According to the Trib, two convicted political operatives said that Blago offered them state business for their political backing.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-rezkokellydec22,0,4629054.story
One allegation in the document describes a conversation between Blagojevich and longtime Democratic fundraiser Joseph Cari, who also has pleaded guilty as part of a conspiracy to seek millions of dollars in kickbacks from firms wanting work with the $30 billion state teacher pension fund.
Blagojevich asked Cari about his fundraising experience and told Cari he had "lots of ways of helping his friends," according to the filing.
"Public Official A also informed Cari that he could award contracts, legal work and investment banking to help with fundraising," the court filing stated.
The filing offers more details about the case against Rezko, once one of the governor's closest advisers and fundraisers. U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald has described the scheme as "payto- play politics on steroids."
Wayward,,,,my only question is if Fitzgerald is going to wait until Blagos term is up,,or will he go after a sitting Gov? If he waits, then Blago can do even more damage to our state. Of course that is not Fitzgeralds problem.
Substitute Ryan for Blagojevich, story has a familiar ring.
Bruce,
I think yes, because Ryan came under the pressure at the end of his term, 4 years is a long time and nothing seems to indicate Blagojevich will change his ways. The intent of the law is to protect the public and time damages the public more, in this case. Blagojevich has no support in this State whatsoever, hence no protection. If he is indicted do you think Madigan will hesitate a moment to impeach him?
My bet......... a little over a year.
To that end, I am, and shall always remain;
Rex Bradfield
Rex I hope you are right,,,,,,,I wish it would be less than a year myself. Maybe,,,,maybe one of the guys they have nabbed will hand over the smoking gun needed to get this guy sooner. Ryan was a piker compared to what this man is getting away with!
I don't know if this has ever been tried, but the person that was personally hurt by this fraud was Judy Baar Topinka. Usually courts will decline to enter into political questions, but what if Judy filed an equitable action against Blago asking the court to reverse the election based upon fraud. Do you think that Blago would resign to assure that Quinn got in? Agnew was a federal race, but his election was not tainted like Blago's. Blago's ratings were so low that his strategy (which worked in Chicago) was simply to trash Judy. She had about 10m to his 50m war chest. I think I know how Lisa Madigan would line up on this. Actually I would be happy with Quinn at this point because, even though he is kind of goofy, he did the right thing on the Springfield Hotel Deal that Topinka inherited.
Quinn has been alittle liberal for my taste but agree he has been pretty good lately. He would be much better then Blago at least more sensible, for a democrat anyway. :-)
John,
Now that is a Helluva idea. Really interesting thought.
You are right about Agnew, and as I said, Blago has absolutely no protection save those who are in his pocket.
The legislators will not back him, he has not only burned those bridges, he blew up the road to them.
Very interesting. Any chance of you using your professional skills to research it a little more. Maybe the Party can help.
To that end, I am, and shall always remain;
Rex Bradfield
Not really. Judy is happy at the RTA in Chicago and has no desire to get back in the race. She only did it because Edgar asked her to do it instead of him. He was happy down here. That is why he ran commercials for her. They really were not that close.
The comment today in the Tribune that she was close to Cellini because of the hotel deal was wrong. Bill Cellini's sister was Edgar's Commission person. She took over the Renaissance Hotel deal when Quinn(D) was treasurer. When she got in, his staff had an offer on the table from Cellini for $7 m that Quinn wanted to take. She didn't think that enough, but when she researched it she found out that the Cellini boys only had to pay if they wanted to pay. This contract was rewritten by Constantino and signed off by Thompson. Topinka squeezed them for $10m on a $40m debt.
You might remember that Attorney General Jim Ryan(R) then said that the hotel appraised for more than that. This was true, except if you don't ever have to repay it, what it was worth did not matter. Ryan killed it anyway. Both Quinn and Topinka were correct. The deal smelled and the State needed to get rid of it. But the point is that Judy and Cellini were not close. She was much too independent . Probably why she choose me as her County Coordinator when she ran for Governor of Illinois.
"Much too independent"
An understatement if there ever was one.
I loved that quality about her.
To that end, I am, and shall always remain;
Rex Bradfield
"but what if Judy filed an equitable action against Blago asking the court to reverse the election based upon fraud."
That might have made sense a year ago if the election had been at all close. Now it makes no sense.
