Rezko gets sentencing delayed till October

A federal judge has postponed the sentencing of convicted political fund-raiser Tony Rezko by nearly two months, pushing his sentencing hearing back to Oct. 28 -- one week before the presidential election.

Lawyers for Rezko -- a onetime friend and campaign fund-raiser to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama -- had asked for more time to prepare for the hearing, which had been set for Sept.3.

"The current sentencing date is simply not realistic," the lawyers wrote, citing a "number of witnesses that must be prepared to testify at sentencing, and the number of letters that must be gathered from family and friends."

Rezko, 53, a Wilmette businessman who was also a top adviser to and fund-raiser for Gov. Blagojevich, has been held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center since a jury convicted him in June of wide-ranging fraud tied to kickbacks on state deals.

Neither the prosecution nor Rezko's lawyers have disclosed what sentencing range they will argue Rezko should face.