Tamara Holder Cites Fitzy's "Dirty Dozens" on Blago

My pal attorney and now Fox News Contributor Tamara Holder points to the Federal Prosecution of disgraceful former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich - Fitz is doing the dozens on Blago

Tamara Holder and I have crossed swords over police issues and other dicey topics - we rarely agree. Like my pals Steve Rhodes and Phil Krone, Tamara is Left of Center in her views and a like those two worthies a generous, thoughtful and witty adversary.

Doing the Dozens is an African American verbal slap-down between two rivals.

The dozens has its origins in the slave trade of New Orleans where deformed slaves—generally slaves punished with dismemberment for disobedience—were grouped in lots of a 'cheap dozen' for sale to slave owners. For a Black to be sold as part of the 'dozens' was the lowest blow possible.

In the Patrick Fitzgerald twist on the game only one player is allowed -Fitzy and The G. Fitzy does Political Justice - Gin Up Wild Public and Political Hate of Someone and Fitzy Prosecutes - Hate George Ryan -Check; Hate Jon Burge - Well Yeah!; Hate Blago - Ditto. Old Timers say the Feds can convict a Ham Sandwich - well Blago is 165 Libs of Smoked Mickleberry's! But, I think Fitzy squeezed out his shot way too soon. Blago was not yet the Publicly Marketed Figure of the Two Minute Hate.

George Ryan was going down because of the Willis Kids and Jon Burge arrested every Denzel Washington Look-alike in Area 2 and G. Flint Taylor had played the lazy-assed Chicago Media like Charlie Daniels for twenty years. George Ryan was given the maximum and curb-kicked out of every nickel he had earned in public service. Burge is going away even if the Holy Trinity show up.

Rod Blagojevich is a metaphor for everything that is wrong in and with politics - pure smarm, sleaze, and the rapid rising ascent of an unskilled, untalented, and larcenous goof.

However, Fitzy pulled the trigger on Blago immediately after the election of President Obama. Why? A question for the ages.

Blago has an A-Team Defense Squad around him and the howling mobs of outraged citizens - many of whom were committed Rod Blagojevich Partisans for years.

Tamara Holder lays out a solid presentation of the Prosecution and indicates why I believe that the daffy dimitted Democrat former Governor very likely may walk without ever spending a few semesters in the Iron Hotel.

Voila! The Dirty Dozens:

1

. Eight (8) of the Government's potential witnesses have been convicted of major federal crimes, yet they have not been sentenced. (Stuart Levine pleaded guilty in July 2009, yet he remains to be sentenced; also, John Harris, Tony Rezko and 5 others await sentencing.) Christopher Kelly's suicide is off limits for the defense too. (He was a co-defendant and close friend of Blago.)

2. The yet-to-be-sentenced witnesses have an incentive to tell the jury what the Government wants. Not until after these people testify will the Government determine the quality of and "truthfulness" of the person's testimony in its decision to recommend a favorable sentence for their own crimes.

3. Government witness Stuart Levine's drug abuse is not allowed before the jury, even though he admitted to abusing Ketamine, a horse tranquilizer, among other illegal drugs. How can the jury not consider one's zombie-like state-of-mind when determining whether he is a credible witness? (A judge in the same court found that such evidence was "fair game," yet Judge Zagel ruled it inadmissible!)

4. Stuart Levine says he's been committing crimes since 1972, yet the defense cannot impeach him by asking about his lengthy criminal past. A tranquilized criminal. Lovely.

5. The defense was not given transcripts of the 500+ hours of FBI audiotapes. The prosecution suggested they will play only 100 hours of the tapes. The defense's request to play all of the tapes was denied.

6. There were a total of about 5-6000 conversations. During the recordings, the Feds turned the tapes on and off as a method of "minimization." Put another way, it was the Feds who determined what part of a conversation was important and worth recording.

7. The Government has 800+ witnesses. They have not shared with the defense who they intend to call and on what date. As a result, the defense must be prepared to shoot from the hip when a random person strolls into court.
8. Even though there is no indication of who's going to testify on any given day, the judge ordered the defense to tell the Government if they plan to mention Blago's "good acts" in their opening, so the Government can prep for a rebuttal. This makes no sense whatsoever. I have never heard of the defense having to provide the prosecution with their theories of the case. Plus, argument is not part of an opening statement!

9. The defense asked for police reports in September 2009 but did not receive the reports until March 2010. The 175,000 pages of reports were generated before September 2009 -- in fact, they were generated an entire year before they were received, in March 2009! 175,000 pages.

10. The defense asked for a 30-day delay of trial, in anticipation of the Supreme Court's "honest services" rulings on July 1. The judge denied the one-month delay. Now, even if the rulings on "honest services" are in Blago's favor, it's too late because the jury will have already heard potentially damaging evidence. Then what is the judge going to say, "All of the past month's worth of evidence...um...there are certain parts you should not take into consideration." Give me a break! A 30-day delay wouldn't have been the end of the world, especially since the Government's case is so airtight!

