* We’re gonna have to wait a bit longer…
Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s sentencing next month on his sweeping corruption charges has been postponed, according to a court order Monday.
No new date has been set.
The Oct. 6 date has always been tentative, and the postponement is not surprising largely because of Blagojevich’s co-defendant, William Cellini, is scheduled to go on trial next Monday in the same courtroom.
* The Sun-Times offered up an explanation for the delay on Friday…
Rod Blagojevich’s lawyer, Sheldon Sorosky, said [Friday] afternoon that he’s “quite certain” the ex-governor’s sentencing will be delayed.
“Our sentencing date is going to be continued,” Sorosky said, when told of the news that U.S. District Judge James Zagel kept Cellini’s Oct. 3 trial date intact and asked that prosecutors have witnesses ready for Oct. 5. Blagojevich’s sentencing right now is scheduled for Oct. 6. “It’s not going to happen, I’m telling you. It would taint the Cellini jury. I’m quite certain it will be continued.”
Cellini was a onetime co-defendant of Blagojevich. In court today, Cellini lawyer Dan Webb raised questions about publicity from Blagojevich in general affecting his client and asked that potential jurors be questioned individually.
* In related news, the Tribune’s Bill Cellini profile included this bit at the end…
Others who consider Cellini a friend expressed surprise that someone with that much political acumen would ever step over that line.
Former Gov. Jim Edgar, who has known Cellini for 30 years, called him a “very smart guy” who worked hard to lobby on behalf of clients.
“He never asked me to do anything that was illegal,” the former governor said. “When I told him no, he understood and didn’t put any pressure on. I would be surprised if Bill Cellini would do something that was dishonest, and I’d be surprised because he’s pretty smart at knowing the law.”
* The Trib also has a roundup of Cellini’s history…
Cellini and the roads
Cellini’s tenure as the state’s transportation czar led to his longtime leadership of the Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association, a potent source of campaign donations that last spring drew a variety of state officials to its conference in Springfield. Cellini was there, shaking hands and giving his typical greeting: “Hello, Big Guy.”
Cellini and real estate deals
In 1975, Cellini co-founded a real estate development firm that landed government leases and eventually expanded to Chicago with partnerships that included friends of prominent Democrats such as Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Cellini and the teacher pensions
By 1989, Cellini co-founded Commonwealth Realty Advisors, a firm that has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in state teacher pension funds. The trial centers on Cellini’s alleged attempted extortion of the operator of another investment fund who had not made a contribution to Blagojevich’s campaign.
Cellini and the boats
But it was 1990 that brought one of Cellini’s highest-profile successes. Cellini helped pull together the bipartisan group of investors that got one of the state’s first riverboat casino licenses under a law signed by Gov. Jim Thompson.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Judge Zagel has denied all of Rod Blagojevich’s post-trial motions…
A notice posted on the U.S. District Court’s website by Judge James Zagel says “post-trial motions are denied” and offers no explanation. It adds that a written ruling will be issued later.
Defense attorneys filed several motions, including one asking for a new trial. That 158-page motion lambasted the government and the presiding judge for an alleged lack of evenhandedness at trial
*** UPDATE 2 *** Yeah. This will happen…
Former Governor Rod Blagojevich’s lawyers will ask a federal judge to sentence the former governor to no prison time, the ex-governor’s attorney, Shelly Sorosky said today.
Sorosky called Blagojevich a “fit candidate” for probation when his sentencing does happen. Today, U.S. District Judge James Zagel announced the Oct. 6th sentencing date would be delayed. Sorosky predicts it will happen in early November.
“He’s a fit candidate for probation. The taxpayers never lost a dime. Blagojevich never received a dime,” Sorosky said of his client who was convicted on 17 of 20 counts of corruption in June. Blagojevich was convicted of trying to extract a job or campaign contribution in exchange for appointing a replacement to President Obama’s vacant Senate seat.
“And all the talk involving campaign contributions involved regular campaign donors who were just discussing with Blagojevich how much to give or who were big campaign contributors in the past,” Sorosky argued.
- Irish - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 10:44 am:
I have no proof, but I would disagree with Gov. Edgar. All I know is that for a very long period of time anyone in an appointment position, over the course of several administrations, had to make a trip to Springfield and kiss the ring of Janice Cellini if they wanted to retain that position. It would be surprising if there was not some quid pro quo in that process.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 10:45 am:
Irish, Janice Cellini was Edgar’s patronage director. That was her actual title. Of course they had to kiss her ring.
- soccermom - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 10:58 am:
co-defendant? Is that accurate?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 10:59 am:
soccermom, they were initially supposed to be tried together, so I guess you could say that.
