24Nov/12

Patrick Fitzgerald and the Kabuki Dance of the Valerie Plame Thing

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Hugo Floriani, Investigative Reporter

Why would James B. Comey appoint Patrick Fitzgerald as Special Counsel on a case that was already solved?

Why would he even appoint a Special Counsel at all when Richard Armitage, the man responsible for exposing the identity of CIA employee Valerie Plame to the media, had already confessed and had not even hired an attorney to represent him?

Who is James B. Comey?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

James B. Comey, Jr. (born December 14, 1960) was U.S.Deputy Attorney General in the George W. Bush's administration. As Deputy A.G., Comey was the second-highest ranking official in the Department of Justice (DOJ). He ran the day-to-day operations of the DoJ, serving in that office from December 2003-August 2005.

Comey had been U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York before becoming Deputy A.G.

In December 2003, he appointed his close friend and former colleague, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, to be the Special Counsel leading the investigation into the Valerie Plame leak after Attorney General John Ashcroft recused himself.

In August 2005, Comey left the DOJ and became General Counsel and Senior Vice President at Lockheed Martin. From there he went on to Bridgewater Associates in June 2010.

________________________________________________________________________________________

In 2009, Comey’s total compensation package at Lockheed Martin was 6,113,797. Apparently, no one in the media cared that Lockheed worked closely with the Cohen Group where Marc Grossman was Vice Chairman.

Grossman was a key figure in Patrick Fitzgerald's quest to find out who leaked that Valarie Plame worked for the CIA.

Before Fitzgerald’s investigation team even bought their office supplies, Comey and Fitz knew that Armitage had, innocently he claimed, leaked the knowledge about Valarie Plame to, now deceased, columnist Bob Novak.

Comey left Lockheed to work at Bridgewater Associates and then, after a short stay at Bridgewater, he became a partner with Attorney General Eric Holder's former law firm, Covington & Burling.

What do Lockheed Martin and the Cohen Group have in common? Did they have any vested interests in Iraq or Afghanistan while Fitzgerald was chasing down the phantom leaker? Did the old media ever explore that possibility? 

Has any reporter ever asked Fitzgerald or Comey why a phantom leaker was sought after the real leaker had already confessed? Did any Tribune or Sun Times reporter ever pose that question to Fitz? 

Has anyone asked former New York Times writer Judith Miller how she feels about having spent nearly three months in jail after Fitz already knew that Armitage was the leaker? Does that make her a victim of wrongful imprisonment?


What does Scooter Libby say about all this?

And, lastly, did Fitzgerald or Comey violate any laws during this Kabuki dance?

Many questions – no media interest – hence, no answers. Nothing to see here folks, move alongIt’s the Chicago Way.

Next..... Where did Dick Armitage eventually land?

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23Nov/12

Chicago Tribune reporter John Chase talks about Rezko’s friend and sponsor

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Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief

Trib reporter John Chase knows much about Dr. Ronald Michael, the mystery man pictured with George W. Bush at a fundraiser sponsored by Antoin “Tony” Rezko.

Chase told a source that Tony Rezko lived with the Michael family when he came to Chicago from Lebanon as a young man.  Chase said that Michael was involved with Rezko in securing reconstruction contracts in Iraq.  And, that Michael was trying to get Federal and Illinois state funding for a project involving property he owned in Iraq.

When pressed for details, Chase would not disclose where the monies would come from, nor for what purposes they’d be granted.

Chase was also the first to confirm that the “John Doe” filed lawsuit against the Sun Times was filed by Dr. Ronald MichaelFurthermore, Chase confirmed that Michael threatened to sue Chase and the Trib if he, Chase, outed him as Mr. Doe.

Michael's threat worked.

John Chase, who has much to tell about the mystery man who, according to Chase, gave convicted felon Tony Rezko his start in Chicago, has never told Tribune readers what he knows.

Oh, did we mention that Michael was on the Blagojevich $25,000 Donor Clout List? And that Michael’s name also appeared on a list of possible appointees to the Illinois Health Planning Board with the initials “TR” next to it?

Michael was not appointed to the Planning Board, but his friends Dr. Fortunee Massuda, Dr. Michel Malek, and Dr. Imad Almanaseer were. 

