8 Comments - Carl Nyberg - Wednesday, Mar 16, 05 @ 1:22 pm: The question I asked on Blogging Blagojevich’s Blunders is about Jesse Jackson, Jr. A few weeks ago Triple J was getting all righteous about how Mayor Daley was undermining affirmative action by presiding over the city giving contracts to sham women and minority owned businesses. Does Triple J feel as indignant about Blagojevich doing it as Daley? If not, does it make Triple J’s criticism of Daley look less sincere? - Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 05 @ 4:53 pm: I find it interesting that the same names connected to the Gov keep popping up in news articles. Such as this one today in the Tribune regarding minority set asides. “Records from different city departments tell a conflicting story about Crucial. With Muhammad listed as its primary contact, Crucial has been certified by the city as a minority-owned business since 1998, entitling it to City Hall contracts reserved for firms that qualify under that category… Crucial is doing business as Panda Express at two O’Hare locations, city restaurant inspection records show. At the same time, business license records at the city’s Revenue Department list Rezko as the president of Crucial. Rezko associate Abdelhamid “Al” Chaib is listed as the vice president. And Jack Lavin, who directs Blagojevich’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, was described as Crucial’s secretary. It was not immediately clear whether Lavin still remained with the firm or whether the records predate his position with the administration. The city Revenue Department’s Web site also lists Rezko, Chaib and Lavin as Crucial’s three officers.” How long will Blago continue to pretend these people have no real connection to him? I also see a new name in the Trib article. A new twist? Hmmmm - Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 05 @ 4:54 pm: I find it interesting that the same names connected to the Gov keep popping up in news articles. Such as this one today in the Tribune regarding minority set asides. “Records from different city departments tell a conflicting story about Crucial. With Muhammad listed as its primary contact, Crucial has been certified by the city as a minority-owned business since 1998, entitling it to City Hall contracts reserved for firms that qualify under that category… Crucial is doing business as Panda Express at two O’Hare locations, city restaurant inspection records show. At the same time, business license records at the city’s Revenue Department list Rezko as the president of Crucial. Rezko associate Abdelhamid “Al” Chaib is listed as the vice president. And Jack Lavin, who directs Blagojevich’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, was described as Crucial’s secretary. It was not immediately clear whether Lavin still remained with the firm or whether the records predate his position with the administration. The city Revenue Department’s Web site also lists Rezko, Chaib and Lavin as Crucial’s three officers.” How long will Blago continue to pretend these people have no real connection to him? I also see a new name in the Trib article. A new twist? Hmmmm - Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 05 @ 5:00 pm: I find it interesting that the same names connected to the Gov keep popping up in news articles. Such as this one today in the Tribune regarding minority set asides. “Records from different city departments tell a conflicting story about Crucial. With Muhammad listed as its primary contact, Crucial has been certified by the city as a minority-owned business since 1998, entitling it to City Hall contracts reserved for firms that qualify under that category… Crucial is doing business as Panda Express at two O’Hare locations, city restaurant inspection records show. At the same time, business license records at the city’s Revenue Department list Rezko as the president of Crucial. Rezko associate Abdelhamid “Al” Chaib is listed as the vice president. And Jack Lavin, who directs Blagojevich’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, was described as Crucial’s secretary. It was not immediately clear whether Lavin still remained with the firm or whether the records predate his position with the administration. The city Revenue Department’s Web site also lists Rezko, Chaib and Lavin as Crucial’s three officers.” How long will Blago continue to pretend these people have no real connection to him? I also see a new name in the Trib article. A new twist? Hmmmm - Pat Collins - Wednesday, Mar 16, 05 @ 6:36 pm: More importantly, why does no one sue that the program isn’t tightly defined, and that Chicago needs to show past discrimination to have it in the first place? - Anonymous - Sunday, Mar 20, 05 @ 5:37 pm: The minority programs are a joke. They are for mostly politically connected and many are pass throughs. Retzko and Kelly don’t make money because they are good businesman, they are good political players and major donors. - Anonymous - Monday, Mar 21, 05 @ 6:58 pm: Kelly and the Illinois Teachers Pension. Kelly and Hartman and Martin relations. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 22, 05 @ 1:22 pm: The Chinese food isn’t even that good. Look into Stroger and Retzko–real scummy deals. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.