- wordslinger - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 11:19 am:
If you’re going to be in that business, you have to know when to walk away from a score. You’re as vulnerable as the stupidest person in your crew. And what a crew it was.
- PaGo - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 11:22 am:
Irish, now you have proof. And what does Janice and state jobs have to do with this post? Sounds like sour grapes to me.
You may not like the way things are done. But things got done. I do not believe Bill did anything wrong. I hope he is absolved, cleared, exculpated, exonerated, vindicated, etc.
- ANON - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 12:37 pm:
Edgar is shocked, SHOCKED at the thought that Cellini could do such things. Why he never did such things during Edgar’s immaculate reign(snark)
- Ghost - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 12:39 pm:
I wonder if there is a possibiliy of adeal, Blago helps with Cellini in return for shaving some time off his sentence.
- Demoralized - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 12:40 pm:
PaGo:
It is true that the way things get done is not always a pleasant site, but what people fail to understand (in my opinion) are the number of lines that were crossed during the Blago years. The pension bond deal stunk to high heaven. I should know b/c I worked in the office that did the deal. We all shook our heads in amazement at the “fees” being paid out to so-called “advisors.” Cellini should have known better than to become involved with Blago and his crooked crew.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 12:43 pm:
===Blago helps with Cellini in return for shaving some time off his sentence. ===
I would think he’d have less credibility than Stu Levine. And that’s saying something.
- Irish - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 1:30 pm:
PaGO - So the ends justify the means. If BlaGO had gotten things done it wouldn’t have mattered how he did them?
No sour grapes, just made a statement, and if you read my post carefully you will notice that I said “over the course of several administrations”. Hiring, awarding of contracts to vendors, permits to conduct business on state property were all presented along with fund raising tickets with the understanding that they came as a package. You didn’t get one without the other. Reappointments were not excluded from this process. Is this the way we want our government to work for us?
I have read many posts on this site covering many topics and a general consensus is that people want their public servants to be hired and work based on their ability in that job. Ethics reform and corruption elimination seem to be the goal of many. Having a couple of members of one family having influence over hiring at the top and middle of the agencies of state government does not seem to be the way to get there.
And if you do not think that prevalent culture did not have influence on Blago’s belief that all of this was acceptable then I believe you are mistaken. So yes, the post was relevant to the topic.
- steve schnorf - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 1:47 pm:
Hmmm, I went to work for Edgar in ‘81, and didn’t kiss JC’s ring, didn’t even kiss Frank’s. Irish, you’re about as wrong as someone on here can be.
- Irish - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 1:52 pm:
Steve, I can only comment on what I saw. sorry
- steve schnorf - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 1:54 pm:
So over which several administrations did JC control patronage in state government?
- Irish - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 2:03 pm:
I was aware of the Cellini name brought up in conjunction with the above forementioned situations from about 86 through probably 99.
- steve schnorf - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 2:08 pm:
Irish, that’s not what you said.
So, over which several administrations did Janice control patronage in state government? As I said, you are just flat wrong.
- PaGo - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 2:09 pm:
Irish, I read your post quite clearly. You equate JC to that of a position of royalty and try to infer BC pulled the strings “over the course of several administrations.” No one disputes BC’s hand in Illinois politics. My point, and this is where we disagree, is BC, while engaging in Rod’s politics, didn’t do anything criminal. Rod was Gov. That was the sandbox everyone played in and had to deal with at the time. I didn’t like Rod’s politics. He had shady characters, including his brother, who were part of his gravy train. BC, in my view, didn’t engage to the point of criminal behavior in Rod’s dealings. But to do business, everyone had to work with Rod and his circle at some point. Not saying BC didn’t get real close to making bad decisions. I am saying he backed off when he had to.
Please don’t infer my comment reflected anything RB did as Governor. His ends AND his means were both whack. My comments are directly related to BC.
Sour grapes refer to the way you portray the way SOME jobs were doled out back in the day (and oh yah, still today).
For clarity: Blago=BAD. BC=NOT bad.
- Justice - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 2:50 pm:
I honestly thought that once the Feds got Blago they would back off of Cellini. Pretty obvious there is a strong vendetta here by the Feds…and I’m not quite sure why?
Cellini had power, no denying that. His sister had power, no denying that. That was the way, like it or not. The trap was set, in my opinion, when the Blago crew tried to run rough shod and muscle over what Cellini had worked so hard to build over the years. That perhaps is where wisdom gave way to a fight for control and an error in judgement? Perhaps even a setup?
I now don’t for a moment think the Feds will cut Cellini any slack and will use Blago and the sentencing schedule to extract incriminating information, regardless of the reliability of the one providing it.
So, who gets thrown under the bus and how much wider does this get?
