Rezko filing raises prospect that witnesses lied — or governor did
Newly unsealed court files in the Tony Rezko corruption case show that federal agents interviewed Gov. Blagojevich "on multiple occasions" and that the governor denied having conversations described in court by two key prosecution witnesses.
That raises the possibility that either the witnesses lied under oath or that the governor lied to federal agents about statements Blagojevich was said to have made, tying state business to support for his campaign.
(AP)
Late Thursday, Blagojevich's office confirmed meeting with federal investigators but downplayed doing so "several" times.
"The governor has acknowledged being cooperative, having discussions with the federal government. He met with them twice, the last time nearly two years ago," Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero said.
The witnesses -- former Democratic Party official Joseph Cari and former Rezko associate Stuart Levine -- helped convict Rezko early this month of far-reaching fraud and corruption charges tied to state deals.
The court documents were filed by attorneys for Rezko, a Wilmette businessman and former top campaign fund-raiser for Blagojevich and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama who was also a key adviser to the governor.
Testifying for the prosecution during Rezko's two-month federal trial in Chicago, Cari and Levine each described having conversations with the governor aboard a private jet during a fund-raising trip to New York.
In news interviews, the governor has repeatedly denied having those conversations.
He told federal agents the same thing, according to the newly disclosed court papers, which indicated that agents interviewed Blagojevich regarding the Rezko case and that his statements were made available to Rezko's lawyers. Rezko's defense team had tried to cast doubt about the prosecution witnesses and about another former top Blagojevich adviser, Chris Kelly, who has been charged in an unrelated tax case.
"Gov. Blagojevich was interviewed on multiple occasions and denies these conversations," the defense filing says. "Cari failed to recall his conversation with the governor until his fifth interview by government agents, and Kelly, the only other witness to these conversations, has never been interviewed and will not testify at trial."
Levine testified that the governor told him, during another flight, "Stick with us, and you'll make lots of money." Levine said he believed Blagojevich meant Levine would make money in Blagojevich's administration -- if he gave to his campaign fund.
Other newly unsealed court documents confirmed that prosecutors sought to call witnesses to testify about Rezko's ties to Obama. The Illinois senator was the recipient of "straw" campaign contributions made by others on behalf of Rezko, the Chicago Sun-Times has reported -- money that Obama has since given to charities.
The documents indicate that prosecutors considered offering witnesses to explore why Rezko used others to contribute to Obama and also to Blagojevich, and U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve ruled that they could. But they did not end up offering any such testimony during the trial.
Obama, the South Side Democrat, hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing.
The U.S. attorney's office in Chicago had no comment on the newly released documents.