Statement of Dan K. Webb, Attorney of William Cellini

CHICAGO, April 2, 2009 – Winston & Strawn LLP chairman Dan K. Webb stated that "there is no justification whatsoever for including Bill Cellini in the indictment against former Governor Blagojevich. The varied allegations against former Governor Blagojevich have nothing to do with Bill."

"It is known that the government obtained evidence that it intends to use against the former governor from wiretaps on his telephones. I emphasize that Mr. Cellini has never spoken on the telephone with former Governor Blagojevich. Additionally, Mr. Cellini has never had a substantive conversation with former Governor Blagojevich on any topic. Nor has he ever had a private conversation of any kind with former Governor Blagojevich. Mr. Cellini has never had any conversation whatsoever with former Governor Blagojevich on any political topic, including fund raising.

"Mr. Cellini intends to ask the Court for a separate trial. We remain confident that a jury will find him not guilty, as he is completely innocent of these charges.

"The charges against Mr. Cellini are the same as those brought in the original indictment against him. A stronger version of the same allegations was presented to the Rezko jury, and the jury sent a strong message to the government — a not guilty verdict. The Rezko jury returned a not guilty verdict because the allegations were not supported by any credible evidence.

"We know from the Rezko trial that the victim of the alleged extortion plan, Tom Rosenberg, testified that Bill Cellini never asked him for any money and that Rosenberg never paid any money to Cellini or anyone else. In fact, Rosenberg admitted that he was the one who reached out to Bill Cellini, a long time friend, for help with a matter Capri Capital, Rosenberg's company, had pending before the Teachers' Retirement System. Rosenberg admitted that Cellini did not reach out to him. And, in fact, Cellini did help Rosenberg as Rosenberg had requested.

"We also know from the Rezko trial that Stuart Levine had participated in numerous schemes over several years to extort money from Rosenberg, and that Levine intentionally concealed those extortion schemes from Mr. Cellini. Mr. Cellini was completely unaware of any of Levine's schemes.

"When the Rezko indictment was returned, the government did not indict Mr. Cellini on these allegations due to lack of evidence. The evidence the government subsequently presented at the Rezko trial demonstrated that Mr. Cellini never asked Rosenberg for any money, for any political contribution, or for anything else. Further, the evidence demonstrated that Mr. Cellini never received any money or anything else from Rosenberg or from anyone.

"The evidence is the same today as it was then, and it is disappointing that this indictment has now been brought with absolutely no additional evidence.

"Bill has lived an exemplary life as a successful businessman and devoted husband and father, and he will not allow his reputation to be damaged by these unfair and unjust charges."