the state in hopes that those businesses would assist in getting his wife a job. Harris later arranged meetings between Blagojevich’s wife and officials at two financial institutions that had business with the state. When Blagojevich concluded that officials at these institutions were unhelpful in finding his wife a job, he told Harris that he did not want the institutions receiving further business from the state.
No shame.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Apr 3, 09 @ 7:19 am
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That feed off to the right says it all:
“Blagojevich indictment about money: Lots of it”
Comment by Anon Friday, Apr 3, 09 @ 7:23 am
She seems pretty savvy, not some unwitting conduit.
Reading between the lines, I think Rezko rolled on her and the others, but good. He was a guy who could connect the dots.
So if she was a willing participant in funnelling kickbacks to the governor through her real estate business, the question is why wasn’t she indicted now? I would think there would be more leverage on Blago if she were (assuming he cared).
I think the U.S. attorney might let her take a walk. The real target is Blago; indicting his wife would give him the opportunity to try and drum up public sympathy for his case — “now they’ve gone after my poor wife.”
Gee, he wouldn’t put the kids on TV, would he? No one could sink that low. Right?
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Apr 3, 09 @ 7:55 am
But will Patti role to save her skin and keep her kids from being left without parents on the outside of a cell….
Comment by Ghost Friday, Apr 3, 09 @ 8:41 am
Word - you forget he has stood behind kids, aged, and handicapped people before.
Comment by tanstaafl Friday, Apr 3, 09 @ 8:45 am
Do you suppose—Patti has rolled on him?
Comment by enrico depressario Friday, Apr 3, 09 @ 9:14 am
Is there more or less leverage on Rod if his wife hasn’t been charged? I think there’s more. If Fitzgerald et al indict Patti, I think she’s probably guilty of enough that even if she cooperated she’d probably be facing some jail time. But if Fitzgerald can use the potential of indicting Patti against Rod, it might make him more cooperative. Then again Rod is completely nuts, and I wouldn’t want to be the one formulating legal tactics against him.
Comment by Sacks Romana Friday, Apr 3, 09 @ 9:21 am
Yeah. No way. They might use the threat to lock her up to maybe get her to yap, but I don’t think they’re really interested in busting up a family.
So Mrs. Blago gets yet another sweet heart deal.
Comment by dan l Friday, Apr 3, 09 @ 9:21 am
Tanstaffl, it’s called sarcasm, dude
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Apr 3, 09 @ 10:03 am
{and $113,875 from a Chicago banker and his wife, who operated a drug testing firm with a long-standing state contract.}
Lest we forget that “Uncle Amrish” is also the banker that lent the un-employed Mrs. Rezko the $600,000 to purchase the adjoining lot next to the Obama’s, which the bank’s own loan officer has alleged an appraisal would not support.Oddly enough the appraisal disappeared from the loan document file, and the loan officer was fired not long therafter.
Comment by Quinn T. Sential Friday, Apr 3, 09 @ 11:53 am
From what I read in the paper she and Rod are one in the same. Lock her up too and toss the key.
Comment by South of I80 Friday, Apr 3, 09 @ 8:35 pm