* The Sun-Times identifies a couple of players not named in the federal criminial complaint against Gov. Rod Blagojevich…
Gov. Blagojevich was on a mad dash for $2.5 million in campaign cash in advance of a new state law that will stop him from taking political donations from state contractors as of Jan. 1, federal prosecutors alleged Tuesday.
And the governor allegedly was asking two of his closest advisers — lobbyists John Wyma and Alonzo Monk — for help, according to court documents and sources.
Wyma and Monk are not identified by name in the FBI affidavit accompanying Blagojevich’s criminal complaint. But sources said Wyma is “Individual A” and Monk “Lobbyist 1.”
Monk, Blagojevich’s former chief of staff, is a lobbyist for a horse-racing group controlled by the Johnston family, which owns the Balmoral and Maywood park horse tracks. Monk last month allegedly was seeking a $100,000 contribution for Blagojevich in exchange for signing legislation to give the horse-racing industry a share of revenues from Illinois casinos.
Monk “assured Rod Blagojevich” that somebody associated with the Racing Associations of Illinois “would be good for the donation because [Monk] ‘got in his face,’ ” according to the affidavit.
Children’s Memorial Hospital and a highway contractor also were targets.
On Oct. 8, Blagojevich allegedly told Wyma that he wanted a $50,000 contribution from Patrick M. Magoon, chief executive officer of Children’s Memorial Hospital, which had recently received a commitment of $8 million in state funds. When the contribution was not forthcoming, Blagojevich discussed rescinding the funding.
* Sneed files this report…
Sneed is told the feds also visited the home of attorney Bill Quinlan Jr., Gov. Blagojevich’s chief counsel, while the FBI was arresting Blago and his chief of staff, John Harris.
Questions were asked.
Cooperation was requested.
No arrest was made.
You do the math.
• • The buckshot: Sneed hears Gov. Blago will have a hard time claiming executive privilege. Quinlan’s salary is paid for by the State of Illinois.
* Fran Spielman looks at Chief of Staff John Harris’ role…
What happened is that a desperately ambitious Harris filled a power vacuum in state government caused by the federal investigations swirling around Blagojevich.
“The governor isn’t around. He’s never at the Thompson Center. … Everything goes through John Harris. He’s been filling the void. John Harris thinks he’s the governor,” one longtime observer said.
Complete arrogance.
* Ben Smith at the Politico outs ‘Advisor A’…
A source familiar the situation tells me that “Advisor A” in the Blagojevich complaint– who is present in some of the key conversations — is former Deputy Governor Doug Scofield.
Scofield left the Blagojevich Administration in 2003, but has remained a key campaign advisor and spokesman, with strong labor ties, while running his own consulting firm.
Scofield isn’t named in the complaint, and he appears there mostly listening to Blagojevich, placing items in the Sun-Times, and offering political advice about the merits of relative candidates.
* And claims the SEIU official mentioned in the complaint is SEIU President Andy Stern…
There’s no allegation that the SEIU official did anything wrong, and what appears to be a wiretap transcript has the official reacting non-commitally to Blagojevich’s offer of a quid pro quo. Another Democratic source tells me that Stern was been in Chicago November 3 meeting with Blagojevich, a discussion thought to have included talk about the Senate seat — though that meeting isn’t mentioned in the complaint.
* Illinois Review gets this wrong, according to my sources…
From the affidavit:
Only ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s portion of the phone call can be heard. The call started with ROD BLAGOJEVICH saying hello to “Mr. [Highway Contractor 1]” and noting that ROD BLAGOJEVICH was “excited” about the “Tollway” (believed to be a reference to ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s recent announcement of $1.8 billion in Illinois Tollway funding that will benefit Highway Contractor 1 and the trade association with which he is affiliated). ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked about speaking with “[Individual C],” (Individual C is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives who is believed to be attempting to assist ROD BLAGOJEVICH in passing a capital bill worth billions of dollars that would benefit Highway Contractor 1 and the trade association with which he is affiliated) and began, in the context of asking Highway Contractor 1 to do fund raising, to discuss fund raising rule changes that will take effect on January 1, 2009. The conversation ended with ROD BLAGOJEVICH stating to Highway Contractor 1: “Call me if you need anything.”
Individual C isn’t mentioned as doing anything wrong, but Blago mentions speaking with him to let HC1 he was in contact. Only two former U.S.Congressmen were helping to promote the Governor’s capital program — Democrat Glenn Poshard or Republican Denny Hastert. Got any ideas who these guys are?
I’m told that Bill Lipinski is likely Individual C.
* J3 evades the questions…
Is U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. Senate Candidate 5?
Federal prosecutors say someone approached Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Candidate 5’s behalf and offered to trade campaign contributions for an appointment to the Senate. […]
Jackson (D-2nd), in a pair of written statements addressing what he described as “rumors” that he is referenced in the government’s complaint, declined to address the question but protested his innocence and said he would cooperate “fully and completely” with federal investigators as they continue to examine the governor’s alleged efforts to auction off the state’s vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder.
