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[This has been bumped up to the top because people want to talk about it so much.]

One of the keys to remember when reading Sunday’s Tribune story is that Rod Blagojevich had never reported any sort of gift from this family until the FBI started asking questions. Another key point is that Mrs. Ascaridis claims she didn’t even know that a large check had been written to the governor’s daughter.

The FBI is investigating allegations by the wife of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s former campaign treasurer that her state job may have come in return for a $1,500 personal check her husband wrote to one of Blagojevich’s children.

The inquiry is the first public indication that Blagojevich and his personal finances are under federal scrutiny as part of a sweeping criminal probe of political hiring in his administration.

The governor’s office released a statement Friday saying the check was a gift for his daughter’s 7th birthday from the governor’s best friend and any suggestion otherwise is “simply ludicrous.” […]

Beverly Ascaridis, who has already been identified in an internal state probe as receiving special treatment to get her job, confirmed federal agents interviewed her and her husband in recent weeks about the check. It was dated within two weeks after she began her $45,000-a-year job as a state parks administrator in August 2003, according to Ascaridis and sources familiar with the investigation.

Not specifically mentioned in the story is that Michael Ascaridis was paid $5,000 by the governor’s campaign fund in 2003, the same year the alleged birthday check was written. All told, the campaign fuund has paid Ascaridis $11,900, although $400 of that appears to be reimbursements.

It seems clear that Mrs. Ascaridis was clouted into her job.

Beverly Ascaridis’ name was among more than 1,000 job applicants identified by the inspector general’s report as being channeled through a special office that took hiring recommendations from the governor’s office, state lawmakers and Democratic county chairman, the newspaper reported.

Her job with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources first was located in Whiteside County, near the Iowa border and more than 100 miles from her Chicago home, the newspaper reported.

But the job was moved to DuPage County a little more than a month after Ascaridis took the post.

The inspector general found that officials were able to get around laws that give preference to veterans in hiring by filling jobs in counties with fewer veteran job applicants, then transferring the jobs elsewhere once they were given to a favored applicant.

Mrs. Ascaridis told the Tribune she didn’t even know where Whiteside County is.

Also not mentioned in the story is that Michael Ascaridis apparently got his own government job through political connections. Ascaridis’ name appears on Mayor Daley’s “clout list.” His sponsor is not listed.

The fact that Ascaridis works for the City of Chicago and is not some big bucks player makes that $1500 birthday gift to a little girl’s “college fund” all the more strange, and even more suspect when you remember that it wasn’t even reported on the governor’s statement of economic interests until after Blagojevich was interviewed by the FBI.

Here’s a reminder of some of the context.

Weeks after he was interviewed by federal agents last year as part of a corruption investigation, Gov. Rod Blagojevich filed a rare revision to one of his ethics disclosures to include more personal gifts.

The move raises parallels to changes made by Blagojevich’s predecessor, convicted felon George Ryan, who amended his ethics statements after being questioned by federal prosecutors.

“In light of where these federal investigations of the Blagojevich administration are, it goes beyond curious. It’s worrisome,” said Jay Stewart, executive director of the watchdog Better Government Association, who added the Blagojevich and Ryan situations are not completely analogous.

Ascaridis was also Blagojevich’s campaign treasurer when he was in Congress.

I’ll open comments on Monday, but you can post them now if you wish and they’ll appear tomorrow morning. Comments are now open.

Also, to those who say it’s no big deal, here’s a walk down memory lane to show how the feds can twist just about anything…

Collins ran through benefits he said flowed between Ryan and Warner during Ryan’s years as secretary of state and governor. He said Warner got $3 million worth of lobbying money and lease deals after Ryan steered contracts to him. Collins listed the loans, gifts, insurance adjustment and other benefits that flowed from Warner to Ryan and various Ryan family members in return.

It was “the community bank of Larry Warner for the Ryan family,” Collins said.

Collins said Warner paid the cost of a wedding band for one of Ryan’s daughters. The daughter, sitting in the front row, started to tear up as Collins talked about it. […]

Warner paid for the band as a gift to Ryan’s daughter, whom he cared about, the defense has said.

