Sentencing for Blago, Obama fund-raiser Rezko put off till Oct. 28
Wilmette businessman's lawyers told judge they needed more time
A federal judge has postponed the sentencing of convicted political fund-raiser Tony Rezko by nearly two months, pushing his sentencing hearing back from Sept. 3 to Oct. 28.
The delay, granted this morning, came after the Wilmette businessman’s lawyers said they needed more time to prepare for his sentencing hearing.
Rezko, 52, has been held downtown at the Metropolitan Correctional Center since his June conviction. A jury found him guilty of wide-ranging fraud tied to kickbacks on state deals.
Rezko had been a top adviser to and campaign fund-raiser for Gov. Blagojevich, as well as a fund-raiser and friend to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.
“The current sentencing date is simply not realistic given the number of issues that must be briefed in the parties’ sentencing memoranda, the number of witnesses that must be prepared to testify at sentencing, and the number of letters that must be gathered from family and friends,” lawyers for Rezko wrote.
Neither the prosecution nor Rezko’s lawyers have disclosed what sentencing range they will argue Rezko should face.