“Since the federal investigation of the governor is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for me to comment,” Jackson said. “However, I reject and denounce pay-to-play politics and have no involvement whatsoever in any wrongdoing.”
* Schakowsky fully denies…
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky said Tuesday she’s not the woman referenced by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald as taking herself out of the running to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.
That’s true.
* Somewhat related…
* Timeline of the federal investigation into Gov. Rod Blagojevich:
* Breaking down the charges: 2 counts, 76 pages
* Key Southland project noted in gov’s corruption bust
- Six Degrees of Separation - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:03 am:
The Southland project is the I-57/I-294 interchange. Unless this is an architectural/engineering selection (which are “qualifications based” hirings that cannot be bid out to the low bidder according to state and federal law) I do not understand how the Gov could “give” a certain contractor the work, since the construction bids are selected by the lowest bidder. Unless someone at the Tollway was going to slip them inside information…but even then, a favored contractor could be underbid. It’s worth a look, if the feds haven’t looked already.
- Shelbyville - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:11 am:
Ryan’s chief counsel was never called to testify.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:14 am:
Since Quinlan is a government employee, I do not believe his communications with the governor are covered by attorney/client privilege. That’s how it went with John Dean in the Nixon days, if I recall correctly.
- Confused 2B - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:15 am:
Rich,
You did a GREAT job yesterday with the information and keeping everyone informed! Keep up the GREAT work! Hopefully the politicians will be reading and HEARING what the people are commenting on!
CHANGE needs to come to Illinois and we need to be positive to help make it happen!
So we ALL need to rally together to make this state better-it CAN and WILL happen!
But we ALL need to DO IT!!!!!!
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:26 am:
I would just like to take a moment and remind friends that legal arguments will not fix our problems. Whatever who did what to whom, or what someone said to another, may be fun to debate, but it misses the far bigger situation we face as Illinoians.
Blagojevich was demonstratably incompetent years ago, yet he was still empowered. We can no longer afford these situations. So we must start forcing our government to look beyond legal arguments in these situations and take pre-emptive actions. In the business world, where most people live, guys like Blagojevich are exposed and fired before spending six years in office doing damage. We have to start thinking in a similar manner.
If we do not reform and recreate state government, then why should we empower it as we do over our lives? Our current situation is markedly unsafe for Illinoians. Throwing us all in the same basket sinks us all. We must either reform our governments, or bust them up.
- Levois - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:29 am:
It’s not really clear to me, perhaps it should be.
What’s the importance of Senate candidate 5?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:36 am:
VMan, government is not business, that’s a very tired old saw. And from Wall Street to Detroit, this is not really the best of times to talk about the efficiencies of the corporate model, is it?
He was elected twice. Citizens have no one to blame but themselves. But I agree, it’s time to get smart and demand more.
- GofG - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:40 am:
I find it interesting that they bring up that flight to NY again in the indictment. Everyone on that plane has been indicted: Levine, Cari, Hurtgen, Kelly now Blago. The only person who has not been indcited is the Blago’s bodyguard. I wonder what he heard?
- Captain Flume - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:40 am:
I would suggest that in the private sector, the top executives are allowed to do as mush damage as our Governor is alleged to have done. Remember Enron, and others? What about the awful way teh U.S. automotive industry is managed, to use a current example? There were boards of directors who naively, unknowingly, or deliberately turned the other way while the scams and mismanagment were being perpetrated. Our General Assembly has acted in much the same manner as those boards. Public sector or private, greed and arrogance will get you to the top, but only silence can keep you there.
- Jaded - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:42 am:
David Phelps is also a former congressman who was working to help pass a capital program. I am not saying that Phelps was that guy, I am just saying that Illiois Review missed the number of former congressman by at least two (Lipinski and Phelps).
- Oh my Bama - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:42 am:
=What’s the importance of Senate candidate 5?=
If the allegation is true, SC5 tried to bribe his way into the US Senate. I think that’s pretty important. I also think it’s JJJ. This story ain’t over yet folks.
- Conservative Republican - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:44 am:
Myself and many others are very interested in seeing the following pursued:
Some time ago, David Axelrod states to the press that Obama and Blagojevich discussed the Governor’s appointment of a replacement Senator.
Yesterday, Obama stated he never spoke to Blagojevich, knew nothing about machinations to name his replacement, knew nothing about the matters in the criminal complaint, and would not comment further due to the matter being in court and the investigation continuing.
As reported by the Tribune today, Axelrod states that he was mistaken when he earlier reported that Obama spoke with Blagojevich.
What is the truth in this?
- phocion - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:49 am:
ABC News: Sources Say Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is Senate Candidate #5
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/ConductUnbecoming/Story?id=6431739&page=1
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:50 am:
==We have to start thinking in a similar manner.==
The word is “similar” - not “same”!
We need to start recognizing that Illinois government is more broken than GM, as corrupt as Enron and as incompetent as the old Soviet Union. It takes money directly from our wages and spends it before it is even taken.