Michael followed the banking route instead, and that venture will cost the FDIC over $3,000,000.  (Stand by, we’ll have more on the bank thing later.)

Why would someone who purports to be a "journalist and author" leave out such relevant, interesting and important information from his articles and book?

John, you saving the good stuff for a screenplay, or what?

Meanwhile, the Valarie Plame story is falling apart. Who will have the most interesting story there once-jailed New York Times journalist Judith Miller, or John Chase? 

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19Nov/12

Eavesdropping on the Sun Times Chutzpa

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Annabel Kent, Chicago Media Critic & Thomas Barton, Political Commentator

Recently, the chutzpa of the Chicago Sun Times was on full display in their reporting of events involving employees of Mayor Rahmbo’s City Hall recording their phone conversation with Chicago Tribune reporters. 


The act of recording the reporters without their knowledge is a felony in Illinois. Recently, there have been high profile eavesdropping cases that are being scrutinized, or to Illinois’ shame, not being scrutinized.

One case in particular, that illustrates the hypocrisy of the current situation on so many different levels, was brought against Annabel Melongo who was jailed as a political prisoner in Crook County for over a year-and-a-half. 

                                                     Crook County’s Political Prisoner

Here is what one of the Times investigative “Watch Dog” reporters, Carol Marin, wrote about how Mayor Rahmbo handled the Tribune eavesdropping episode:

So, is Carol Marinnow, finally, taking up the cause for Annabel Melongo who was wrongly-incarcerated for 20 months?



Or, did the Times, via Marin, just aim to send the Tribuneand anyone else who might consider making an issue of Rahmbo’s City Hall violating eavesdropping laws, a message that he/she will open the can of worms known as the Save-A-Life-Foundation Scandal if the scrutiny of City Hall does not cease immediately?

(Oh, BTW, the Illinois Attorney General is allegedly investigation the Save-A-Life Foundation’s questionable money reporting – allegedly is the operative word.)

We are guessing the latter – that Marin/Times sent a message to back off their guy Rahmbo.

Although, incurably optimistic, we do hope against hope that the Times is preparing to expose the all-too-common practice of imprisoning people for political reasons in "The Peoples Republic of Cook County”.  Hey, we can dream.

P.S.: One of the Time’s “Watch Dogs” told a writer for Andrew Breitbart’s Big Journalism in 2010 that the Time’s editors told that reporter not to report on the Melongo case because “there wasn’t time to do the story justice”.

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18Nov/12

Rezko Update: Mystery man’s true identity revealed

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 Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief

He's Dr. Ronald Michael, aka John Doe

And, it appears the Chicago Sun Times used the picture of Dr. Ronald Michael and George W. Bush that was taken at a 2003 Tony Rezko-sponsored fundraiser in Chicago in a full page article.

The Watchdogs.pdf



While this story unfolds ponder these questions:

(1) Why would the Sun Times eliminate President Bush from the picture?

(2) Why would Democrat Gov. Rod Blagojevich's right-hand man and convicted bagman sponsor a fundraiser for Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush?

(3) Why would Rezko co-sponsor a fundraiser for George W. Bush at the same time he is backing Barack Obama's political career? And, wait, wasn't the man that co-sponsored this event with Rezko a buddy of Karl Rove?

(4) Where was U.S Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald when all of this was going on right under his nose?

(5) What could Nadhmi Auchi's guy, Antoin "Tony" Rezko, tell us about all this? 

Developing story.......

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15Nov/12

Update:The man pictured with President George W. Bush has been identified

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Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief

  <<BREAKING NEWS>>

He's "John Doe"

And he filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Sun Times

John_Doe_vs_Chicago_Sun_Times_Inc.pdf

Just when you thought you have seen it all "John Doe" files a lawsuit for libel . "Only in Chicago"

Mystery man and President George W. Bush 

We are waiting for a comment from the Chicago Sun Times and hope to bring you more details of this unusual situation shortly.

Developing story.....

