Rezko trial: Levine on two legendary Chicago aldermen

Two former Chicago aldermen from different sides of the tracks figured prominently in the testimony of the prosecution's star witness, Stuart Levine. And one of them is a major Democratic fundraiser.

From the Daily Herald:

Before ending for the day, however, Rezko attorney Joseph Duffy did elicit that Levine attempted to record separate conversations with former Chicago aldermen Edward Vrdolyak and William Singer. But more than that was left for discussion when the trial resumes next week.

According to the government, Vrdolyak was part of a scheme with Levine to defraud Rosalind Franklin University. Vrdolyak has pleaded innocent and faces trial in September.

According to the government, Levine was on the Rosalind Franklin board, and pushed through a sale of the school's Scholl Building at 1001 N. Dearborn in Chicago to Smithfield Properties. Levine did so, the government contends, because he had arranged for Vrdolyak to receive a finder's fee from Smithfield from the sale, which Vrdolyak would then share with Levine.

Singer was a consultant on the deal and is under investigation but has not been charged with any wrongdoing, nor was he referenced in Vrdolyak's indictment.

Both Vrdolyak and Singer are legendary local political figures. Vrdolyak was the leader of the "old guard" opposition to Harold Washington, Chicago's first black mayor and self-styled reformer. Vrdolyak ran twice for mayor, the second time as a Republican and received about 5 percent of the vote.

Singer was the leader of the small, and largely unsuccessful reform movement dubbed the "Lakefront Liberals," who futilely battled Mayor Richard J. Daley, the "Boss" of Chicago and father of the current mayor.

Singer challenged the elder Daley in the Democratic mayoral primary in 1975--he got clobbered too. When Richard M. Daley became mayor, Singer, who was so liberal that he was a supporter of George McGovern's presidential bid in 1968, became a confidante of Daley II.

And when the word went out early last year among Chicago's big-time Democratic fundraisers that Barack Obama was running for president, Singer was one of those who got the message.

And of course as almost everyone who follows politics knows, Tony Rezko, the man on trial, was one of Obama's first political backers.

Once again, I have to reiterate that William Singer has not been charged with any wrongdoing, but it will be interesting to find out next week where Levine's testimony leads.

In addition to his fundraising prowess, Singer, a former campaign treasurer for Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), is known as a prominent lobbyist.

Related post:

Rezko trial: Star witness says he paid bribes to Vrdolyak

Technorati tags: Illinois Democrats Tony Rezko corruption law legal crime Barack Obama Election Democrats Obama graft William Singer Vrdolyak Rahm Emanuel