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* UPDATED x1 - Cellini sentencing delayed * Ata gets four years probation

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* Ali Ata cooperated with the government and will avoid prison…

Ali Ata will not go to prison for his role in the “pay-to-play” scheme of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Ata is the former head of the Illinois Finance Authority. He was appointed to that post by Blagojevich after making a pair of $25,000 contributions to the Governor.

Ata pled guilty to making false statements to a government agent and to filing a false income tax return in 2002.

He has already paid $150,474 in restitution and was fined $50,000 on top of the four-year probation sentence.

* The US Attorney’s office and Ata’s defense counsel both argued for a light sentence…

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Fox said Ata is the most “honorable man” among all of the defendants in the case and said his testimony was important in winning the convictions of the former governor and of political fixer Tony Rezko.

Ata, a chemical engineer, was let go by Nalco, the Naperville company where he’d worked for 25 years, soon after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, according to his lawyer, Thomas McQueen. Ata was questioned by the FBI following the terrorist attacks and, because of his name, was asked to take a retirement package, McQueen said.

It was after his job dismissal that Ata focused on his real estate investments and met Rezko, McQueen said.

Ata fell under Rezko’s “spell,” he said.

In court, McQueen said that once Ata got away from Rezko’s influence, he was able to “right his wrong.”

* His firing because of his name after 9/11 was taken into consideration by Judge James Zagel…

Zagel said that seemingly wrongful dismissal may have been a significant factor in Ata’s decision to depart from an otherwise useful and honorable career.

* The Sun-Times tells us who got what so far…

† Tony Rezko, former top fund-raiser for Blagojevich and President Barack Obama, shook down companies seeking state business: 10 1/2 years in prison.

† John Glennon, a former adviser to now-imprisoned ex-Gov. George Ryan, covered up kickbacks that involved Stuart Levine, who was convicted of corrupting two state boards Blagojevich controlled: Two years of probation.

† John Harris, Blagojevich’s former chief of staff, helped Blagojevich try to sell an appointment to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Obama: 10 days in prison.

† Alonzo “Lon” Monk, law school roommate and former chief of staff who schemed with Blagojevich to get rich off state deals: Two years in prison.

† Joseph A. Cari Jr., tried to extort an investment company that sought pension-investment business from Blagojevich’s administration: Three years of probation.

* One Blagojevich-related defendant still awaiting sentencing is Bill Cellini. His lawyers are asking for a delay…

Attorneys for a Springfield powerbroker with links to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich are expected to ask for a delay to his sentencing hearing scheduled for Monday.

William Cellini’s lawyers requested a hearing for Wednesday to argue for a later sentencing date. But the motion they filed in federal court in Chicago was sealed and so their grounds for a delay weren’t clear.

Cellini’s sentencing hearing was already delayed once. Prosecutors have asked that he get up to 8 years behind bars.

*** UPDATE *** Cellini’s sentencing was, indeed, delayed today until October…

Cellini, 77, was scheduled to be sentenced July 23 but his attorneys asked U.S. District Judge James Zagel to postpone the date because of Cellini’s failing health.

Cellini’s attorneys said that their client suffered a heart attack in June. A few days later, he suffered a blood clot, they said.

Cellini’s lawyer Dan Webb wouldn’t comment further but said Cellini’s doctors were made available to prosecutors.

“The issue is Bill’s health and whether he can travel for sentencing,” Webb said.

Prosecutors did not object to the continuance request.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jul 18, 12 @ 10:28 am

Comments

–Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Fox said Ata is the most “honorable man” among all of the defendants in the case…–

High praise.

–Ata fell under Rezko’s “spell,” he said.

In court, McQueen said that once Ata got away from Rezko’s influence, he was able to “right his wrong.”–

Getting caught lying to the FBI might have helped him see the errors of his way, too.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jul 18, 12 @ 10:58 am
They left out Rob Blago who got away but obviously had to pay a lot for lawyers and got the scare of his life, and the guy who committed suicide who got a far stiffer deal out of this.

34 years total for all of these guys if cellini gets his 8 and 5 years of probation then for this entire deal. Interesting.

Comment by Shore Wednesday, Jul 18, 12 @ 11:09 am
What ever happened to Nerf Footbal Expert Quinlan?

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Jul 18, 12 @ 11:14 am
We have people heading state agencies that are susceptible to falling under spells. Another reason for broken state government. - no leadership or integrity at the top levels. How is that honorable?

Comment by Crime Fighter Wednesday, Jul 18, 12 @ 11:28 am
Zagel takes into consideration his guess about the psychological impact of a purported wrongful firing years before, as mitigation in his sentencing? Has the good judge become an omniscient social worker?

Comment by mark walker Wednesday, Jul 18, 12 @ 12:07 pm
The whole Ata business was laughably ridiculous, but it was always lumped in with other more serious charges that appeared to be true so it never got singled out for the nonsense that it was.

On the other hand, he actually got charged with lying to the feds and filing false tax returns where he has no one to blame but himself. You have to admire the way he was able to get out of trouble by cooperating with providing extensive evidence of a non-crime. Hilarious.

Comment by The Captain Wednesday, Jul 18, 12 @ 12:12 pm
Memo to Judge Zagel and USA Fitzgerald…if y’all want, y’all can hold your sentencing hearing at the US Courthouse in Springfield. We have running water, indoor toilets and even electricity. Would sure save on waiting until October…just sayin’

Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Wednesday, Jul 18, 12 @ 1:10 pm
CFS, Quinlan played too much NERF football without a helmet. Think he’s on the DL.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Jul 18, 12 @ 5:13 pm