Update:  

DOC Banks on government cash

Unpaid taxes no obstacle | Big campaign donor still got OK to buy controlling interest in bank
October 18, 2007
BY CHRIS FUSCO Staff Reporter
Dr. Ronald Michael once headed a company that faced more than its share of money troubles. It didn't pay its taxes. And it ended up bankrupt.
But those financial problems didn't prove to be a hurdle when Michael decided to buy a downstate bank.
RELATED STORIES
• Indicted but still lobbying
The List: Doctor's political giving
Dr. Ronald Michael has given a total of $178,390 to state lawmakers, state political groups and Chicago aldermen. Nearly 60 percent of the money has gone to Republicans.
Judy Baar Topinka, former state treasurer and 2006 GOP nominee for governor: $63,810
Gov. Blagojevich (D): $47,000
Illinois Republican Party: $25,000
State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D): $21,180
Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica (R): $10,000
State Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson (D): $3,000
Former Gov. George Ryan (R): $2,500
Kankakee Republican Central Committee: $2,400
Jim Ryan, former attorney general and 2002 GOP gubernatorial nominee (R): $1,500
State Senate President Emil Jones (D): $1,000
Chicago 1st Ward Ald. Manuel "Manny" Flores (D): $750
Chicago 7th Ward Ald. Sandi Jackson (D): $250
Republican total: $105,210
Democratic total: $73,180
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections
State and federal officials signed off on the Bourbonnais neurosurgeon's purchase of 73 percent of Arcola Homestead Savings Bank in 2003. And in the past year, the tiny bank has seen a big boost in deposits from public, taxpayer-funded sources.
So how do you go from running a bankrupt company to owning a bank with millions in government deposits?
Michael -- who's made $178,390 in campaign contributions to state and local officials and thousands of dollars more to federal candidates -- won't say. "I'm not talking about my personal life," he says.
His business troubles involve a restaurant delivery company called Hypermeals Inc. In the late 1990s, Michael started a business that acquired a 70 percent stake in Hypermeals. He personally held a 2.5 percent stake in Hypermeals and served as its chairman.
In 2002, Hypermeals' troubles boiled over. The company filed for bankruptcy that May after failing to pay $34,987 in state taxes. The state filed a second tax lien -- for $49,979 -- against the company in 2004. Hypermeals still owes the tax man, records show.
Less than six months after the bankruptcy filing, Michael began seeking approval to buy Arcola Homestead from then-Gov. George Ryan's administration. State and federal banking officials gave their OK to the $1.1 million purchase in February 2003, a month after Gov. Blagojevich took office.
Bank regulators won't say if they investigated Michael's involvement with Hypermeals. Nor will they release details of the financial report Michael filed with his banking application. They cite privacy laws.
But records show that, as of June 30, 2006, Arcola Homestead had just $550,000 in deposits from state and local government entities. A year later, that figure had soared to $7.2 million.
FDIC records don't specify where the cash comes from. But the Illinois State Treasurer's office says it has $285,000 in Michael's bank. The most recent deposit came in January 2004, when then-state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka deposited $95,000 in state funds.
Subsequently, in May 2005, Michael started donating to Topinka's failed 2006 run for governor. In all, he ended up giving Topinka $63,810.
Michael also has given $21,180 to current state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a Democrat.
Topinka and Giannoulias say Michael's contributions didn't affect decisions about his bank. Also, they say they didn't even know Michael was in the banking business, that they knew only that he was a doctor.
Gov. Blagojevich has accepted $47,000 from Michael, including $25,000 on Nov. 23, 2002 -- 18 days after Blagojevich won election.
About three months later, on Feb. 28, 2003, Michael won approval to take control of Arcola Homestead. He gave another $20,000 to the governor's campaign fund on July 25, 2003.
The donations had nothing to do with Michael being OKd to buy the bank, Blagojevich campaign spokesman Doug Scofield says.
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5Nov/12

The Tribune and Sun Times: Enemies of Chicago’s People

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Editorial Board

Former pollster for Jimmy Carter, and long-time Democrat Pat Caddell, is not a conservative Republican, is not a Tea Party person, and has never been a Republican.  He recently called the American media an “enemy of the American people”.

 

 He delivered that accusation before the Accuracy in Media organization here, and, more briefly,recently on the FOX network.

We share Caddell’s characterization of the media.  And, we think it’s time to bring that criticism home to Chicago.

