Blago trial sideshows: Witness decked (Biden pal, Joseph Cari), sandwiches yanked

Sun Times ^ | 6-18-10 | Chris Fusco, Natasha Korecki, Sarah Ostman

[STARWISE]

A prosecution witness spent about a minute sprawled on the sidewalk Thursday, and the courthouse cafeteria specials -- sandwiches named after Rod and Patti Blagojevich -- sparked a fracas.

Just another day at the Blagojevich trial.

Prosecution witness Joseph Cari hit the deck outside the Dirksen Federal Building as he tried to navigate his way through reporters and photographers after he testified.

Cari landed on his back and then rolled onto his stomach, according to a WGN-Channel 9 video. He was helped up about 40 seconds later.

Kenneth Jakubowski, a spokesman for Cari, said, "He was struck by a cameraman who was part of a media scrum. Joe was viciously knocked to the ground and dazed for several minutes. He is now OK."

Cari's spill wasn't the only sideshow. A Chicago News Cooperative reporter snapped a couple of lunchtime pictures in the courthouse cafeteria that showed the staff offering a turkey sandwich called "The 'Innocent' aka Blago."

And, yes, there was a "Patty Melt."

Since jurors often dine in the cafeteria, it's no surprise the "specials" were quickly removed.

"It is inappropriate for cafeteria personnel to make comments about pending cases in the courthouse," court Clerk Michael Dobbins said.

[STARWISE]

Also:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blagojevich donor: No promise of a job
BLAGO TRIAL | But Ata got state post after giving $50K to ex-gov, holding fund-raisers

June 18, 2010 BY Chris Fusco and Sarah Ostman

###

A former state official testified at Rod Blagojevich's trial Thursday that he received his job after contributing $50,000 to Blagojevich's campaign fund.

But Ali Ata admitted that he was never explicitly promised a state position in return for the donation to the former governor, under cross examination so forceful it brought Blagojevich's lawyer a scolding from the judge.

Ali Ata (right) testified he received a job after contributing to Rod Blagojevich's campaign fund, but admitted he was never explicitly promised a state position in return for the donation.

"If the point you're trying to make is that your client never personally [spoke to Ata about fund-raising], and you think this jury does not understand this point by now, you should just give up all hope," U.S. District Judge James Zagel said, prompting laughter in the courtroom and among jurors.

Ata, former executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority, was one of two prosecution witnesses who provided the bulk of the testimony throughout the day.

The other was former Democratic National Committee Finance Chairman Joseph Cari.

Cari and Ata already have pleaded guilty to criminal schemes involving Blagojevich's administration, and their testimony was similar to what they'd said at the 2008 trial of since-convicted Blagojevich fund-raiser Tony Rezko.

Cari detailed a conversation he'd had with Blagojevich aboard a private plane in 2003 in which he said Blagojevich clearly left him with the impression there would be a "quid pro quo" between state deals and campaign contributions.

Ata testified he was hired for his state job after personally giving Blagojevich a $25,000 campaign check at Rezko's real estate office in August 2002 and giving another $25,000 about 10 months later at a Navy Pier fund-raising event.

Separately, Ata also held fund-raisers for Blagojevich.

Blagojevich's lawyers tried to pick apart both witnesses, with defense attorney Michael Gillespie accusing Cari of lying to get a lighter sentence. Gillespie also pointed out to jurors that it was a full 82 days after the FBI first interviewed Cari that he told agents about his conversation with Blagojevich aboard the plane.

In the most heated exchanges, Sam Adam Jr. got Ata to admit that neither Blagojevich nor Rezko ever directly said Ata's contributions would guarantee him a state job.

"Rod Blagojevich never told you you're getting your job because you gave him funds, did he?" Adam asked.

"He did not," Ata replied.

Zagel sustained so many prosecution objections to Adam's questioning that, at one point, Adam looked at him incredulously.

