Rod Blagojevich’s political corruption trial continued Wednesday morning with one-time Tony Rezko business associate Joseph Aramanda talking about a plot Rezko asked him to take part in that allegedly would have provided money to “the four” through a deal between the state Teachers Retirement System and Glencoe Capitol, an investment firm. Aramanda, who has been granted immunity by the prosecution, said that he ultimately backed out of the plan because he “felt uncomfortable” about what was going down.
The White House will likely be paying close attention to the proceedings later today, as Chicago lawyer and former Democratic National Committee Finance Chairman Joe Cari is set to take the stand. Cari pled guilty to charges of attempted extortion prior to the 2006 election.
A 2005 Chicago Magazine article by Steve Rhodes illustrated how significant a national political force Cari once was:
“Until recently, almost every Democratic presidential candidate who came through town trolling for money sought Cari’s support. He has been involved in every presidential campaign since 1980, along the way holding a variety of positions on the Democratic National Committee. (If Al Gore had prevailed in 2000, Cari might have been in line for the ambassadorship to Italy.) Before he was indicted, Cari was poised to take a major role in the prospective 2008 White House run of Delaware senator Joe Biden.”
When reports surfaced of Cari being part of a kickback scheme, Biden stood behind him, saying Cari was both a friend and “an honorable guy.”
Cari’s connection with Blagojevich came through his relationship with businessman Stuart Levine. His testimony will likely constitute the first statements made from the stand that show some link between Washington and Springfield. Levine was a Republican who Blagojevich reappointed to board positions at the Health Facilities Planning Board and Teachers Retirement System. He pled guilty in October 2006 for trying to extort a campaign contribution on behalf of Blagojevich in exchange for state business, and accepted a five-year and seven-month prison sentence.
Years before that, Cari helped an investment firm he co-founded the New York investor John Foster called HealthPoint Partners (now HealthPoint Capitol) secure $35 million of investments from TRS. The firm held a fundraiser for Blagojevich in 2003.
Judge James Zagel called the first recess around 11:15 a.m., while defense attorney Mike Gillespie was in the middle of cross-examining Aramanda. Gillespie is attempting to do with Aramanda what Sam Adam Jr. did yesterday with Lon Monk: trying to discredit him as a witness by showing how he can’t remember specific dollar-figures or dates. After Aramanda, the prosecution will call two expert witnesses before Cari is set to take the stand.