 

Chicago’s two largest daily newspapers, the Tribune and the Sun Times, are, and have long been, enemies of Chicago’s people – all of its people.

 

Their owners and publishers, their editors, their reporters – their entire staffs – are complicit in the level of corruption in this city that has warranted Cook County the reputation as being one of the most corrupt, if not the most corrupt, place in America.

 

The degree of rot in city, county and state governments could not have been sustained, to such a depth and length, without the complicity of Chicago’s two, largest newspapers.

 

The Trib and the Times are, in short, the essential enablers of Chicago’s corruption.

 

They do not, nor have they been for many years, reporters of the news. They manage the flow of news, doing just enough to occasionally give the impression of being watch dogs guarding against municipal malfeasance, or bold sources of information concerning on-going crime sprees.

 

In fact, they are neither, for they do not fundamentally serve the best interests of Chicago’s people.

 

They are neither courageous, nor free, nor independent. Consequently,…

 

They are enemies of Chicago’s people.  

 

To be continued.... 


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3Nov/12

Did the Sun Times get played by Patrick Fitzgerald?

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Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief

Michael Sneed is the Chicago Sun Times columnist to whom Rod Blagojevich passed false stories that he wanted printed in her paper. This was documented in the Blagojevich trial. Now, it looks like Patrick Fitzgerald has taken a page from Blago’s playbook and followed Blago’s example.


After 
Fitz publicly scoffed at the idea of joining a private law firm, he…joined a private law firm.

 

Back on September 24, 2012, Sneed reported that:

 “Sneed hears rumbles former U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald may be this/close to joining a prestigious law firm in Chicago. A Sneed source, who claims Fitzgerald had narrowed his choices to three firms, stated: Everyone has been after him to join their firm. I’m told he should be making his decision within the next week or so… Close friends have speculated in the past Fitzgerald would become legal counsel for a large corporation."

Okay, so Sneed and the Sun Times editors recognized that the report that Fitz was about to flip-flop and go to work for a law firm was news. That was reasonable.

 

But why are Sneed and the Times silent now when Fitz goes to work for the same law firm that represented Sam Zell and the Chicago Tribune, and, is, also, Greg Craig’s law firm?

 

Craig, you’ll remember, was the White House Counsel for then President Elect Barack Obama. It was Craig who dealt with Fitz to clear Obama, Emanuel, Jarrett, and Axelrod of any wrong-doing in the saga of Blago’s effort to sell Obama’s Senate seat. Surprise!

 

Makes you wonder if Fitz used the Sun Times, al la Blago, to distract attention away from the real story, doesn’t it?

 

Developing.....

HT  Advance Indiana;  Patrick Fitzgerald Joins Law Firm Of Obama's Former White House Counsel

 

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2Oct/12

Update: Obama associate Daniel S Mahru sentence delayed until after election.

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Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief, Illinois PayToPlay

 Update;

The Department of Justice will not disclose Daniel S. Mahru's probation deal publicly until after the Presidential election.

 Mr. Mahru was scheduled to be sentenced on Oct 4, however to no surprise to anyone paying attention, that date has now been reset to November 15.

-

Are reporters at the Chicago Tribune and Sun Times covering this scandal, or are they drafting fairy tale books about it?

Origninal post  9-20-12
DoJ silences Obama associate Daniel S  Mahru with his freedom
-
Ernie Souchak, Etidor-in-Chief, Illinois PayToPlay
-

llinoispaytoplay.com (IP2P) has learned that Daniel S. Mahruformer business partner of Antoin "Tony" Rezko, made a deal with the Department of Justice (DoJ) for his silence. IP2P is the first to report that on, October 4 2012, Daniel S. Mahru will receive probation at his sentencing hearing.

 

IP2P has also learned that this is being done to insure Mahru will not speak of crimes, of which he has knowledge, that implicate Barack Obama, Valarie Jarrett, Allison Davis, Tony Rezko and others. (Remember Tony recently saying he committed crimes for which Fitzgerald did not charge him.)

 

IP2P is also investigating the circumstances surrounding meetings that took place where Daniel T Frawley and Daniel S Mahru (both convicted felons) met with author Jerome Corsi in Chicago to discuss secret meetings between Barack Obama, Nadhmi Auchi, Tony Rezko, (now GovernorPat Quinn, and others.

