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* UPDATED x1 * Listen to the tapes as prosecution case undermined by defense

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Illinois
Blagojevich Trial

*** UPDATE *** I told subscribers about this earlier today, but the Tribune now has a story online about how Rod Blagojevich is caught on tape dissing his former bigtime contributor Blair Hull…

…Blagojevich was sitting in his house with the “golden” opportunity to appoint whoever he wanted as a U.S. Senator. Hull, who unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2004 against Barack Obama, was calling around to people close to Blagojevich to see if he had a shot to get the seat this time.

He didn’t. But Blagojevich didn’t want him to know that.

So just before 11 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2008 – even before Obama won the presidency – Blagojevich was on the phone with his brother, Robert, asking him to get another $100,000 in contributions from Hull, for whom the governor clearly had little respect.

“Blair Hull actually thinks he can be senator, you believe this guy?” Blagojevich is overheard on a federal wiretap of his home phone telling his brother, who laughs.

“He’s an idiot,” the governor concludes.

Maybe so. But Hull ain’t going to prison.

[ *** End of Update *** ]

* The US Attorney’s office has posted its trial exhibits to date online. Click here to see them. They’ve embedded the audio recordings into the transcripts, so you can hear Rod Blagojevich in all his glory. The Tribune has posted both prosecution and defense exhibits on its site. You may be able to get the audio to work better with the Tribune’s version.

* Meanwhile, Lon Monk’s cross examination by Blagojevich attorney Sam Adam, Jr. didn’t go all that well yesterday…

Adam worked to undo the damage Monk had done over three days on the stand.

Monk leveled severe allegations against his old law school roommate and boss, including that Blagojevich was in on meetings in which associates plotted to make hundreds of thousands of dollars off of state deals.

In one exchange Tuesday, Adam asked Monk if he recalled additional details about his testimony that Monk, Blagojevich and fund-raisers Tony Rezko and Christopher Kelly met secretly to set up ways to split up money from state deals.

Probing for increasing levels of detail, Adam designed his questions so that time and again, Monk could only offer the same reply: “I don’t remember.”

“This is the first time you all sit down and agreed to commit crimes together and you can’t remember?” Adam shouted.

More…

Monk, a longtime friend and top aide to Blagojevich, had testified that Rezko was the instigator and the one who was going to be the keeper of the cash, including $500,000 that allegedly was diverted from the 2003 sale of $10 billion in state bonds designed to shore up Illinois pension systems.

But under questioning from Adam, Monk acknowledged that he knew nothing about where the money he supposedly was going to get was being held.

“You can’t tell us the name on the account?” Adam asked Monk, who agreed. “You can’t even tell us the state the account was held in?”

“What if Rezko dies?” Adam continued. “You don’t know where the money is. What if Rezko is arrested? You can get the money, can you?”

* The defense did a decent job of undermining another prosecution witness…

Rezko associate Bob Kjellander worked as a lobbyist for Bear Sterns during the bond sale and was awarded more than $800,000 for helping secure the contract, according to Vincent Mazzaro, an accountant for the investment firm at the time of the sale.

Kjellander also has been a longtime player in Springfield Republican politics, serving as a committeeman on the Republican National Committee until he stepped down in September 2008.

But the government’s case is a complicated one.

Prosecutors allege that Blagojevich increased the size of the [pension bond] contract in addition to rigging it, in order to increase Kjellander’s profits.

Mazzaro testified Kjellander would receive “success fees” based on how much money Bear Sterns received from the deal. Those fees increased when the state decided to unload all $10 billion on June 5, 2003, rather than the three installments as was originally intended.

But the defense argues the decision was influenced by economics, rather than greed. Prosecution witness and former Illinois Director of Debt Management David Able affirmed that notion during cross examination.

Interest rates were at 5.05 percent in early June, the lowest in more than 30 years. Able said it was good economics for the state to issue bonds when interest was low and would benefit future returns on investment.

* And I’m not quite sure that the $600,000 loan from Kjellander to Joseph Aramanda is easily traceable to Blagojevich, Monk and Chris Kelly…

Prosecutors appear to be trying to link money that was in Aramanda’s account to earlier testimony, which indicated that more than half a million dollars was routed through Kjellander from a state pension bond deal and eventually was to be divvied up between Rezko, Blagojevich and two other associates. […]

Aramanda planned to use the money to rebuild a pizza business which he’d bought from Rezko.

Instead, Aramanda testified that once Rezko helped arrange for the loan, he turned around and demanded the money.

Aramanda said Rezko forced him to use the money to settle a $475,000 debt Aramanda still owed Rezko from Aramanda’s pizza franchise purchase.

Aramanda ended up paying $461,000 to people to whom Rezko owed money, he said. He said he used the rest of the money to try to help his pizza restaurants stay afloat.

