Corruption trial hears of plot to fire prosecutor

By Andrew Stern

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A witness at the trial of political fundraiser Antoin Rezko testified on Thursday that then-White House aide Karl Rove was asked to replace the federal prosecutor in Chicago to abort a probe of Illinois corruption.

Rove has denied knowledge of any discussion to replace Patrick Fitzgerald, the widely respected U.S. attorney in Chicago, when Rove was one of President George W. Bush's top advisers.

Rove, who left the White House last year, could not immediately be reached on Thursday. A spokesman for Fitzgerald, who was appointed in 2001 and remains in office, had no comment.

At the trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago, prosecution witness Ali Ata recounted how Rezko, a businessman with close ties to Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, threatened Ata and anyone else who helped the government's investigation.

Witnesses testifying at the two-month trial have said Rezko had Blagojevich's ear and influence over state government and appointments. He is accused of extorting bribes and contributions for those wanting to do business with the state.

Ata said Rezko told him in 2004 when the FBI's investigation of Rezko became public, that "there will be a change in the U.S. attorney's office" and the probe would end.

Asked by the prosecutor how Ata imagined Rezko could engineer the change, Ata said Rezko told him, "Mr. Kjellander will talk to Karl Rove and make a change in the U.S. attorney's office."

Robert Kjellander, a leading Illinois Republican and former treasurer of the Republican National Committee, is a friend of Rove's.

"Mr. Rezko said the FBI was approaching people ... asking people to cooperate. He said, 'Those who do will be dealt with,"' Ata said.

Asked why he believed Rezko could get Fitzgerald removed, Ata said, "Mr. Rezko has the influence and power to do that."

Ata testified that he secured his job as executive director of Illinois' biggest bond-issuing agency by making $50,000 in political donations to Blagojevich at Rezko's request. He also said he gave Rezko $125,000 in cash and understood he needed to be what Rezko called a "team player" to keep his job.

Ata pleaded guilty last week to lying to the FBI about his dealings with Rezko, and agreed to testify in exchange for possibly avoiding a prison sentence.

When prosecutors revealed that Ata would testify about the supposed plot to remove Fitzgerald, Kjellander and Rove both denied the allegation, saying there was nothing to it.

In 2004, Fitzgerald led the investigation into the Bush administration leak of the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame, and interviewed Rove as part of the probe.

Also in 2004, a purge of eight U.S. attorneys across the country prompted allegations of politically motivated meddling by the Bush administration that the Democratic-led Congress is still investigating.

Obama, a U.S. senator from Illinois, has said he regretted his ties to Rezko after the government's probe became public, but said Rezko never asked him for anything. Obama's campaign has returned or donated to charity some $250,000 in campaign contributions tied to Rezko's fundraising.

(Editing by Eric Beech)