 

Mahru is unwilling to talk about what was discussed at those meetings. Could that have anything to do with his probation deal?

 

The DoJ and (now formerU.S Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald protected Eric Holder, Barack Obama and a host of other criminals that occupy high offices in our state and federal government.

 

Brenda J Elliot at rbo2.com recently posted an article suggesting how important Mahrus silence is to the DoJ.  

 

Where's that special prosecutor when you need him?

 

Developing


 

 

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7Sep/12

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald gives the United States of America it’s first Tin-Pot Dictator “Barack Hussein Obama”

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Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief, Illinois PayToPlay  

 

The communications posted below are just one example of how Patrick Fitzgerald and the Chicago Tribune worked together to insure that Barack Hussein Obama, aka "The Chosen One" would win the 2008 Presidential election.  Illinois PayToPlay will have more on this soon.

 

All questions and or information related to this criminal activity should be directed to :

 

           Congressman Darrell Issa              ca49interndo@mail.house.gov

                                              

            Dale Neugebauer                           Dale.Neubebauer@mail.house.gov

               Chief-of-Staff  

               

            Washington, DC                                (202) 225-3906 

            California                                           (760) 599-5000

 

 

 

From: (redacted)

To: "David Young" <david_young@grassley.senate.gov>

Sent: Friday, June 3, 2011 8:58:46 AM

Subject: Fwd: My Source (TIP)   

 

Mr David Young 

 

Please see that Senator Charles Grassley receives a copy of this.

 

(name redacted)

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: (redacted)

To: "Glenn Selig" <glenn@thepublicityagency.com>

Sent: Thursday, June 2, 2011 9:17:04 PM

Subject: Fwd: My Source (TIP)   

 

Glenn,

 

As we discussed, The fact that Rod Blagojevich is not making John Chase and the Chicago Tribune an issue in this case is very telling.  What will be most interesting is.  To what extent is Darrell Issa going to ignore what is happening before he is forced to step up ? 

 

http://media.apps.chicagotribune.com/blago/5231-session-1423-blagojevich-home.html

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: (redacted)

To: 

Sent: Thursday, June 2, 2011 12:59:49 PM

Subject: Fwd: My Source (TIP)  

 

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: (redacted)

To: "Glenn Selig" <glenn@thepublicityagency.com>

Sent: Wednesday, June 1, 2011 10:43:11 PM

Subject: My Source

 

Glenn,

 

I think this speaks for itself.

 

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: 

To: 

Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 8:07:17 AM

Subject: Fwd: Or maybe

 

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: 

To: "Rod Blagojevich" <Rod@seligmultimedia.com>

Cc: "Sheldon Sorosky" <kapsor@aol.com>, "Aaron Goldstein" <aaron@notguiltyinchicago.com>, "Randall Samborn" <Randall.Samborn@usdoj.gov>, "Kimberly Nerheim" <Kimberly.Nerheim@usdoj.gov>, "ca49interndo" <ca49interndo@mail.house.gov>, "Dale Neugebauer" <Dale.Neugebauer@mail.house.gov>, "Justin Roth" <justin.roth@mail.house.gov>, "Gerould Kern" <gkern@tribune.com>, "John Kass" <jskass@tribune.com>, "Jeff Coen" <JCoen@tribune.com>, "Donald Hayner" <dhayner@suntimes.com>, "Chris Fusco" <cfusco@suntimes.com>, "Tim Novak" <tnovak@suntimes.com>, "Dave McKinney" <dmckinney@suntimes.com>

Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2011 9:15:23 AM

Subject: Fwd: Or maybe

 

Ladies and gentleman,

 

 My source at the Chicago Tribune (referred to below) is John Chase. The same John Chase that warned Rod Blagojevich that the feds had a wiretap on him.

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Concerned citizen

 

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: 

To: "Chris Fusco" <cfusco@suntimes.com>, "Tim Novak" <tnovak@suntimes.com>, "Carol Marin" <cmarin@suntimes.com>, "Dave McKinney" <dmckinney@suntimes.com>

Cc: "Donald Hayner" <dhayner@suntimes.com>

Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 7:52:38 AM

Subject: Fwd: Or maybe

 

What about the folks at the Sun-Times ? 

