The State Journal-Register kicks off our review:
Potential cronyism regarding the Illinois Lottery contract for the governor’s keno proposal forced the administration to change course Thursday, while fending off similar concerns of another lottery agreement.
News that John Wyma, a former congressional aide to Gov. Rod Blagojevich, was acting as a lobbyist for lottery contractor GTECH Corp. apparently sparked the administration to seek competitive bids for the potential keno contract.
“The governor’s office felt it was important for due diligence,” Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said. […]
Still more favoritism fodder arose Thursday. The Illinois Lottery’s contractor for its instant, scratch-off games - Scientific Games International - has ties to a Blagojevich fundraiser. Milan Petrovic is president of Advanced Practical Solutions, which serves as the lobbyist for Scientific Games International.
From the Sun-Times:
A $76,000 campaign donor to Gov. Blagojevich could reap a windfall if the state authorizes keno wagering in bars and restaurants by expanding the Illinois Lottery.
IGOR the Watchdog Corp. — whose Springfield lobbyist is a former Blagojevich staffer and fund-raiser — is the lone subcontractor used by GTECH Corp., a Rhode Island firm that holds the lottery’s most valuable contract covering Lotto and similar games. IGOR is responsible for installing and maintaining GTECH’s instant ticket machines.
GTECH has been pitching the idea of adding keno to the lottery’s offerings for several years and even submitted keno revenue projections to the governor’s office. Though Blagojevich plans to put the keno contract out for bid, GTECH is considered a front-runner because of its existing deal with the lottery and its track record operating 10 of the 12 lottery keno games in place nationwide. […]
A potential GTECH rival could surface in the bidding if Blagojevich’s plan takes flight.
The company is called Scientific Games, which provides the scratch-off lottery games in Illinois. Scientific Games is represented in Springfield by Milan Petrovic, a Blagojevich fund-raiser, and donated $10,000 to the governor’s campaign in 2004.
And the Tribune:
On Thursday, Wyma insisted he has never had a conversation with the governor or the administration about keno or GTECH, saying, “No, absolutely not.”
But an administration spokeswoman on Thursday acknowledged that Wyma in December had hosted a Washington reception for Blagojevich.
A co-host of that reception for Blagojevich was a controversial former GTECH lobbyist named Ben Barnes. A former Texas lieutenant governor, Barnes was caught up in a political storm in the mid-1990s in which critics complained about how he used his clout with that state’s lottery officials on behalf of the company.
Barnes also was in the news in 2004, when he claimed in an interview with former CBS anchor Dan Rather that he had used his influence in 1968 to get George W. Bush into the Texas Air National Guard.
The company says it has had no connection to Barnes for years.
- Rick - Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 7:59 am:
There’s gambling in this establishment? I’m shocked, shocked I say!
- No Smoke - Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 8:09 am:
Why doesn’t anyone check Ben Barnes’ partner (maybe former partner now) out? It appears to be the same John Wyma that GTech recently hired.
No ties to Barnes, yet they hire his partner?
And they host a fundraiser together? Am I being naive here, or does this “smell” really funny?
- Anon - Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 8:10 am:
Wyma and Petrovic surface again. Petrovic was Chris Kelly’s top fundraising lieutenant during the 02 campaign. Prior to that he was an Indiana resident that had a bit of trouble holding onto his law license. Now, between Wyma and Petrovic, they represent more than 60 entities including several other lobbying firms. Among them Dorgan-McPike, one of the most potent lobbying firms in the state. Imagine Jim McPike paying for access to the Governor’s office. Unthinkable until this administration.
- DOWNSTATE - Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 9:17 am:
If you will check almost every policy involving money has one or more of his friends or contributors connected in such a way that they will profit from it.Where does that go right back to the governor for his campaign war chest.Hey it’s legal.
- Ok I'll Bite.... - Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 9:23 am:
So why doesn’t GTECH just buy a chunk of ad space out in both newspapers? That will make the newspapers back off this story, the proposal go through, and everyone will be happy becuase they are making money.
- Mike's Used Sport's Section - Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 9:53 am:
Some of us happen to believe that lobbying is a good, purposeful and honorable profession. Many legislators rely on lobbyists for accurate information and research on policies that impact the citizens of our state. When guys like this appear to only be in practice based on their personal connections to certian officials - not based on their ability to actually “lobby” for their cause or their clients - it makes the profession look bad.
Shame shame.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 10:58 am:
The press negativity on Blagojevich has pushed from scandal to scandal and has now spun into a new more dangerous level. Blagojevich caused it himself. What we are seeing is an administration in a media death spiral. Everytime he speaks, his words will be measured against how much money he raised from the players involved, and is the case in most deals, there is dirt to uncover.
But the king of stupid moves has been the Keno proposal. Take a look: you have a political flip-flop, coupled with pay-to-play shenanigans with lobbyists, in what looks like a money-grubbing attempt to meet state financial needs. It looks corrupt, incompetant and scandalous at every angle. This was the dumbest political move of the season at the worst time possible.
Someone somewhere convinced the Governor to show that he is focusing on his job. The Tribune laughed at this, but Blagojevich was singing the right tune until his big Keno announcement. So, who ever convinced him before to show that he is focusing on doing his job needs to do it again. His press is so negative, he needs to disappear at the very time he needs to continue campaigning. If I was on his staff, I would call in sick and spend the day mass mailing my resume.
This governor’s re-election is in a death spiral and he better shut up and hold on, hoping that his rivals knock themselves off.
- shelbyville - Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 12:08 pm:
It is only a matter of time before a reporter buys Blago’s cell phone records.
- Ex-Newfie - Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 7:01 pm:
If I had a staff that suggested such stupid initiatives and advertised them is such an amateurish way, without checking facts, connections, illegalities or past utterances in speeches, they would all be on the dole by now. Either he is too stupid to see that he has a problem or his skin is as thick as the wall around the Tower of London. It’s like Curley, Moe and Larry are running the state - except it’s far from funny. Here’s to orange jumpsuits all around.
- WARDOG - Saturday, Jan 14, 06 @ 11:15 am:
Wyma has been in the Governors office many times while in Springfield and I’m sure ALL the time in Chicago. Rebecca Raush has stated in the SJR that Rod didn’t know Wyma was a lobbist for GTECH. How ludicrous is that!! Don’t they ever look at a lobbyist list? It just keeps getting better.