Then, in April 2004, Kjellander called Aramanda wanting the one-year loan repaid early.

That’s when, according to Aramanda, Rezko arranged for another loan to him — from Jay Wilton, a California developer who’d recently been awarded a deal to operate oases for the Illinois Tollway. Wilton also was a major Blagojevich campaign contributor.

Aramanda used the Wilton loan to repay Kjellander the $600,000, plus another $24,000, which was presumably interest.

OK, so the original loan was used to pay off Rezko’s debts. Then Aramanda got another loan from Wilton to repay Kjellander. So, my question is, where is the money that the “cabal of four” were supposed to divvy up? There appears to have been a plan to do so, but it doesn’t look like they ever got the cash, unless those pay-back recipients kicked it all back to Rezko. Then again, a conspiracy is alleged. Not necessarily a result.

* Roundup…

* Suit against Blago aides by fired workers going to trial: Sixteen former state workers fired during an alleged partisan purge under impeached former Gov. Rod Blagojevich cleared a major legal hurdle Tuesday after a federal judge ordered that their lawsuit against three Blagojevich appointees proceed to trial.

* IDOT patronage case headed for federal court

* Rod Blagojevich Trial Day 9: Former DNC Finance Chair Joe Cari on the stand

* Judge Releases Some of Blagojevich’s Secretly Recorded Coversations

* Blagojevich pal-turned witness leaves stand shaken

* Palos heights lawyer defends other Blago

* Pizza franchise owner back on stand in Blago trial

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 10:29 am

Comments

Sounds like Rezko was playing around with the money until the alleged payoff after Blago left office. Of course, he did throw some money Monk’s way.

The jury is going to be awfully confused if Rezko doesn’t testify. He’s the man behind the curtain.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 10:35 am
Rich, you’re such a stuffed shirt.

Comment by George Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 10:36 am
I don’t know how you listen to those tapes and not conclude that Rod, Rob, and Lon were trading official action in exchange for 100G from the horse track man.

Comment by Leave a Light on George Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 10:40 am
Yes, the money transfers are tricky and inconclusive so far. As Word noted, there were the payments to Monk. And as we are all expecting, at some point the prosecution will get to the payments to Patti Blagojevich too.

So far, it’s kind of hazy. But I expect it to clear up enough for the jury to see that some cash did make its way to the conspirators and that this cash was the fruit of the conspiracy alleged.

Give Adam credit though. He’s doing a pretty good job so far. Will it be enough? Stay tuned.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 10:44 am
The showboat lawyer can attack witness’s with loaded question’s all he wants but he can’t attack the tapes.

Comment by Dan S, a taxpayer and a Cubs Fan Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 10:44 am
So far, the initial meeting of the ‘gang of four’ doesn’t show a conspiracy, even if the jury believes Monk’s tortured memory. It’s not enough to show that the ‘gang of four’ discussed ‘8 or 9′ different scenarios for how they might do something illegal. Case law is clear on this: if you and I sit in a room and generically agree that we will rob a bank (without such details as to which bank, and when we might do it), there’s no illegal conspiracy. The agreement has to have some definite details.

or even agreed

Comment by chicago publius Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 10:44 am
The defense did a lot more damage in the Rezko case.

In my opinion, Adams constat admonishments by the Judge hurt the juries perception of the defense. I think he is actually harming his cross with unneeded antics.

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 10:57 am
Blagojevich’s “House of Games”. Where’s David Mamet when we need him? Mamet has long explored the themes of deception and the psyche of the dark-side of human nature that revels in getting-away with deception.

In Mamet’s script/movie “House of Games”, Mamet shows how a psychiatrist who gets conned by her client, learns the art-of-the-con, and ends up being a con-woman because of how much it excites her. She master’s the poker-player’s “tell”.

“The tell” is either the unconcious way a criminal ‘tells’ on themself OR the concious way a con-man attempts to deceive.

“The tell” was also exposed in Doestevsky’s masterpiece, “Crime & Punishment”. Raspolnikov, the detective, is a good listener and hears a murderer ‘tell’ on himself - because the murderer is basically a moral man who wants to get caught.

In Blagojevich’s “House of Games”, ‘the tell’ is obscured by the carne-barker Adams, manipulating truth & lies, as though we are walking through a house of mirrors.

Was the message sent, the one received? Or are we mistaken in our perception? All Adam’s to do, is manipulate one opinion. Believe in Blago not the prosecution.

Believe that Blago is just like every other politician. All politicians make deals, all politicians expect something in exchange for their ear, and all politicians are vindictive. Blago wants us to believe that it was business as usual. He was being picked-on by Federal bullies.

Are we that cynical as a society, that we are going to believe Blago? All politicians are like Blago?