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: 

To: "Rod Blagojevich" <Rod@seligmultimedia.com>

Cc: "Sheldon Sorosky" <kapsor@aol.com>, "Aaron Goldstein" <aaron@notguiltyinchicago.com>, "Glenn Selig" <glenn@thepublicityagency.com>, "Dale Neugebauer" <Dale.Neugebauer@mail.house.gov>, "Justin Roth" <justin.roth@mail.house.gov>, "ca49interndo" <ca49interndo@mail.house.gov>, "Cheyenne steel" <cheyenne.steel@mail.house.gov>

Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 9:12:10 PM

Subject: Or maybe

 

Or maybe, no one wants the truth to get out ?  

Does anyone want to know who in the Chicago Tribune organization informed me that the Tribune was sitting on the John Thomas (FBI mole) story to protect Barack Obama, at the behest of Patrick Fitzgerald ? Surely Rod Blagojevich and his lawyers will want to know or will they ? Why wouldn't they want to know ?

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: 

To: "Glenn Selig" <glenn@thepublicityagency.com>

Cc: "Sheldon Sorosky" <kapsor@aol.com>, "Aaron Goldstein" <aaron@notguiltyinchicago.com>, "Rod Blagojevich" <Rod@seligmultimedia.com>

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2011 8:42:04 PM

Subject: Maybe everyone is inept ?

 

Glenn

 

To date, not a single person that has received this string of emails has asked me the simple and obvious question, who is your source at the Chicago Tribune. Remember what we discussed.

 

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Concerned citizen 

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: 

To: "Glenn Selig" <glenn@thepublicityagency.com>

Sent: Monday, April 18, 2011 8:23:27 AM

Subject: Fwd: FBI director Fitzgerald ?

 

Glenn

 

I appreciate that you are talking to Rod Blagojevich about what we have discussed, however in the mean time, has Sheldon shared this email with you ?

 

xxxxxxx

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: 

To: "John Kass" <jskass@tribune.com>

Cc: "Chris Fusco" <cfusco@suntimes.com>, "Eric Zorn" <ericzorn@gmail.com>, "Gerould Kern" <gkern@tribune.com>, "Donald Hayner" <dhayner@suntimes.com>, "Dale Neugebauer" <Dale.Neugebauer@mail.house.gov>

Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2011 9:44:29 AM

Subject: Fwd: FBI director Fitzgerald ?

 

John 

 

You continue to be an outspoken fan of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald despite the fact you have been given evidence that should concern you deeply.

Perhaps since you and the Chicago Tribune feel so strongly about the virtues of Patrick Fitzgerald you can ask him a few questions that need answering.

 

1 Who leaked sealed information about the wire tap on Rod Blagojevich to John Chase, and have they been charged for that crime ?

2 Who leaked the information to John Chase that John Wyma was cooperating with the U.S Attorneys office ?

3 Why are the John Thomas files sealed ?

4 Etc., 

5 Etc.,

6 Etc.,

Get answers to these and you will be on your way to recovery.

FBI director Patrick Fitzgerald ?  Pay-to-Play on steroids, he should know.   You should talk to John Chase about this, as you know I have !

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: 

To: "jskass" <jskass@tribune.com>

Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 6:42:03 PM

Subject: Chicago Tribune - John Thomas

 

 

To whom it may concern

 

John Thomas was a mole for the FBI in the case in Illinois against Tony Rezko and others.  The Chicago Tribune was aware of the fact and chose not to write a story about him at the behest of Patrick Fitzgerald (U.S Attorney Northern Dist IL). The Tribune eventually wrote a story about John Thomas, however the story they wrote was not accurate.  My source at the Chicago Tribune claims that when Patrick Fiztgerald asked the Chicago Tribune to sit on the Thomas story, claiming it could put his life in danger, the Chicago Tribune refused.  The Chicago Tribune told Mr Fitzgerald that they were going to run the story anyway.  It was only when Patrick Fitzgerald told the Chicago Tribune that if they ran the story that it would affect the Presidential election did the Chicago Tribune agree not to run the story.  My source at the Chicago Tribune confirmed this meant Obama. My source also informed me of other information that would be of interest to the people of Illinois that was not being reported in the Chicago Tribune.

