Rezko roundup

Notes from the Antoin "Tony" Rezko trial for Tuesday, March 18.

How the mighty have fallen

It was late in the day Tuesday when the government's star witness, Stuart Levine, took the stand, but he managed to pack a lot into his 45-minute appearance.

The Highland Park resident testified he made about $9 million to $10 million total from 2000 to 2004 but still often spent more than he made.

Now, he's working as an "independent contractor" for Chicago Messenger Service, making $800 a week, minus expenses

He's also selling his house, which will be forfeited to the government to pay for some of his many crimes.

All eyes on Levine

Everyone in the courtroom turned to Levine as he entered, including Tony Rezko. The defendant locked onto Levine from the moment he entered and followed him step for step to the stand. Levine, wearing a black suit, white shirt and blue tie , never looked Rezko in the eye as he entered or left the courtroom. He did have to look at Rezko, however, when the government asked him to identify Rezko for the record. Rezko, as he has the entire trial, stood at that question to stipulate that he was, in fact, the person being discussed. The two showed no visible emotion as they locked eyes. During Levine's testimony, Rezko at times smirked and chatted with one of his lawyers, William Ziegelmueller.

Name-dropping

Levine dropped a lot of names in his brief time on the stand, mentioning person after person at the request of prosecutors.

At Kent College of Law, Levine testified, he became good buddies with Jim Ryan, the future Illinois attorney general.

"We were close friends and study partners," he said.

After graduating, the two worked together for a year before he moved on to "a small firm" he did not name. Levine then went to work for family friend and relative Ted Tannenbaum.

Some political candidates he donated more than $25,000 to included Ryan, Lee Daniels, George Ryan and Joseph Birkett, Levine said.

At times, Levine would give money to associates so they could donate to campaigns for him. He did so for a federal race one time so he could donate in excess of federal spending limits. He did not say for which candidate.

"It was simply easier for me to give the money myself than to go out and raise it," explained Levine.

In state races, he disguised donations that were requested by friend Edward Vrdolyak. A Republican, Levine couldn't be seen donating to Democratic candidates, but he wanted to keep Vrdolyak happy, he explained.

"Did you expect to get anything" in return for these donations, asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Niewhoener.

"Yes, sir," replied Levine.

What?

"Access," said Levine.

Bauman in limbo, TRS board member testifies

Although he certainly overshadowed every other development at the Rezko trial Tuesday, Stuart Levine wasn't the only witness on the stand.

Earlier in the day, Teachers Retirement System board member Molly Phalen took the stand and described how Levine helped propel current Executive Director Jon Bauman to his current position over the objections of teacher-elected board members.

Phalen said once that happened, "it made a lot of things suspect from that point on."

That characterization apparently bothered Rezko's defense team, who sought to bolster Bauman's image. Part of Rezko's defense is that Levine managed to pull the wool over everyone's eyes, including Rezko and Bauman. In his opening statement, Rezko attorney Joseph Duffy portrayed Bauman as someone who helped blow the whistle on Levine after he discovered Levine was acting improperly.

They pointed out that Bauman has received awards from professional organizations and that Phalen and others have since voted several times to retain Bauman.

But prosecutors sought to dampen that glowing review, asking Phalen if she voted for Bauman's retention only because she didn't have the votes to dump him. She responded affirmatively, saying she was merely trying to keep a good working relationship with Bauman.

"He became an excellent executive director, right?" asked Rezko attorney Bill Ziegelmueller.

Kaplan paused for several seconds before finally answering "Excellent is not a word that I have used."

What word would she use, asked prosecutor Carrie Hamilton.

"Adequate," said Phalen.

"I believe that he has brought in some very good people ... the fund has done very well , but I attribute that more to the people who have come into the department," Phalen said.

"I believe the staff is divided on their feelings (on Bauman)... some find him positive and some find him quite negative," she said.

"Has the board decided to table any decision" on Bauman's continued employment until the conclusion of the federal investigation of TRS, asked Hamilton.

"Yes," Phalen said .