11. Before the voir dire ever occurred, the judge sent 300 of 400 potential jurors home for "hardship" excuses. Like, "I live with my mom and I don't have a car; therefore, I cannot be here every day." That guy probably got excused.

12. The judge said he'll revisit the defense's request to have Obama testify. Every lawyer knows this means the judge is not going to require the President's presence. Interesting, considering the President issued a "transition-team" memo that specifically stated that he had Rahm Emanuel call the Governor's office to discuss his favorite candidates for the Senate seat.

In spite of the rulings and prosecution's tactics, I believe Rod Blagojevich has the greatest defense lawyers on his side. Be careful, Mr. Fitzgerald: I don't think Lincoln is going to be so quick to roll over in his grave.

Well done, Tamara! The Huffington Post??? My God, woman! You are too talented to be on Arianna's Hollywood Squares!



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_dozens

Tamara Holder and Pat Hickey Think Congressman Jackson is Having a Job Done on Him. It Don't Seem Right.

Congressman Jesse Jackson appears to be the only genuine victim of the Blagojevich Corruption Roller-coaster. Congressman Jesse L. Jackson who was named in the Criminal Complaint and subsequent indictment of Blago by the Federal Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has now been piled on out of the blue with an additional set charges.

One accusation at a time Fitzy; One person at a time, one allegation at a time, Fitzy." My attorney pal. Tamara Holder said to me "It looks like they veered off the yellow brick road. Just an opinion, but this was about BLAGO. How did the arrows all of a sudden turn to JR?!?!"


Well, Tamara, from my front porch way down here in the 19th Ward, there appears to be some wiggle enough room for Paddy Fitz to drive a semi-trailer towing a Wide Load slab house. Seems like everyone Blago touched is now subject to a probe by the G.

This marriage of true minds brought together two polar opposites - me and Tamara Holder.

Two of God’s Creatures – Ms. Tamara Holder an athletic 'twenty something and change' beauty and attorney, activist, and legal affairs spokesperson for Fox News and CNN and me, a runty, old south side school teacher, who sits on the porch with a quart of Green River ( at minimum) jawing about politics and ‘those damned kids’ with my 19th Ward helot neighbors – polar opposites have come to the same conclusion that Congressman Jackson seems being fitted to wear a jacket that he just might not deserve.

Together we hope to raise some questions for our neighbors - Tamara's around Lincoln Park and my own around 108th & Rockwell -consider -

1. Why is Congressman Jackson being targeted with such vigor, while Blago goes on the Media Circuit, hawks an unreadable book and plays to his upcoming jury pool? And while Obama, Axelrod and Emanuel get to be tight-lipped too. "The Presidential Protection!"


2. Why are Feds Changing the Game? Are they dropping the Senate Shenanigans for Congressional mailings? Who benefits by Fitzy nailing Congressman Jackson's pelt to the shed?

3. Who's driving this railroad? Which Justice Department?

How's that?

4. As Ms. Holder mentioned to me -"How about we ask about how much money this is costing? Remember the Jesse Jackson investigation has been 5 months long with the Ethics Committee! TWO investigations, Fitzy's and Congresses. I wonder how much money Jackson used to allegedly have a staffer send a mass email to constituents regarding his desire for the Senate seat? All the while, the other leaders are flitting around in private jets and 1st class, reading his financials instead of the health care bill."

Fair questions in deed.

Full disclosure - I met Congressman Jackson on two occasions - back in 1993, Jesse Jackson, Junior was on the School Board for LeMans Academy in Rolling Prairie, Indiana along with Bulls Boss John Paxson. He impressed me as a well-read and very nice guy. Twelve or so years later, I met Congressman Jackson and his two adorable kids at Rainbow Cone, Ice Cream on Western Ave. and he did not seem bothered in the least that I had referred to him as Kid Staples - following his dramatic weight loss. I think his Old Man is a Race cottage industry stick-up artist, but, then again, my Dad is a gifted tradesman.

Watch Chicago Daily Observer for future thoughts on the Jackson issue from Beauty and the Beast.

Click my post title for Attorney Tamara Holder's sharp take on this issue

Mark Brown and Ben Bradley Get Down, Dudes! Eddie V is Free and Fitzy Feels 'Chilling Effects' That's So Old School!

'Dude, I play a hard-hitting reporter for a once great Metropolitan newspaper. I'm Looking for this man, Fast Eddie. Seen Him? He's crook. I cut up my hands when I fell getting out of my Prius. Don't look at me, look at the picture. Look more carefully. Seen him? He's a crook. Look more carefully. Seen him? He's a crook. Hey, can I have the rest of that hamburger when you're done with it? Seen him?
He's a crook . . .'


I am delighted! The Fitzy Procrustean Justice Rack - it seems - does not Fit All.

Goofy Mark Brown is beside himself - now, if Fast Eddie had torched the home of his sleeping family like Madison Hobley, or murdered an elderly Mexican couple like Aaron Paterson, or gunned down and urinated on the bodies of Officers Doyle and Fahey like the Wilson Brothers, and had G (Gimme) Flint Taylor instead of the brilliant Mike Monico as his attorney, Nuanced Goofball Brown would be moist in the eyes and damp in the undies for Eddie Vrdolyak.

