The Capitol Fax Blog » This just in… Vrdolyak to plead guilty *** May not talk *** Enters plea ***

This just in… Vrdolyak to plead guilty *** May not talk *** Enters plea ***

Monday, Nov 3, 2008

*** CLICK HERE To read the plea agreement ***

*** CLICK HERE to read “superseding information” ***

* 9:58 am - Fast Eddie cops a plea…

The federal judge in the trial of former Chicago alderman and power broker Edward Vrdolyak told prospective jurors this morning that Vrdolyak will plead guilty to a kickback scheme involving the sale of a medical school building.

Sources have said for weeks that Vrdolyak was staunchly resisting any sort of plea bargain, even after the feds reportedly offered him a very sweet deal in exchange for testimony on other matters. His attorney reportedly urged him to talk, but he refused. Until now, perhaps.

Fast Eddie probably knows where a whole lot of bones are buried, so this could get interesting.

*** 10:47 am *** I’m hearing from a good source close to the action that Vrdolyak will plead guilty to the above charge, but will apparently not testify on other matters that the feds have professed interest in, at least for now. 16 months is the prison term floating around.

*** 3:31 pm *** From the Tribune…

In a statement to reporters, Vrdolyak’s lawyer, Michael Monico, said Vrdolyak had been discussing a possible guilty plea with his family for some time. “And on Saturday the government suggested a reduced charge,” Monico said.

Vrdolyak had been indicted on mail and wire fraud, but prosecutors agreed to charge him with conspiracy, which carries a shorter prison term. […]

The plea agreement states that the U.S. attorney’s office would not file any charges against Vrdolyak in relation to accusations leveled against Springfield powerbroker William Cellini, who was indicted last week and accused of trying to extort a campaign contribution for Gov. Rod Blagojevich. […]

“I didn’t know at the time they were going to be mailed,” [Vrdolyak] said of certain documents that were part of the fraudulent deal. “But I was in fact hoping my client would get the deal.”

* Background…

* Chicago’s ‘Fast Eddie’ headed for trial

* The case against ‘Fast Eddie’ Vrdolyak

* Vrdolyak trial puts “Fast Eddie” in slow, legal lane Vrdolyak finds self on unfamiliar turf

* Bribery Trial Begins For Former Ald. Vrdolyak

- posted by Rich Miller

33 Comments

- wordslinger - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:01 am:
I think Fast Eddie’s flipped.

- VanillaMan - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:02 am:
Look Rod! This is how it is done!

- The 'Broken Heart' of Rogers Park - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:02 am:
They don’t call him ‘Fast Eddie’ for nothing.

- OneMan - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:12 am:
Wow, this could be a world of hurt for some people.

- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:12 am:
This should be fun to watch. Lots of folks will be renewing their passports this week.

- Ravenswood Right Winger - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:16 am:
Wow! Lots of pols on both sides of the aisle should be worried. IMHO the indictment seemed kinda weak, and with Stuart Levine as the star witness against him, Eddie had a chance to beat the rap.

- Captain America - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:21 am:
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy - he’s been skirting the laws for decades. It took a real U.S. Attorney with legal cojones, instead of a politically-connected appointee, to bring this criminal to justice. I would guess that the “evil cabal” and the bipartisan “combine” are really getting nervous now!

- 10th warder - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:25 am:
Anyone think that Eddie’s deal will involve NO prison time? Ya know, 10 year probation, huge fine and agree to not teach his techniques to another generation?;)

- Captain America - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:50 am:
Fitz should probably use Darth Vrdolyak, as a special consultant to the FBI-USAT political corruption strike force. He could give lectures to facilitate an enhanced understanding of the myriad politcal scams in Illinois. These lectures would fulfil his community service obligation.

- Speaking At Will - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:50 am:
== Fast Eddie probably knows where a whole lot of bones are buried, so this could get interesting. ==

Yeah no doubt that he does. If you search his name on the State Board of Elections website contribution list you come up with 63 pages of results. None of the contributions are exceptionally large, but they are to a variety of candidates from both parties.

He might not have been a huge player, but probably had lots of access, and will make a good witness.

- Bubs - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:52 am:
“Fast Eddie probably knows where a whole lot of bones are buried . . . ”

Oh my, the power of understatement!

How sad that he is flipping so late in life, after statutes of limitation have run on so many crimes.

Still, the lights will burn late in some offices tonight.

- wordslinger - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:00 am:
Even if you don’t testify, you can draw some nice maps. Otherwise, I don’t get the plea. He didn’t make any money, and you get to cross-examine Stu. I like my chances in court.

- 2ConfusedCrew - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:03 am:
Let’s see we have gone from
— there was no crime
— he’ll beat the G at trial
— plea agreement
The QOTD should be who is soiling themselves most this a.m.?
Possible answers
— The President
— Blagoof
— Statewide Tom
— J. Kass
— All of the above

- 10th warder - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:12 am:
2CC,
Why Kass? I thought Kass hated Eddie? Whadda I miss?

- Rich Miller - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:16 am:
==I thought Kass hated Eddie? Whadda I miss? ===

LOL.

You missed a whole lot.

- Milan - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:17 am:
Blagojevich was the head of Serbians for Vrdolyak (Mell even still has a photo with the button) and he ran the lakefront for Vrdolyak.
Blagojevich worked in Vrdolyaks law firm.

- Amy - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:23 am:
fast has a nephew who is a county courts judge. once upon a time when the nephew first ran for judge, fast got a whole bunch of young guys to run for judge at the same time as the nephew, sort of a cover, diversions. these guys are still pretty young, some still involved, one even running his wife now as a judge candidate. the ties for fast are so deep and involved that it has wider implications than the city, county and state elected offices. his work in the courts bears wider review. guilty plea….. huge.

