17 Comments - wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 1:00 pm: The more I think about this particular case, the more doubts that I have. We’re to believe that an under-the-radar operator like Cellini thought he could extort a $1.5 million Blago campaign contribution from the producer of an Academy Award Best Picture. Does that sound reasonable? I mean, how many $1.5 million campaign contributions have there been? And are we to believe that such a campaign contribution from such a prominent person who also landed $200 million in TRS investment business wouldn’t attract just a little bit of attention? It’s all about us subtle and wily as a brick to the head. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 1:14 pm: ===I mean, how many $1.5 million campaign contributions have there been? === Zero. - Just Because - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 1:20 pm: Not everyone was in line for 200 million in business. It was worth a try. Listen to the tapes, they are very interesting - wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 1:22 pm: Rich, that’s what I figured. I don’t think Rezko and Kelly were the sharpest knives in the drawer, but the whole scenario just seems absurd. It would have been an engraved invitation to the federales to investigate. - 47th Ward - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 1:36 pm: ===It would have been an engraved invitation to the federales to investigate.=== Wordslinger, your doubt is based on the idea that Capri would get its $200 million to invest and Rosenberg would write a $1.5 million check to Rod. Yes, that would draw attention, but I don’t think anyone involved envisioned it going down that way. What if, instead of a direct contribution, Rosenberg hosted a Hollywood FR for the Governor that raised $1.5 million from a bunch of people? It becomes less about Capri’s windfall and more about Rod’s true interest: hobnobbing with celebrities. That would be one way to complete the transaction without revealing what went down. - x ace - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 1:50 pm: $ 2.5 Million+ in Contributions by State Farm Ins to Justice Karmier in 2004 Illinois Supreme Court election ? Alleged in 9/8/2011 Petition filed in Avery versus State Farm #41494 claiming State Farm made covert contributions and then later denied and lied to the Court. Again ” alleged ” . Be interesting to see how it shakes out. Might even be way more than 2.5 mil ? - just sayin' - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 1:57 pm: I think he’s guilty as sin on all charges and a lot more if the Feds wanted to be more aggressive. My opinion. - walkinfool - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 2:45 pm: The more I hear, the more I am disgusted by Cellini, and his associates. Still, the state has a burden of proof that’s tough to reach. - just sayin' - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 2:53 pm: If Cellini does beat the rap, would he not be the first in years in these federal political corruption cases? Seems like when Fitz brings a case he’s got the goods and always wins at least on some charges. If I’m missing someone I’ll stand corrected. But most defendants have not even bothered going to trial for that reason. They cop a plea deal. - Kermit - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 3:51 pm: Just Sayin; Not only does Patrick Fitzgerald bring evidence he has endless funds not including access to the IRS and FBI doing a lot of the leg work. It is very costly to be a defendent in Federal Court and it consumes their lives and their families. Often defendents trade up, like Levine has. - He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 3:51 pm: I am not seeing anything on Cellini on this one yet. Lavine seemed to be the dirty one. Cellini seemed to despise Kelly and Rezko. I don’t like that Cellini was that powerful, but if not him someone else would take his place. There is no crime in becoming powerful and rubbing elbows with Governors. - PPHS - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 4:20 pm: I wish there was a like button, for some of these comments. I have learned that it really doesn’t matter, if you are guilty or not. If the feds want you bad enough, they will get you. - Just Me - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 4:38 pm: Rich, On my iPhone the entire listing of tweets has to load before the rest of your blog will load. It isn’t like that on my PC when only 4-5 tweets show. Is that common/usual? Is there a way you or I can change that? - Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 4:47 pm: That doesn’t happen on mine. Try just clicking the BB link. - Kermit - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 5:03 pm: Does anyone know what you have to do to get into court? What time you have to get there? Will they be passing out tickets like the Blagojevich trial? - Kermit - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 5:08 pm: You all have to appreciate the irony of Stuart being “extorted” for $300,000 while trying to get multi million dollar “kick-backs” - Gregor - Thursday, Oct 13, 11 @ 6:55 pm: The case the feds need to make to the jury is that it is still a robbery, if the guy holds you up for money, but lets you keep your watch, wallet, and cab fare home. Cellini and the twins put, as they called it, “a brick” on the guy’s investment capacity. No, they didn’t prevent him from making *any* money, but they distorted the process to prevent him from making many more millions, with a price tag of forcing a bribe/donation to Rod to “take the brick off”. As soon as you interfere with that process, that’s the crime right there. Just as it is when a warlord stops your car in a valley and wants a donation to let you drive on thru it. That conversation could be extremely polite and nuanced, at one end of the scale. But you’re still being robbed. And I think the feds can prove it. They just have to disrupt the old paradigm in the jury’s mind, about what a crook “looks like”. We saw this with George Ryan’s case: “oh, he’s a nice guy and so cuddly and grandfatherly, and he got good things done, he shouldn’t be guilty of anything but being out of touch with the times.” The jury didn’t buy it then, and if the feds connect enough dots and Define The Crime, I think Cellini WILL go down for this. And I think he should. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.