Rezko Is Talking to the Feds

The 76-page criminal complaint and affidavit charging Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich with soliciting bribes reveals that Barack Obama’s former friend and fundraiser Tony Rezko is talking to federal prosecutors in hopes of a reduced sentence.

Rezko was convicted in June of 16 criminal counts of fraud, money laundering, and aiding and abetting bribery, and is in custody awaiting sentencing.

Rezko’s offer “to provide authorities with evidence of others’ wrongdoing is ‘not complete,’ and prosecutors are working to corroborate the claims he has made so far,” The Washington Post reports.

Information provided by Rezko and others who testified at his trial could lead to several additional charges against Blagojevich, lawyers in the case said.

But U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said authorities did not “rely upon” information from Rezko in the criminal complaint, according to The Post.

As Newsmax reported on Tuesday, Obama’s ties to Blagojevich run primarily through Chicago slum lord Rezko. [Editor’s Note: To Read Rezko Tie Links Obama and Blagojevich, Go Here.]

Rezko served as the political godfather for both Blagojevich and Obama, helping both to rise in Chicago and Illinois politics. Obama himself has credited Rezko with helping his political career.

Rezko raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for both politicians.

Following his conviction, Rezko said federal authorities tried to pressure him “to tell the wrong things” about Obama and Blagojevich. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that prosecutors pushed Rezko to cooperate in the corruption probe against Blagojevich.