"I know you look shocked," Zagel said. "But I don't think you are shocked. The objection is sustained."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Flashback for good ole Joe:

~~~~~~~~~~~

8-25-08: Biden has deep ties to Rezko accomplice
JOSEPH CARI | 30-year friend of VP pick guilty in kickback scheme

By Davie McKinney

DENVER -- No matter what help Barack Obama might get from Sen. Joseph Biden, his newly named vice presidential running mate won't give Obama much cover on the Tony Rezko front.

Biden has described himself as a 30-year friend of a key figure in the Rezko trial who's pleaded guilty to a federal extortion charge in Chicago and is awaiting sentencing.

Biden - Cari

When the Delaware senator began contemplating his own 2008 presidential run, he initially was helped by Chicago lawyer Joseph Cari Jr., who also served as Biden's Midwest field director in his failed 1988 bid for president.

In 2005, Cari admitted to taking part in an $850,000 kickback scheme that prosecutors say was part of a larger political fund-raising operation for Gov. Blagojevich overseen by Rezko, who was convicted in June of wide-ranging corruption involving state deals.

On the day Cari's name first surfaced in the federal probe of the state Teachers Retirement System, the former finance chairman for the Democratic National Committee and for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee was to have hosted a Biden fund-raiser in Chicago. Cari was a no-show at that July 25, 2005, event.

Offering Cari a vote of confidence at the time, Biden said, "All I know is Joe Cari is a friend, and he's an honorable guy, but I don't know anything beyond that."

Biden took $2,000 in campaign contributions from Cari in the early and mid-1990s, federal campaign-finance records show.

Two other donors whose names surfaced in the Rezko case -- Chicago lawyers Myron "Mike" Cherry and Anthony Licata -- donated to Biden's U.S. Senate campaign, as well. Cherry has given Biden $5,900, while Licata gave $1,000. Neither Cherry nor Licata has been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.

Earlier this year, in a bid to distance Obama from Rezko, the Illinois senator's campaign fund gave away to charity an amount equal to what had been contributed to the Democratic presidential hopeful by Cari, Cherry and Licata.

The Obama campaign downplayed the significance of Cari's contributions to Biden, noting that Cari was a prolific donor to an array of other politicians, from Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) to Illinois' other Democratic senator, Dick Durbin.

Still, an Obama spokesman said Biden would follow Obama's lead and divest his campaign fund of any money from Cari.

"As the former national finance director for the DSCC and DNC, Mr. Cari was a fund-raiser for many prominent elected officials," spokesman Ben LaBolt said. "If any contributions from Mr. Cari have not been returned or donated it is an oversight, and they will be immediately."

[STARWISE]

The incestuous connections never end ..

[Darkwolf377]

the courthouse cafeteria specials -- sandwiches named after Rod and Patti Blagojevich

So...that's what courthouse employees do, name sandwiches after people who have business before the court?

[Irenic]

Offering Cari a vote of confidence at the time, Biden said, “All I know is Joe Cari is a friend, and he’s an honorable guy, but I don’t know anything beyond that.”
*******************************
Well, Biden doesn’t look like the bus sort, there’s some loyalty.

That’s more than can be said of Obama.

Though, I think Obama and Biden are both dirty, nasty scoundrels.

[maggief]

Another piece of the puzzle:

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=229841

Unlocking Biden ’s baggage reveals Blago ticket
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) - Monday, August 25, 2008
Once upon a time, long before Barack Obama sent text messages about Joe Biden , there was another five-letter Illinoisan who had his eye on the altar.

B-l-a-g-o.

If only fate and fortune weren’t such merciless home wreckers, it might have been Gov. Rod Blagojevich standing beside Sen. Joe Biden during Saturday’s ceremony in Springfield.

The matchmaker of such a Blago- Biden ticket would have been Joseph Cari of Chicago, a Harvard-educated lawyer, political financier, power broker and the fundraising chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Soon, Mr. Cari will be known only by an 8-digit number.

That numeric title will be bestowed on Cari by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons when he reports to a federal penitentiary after pleading guilty to trying to extort campaign money for Gov. Blagojevich from an investment firm seeking state contracts.

So it is interesting indeed that Mr. Cari has deep connections with Blago, Biden , a loose link to Obama himself and several other notable political figures.

First, Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del):

Mr. Cari was a top campaign official and successful fundraiser for Sen. Biden in 1988, during the Delaware senator’s maiden run for president. Biden ’s campaign chairman 20 years ago was William Daley, brother of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.

Together, Cari and Bill Daley raised more money for Biden than any other candidate in the Democratic field.

Even though Biden lost in 1988, Cari didn’t veer far from him after that.

Shortly before Cari ’s corruption indictment by a federal grand jury in Chicago in 2006, Sen. Biden called him “an honorable guy” and was planning to appoint him to a high-ranking campaign position for the 2008 presidential campaign.

However, the Illinois shakedown scheme (that had nothing to do with Biden ) derailed Cari ’s future plans.

Next, Gov. Rod Blagojevich:

Cari told federal prosecutors that the governor told him he “could award contracts, legal work and investment banking” in exchange for campaign fundraising help. Cari said that Blagojevich henchmen, including Antoin “Tony” Rezko, wanted him to work as a national fundraiser for the governor.

Cari once told a prospective shakedown target: “This is how things are done in Illinois.”

When such an Illinois thing included a $1.5 million bribe from a state contractor, Cari became entangled in the messy federal case. He pleaded guilty and testified against Rezko.

Cari testified about a private jet trip he took with Blagojevich in 2003 to a New York fundraiser and how the governor spoke of his future political dreams.

“He had aspirations beyond the governorship,” Cari said.

“What did you understand by that?” prosecutor Reid J. Schar asked.

“Running for the presidency,” Cari said.

Cari ’s testimony helped convicted Tony Rezko.

(snip)

[Liz]

"If you keep your mouth shut, I'll get you a lucrative deal. The Hair Club wants
to show anxious baldies bad things can happen when guys have TOO much hair."

[Chode]

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks STARWISE.

"He was struck by a cameraman who was part of a media scrum. Joe was viciously knocked to the ground and dazed for several minutes. He is now OK."

[STARWISE]

Couldn’t fantasize this stuff. It’s an octopus of corruption.
Thanks, maggie.

[stephenjohnbanker]

This is where Obama made his bones.

[UCANSEE2]

Wonder how long it will take the poison to take effect?

[SunkenCiv]

;’)