 

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: 

To: 

Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2011 8:03:33 AM

Subject: FBI director Fitzgerald ?

 

I have known about this for a while, however I do find the timing of this interesting?  

Could make for interesting confirmation hearings.

 

 

www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-met-kass-0317-20110317,0,5332476.column  

chicagotribune.com

 

If Fitzgerald goes to Washington, will political cockroaches like Blagojevich multiply?

 

John Kass

March 17, 2011

advertisement

Rod Blagojevich awoke after a night of uneasy dreams to find that he had been transformed:

 

Not into just another Illinois political cockroach — one more former governor awaiting a federal criminal trial — but as a WLS-AM morning radio talk show host shamelessly sucking up to his potential jury pool.

 

So as WLS invited former Gov. Dead Meat to use the federally licensed airwaves to politic to the jury and claim his innocence, he dropped the name of famed writer Franz Kafka.

 

And his co-host, wife Patti, chimed in, saying those federal prosecutors in Chicago were really unfair.

 

"The whole thing, it's a story out of Kafka," said Dead Meat. "You know he wrote this novel 'The Trial,' which is just an unbelievable thing about how somebody can be falsely accused of things, and then they just drop a big thing on you, and create a firestorm and before you have a chance to catch your breath, you've been defined a certain way."

 

Dead Meat was referring Kafka's story of Josef K., a young bank official who is arrested by federal agents and tried, though neither he nor the reader ever learn the exact nature of the crime.

 

It's a crazy reference, because Dead Meat knows the charges against him — like trying to sell that "(bleeping) golden" U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama.

 

And both he and Patti know the names of all the prosecutors and FBI agents, including U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.

 

"My point is, it's a selective prosecution," Patti told the audience.

 

And she mentioned the story of her husband's replacement, Gov. Patrick Quinn, and his appointment of former state Rep. Careen Gordon, a Democrat from Morris.

 

During her campaign, Gordon opposed a tax increase but lost anyway. Then in January, Quinn needed her vote to pass his 67 percent income tax hike. He offered her an $86,000-a-year job on the state prison review board. As a potentially interesting confirmation hearing neared, Gordon withdrew her name from consideration Wednesday.

 

Quinn and Gordon insisted there was no quid pro quo, but anyone who believed that is a chumbolone.

 

"Why is it OK for Quinn and Careen Gordon to act this way?" whined Patti. "But we're sitting in a situation where you're going to go to trial again for the second time, for something far less concrete, than what they actually did."

 

What Quinn did is contemptible, but at least Quinn didn't have his fingerprints all over Obama's Senate seat.

 

On Wednesday, Patti was less (bleeping) Lady Macbeth and more like a 5-year-old, wondering why she and Rod got caught when everybody else gets to do it.

 

The last time I'd heard her speak was on a TV reality show, "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!"

 

She'd just eaten a plateful of live jungle bugs, perhaps Costa Rican cockroaches, and she was using the tip of her tongue to work them out of her teeth, the way you work celery out of your molars, when she began blubbering about Rod's innocence.

 

It was difficult to watch back then, but she got through it, and enough potential jurors must have seen it, too, because Dead Meat was convicted on only one federal count — lying to the FBI.

 

The retrial is scheduled to start April 20, and Fitzgerald has his prosecution team streamlining the case.

 

And now Fitzgerald might be making a move, to Washington. He's on the short list to replace Robert Muller as director of the FBI.

 

Whether he gets the job or not is something else again. I think Fitzgerald would like the post. Friends of his have been talking about it for years. He's obviously qualified, and he has hunted crooked Democrats and crooked Republicans with equal gusto.

 

But would the Chicago Way White House — with mayoral brother Billy Daley as chief of staff to the president — want an uncontrollable Fitzgerald running the FBI for the next 10 years?

 

Who knows? Billy Daley is approving the short list being leaked out to the media, with Fitz's name on it.

 

"He's clearly the best qualified candidate for the FBI director's post in the country, bar none," said former U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, no relation, who defied the Illinois Combine by installing the independent Fitzgerald in the job.

