Apr 24, 2008 6:28 pm US/Central
'Shakedown': Film Producer Testifies In Rezko Case
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
A touch of Hollywood turned up Thursday at the federal corruption trial of Antoin "Tony" Rezko.
CBS 2's Mike Parker reports famous producer Tom Rosenberg testified about pay-to-play politics in Illinois.
Rezko, an accused fundraiser and accused shakedown artist, and Gov. Rod Blagojevich-pal Chris Kelly worked together on a big money extortion scheme aimed at Rosenberg, the man behind such productions as "Million Dollar Baby."
He outlined the plot in his testimony at the Rezko trial.
According to Rosenberg, he learned from political insider Bill Cellini that unless he, Rosenberg, coughed up $1.5 million for the Blagojevich campaign, a state deal worth $220 million to Rosenberg's financial firm would be killed.
Rosenberg said he told Cellini, in "an angry tone and cursing," that he should pass a message to Rezko and Kelly: "I would take them down, that I will tell the story at the corner of State and Madison. If there isn't a grand jury in session on Mr. Kelly and Mr. Rezko, there soon would be."
Rosenberg called the scheme, "the shakedown," and he said he warned them that he would tell Blagojevich himself what Rezko and Kelly were doing.
Rosenberg also told the jury that star prosecution witness and alleged Rezko co-schemer Stuart Levine once tried to skim $250,000 from an estate. Levine, he said, told him the money was for charity, and that Levine was the charity.
Rosenberg is now telling his story, not at the corner of State and Madison, but at Dearborn and Adams at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse.
The producer's newest film, soon to be released, is titled - without intentional irony it seems, "The Ugly Truth."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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