UPDATE: The governor will be at Holy Name Cathedral Monday morning for the 9-11 remembrance ceremony, so maybe reporters can get him to answer some questions about this.

UPDATE 2: Remember this?

The auction began with the sale of Tari Rogganbuck’s Rabbit Pen Trio. Fred and Jill Nessler, Larry and Ann Breon and Lyle and Cathy Flack purchased the Bonfield girl’s rabbits for $3,750 and then gave them to the governor’s seven year-old daughter, Amy.

As I recall, and as a friend reminded me, the governor refused the rabbits, saying it would be unethical for Amy to accept them.

UPDATE 3: The Daily Herald has more.

But on Saturday, [Mrs.] Ascaridis released a statement saying her comments had been mischaracterized, she had been misquoted, and that she believed the Blagojeviches are “good people.” […]

Michael Ascaridis released a statement through his lawyer, Democratic campaign donor Joseph A. Power, that contradicted the his wife’s anti-Blagojevich statements reported in the Tribune.

“My wife, Beverly, and I categorically deny that there was any quid pro quo regarding any gift to Amy and my wife’s job. To suggest otherwise is insulting to me, my wife, as well as Amy and Rod,” he said in a statement released Saturday.

If the Tribune has a tape, now would be a good time to release it.

UPDATE 4: From Eric Zorn’s site:

Statement from Abby Ottenhoff, spokeswoman for Blagojevich: The Governor and Mike Ascaridis have been best friends for over 40 years, beginning when the Governor was 8 years old. Because Mike and Beverly do not have children, they are particularly close to the Governor’s children. Mike and Beverly give gifts for birthdays, Christmas, and christenings to Amy and Annie. The Governor and First Lady take the Ascaridis’ out for dinner. The Governor regularly takes Mike to Cubs games, especially during the Cubs’ playoff run in 2003, when the Governor, Mike and Amy attended game after game together. When Mike and Beverly were married, the Governor and the First Lady gave them a check. In other words, their relationship is just like the relationship of close friends all across the world. Like a lot of parents, the Governor and the First Lady set up a mutual fund to help pay for college for their daughters – and that’s been dutifully reported. And yes, Beverly Ascaridis was qualified for her job, and by all accounts she’s done the job well.

Statement from Michael Ascardis (via Joseph Power): I have known Rod Blagojevich for over 40 years. We attended the same grammar school and Lane Tech High school along with his brother, Robert. Rod and Robert are my best friends. I do not have any children other than a grown stepson, so I treat Rod’s daughter, Amy, as my own. I had given Amy various gifts since she was born 10 years ago. I gave her a birthday gift for a college fund because of my relationship with Amy and a life long friendship with the Blagojevich family. I have also given gifts to Robert’s son, Alex, for his graduation from high school and college out of friendship. I graduated from DePaul University with a degree in finance and from Northeastern University with a degree in accounting. Although I do not have any children, I understand the importance of college funds for minors. My gifts to Amy throughout her life were done out of a lifelong friendship. My wife, Beverly, and I categorically deny that there was any quid pro quo regarding any gift to Amy and my wife’s job. To suggest otherwise is insulting to me (and), my wife as well as Amy and Rod.

Statement of Beverly Ascardis (Via Joseph Power): My husband and I have known the Blagojevich family for years. Our gift to Amy was not in any way connected to my job. We gave other gifts to Amy and Annie over the years for their birthdays, Christmas and other occasions. My husband Mike and the Governor are like brothers who could not have a closer relationship. If I have made any statements out of anger, I regret it. (This statement also contained a dispute over the accuracy of the Tribune story referenced above; that dispute is hashed out in the story itself)

UPDATE 5: Abby says she was qualified, but this is from the Tribune story:

[Mrs. Ascaridis] was identified as among more than two dozen applicants who were given a break when their failing grades were not recorded.

UPDATE 6: Notice this quote.

Like a lot of parents, the Governor and the First Lady set up a mutual fund to help pay for college for their daughters – and that’s been dutifully reported.

But was the check deposited into that account?

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