Jun 4, 2008 4:30 pm US/Pacific
Jury Finds Tony Rezko Guilty On 16 of 24 Charges
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
A prominent fundraiser for Sen. Barack Obama and Gov. Rod Blagojevich was convicted Wednesday of fraud and money laundering after a high-profile federal trial provided an unusually detailed glimpse of the pay-to-play politics that has made Illinois infamous.
Antoin "Tony" Rezko, 52, showed no emotion as the jury delivered a mixed verdict that found him guilty of scheming with the government's star witness to get kickbacks out of money management firms wanting state business, but acquitted him of charges that included attempted extortion.
Rezko attorney Joseph Duffy said the defense is "obviously very disappointed" in the jury's guilty verdicts. He said Wednesday afternoon they will pursue and appeal.
Duffy says Rezko strongly believes he is innocent.
Duffy says it was Rezko's decision to surrender and begin serving his sentence. Sentencing is set for September 3rd at 10 a.m.
The jury's mixed verdict acquitted Rezko of some of the most serious charges, including attempted extortion. Rezko was found guilty of 16 of 24 counts.
He was found guilty on the two more serious counts, on money laundering and aiding and abetting money laundering, counts 23 and 24.
The jury obviously took issue with some of the charges, resulting in the eight acquittals. They wrestled over matters in a 13-day deliberation process, delivering its verdict after a nine-week trial.
Rezko has known Obama since he entered politics and was involved in a 2005 real estate deal with the Democratic presidential candidate, although testimony barely touched on their relationship. Most of the focus was on shakedowns prosecutors said Rezko arranged when he was a top adviser to Blagojevich.
Neither Blagojevich nor Obama has been accused of wrongdoing.
But DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett, who ran against Blagojevich in the 2006 race for governor, said Wednesday that "Today's conviction should prompt the Illinois General Assembly to impose an
immediate moratorium on the governor's ability to hand out any further no-bid contracts, bond fees, pension fees or other spoils of the pay-to-play system that has so defiled our state's reputation. We do not give the car keys to a serial drunk driver and we should not hand hard-earned taxpayers' money to a governor who has repeatedly abused the public trust by enriching his political friends to fatten his campaign treasury."
Birkett added, "The conviction of Tony Rezko represents a deep stain on the Democratic Party in Illinois. Democrats from top to bottom, including Barack Obama, stood idly by — and in some instances directly benefited — while the massive Blagojevich corruption scheme flourished. They rode into office promising to clean up after the George Ryan scandals and they have taken corruption in Illinois to a new low. They ought to be held accountable at the polls starting this November."
Illinois GOP Chairman Andy McKenna said, "Today's guilty verdict for Tony Rezko is another sad reminder of the broken political system in Illinois and the continuing nightmare of corruption in this state. The headlines tomorrow will reduce an already diminished faith in public service from a people - who in Illinois - face the highest gas prices in the nation, huge taxes and out-of-control spending. Democrats promised change and the people of Illinois have gotten the same old song and dance. Now that the trial has come to an end, it's time Rod Blagojevich came clean with the people of Illinois and answered the numerous questions surrounding his involvement with Tony Rezko."
Blagojevich was scheduled to discuss the case during a news conference at the Thompson Center Wednesday evening.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
