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Fundraiser's corruption trial gets underway
03/03/2008 04:54:28
By The Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) -- Jury selection gets under way today in the biggest political corruption trial in Illinois since former Governor George Ryan was convicted of racketeering and sent to prison. Businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko is accused of buying power and influence by bombarding Illinois political leaders with campaign money.
Politicians around the country also are watching the trial because the 52-year-old Chicago real estate developer poured cash into the campaigns of Barack Obama when he was getting his political start. Obama has sent some $85,000 in Rezko-related contributions to charity.
But Rezko pumped even more money into the campaigns of Governor Rod Blagojevich and prosecutors say that's what touched off corruption.
The federal judge plans to seat 12 jurors and six alternates for the estimated three-month trial.
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