Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s name was once again mentioned at the Antoin “Tony” Rezko trial Thursday by a witness who said he was in the governor's presence  when a $25,000 campaign contribution was made and a job for him discussed.

On a second occasion, the witness said, he coughed up another $25,000 and was approached by the governor about a state job shortly thereafter.

Rezko, a Wilmette businessman, is on trial on charges of fraud and attempted extortion.

The witness, who said he knew Rezko for 12 years, was Ali Ata,  former executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority. He has  pleaded guilty to charges of tax fraud and lying to the FBI last week.

Hoping to receive a reduced sentence, Ata testified that he was guaranteed a state job for donating money to Blagojevich’s campaign.

Ata said he first donated $25,000 to Blagojevich’s campaign on Aug. 30, 2002. He dropped the check off at Rezko’s office and was escorted to a conference room where the governor, his campaign manager Lon Monk, top fundraiser Chris Kelly and state Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Collonsville) were waiting.

Ata said he was left at a conference table with Rezko and Blagojevich after Monk, Kelly and Hoffman moved to a corner of the room. Ata said Rezko placed the $25,000 check on the table.

“Mr. Rezko stated that I had expressed interest in being a part of the administration,” Ata said. "Mr. Blagojevich, again, stated that I had been a supporter and a friend and asked Mr. Rezko if I had identified job opportunities.”

Some time after, Rezko gave Ata information on all  state departments and asked him to indentify jobs of interest. Ata said he chose three agencies: Capital Development Board, transportation and human services.

Ata said he was offered the position of executive director at the Capital Development Board after Blagojevich won the 2002 election. All Ata had to do was fill out the application, he testified.

However, Ata said he found out that he did not get the job after going to Rezko’s office in March 2003. When Ata walked into Rezko’s office, Rezko was on the telephone with Hoffman who was shouting on the other end, telling Rezko the position was already promised to someone else Ata said.

“The position had always been given to someone Downstate and it would always stay that way,” Ata said he was told by Rezko at the conclusion of the phone conversation. .

Ata was offered another position as executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority in the summer of 2003, he said.

“I informed Mr. Rezko that I would be interested in the position as executive director at the new agency.”

In August 2003, Ata was asked to make a $50,000 contribution to Blagojevich’s campaign, he said. Ata told Rezko that he could only give $25,000.

Ata said he gave the check to Rezko at a Navy Pier fundraiser, where Ata said he talked to the governor about his latest contribution.

"Mr. Blagojevich thanked me for my continuing support… He understood that I was considering a position at the new administration and said that it would be a job where I could make some money,” he said.

Ata said he talked to Rezko about his conversation with Blagojevich.

“I was surprised that he [Blagojevich] would make such a statement and Mr. Rezko said he wasn’t surprised,” he said.

Ata said he started the job with the IFA in January 2004, and found that he had to report diretly to Rezko.