A little tidbit in todays Suntimes,,,,Stuart Levine AKA,,,,the "Rabbi", and Bill Cellini AKA," the "Pope", and Co-Schemer A, the trail is getting just a little bit closer to Blago,,,,,Public Official A,,,,,"Little Elvis",,,,,and hopefully in the near future, Inmate # ???? ??? ??? , maybe they will get him soon,,,,I would love for them to slap the cuffs on him right in front of his State Police body guards,,,,whoops, so sad:)
Yeah, the article is at http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/710442,CST-NWS-blago23.article It surprises me that Cellini was named. I lived in Springfield before coming to C-U and he was pretty well-known there, but I didn't think many people here knew who he was. Somehow, I doubt he'll end up getting indicted - he's not stupid, and he seems to keep himself distanced from the blatantly illegal stuff.
Wayward,,,Cellini and his sister have been power brokers for years,,,,one thing about them they do not care about party affiliation,,,,,all they care about is "show me the money",,,they dont care if an elephant brings it, or a donkey:)
Dan,
Problem is it was fraud, and part of the fraud was hiding the means from the general public and benefiting from it by monetary influence in the election.
I don't think there is a statute of limitations with fraud because of that very reason. If there was, all you would have to do is hide it for the statute of limitations period, then be scott free.
It would be an interesting law suit, because the effect of large sums of money on a campaign would have to be proved and that would expose everything to the voters. It would be interesting, but I think John indicated that Judy would not be interested at this time anyway.
Damn.
To that end, I am, and shall always remain;
Rex Bradfield
Wayward,,,Cellini and his sister have been power brokers for years,,,,one thing about them they do not care about party affiliation,,,,,all they care about is "show me the money",,,they dont care if an elephant brings it, or a donkey:)
I know, but being a power-broker isn't necessarily illegal, and neither is being motivated by money. It seems like Cellini's usually kept a certain distance from illegal activities in the past, and AFAIK, he's never been indicted. So I'm guessing that he probably won't be this time either, though I could be proven wrong.
Wayward you are right,,,,,they have always managed to have a "buffer",,,like the myth established in the GodFather movies,,,,always have someone down the chain be the fallguy,,,,,and never be heard giving an order etc:) But,they have Cellini on a wiretap this time,,,,so maybe, maybe not,,,,,I would tend to believe he would rat out anyone else he could if given an outright choice between indictment and walking. Also,,he is another one of the many darlings in this state,,that if he started to talk,,,Thompson,,,,and who all knows would start to get very nervous. When they asked Kruchev why Stalin never got rid of him, he said: I know where all the bodies are buried,,,,because I buried them" :)
Bruce,
I saw something to that effect in one of the Chicago newspapers that they have a Zorba's. I think he was caught on a phone conversation.
He would be a prime candidate for the ol' foot on the neck until he squawked routine. It only took one to start the hounds on the trail of Ryan.
These investigations are like hounds in a field hunting for rabbits. They run all over the place until one get the scent, then they all fall in line and the rabbit is doomed.
To that end, I am, and shall always remain;
Rex Bradfield
Rex one thing that bothers me is, the Ryans,,,the Blagos, Paul Powell from yesteryear,,,,they are all symptoms of a governmental system that is corrupt,,,how many people in Illinois politics over the years? I would like to see the spiders in the web like the Cellinis also go to jail,,,,have some of their ill gotten gains on the backs of Illinois taxpayers taken away and put back in the state treasury, I know a pipe dream for sure, another big concern,,,,,,,why do we in Illinois continue to tolerate this,,,,why do we not demand a complete overhaul of this corrupt system across the board??
Does anyone have a scope on a State Costitution (any state) that keeps this type, ( and any type) of shenanigans to a minimum? Sorry I'm not a big inestigator... What State(s) are the best off debt/income ratio?...maybe we need to take a note from them...?1 not blindly, but advisory...
"what if Judy filed an equitable action against Blago asking the court to reverse the election based upon fraud."
I'm not entirely sure what you are suggesting here. To my knowledge, there are no election laws regarding fraud in political speech. As such, there are no grounds for overturning an election solely on the basis of how a campaign represents either itself or its opponent.
Political fundraising can only be considered fraud if the sources or amounts of the money are hidden. As such, fully disclosed political contributions which conform to legal limitations can never be illegal in and of themselves.
Furthermore, the legally proscribed penalties for fundraising violations usually involve fines or jail time. I'm not aware of a single instance anywhere in the country where an election ever has been overturned because of illegal fundraising, and I seriously doubt that any existing law could be successfully interpreted to do so.