Attorney to Gov.Blagojevich: "Chris Christie Could Face RICO or Mail/Wire Fraud Charges"

Broadcast 1/19/2014 at 4:08 PM EST (86 Listens, 39 Downloads, 1354 Itunes)
The Rob Kall Bottom Up Radio Show Podcast

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Sam Adam Jr.

http://www.hendersonadam.com/attorneys/samuel-adamjr/

The National Trial Lawyers recently named him one of the top 100 trial lawyers in America.

Mr. Adam led the first defense team that represented former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in his 2010 federal corruption trial. During that trial, the former governor was convicted on just one count, after the jury deadlocked on the remaining 23 counts. Mr. Adam--alongside of his father, Sam Adam, Sr.--also served as part of the legal defense team that successfully represented superstar R & B singer R. Kelly in his pornography trial.

Interview rough notes 

I'm interested in how you see the Christie story and how it relates to the Blagojevich case. 

I see Chris Christie having RICO or wire and mail fraud problems coming down the line. 

Rob: RICO? How's that?

Witholding funds in Hoboken-- "that's exactly what happened with Blagojevich

Pay to play politics or quid pro quo.

Criminality of Bridgegate?   

There are so many laws on the books that  you can get anybody for anything, if you want to. 

How do Feds use Bridgegate-- open the door. 

"If I were representing Christie"."

Sit down and go through contributions list. Feds will be looking at every single individual who gave a contribution. 

How DO federal prosecutions work in a case like Blagojevich or Christie?

Rob: There's also the case of the Hurricane ad campaign that looks like a promotion for Christie.

Now, he has the insulation of having a crew of people to sign off on orders, so he didn't have to,  protect him?

Chris Christie ally David Wildstein pleads Fifth 

How will the feds use people like David Wildstein, who has plead the fifth, to get to Christie?

Start offering immunity down below so  you can work up the chain. 

Starting below and working their way up. 

Lying to a federal agent is a crime.

If I were a federal agent I would"

Reid Schhar prosecuted Blago in Illinois -- hired by legislature to investigate Christie.

Rob-- starting lower down and working up, in terms of immunity sounds bottom up.

Christie, as a former US attorney with over 100 convictions for pay to play,  is going to know how prosecution works. 

Blago believed he was going to run for president. 

Christie wants to run for president in 2016. As a defense attorney, that's a killer. 

And in ALabama, Don Siegelman was charged and is now in jail"

There may have been direct campaign contributions for this project to be supported. 

What is Violation of wire and mail fraud and how is it different than the RICO act? What are the differences?

Rob: It's real clear to me that if the feds want to mess with your life, it's easy for them to do that if you simply breath.

Blagojevich ended up getting 14 years. The reason I think Christie may have a serious problem is"

Rob: What's the decision tree in the feds deciding to throw all their resources against Christie and what would that look like?

speculation that much of Christies problem is coming from the extreme right wing, that Koch brothers might be behind it. 

Let's say the feds decide to go all out against Christie. How will that affect his life?

If there are any potential affairs, they will go after him.

WHen he was a US attorney, and Michele Brown was a US attorney, Christie loaned her $50,000, then, as governor, he gave her $225,000 job she was totally unqualified for.

What about funds for his defense? Is he allowed to use the resources of the state to pay for his defense?

Blagojevich was allowed to use campaign funds, but Judge doled it out at public defender rates. We went through $2.8 million at public defender rates before the trial started. Public defender rates are $100 an hour. Usual legal rates are $750 or more /hour.

 Now, there are 23 charges that you defended Blago against that the prosecutors failed to win on.

Then, when he was tried a second time, he was convicted. What were the charges that were hung jury and what happened the second time?

What happened with Blago when he was in court the second time? Why didn't you represent him the second time?

I had to go toe to toe with the judge and risk going to jail. The prosecution knew my tricks and strategies. And the government learned from the first trial where their weaknesses were.

NSA metadata use by law enforcement people and prosecutors. Is this something that defense attorneys are aware of?

Rob: Would it be wise to ask in every single case whether NSA data was used. 

I have not, but from this moment forward I will.

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