David Mamet should join Breslin in taking a close look at what’s happening in the U.S. vs. Blagojevich. Not that Mamet has any personal morals worth emulating (yeah, I’ve met the dude, but Mamet is an expert on deception.

Comment by HatShopGirl Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 10:58 am
I’d love for Rod’s attorneys to call Quinn to the stand and ask Quinn about Quinn’s campaign worker who asked lobbyists for $10k to sit with Quinn for 30minutes during last years budget crisis.

Oh right . . . Quinn does not shakedown people for contributions. He’s the good government guy . . . I keep forgetting.

Comment by Da Ship Be Sinking Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 11:03 am
The 2nd link in the roundup, to the PJ Star article, appears to be a bad link.

Comment by Scooby Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 11:19 am
Da Ship, I missed that! Is Quinn that sleazy? Then Blago is right, he’s like every other pol and just being picked on.

This is sad.

Comment by HatShopGirl Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 11:21 am
Listening to these tapes, I am beginning to like the guy..at least for comedic value. I am still laughing about his take on Blair Hull

Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 11:48 am
Not to excuse Blago in the slightest as he’s slime too, but the picture that’s coming out is of Blago being manipulated by big Republicans like Kjellander, Cellini, and Levine. Plus Rezko of course but I’m not sure if he was ever connected to one party exactly. Those are the guys who just followed the trail of money and power over to a D administration. Of course you won’t get that reality on that ridiculous IL GOP blog where they leave out all the GOP connections.

Blago seems to have been just an all too willing dupe in the real scheme. It was Republicans who were really personally cashing in big, using Blago as corrupt pawn.

Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 12:23 pm
The prosecution hasn’t played near all it’s cards.

Comment by iMAGINE Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 12:26 pm
I can’t believe I’m saying this. But I felt sorry for Monk. Rod is like a horrible disease. He infects everyone around him. What an awful person. He continues to leave a trail of destruction.

Comment by Windy City Mama Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 1:23 pm
We’re kinda the one standing at the back of the cave, seeing the shadows on the wall, and trying to deduce what reality is. At this point I’m with Rich; if (big if) the government defendants were criminals they sure weren’t very good at it.

Comment by steve schnorf Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 1:29 pm
I was a big Steve Schnorf fan before — but today he references Plato. Wow.

Comment by soccermom Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 1:32 pm
soccermom, Schnorf is a Renaissance man.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 1:42 pm
Windy City Mama, I don’t feel sorry for any of them. They had the ability to fundraise legitimately. They were working with the Governor for CRI-EYE! Patti was the First Lady of Illinois and she could get invited to sit on almost any Board her heart desired.

They were stupid and greedy. They enjoyed the ‘con’ game and didn’t want to play-by-rules. They had it all.

Comment by HatShopGirl Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 1:43 pm
InTrade trading Rod as guilty at 81 and steady for the past week.

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 2:06 pm
hmmm so is Rich the person trying to shine light on the source of the shadows….as I recall things do not end well for the light shiner

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 3:49 pm
Actually, in the allegory, the light is a large fire

Comment by steve schnorf Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 5:47 pm
None of the beginning trial testimony refutes the fact that Blagoyevich was governor. The buck stops here.

Comment by Emily Booth Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 6:50 pm
Right now the Best Sam Junior can show is that three of these guys were being scammed by the fourth, Rezko, but that all 4 of them were in on it. 1,2,3,4, of them. They would have used colors for names instead of numbers, but Rod didn’t want to be Mister Pink.
The case is to prove conspiracy, not competence.

Comment by Gregor Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 7:03 pm
BTW, if Dave Abel says that was the time to do the whole $10B, then that was the time. Good guy, very bright, very well respected, definitely not one of the gang who couldn’t shoot straight

Comment by steve schnorf Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 9:35 pm
Adam has had 18 months to develop his ‘you’re lying’ cross examination. So don’t freak out that he’s ‘undermining’ the prosecution. The facts is the facts. By the end of trial, his sole argument is that ‘everyone else besides blago (if he testifies) is lying….believe us, not the U.S., not all the witnesses that have testified, not the strong circumstantial evidence…ignore the judge’s frequent admonishments of my conduct’. It would take an OJ jury to buy that. I don’t think he’s got one.

Comment by Park Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 9:52 pm
Nice that the federales saw fit to redact Individual K’s address from the loan document, but not the borrower; whose home address was left in for all to see.

Also, if I interpreted the loan documents correctly, when the loan was repaid to Individual K, the amount repaid represents a substantial overpayment, from what should have been due and payable under the terms of the loan.

Why would someone overpay loan interest which was not earned; and therefore was not due and payable?

Hush little baby don’t say a word; daddy’s going to buy you a …………..

Comment by Blago Sphere Wednesday, Jun 16, 10 @ 10:11 pm