Tony Rezko is a long time associate of Barack Obama, and a long time fund raiser for current governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich.
Tony Rezko is on trial for federal fraud charges.
Mr. Rezko is charged with soliciting kickbacks from companies seeking business or regulatory approval from the state.Mr. Rezko also 'facilitated' his buddies in obtaining employment with the state of Illinois.
Ali Ata ran the Illinois Finance Authority but apparently got the job after making a payoff to Tony Rezko for Rod Blagojevich’s election campaign.
On Tuesday, Mr. Ata pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents for his part in bribes to Rezko and that Gov. Blagojevich was in the room when money exchanged hands. name that party!
The heart of Tuesday's plea agreement focused on campaign money. It said that in August 2002 when Blagojevich first ran for governor Ata held a small fundraiser for him and raised $25,000. name that party!
Later that year, Ata brought a check for $25,000 to Rezko's Chicago offices where he met with Blagojevich and the money was placed on a conference table while the three men spoke, the agreement said.
The bombshell came in Ata's signed guilty plea to lying to the FBI about Rezko's role in getting him his state job. Blagojevich was not named in the plea, but it was clear from references in the agreement that Public Official A was the governor. name that party!
The trial of Mr. Rezko has attracted national attention because he was a friend and supporter of Senator Barack Obama. Mr. Obama is not accused of wrongdoing.
Name that party! Apparently, The NY Times can't do it nor can a CBS affiliate in Chicago.
(Rod Blagojevich is the current governor of Illinois, and a democrat. Illinois Senator Barack Obama is also a democrat).
The AT summed it up best: In case you didn't take a high school journalism course - as Catrin Einhorn, the Times reporter evidently didn't - identifying the party of a politician mentioned in an article, be he president or dog catcher, is pretty much a basic rule of journalism. But that's the advantage of working for a rag like the New York Times.
The rules simply don't apply.
TY also to HA