 

It made them so angry that Sen. Fitzgerald was run out of Illinois politics as a result.

 

"It would be Chicago's loss if Patrick Fitzgerald became director of the FBI," the former senator said. "All sorts of characters in Chicago would be delighted if Patrick were promoted out of town. As FBI director, his responsibilities would be focused on a broad spectrum and he wouldn't have time to focus just on Chicago."

 

Blagojevich was consistent throughout his shameless morning talk show rant.

 

He was the wronged man. His enemies wanted his hide. He was the one who fought on behalf of the people against all those schemers, liars and knaves.

 

But he got the Kafka reference wrong. It wasn't "The Trial" he should have been thinking of, but "The Metamorphosis," which Kafka would have begun this way, if he were covering the trial.

 

"As Rod Blagojevich awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. … His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly before his eyes."

 

If the best exterminator leaves town, what will happen to all those political cockroaches?

 

They'll multiply. As in the old days.

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23Jun/12

What does George Weaver know about 400k Tony Rezko paid to Obama ?

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Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief, Illinois PayToPlay

Tony Rezko's partner Daniel T Frawley shared this letter he wrote to his attorney with Robert Cooley. In this letter Mr. Frawley claims his ex-attorney George Weaver can confirm that he (Frawley) provided cash for Tony Rezko to payoff Barack Obama !  Patrick Fitzgerald's replacement will need to take a look at this.

Perhaps Congressman Joe Walsh will also take notice ? (Special Counsel?)

As for the Chicago SunTimes and the Chicago Tribune, maybe if we hold our breath ?

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Dan Frawley <Address withheld>
Date: Mon, Jun 13, 2011 at 11:05 AM
Subject: Weaver
To: robert XXXXX <Robert Cooley's email address withheld>

Mark

Here is Weaver's real concern and this is fact not opinion.
Weaver told my sister Kathleen and I this story at his (Weaver's) office
Weaver then repeated the same story to Jeffrey Steinbach a couple of days
later when Weaver called Jeff before Weaver
met with USAO Caroline McNiven and FBI supervisor Pat Murphy.
Weaver then went in and told the same story to the USAO.
Weaver then called me immediately after leaving the USAO office. (Within 5
minutes via pay phone)
Jeff then confirmed to me what Weaver told the USAO after speaking with the
USAO.

Weaver's Explanation in first person:

I did not tell the USAA about the alleged payment from TR to BO because I
was afraid.
I was afraid that all of the news coverage would bring reporters to my door
and they would camp out there.
I was afraid I would be labeled a racist and Dan and Kathy you know I am not
political at all.
I was especially worried about the affect this would have on my son Michael.
I did this to Protect my family and myself from the publicity.

NOW here is the part that George lied to Jeff and the USAO to.
George told them (USA) & Jeff) that he George had a drink with me at the bar in George's office building. (121 N. La Salle St.)George said he told me then and there what Tony Rezko told George regarding BO and the alleged payoff. George Said that the reason for doing so was to hold this information out incase I did not get a good deal from the USAO then George could use this info as the last turn of the screw on TR and get me the best deal. George said that no one would believe me if I did not recall the story George’s way and that my sister and brother would also be indicted

George then went to Jeff and the USAO that story

I had already met with the USAO with Jeff and told the true story. I
originally went along with Weaver’s story because I was worried about my
brother and sister, but after about 10 days I went with Steinbach and
straightened out the misunderstandings. never knew whom TR gave the cash to
all I knew is Weaver Said the money went in cash in plastic grocery sacks to high elected
official. I always assumed it was Rod.

Jeff told me that the USAO knew Weaver lied to them and that USAO has
nothing but disgust and disdain for Weaver.
Jeff said the USAO could charge Weaver with Conspiracy, lying to the FBI and
obstruction of justice.
Of course we do not care about the criminal aspect but the civil

Government law enforcement people can testify to weaver' lying and
malpractice

Were we also have weaver is Weaver told his wife Janice and his mother in
law what happened with BO & TR

We can depose Weavers wife and mother in law.
Weaver was so worried abut involving his family this or the threat of it
along with the publicity is Weaver's Achilles heal.

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