Marathon Pundit: Build-up to the Tony Rezko trial continues

Expect more stories like the one below one as the build-up to the start of the Tony Rezko trial continues.

From AP:

The two men probably looked like any other executives chatting at the posh Standard Club in downtown Chicago. But these men, federal prosecutors say, were going over a scheme that involved what they hoped would be a $10 million payday just weeks away — ill-gotten cash from firms hoping to handle millions of dollars in investments from a downstate teachers’ pension fund and other Illinois state boards.

One of the men, Stuart Levine, a trustee on the pension fund board, was nicknamed "the rabbi." The other was Antoin "Tony" Rezko, friend and political adviser to Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Levine had brought a chart with the details, prosecutors say, and figured the alleged scams would bring them each $3.9 million. He was excited after talking it over with Rezko.

"Full steam ahead and whatever I want," Levine told an alleged accomplice the next day, according to a government wiretap of his phone calls from April 2004.

Rezko faces a highly anticipated Feb. 25 trial on charges of money laundering, attempted extortion, fraud and aiding bribery. Rezko's close ties to the governor have heightened interest in the case, although Blagojevich has not been accused of wrongdoing.

Yes folks, I'm well aware that Stuart Levine is a Republican. At least he had the decency to plead guilty to his crimes, and is aiding to prosecution.

And outside of Illinois, close attention will be paid to this trial, which is expected to last three months, because of Rezko's friendship with a well-known presidential candidate.

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