Rezko trial: Meeting with Tony unremarkable

Tony Rezko attorney Joseph Duffy cross examines Jeff Ladd, an attorney who represented several hospitals vying for hospital board approval in 2003 and 2004. Ladd is also the former chairman of the Metra board. Duffy is challenging Ladd’s contention that Rezko held significant influence in appointing members of the planning board. Duffy tried getting Ladd to say he assumed that three doctors on the board who were of Middle Eastern descent were Rezko appointees, basing his assumption only on ethnicity.

In a court filing, the defense says Ladd told describes the doctors to the government as “first generation ethnics” that were “not clothed with attributes that would suit them for the board.” He didn't quite get Ladd to say this on the stand, in front of jurors. Ladd did admit that he met with Rezko about the hospital board business, but it was so unremarkable, Ladd forgot to tell the government about it during interviews.