Rezko was named to board in 1998

SPRINGFIELD -- Antoin "Tony" Rezko, accused of trying to manipulate the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board for a $1 million bribe, was appointed to the board in 1998 but never served, The Associated Press has learned.

Rezko was nominated to serve on the regulatory panel by then-Gov. Jim Edgar in November 1998, according to state records reviewed by the AP.

But the Senate, which must consent to such gubernatorial appointees, rejected Rezko and more than 100 other appointees to boards and commissions because majority Republicans wanted George Ryan, who would become governor just a month later, to make his own appointments.

Joseph Duffy, who is representing Rezko in federal court in Chicago, suggested outside of court that the rejection was no great loss to Rezko.

"He just didn't know anything about health care," Duffy said Thursday.