Sep 15, 2005 11:28 pm US/Central
Feds: Felon Implicates Key Public Official
Sources Believe "Public Official A" Is Governor Blagojevich
by Mike Flannery
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
With the corruption trial of former governor George Ryan set to begin next week, federal prosecutors today revealed that a convicted felon is making dramatic allegations about another high ranking office holder. They call him "Public Official A."
CBS 2's political editor Mike Flannery says sources have told CBS 2 News that they believe Public Official A is the man who replaced Ryan: Governor Rod Blagojevich.
That's right. A spokeswoman for Blagojevich told us that while the governor has no idea who Public Official A is, he vehemently denies participating in the scheme that confessed extortionist Joe Cari outlined as he plead guilty.
Fifty-two-year-old Joe Cari was a behind-the-scenes political player who raised big bucks for democrats.
In a seventeen-page plea agreement, Cari admitted telling an investment firm that it had to hire a politically-connected consultant or else it would not get a multi-million dollar deal with the State Teachers Retirement System.
Cari told the feds he did that for his law firm's client, the now-disgraced Stuart Levine. Then a pension board member, Levine's now facing trial on two separate indictments, allegedly having stolen millions of dollars.
Cari said Levine told him: "A high-ranking Illinois public official/Public Official A" acting through two close associates was selecting consultants for the investment firms that appeared before the Teachers Pension Fund. Levine said this was part of a fundraising strategy by Public Official A and that Public Official A and his associates were going to pick law firms, investment banking firms, and consultants that would help Public Official A with campaign contributions.
Sources tell CBS 2 News they believe Public Official A is Governor Rod Blagojevich and the two associates are Blagojevich fundraisers Chris Kelly and Antoin Tony Rezko.
Right after the governor's election, he assigned Kelly and Rezko to recruit and screen candidates for his cabinet, as well as hundreds of policy-making positions.
The feds did not have to include any mention of Public Official A in today's plea agreements. Their decision to do so is all the more significant.
While we could not reach Kelly or Rezko for reaction, the governor's press secretary noted that what's here is convicted extortionist Joe Cari describing what the indicted Stuart Levine told him about Official A; not necessarily very credible.
(© MMV, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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