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* This testimony taints Tony Rezko, but it’s far more damaging to the Blagojevich administration in general…
In her experience, it was who you knew, not what you knew, that reigned supreme in getting appointed to state boards and commissions, a former Blagojevich administration official testified Monday at the trial of Antoin “Tony” Rezko.
Former Director of Illinois Boards and Commissions Jill Hayden spent several hours on the stand Monday detailing the inner workings of who got appointed to state boards in Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration and why.
One of the top criteria, she said, was who recommended the candidates and whether they had clout — not what their qualifications were.
“If I was lucky, I had a resume (on the candidate),” said Hayden. “Generally, we’re not looking for the merit of the candidates.”
* And then there was this…
A former Blagojevich staffer, Jennifer Thomas, testified that she met with Rezko at 8 a.m. on Monday morning a number of times in his Chicago office to discuss hiring state employees and filling board vacancies.
She said she was a staffer of the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs at the time and her boss, Joseph Cini, who headed the department, also was on hand for such meetings.
Asked for the names of those who recommended the most people for state positions, she said: “Tony Rezko, (businessman-fundraiser) Chris Kelly, (lobbyist) Al Ronan — that’s what I remember the most.”
Rezko, of course, is the only person charged with overstepping legal boundaries. But the testimony so far is showing just how brazenly political many of the governor’s appointments were.
* Meanwhile, MSNBC has this brief item today…
Obama’s name came up tangentially at the Rezko trial yesterday — regarding nominations to an Illinois health planning board. At a minimum, Obama’s name is being mentioned just enough that the trial is going to provide a blueprint for some reporters to write some negative stories about Obama.
“Tangentially” is right. The item in question is described by the AP…
Earlier Monday, defense attorneys introduced a memo from a Blagojevich adviser, Matthew Pickering, to attorney Susan Lichtenstein, who had served as the governor’s general counsel. The memo said that after legislation was passed restructuring the Health Facilities Planning Board early in Blagojevich’s term, a number of legislators and other officials, including Sen. Barack Obama, were consulted on how to set up the board.
The memo is actually from David Wilhelm’s firm. It describes how his lobbying firm worked with Speaker Madigan, Senate President Jones, House GOP Leader Cross, Sen. Susan Garrrett and Obama to pass a bill that reduced the size of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board. The purpose of the memo was to convince Blagojevich to sign the bill.
So, the national media may be using this (and a jury questionnaire that warns them Obama’s name may come up at trial) as a hook to write more Obama-Rezko stories, but this particular item is truly a non-story - unless you think that Sen. Garrett, a noted reformer, is corrupt as well. Balderdash.
* More Rezko stuff…
* Rezko rewind. Day 5
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 8:46 am
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These meetings involving Rezko himself and top staffers, sitting in on job interviews etc really destory his whole Levine is a druggy making up our connection position. Especially since part of the evidence so far deals with the Appointment of Atta(sp?), a friend of Rezko with no connection to Levine, who helped Rezko allegedly defraud GM Capital out of 10 mil. The more side evidnece that is coming in, the less Levine, or his drug use, will do much to save Rezko. This guy needs to wake up and cut a deal.
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 9:43 am
Rod Blagojevich’s Motto: “Do Worry, Trust Us”. - NOT!
Comment by Carlos C. Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 10:00 am
OK, we get it MSNBC - anything that comes up about Obama will be just biased negative reporting we should just ignor, right?
Its always good to get a heads up about how we are supposed to think when we read about anything becoming news.
Its not like its important or anything, its not like he’s running for President or anything.
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 10:29 am
Many(most) of the Gov’s apointments that I worked with were lucky if they had anything of substance remotely related to the postion they were hired for to put on their resume.
Comment by Leave a light on George Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 11:04 am
Drip, drip drip…
The floodgates will soon open. Sayanora Rod.
Comment by Wondering Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 11:13 am
Check out the Illinois Tollway appointments since 2003, they are laughable. Illinois Tollway customers have been taken to the cleaners and they don’t even know it.
Comment by I.D.O.T. Bleachers Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 11:15 am
The Obama angle in this is tangental at best, conceded. But his name sure does keep popping up. I for one am suspicious that there is more substance there than has come to light. But not a lot more. If Obama was a big player in this drama, we would know it by now.
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 11:21 am
Has anyone been involved with trying to fill board and commission spots? Repubs and Dems alike will tell you that it is a nightmare. Most are unpaid and often do little or nothing. The other question that was not answered was the nature of the state jobs being filled? Where they exempt jobs? If so, there aren’t many, if any, guidelines on filling those.
Comment by Sang-anon Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 12:45 pm
Click on the vetting sheet exhibit that Rich provides and see that Rezko recommended Jabir Herbert Muhammed/Muhammad for a position. Muhammad is the son of Elijah Mohammad, who was the founder/leader of the Nation of Islam, the Black separatist religious movement, also known as Black Muslims. Elijah’s program called for the establishment of a separate nation for Black Americans and the adoption of a religion based on the worship of Allah and on the belief that Blacks are his chosen people. Muhammad became known especially for his flamboyant rhetoric directed at white people, whom he called “blue-eyed devils.” Because of Muhammad’s separatist views, his most prominent disciple, Malcolm X, broke with the group. Less than a year later, Malcolm X was dead, gunned down by members of the Nation of Islam. Another group, retaining both the name and the founding principles of Elijah Muhammad’s original Nation of Islam, was established under the leadership of Louis Farrakhan. Google Jabir Herbert Muhammad and read for yourself. Add Rezko Obama to that search and you might think twice at the polls.
Comment by Is this scary yet...? Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 2:43 pm
“Is this scary yet…?” seems to be playing 6 Degrees of Tony Rezko.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 3:14 pm
I’m sure some boards and commissions are hard to fill. But it appears that some were highly coveted indeed.
Tony, make your deal. You’ll be back hustling before you know it.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 3:14 pm
perhaps someone can explain what Obama was trying to do with the legislation and if the
legislation benefits Rezko by narrowing the board slots. fewer people to control.
the search has been on for what Obama owes to Rezko or what Rezko owes to Obama. the house remains a question.
which will, eventually, turn into a scene of
news reports from the time of the walk through.
Boneheaded for sure, illegal in the real estate world, apparently not in Ill., smells even
more now.
Comment by Amy Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 3:31 pm
No, Rich, but given Illinois’ history of dealing in dark politics, how many tentacles have to stretch out and touch before Obama is finally snagged. Obama appears to be friendly with some mighty unsavory figures.
Comment by Is this scary yet...? Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 3:39 pm
‘unpaid and often do little or nothing’. Reminds me of a Simpsons line where Homer is elected union president and asks ‘What does it pay?’ Nothing, unless you’re crooked. ‘WOO HOO!’
Comment by South of I-70 Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 3:48 pm
Sang-anon it may be a nightmare to fill the board but it is illegal to fill them with cronies in order to shake down contractors later. I’ll take the nightmare.
Comment by Leave a light on George Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 4:07 pm
“Is this scary yet…?” seems to be playing 6 Degrees of Tony Rezko.
Hey!!!! That’s MY gig!
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Mar 11, 08 @ 10:46 pm