- wordslinger - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:29 am:
Fast Eddie did business with guys a lot more serious than the likes of Levine and politicians. Think Cicero.

- 10th warder - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:32 am:
Rich, so Eddie and Kass are pals? I get it. Sorry I don’t read the “Cub-bune” so I had no idea.

- Anon - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:44 am:
I think the real reason for the plea is at paragraph 22 — he won’t be charged in connection with “Operation Boardgames”):

The United States agrees not to seek additional criminal charges in the Northern District of Illinois against defendant relating to the events described in the indictment filed on October 30, 2008 in United States v. William Cellini, 08 CR 888 (N.D. Ill.). However, nothing in this Plea Agreement limits the United States in prosecution of defendant in other districts or for crimes not described herein, except as expressly set forth
in this Agreement.

A two-for-one apparently. Further evidence of his intent not to cooperate: the US Attorneys office is apparently recommending 41 months (on what is a 60 mnonth maximum “crime” of “conspiracy to commit wire fraud/mail fraud). That’s likely the maximum possible recommendation for a “first time offender.”

The irony is that he was always suspected of being a top FBI source. I guess he doesn’t get any credit for that.

Or maybe he doesn’t want any.

- Bill - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:48 am:
Don’t do it Eddie! They got nothin.

- Anon - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:53 am:
Kass claimed to have been Vrdolyak’s ALIBI in a shooting investigation five or six years ago. They were fishing together in Florida at the time, he wrote in a heh-heh column about it.

Vrdolyak is to Kass as Mell is to Brown.

- Judgment Day Is On The Way - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 12:20 pm:
“the indictment seemed kinda weak, and with Stuart Levine as the star witness against him, Eddie had a chance to beat the rap.”

Not a chance in hell of Fast Eddie beating this one. Too many voice recordings. Plus there’s the entire Smithfield Properties angle. Nothing personal, just business.

- DuPage Dave - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 12:37 pm:
One of the more irksome elements to the Vrdolyak years (aka the “council wars” period) was his smugness and the generally accepted belief- by pols and most of the media- that Eddie was really a smart guy and not just a manipulator of racial sentiments.

So all these years later, it turns out that Eddie was not so smart after all. Those of us who lived in Chicago during that time might be forgiven for feeling a bit satisfied with these current developments- maybe even a little smug.

- Joe Sallas - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 12:37 pm:
With all of the things that “Fast Eddie” did, it seems a shame that he would plead guilty to “mail fraud”. I guess he does not want to risk doing alot of Fed Time, and the chance of getting out of “Club Fed” when his grand kids are in college.

- JB - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 2:36 pm:
I thought Joe Sallas might go to Highland Park to take the rat out.
Eddie Vrdolyak should teach classes on how politics is really done.

- How Ironic - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 2:41 pm:
And just like that Blago sinks from 12% after Cellini, to 11.5% with this announcement.

The way things are going, he should be down to 5% by Christmas.

- IrishPirate - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 2:48 pm:
I can’t say he doesn’t deserve it. I do feel sorry for his family. Particularly his grandkids. Kids are mean and with a last name like Vdrolyak they won’t escape the taunts.

The man had charisma, brains, and talent. I would say he went over to the dark side, but I don’t think he was ever on the good side. Strictly out for himself and for the thrill of the “deal”.

Here’s a crazy prediction: Bush pardons Ryan and Edward Vdrolyak and they join him in Texas for a post administration barbecue. Ain’t gonna happen.

- Rhino - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 3:07 pm:
Those who say that Fast Eddie will not talk misunderstand the situation. He has no choice. Fitzgerald can give him an “immunity bath” - immunity from prosecution for any truthful testimony he may give - and then require him to testify before the Grand Jury. If he refuses, he will be held in contempt of the Grand Jury and jailed as long as the Grand Jury remains in session (about 2 years). Eddie’s guilty plea is big, really big.

- Fortunato - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 3:25 pm:
If Fast Eddy sings, and the new Public Integrity Office at the Dept. of Justice is not committed to cleaning up political corruption in Chicago, will anybody hear his song? And, will we hear every verse?

- some former legislative intern - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 5:05 pm:
well, what can i say? It was the Council Wars (when I was 11 years old) that first interested me in politics. I saw that it was a team sport, and at that point I was on Mayor Washington’s side (at least until my father, who was completely non political) got laid off from the city after 21 years of service in the Planning Department (himself and three other guys who happened to have the same, ahem, “look”.)For those who say Washington got rid of patronage, I beg to differ.

Anyhow, Vrdolyak was a disgusting individual who played racial politics for all it was worth and left the 10th Ward looking like a tatical nuclear weapon had gone off in the neighborhood. Wisconsin Steel workers got no help from the man (the Reader did a great story on this several years back), and in Fire on the Prarie by Gary Rivkin, Clem Balanoff relates how after he became Ward Committeeman he was approached by a person engaged in illegal dumping who wanted to continue the practice because it was “OK with Eddie”.

Considering the number of Aldermen and Ward Committeemen not originally from Chicago, who currently hold these offices, not having lived through this time period, they would be well advised to study this man to avoid the same mistakes. They know who they are.

- Lapse of Judgement - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 5:10 pm:
Vrodo has always been too smart for his own good and could always see 3 steps ahead of most guys. His problem was that 4th step was always a doozy. If he does sing he could shatter glass.

- Disgusted - Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 8:03 pm:
Forty years ago, when I first moved to Chicago, Fast Eddie was up to his armpits in illegal crap.
It has take the Fed 42 years to get him. What WERE they doing back then?

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