Exploding information...
Rezko's lead attorney, Joseph Duffy, had begun his cross-examination of Ali Ata when the trial ended for the day, but not before Ata had finished offering some of the explosive information that prosecutors had promised he would.
Ata said he lied to the FBI in December 2005 in part because Rezko had told him that there was a plan in place to remove Chicago's U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald.
One conversation took place in Rezko's office in 2004, Ata said.
"Mr. Rezko informed me that they had just finished meeting with Mr. [Robert] Kjellander and that there will be a change in U.S. attorney's office come the new administration," Ata said. And how would there be a change?
"Mr. Kjellander will talk to Karl Rove and make a change in the U.S. attorney's office," Ata said. He knew from Rezko that Kjellander was a GOP operative and had a direct relationship with Rove, at the time a top adviser to President Bush.
Kjellander is Illinois' Republican national committeeman. Both he and Rove have denied the allegations.
In another conversation, Ata said, Rezko told him an investigation was heating up but instructed Ata to hold firm. Some people were "throwing themselves at the feet" of the government to cooperate, Ata said Rezko told him.
And he said Rezko had a warning.
"Those who did [cooperate] would be dealt with," Ata said.
Even in 2006, Ata said, he had a conversation with Rezko that things were going to turn out all right for him because of the plan to dump the hard-charging Fitzgerald.
Duffy began his cross-examination by acting with amazement that Ata said he believed such a thing.
"Mr. Fitzgerald is still the U.S. attorney today, is he not, sir?" Duffy asked.
"Yes," Ata said.
Duffy pointed out that Ata pleaded guilty just a week ago and pressed him about what Ata is getting in return for his cooperation. Ata denied that any relatives under investigation by state authorities would be assisted by the government in return for his testimony against Rezko.
Duffy also challenged Ata on the existence of any records that might prove that he took cash out of the family business, Jenin Distribution, to give to Rezko.
Outside the presence of the jury, Duffy was allowed to explore whether Ata relatives might be benefiting from his cooperation. Ata said he had once been told that if he helped the government that federal prosecutors would inform state prosecutors of his assistance. Ata said his brother was among those under investigation in another case.
Duffy will resume his cross-examination Friday morning.
Ata said he lied to the FBI in December 2005 in part because Rezko had told him that there was a plan in place to remove Chicago's U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald.
One conversation took place in Rezko's office in 2004, Ata said.
"Mr. Rezko informed me that they had just finished meeting with Mr. [Robert] Kjellander and that there will be a change in U.S. attorney's office come the new administration," Ata said. And how would there be a change?
"Mr. Kjellander will talk to Karl Rove and make a change in the U.S. attorney's office," Ata said. He knew from Rezko that Kjellander was a GOP operative and had a direct relationship with Rove, at the time a top adviser to President Bush.
Kjellander is Illinois' Republican national committeeman. Both he and Rove have denied the allegations.
In another conversation, Ata said, Rezko told him an investigation was heating up but instructed Ata to hold firm. Some people were "throwing themselves at the feet" of the government to cooperate, Ata said Rezko told him.
And he said Rezko had a warning.
"Those who did [cooperate] would be dealt with," Ata said.
Even in 2006, Ata said, he had a conversation with Rezko that things were going to turn out all right for him because of the plan to dump the hard-charging Fitzgerald.
Duffy began his cross-examination by acting with amazement that Ata said he believed such a thing.
"Mr. Fitzgerald is still the U.S. attorney today, is he not, sir?" Duffy asked.
"Yes," Ata said.
Duffy pointed out that Ata pleaded guilty just a week ago and pressed him about what Ata is getting in return for his cooperation. Ata denied that any relatives under investigation by state authorities would be assisted by the government in return for his testimony against Rezko.
Duffy also challenged Ata on the existence of any records that might prove that he took cash out of the family business, Jenin Distribution, to give to Rezko.
Outside the presence of the jury, Duffy was allowed to explore whether Ata relatives might be benefiting from his cooperation. Ata said he had once been told that if he helped the government that federal prosecutors would inform state prosecutors of his assistance. Ata said his brother was among those under investigation in another case.
Duffy will resume his cross-examination Friday morning.
1 comment:
This case is sounding more like the Mafia. Make me an offer I can't refuse, you'll be swimming with the fishes. The corruption goes deep with these guys but something reminds me of Kyle Sampson's statement under oath. Well let's see how that plays in to this case. It's all about the dates and who knew what and when. As for Fitz they were right he is the go to man and they weren't quick enough to get rid of him.
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