Who lied, witnesses -- or gov?
REZKO TRIAL | Feds reveal he denied pay-to-play remarks described by 2 in court
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 Blagojevich lied to federal agents about statements he was said to have made, tying state business to support for his campaign.
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Late Thursday, Blagojevich's office confirmed that he met 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.
Federal authorities have been investigating Blagojevich and hiring practices under his administration, as well as pay-to-play politics, given allegations that the governor traded jobs and state business for campaign cash.
Now, they may well be exploring false-statement allegations against him. Former Gov. George Ryan is serving a 6˝-year sentence, in part because of making false statements to federal agents, which is a felony.
The two witnesses in the Rezko case -- former Democratic Party official Joseph Cari and former Rezko associate Stuart Levine -- helped convict the Wilmette businessman early this month of far-reaching fraud and corruption charges tied to state deals.
The court documents made public Thursday were filed earlier this year by attorneys for Rezko -- a former top campaign fund-raiser for Blagojevich and for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. Rezko was also a key adviser to the governor.
Testifying for the prosecution at Rezko's two-month federal trial in Chicago, Cari and Levine each described having conversations with the governor aboard a private jet on fund-raising trips 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," a January defense filing made public Thursday 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 thought Blagojevich meant Levine would make money in Blagojevich's administration -- if he gave to his campaign fund.
The U.S. attorney's office in Chicago had no comment on the newly released documents.
Contributing: Dave McKinney