With the ink barely dry on the verdict form in one trial, a federal judge on Monday set a trial date for Tony Rezko's next case. The trial for the onetime influential political fund-raiser is set to start Feb. 2, 2009. It involves a $10 million loan fraud scheme. Rezko allegedly asked a former state official, Ali Ata, to doctor up a letter to help secure loans for his pizza franchises, as part of the case. On Wednesday, a federal jury convicted Rezko of far-reaching fraud tied to state deals. He surrendered to jail immediately.
In limbo now is a third case against Rezko. That one, filed just two weeks ago in a Las Vegas-area county court, accuses Rezko of skipping out on $450,000 in gambling debts racked up at local casinos.
All the more reason to make a deal...