- shore - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 2:58 pm:
what is the estimate on date for blago’s sentencing/date he goes to jail?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 2:59 pm:
shore, Cellini’s trial should be wrapping up by the end of October or so.
- Jim - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 3:12 pm:
Mr. Schnorf,
what do you think Janice Cellini was doing as Edgar’s patronage chief during his eight years in office, if she help the post for eight years. She must have been doing something to hold that title.
- CircularFiringSquad - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 4:15 pm:
Perhaps Mr. Schnorf might have known Mr. Edgar before Ms. Cellini turn up thus negating the need for any RKing
- Retired Non-Union Guy - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 4:31 pm:
Steve,
I’ll mostly agree with Irish about the patronage. It may have been different at the top (bureau chief, deputy director, director) when you were hired, but for the “little guys” you had to pass muster. It went on under the last 3 GOP govs; it was more blatant under some than others. Sometimes it was called a “hiring freeze” but if you knew the right people or had enough political chips to cash in, the hiring exception to the freeze would magically happen. I know; one time in the 80’s I used almost all my IOU’s to hire a highly qualified guy we really needed …
Nothings really changed over the years; if anything, it got worse as the years went by. Sorry, but in my opinion, the Edgar years were more blatantly / openly political than either the Thompson or Ryan (as gov) years …
- shore - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 4:44 pm:
my apologies if this was covered in your newsletter. we have to wait until cellini is done then how long does he have until he has to surrender and report to prison?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 4:45 pm:
shore, that’s tbd. It could be months, or less, or more. Depends.
- steve schnorf - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 4:50 pm:
Can anyone on here read, or at least bother to? Anyone here me arguing over whether the Cellini family has been influential in Illinois politics for many years? Anyone hear me dispute that JC was Edgar’s patronage director during his administration?
The statement was that OVER SEVERAL ADMINISTRATIONS people had to KISS JC’S RING to get jobs or appointments. That’s simply not true.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 5:10 pm:
People, let’s not give Schnorf a stroke. He’s too valuable. Plus, he has a kid who has to put through college. Thanks.
- Leave a Light on George - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 6:27 pm:
It was just one administration - Edgar’s.
- Leave a Light on George - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 6:28 pm:
The taste of that ring is still in my mouth by the way.
- Smeagol - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 7:02 pm:
That ring-kissing went down WAY too many layers. Thompson always argued that his patronage hires were only upper-echelon, where you would expect the folks that got elected needed managers to make the policy decisions happen. That’s what he argued in the Rutan case. HE insisted that it would not have any effect on the rank and file people who did the actual work, and he didn’t care what their party affiliations were below the first two levels of management.
However, All thru my time in state government in the 80’s, the Cellini name was like naming Lord Voldemort: you had better look all around you twice before whispering it out loud. Your bosses wielded the threat of it like a club, and it was the ultimate excuse for every unpopular decision made.
Thompson was wrong, or misleading. Or he didn’t know it. But that Cellini influence in CMS was all-pervasive and continued on into the Ryan years. Instead of just upper-management types, Cellini would ostensibly have to okay even the lowliest truck driver and office drudge. This was really egregious under Tristano’s helming of the agency. I’m sure Bill and even Janice had no idea how much their names were taken in vain as the authority for petty decisions. But that’s what you get from this kind of operation; authority is no longer based on merit but on influence outside of law and procedure. I got to see first-hand, people defying their managers, taking free days off, even seen them get caught stealing state property, more than once - and they got away with it every time, by invoking the protection of that name. They never ever had to answer for any of their misdeeds. We just had to clean up after them and pretend nothing was wrong.
So yeah, I’d never be able to be an impartial juror for Bill’s trial. To put it mildly. That influence was and remains a cancer in state government. It gave Blago’s people their blueprint for how to abuse the government.
- ReTired - Monday, Sep 26, 11 @ 7:36 pm:
Back in 1999 I went through 2 Rutan interviews for a non-union upper management position for an agency under the governor. I was told I had the job pending approval by the governor’s office. I never voted in a primary but wasn’t in the right party so I thought I’d never get the job. However, I did get a call one day from JC approving the hire.
- Kurt - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 7:55 am:
“He’s a fit candidate for probation. The taxpayers never lost a dime. Blagojevich never received a dime,” Really? So if I attempt to rob a bank, and the bank does not lose any money, and I don’t actually get any money, then I should not have to go to prison?
Blagojevich always did seem to live in another world.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:27 am:
–So if I attempt to rob a bank, and the bank does not lose any money, and I don’t actually get any money, then I should not have to go to prison?–
That’s probably how it would go down. Prisons are packed. Royko’s kid didn’t go to prison for trying to rob a bank. The court recognized him as a confused drunk.