Goofy Mark Brown who helped push the summer rioting on the West Side a few years ago with his 'bring it on' editorializing based upon a Sun Times Front PagePhoto of a cop being confronted by a street thug. Mark Brown told Chicago what Mark Brown believed the white cop was thinking and felt iin the heart beating under his Kevlar, is beside himself with Age-ism against Judge Shadur. You see Mark Brown has a column and he can say anything no matter how inflammatory, or goofy.


Mark Brown is taking the stand - out of court mind you - that Edward Vrdolyak is guiltier than all get out and that Judge Milton Shadur is Old and therefore addled.

Check it out soul-patched Dudes!

Perhaps we should stand back in awe of the ever-slippery Vrdolyak and the crack legal team working on his behalf -- some of the best defense minds in the city, with Michael Monico taking the lead and Terence Gillespie and Lorna Propes among the many sending in signals from the sidelines.

And certainly consideration should be given to whether federal prosecutors badly misplayed their hand by signing on to a plea agreement that not only allowed Vrdolyak to avoid an embarrassing trial but left wiggle room for Shadur to set him free.

But the best explanation that I can offer for what happened Thursday -- other than a fix -- is that the 84-year-old Shadur is an over-the-hill jurist who thinks he's smarter than everybody else because he can see fine points in the law and facts that aren't evident to mere mortals. (That is SO Ageism, Mark, Dude!)


After the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald put out a statement saying he "strongly but respectfully" disagreed with the sentence. As you can see, I'm coming up short on the respectful side.

My concern is that Chicagoans will again receive the message that some people are above the law.

Thanks for your concern there, Mark. I'll let the neighbors know that you got our backs. Gino Ford and Smash McKenna were losing sleep thinking that this case might - might mind you, give them pause that gee, some people might be above the law - like Bill Ayers, Bernrdine Dohrn, or all the murderers that G. Flint Taylor wrestles Gator Bradley for more of his cuts in civil suits. They'll be relieved by your thoughtful advocacy, Mark Brown. Dude!

Another Happenin' Dude is Ben Bradley! Ben went to Homewood-Flossmoor in the deep south suburbs as far from Hegewisch as Canaryville is from Kennilworth. Hegewisch and South Chicago are Vrdolyak neighborhoods where Community Activists pretend to help unemployed Steel Workers. Ed Vrdolyak actually helped unemployed steel workers.

ABC TV's Ben Bradley is like Mark Brown. He goes all big Sprawling House on Vrdolyak.

Judge Milton Shadur found serious flaws in the government's case, at one point, calling it "overkill." Later, Judge Shader admonished prosecutors for portraying the former hard-charging alderman and political king-maker as a wheeling and dealing "insider."
"We do not sentence [defendants] because of what people might think about them" Judge Shadur declared from the bench.
"Obviously, the judge thought a lot about what he did," said Michael Monico, Vrdolyak's attorney.
Vrdolyak's attorney declined to comment Friday and at the sprawling home of the former 10th Ward alderman, no gloating from a woman who answered the door. ( Ben said, Dudes, that there was 'no gloating from a woman who answered the door!' Chilling. You would think there'd be gloating!)Prosecutors rely on the threat of time behind bars to 'encourage' defendants to cooperate. While Vrdolyak pleaded guilty, he's offering the feds no help. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Collins says in a similar case involving former Ryan advisor and lobbyist Donald Udstuen, eight months of prison, followed by eight months of house arrest was the sentence and Mr. Udstuen played ball.
"He cooperated. He wore a wire on Governor George Ryan and he still got eight months in jail!" Collins said.

Now here'sy favoprite part and Ben Bradley goes for the Progressive mantra -Chilling - Dude!

Collins says with the clock ticking on an indictment of ousted Governor Rod Blagojevich, he's concerned the Vrdolyak sentence may have a chilling effect on the government's ability to flip witnesses. ( As Roland Burris would say, YES!) "You're going to have people in the back of their minds saying, 'wait a minute, I don't have to help you out. I might get a walk. I mean Fast Eddie Vrdolyak with all his reputation walked out of there,'" said Collins. Even those who quarrel with the judge's sentence say Shadur has a reputation of being ethical beyond reproach. He 84 years old, was appointed by Jimmy Carter.
While Ed Vrdolyak helped countless lawyers trade their shingles for spots on the bench, the judge who sentenced Vrdolyak was appointed during the Carter administration, and said in court he did not know Vrdolyak before the case came before him. He's a well-respected judge who simply didn't think prosecutors had much of a case.

( emphases my own - stupidity by reporters) Dude, Ah!

Edward Vrdolyak - Stands up - Pays and Walks. Good!

I am delighted that Edward Vrdolyak received the probation and fine sentence.
Well done, Judge Shadur!

Mr. Vrdolyak made a practice of standing up - for his Ward, his allies and his clients. Mr. Vrdolyak also stood up when called on the carpet by the Federal Prosecutor who has given the law over to his own Procrustean rake upon which to stretch his targets.

Well done, Judge. Best wishes Mr. Vrdolyak.