Before we look to governments as our economic saviors, we need to recognize that our government leaders are more incompetent than our business leaders. Pointing our bankrupt corporations doesn’t do justice to the other 90% of business honorably and profitably operated.
And remember - I said “similar”, not “same”. I am completely aware of the differences between governments and businesses. Business succeed through competition and innovation while governments survive through the threats of inprisonment for non-payment of taxes.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 10:53 am:
–governments survive through the threats of inprisonment for non-payment of taxes.–
Or the consent of the governed, as Mr. Jefferson said. VMan, you old anarchist you!
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 12:04 pm:
A little anarchy is what Illinois needs during times like these!
- Six Degrees of Separation - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 12:13 pm:
Thanks a lot for giving me a Sex Pistols earworm!
Right! NOW! ha ha ha ha ha
I am an anti-christ
I am an anarchist
Don’t know what I want but
I know how to get it
I wanna destroy the passer by cos I
I wanna BE anarchy!
No dogs body!
Anarchy for the U.K it’s coming sometime and maybe
I give a wrong time stop a traffic line
your future dream is a shopping scheme cos I
I wanna BE anarchy!
In the city
How many ways to get what you want
I use the best I use the rest
I use the N.M.E I use anarchy cos I
I wanna BE anarchy!
THE ONLY WAY TO BE!
Is this the M.P.L.A
Or is this the U.D.A
Or is this the I.R.A
I thought it was the U.K or just
another country
another council tenancy
I wanna be an anarchist
Know what I mean
And I wanna be anarchist!
Get P’D DESTROY !
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 12:20 pm:
Not sure where to post this question Rich, so I’ll post it here and hope for the best.
Did the Tribune go to the feds after Harris contacted the corporate big wigs about the Wrigley Field/editorial page conspiracy? Would this explain why the Tribune isn’t really talking about what Harris may have said to the certain Trib corporate person(s) he spoke to? Because there will be testimony coming from certain Trib people soon?
By the way, outstanding job yesterday and today.
- Who Else Goes Down - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 12:47 pm:
Is there any word that Bob Greenlee is Deputy Governor A and, therefore, Senate Candidate 4?
And is the feeling that Senate Candidate 6 Pritzker?
- TaxMeMore - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 1:06 pm:
This seems a bit sloppy on Fitz’s part to me, or boring in any event. If Rod were the Mayor of a small Maryland city, a military-assault swat team would have been used to make sure Blago didn’t flush any evidence down the toilet and to kill his dogs so they don’t bite anyone. A search warrant would be used and they certainly would not have allowed Blago to bail himself out and go home before searching every square inch of his property for evidence.
What’s the fun in giving him a phone call to tell him you are there to arrest him? We need more military-assault swat raids on politicians and more dead family pets. We need an all out war on political corruption. When our politics are corrupt, the terrorists win.
- Todd - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 1:46 pm:
Ok guys and gals –
in keeping with the theme of this thread fill in the blanks:
Scorecard
Advisor A – Doug Scofield ( former Deputy Governor)
Advisor B –
Candidate 1 –Valerie Jarrett
Candidate 2 –
Candidate 3 –
Candidate 4 – Deputy Governor of the State of Illinois
Candidate 5 – Jesse Jr.
Candidate 6 –
Contributor 1 –
Deputy Governor A –
Fundraiser A –
Highway Contractor 1 –
Hospital Executive 1 – Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Memorial Hospital
Individual A — John Wyma
Individual B –
Individual C – Bill Lipinski
Lobbyist 1 – Lon Monk
Lobbyist 2 –
President of Engineering Firm 1 –
feel free to add any “itemized” people from the complaint I missed. with all the 1,2,3s and A,B Cs it was like reading time for my five years old
- Keep Smiling - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 2:32 pm:
Candidate 2 - Lisa Madigan (The Fed’s complaint refers to Sneed’s article on Nov. 7 which was indeed about L Madigan)
SIEU Official - Andy Stern
Individual D -
President-Elect Advisor -
Few are saying anything about the last one. I guess the stakes are too high for speculation, so I’ll go right on ahead. It’s not Jarrett because in the complaint she is already dubbed SC 1. Unlikely it’s Rahm, because the Feds would have said President -Elect Chief of Staff. Things seem to point to… Mr. Oops Axelrod.
- Master of the Oblivious - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 3:00 pm:
I believe that a Judge will have to determine whether or not Blago’s conversations with or even in the presence of Legal Counsel Quinlan are covered under the attorney/client privilege. Irregardless of his being paid by the Illinois taxpayers. Obama, in true to Chicago Political Machine form, has thrown David Axelrod “under the bus” already.
- Maggie - Wednesday, Dec 10, 08 @ 5:17 pm:
Question Rich ? Is fundraiser A Robert Blagojevich, Rod’s brother ? It stated fundraiser A is chairman of Friends of Blagojevich. Does anyone know ?
- Lynn S - Thursday, Dec 11, 08 @ 8:55 pm:
Fundraiser A is indeed Robert Blagojevich. I’m dying to find out what kind of deal little Robbie is cutting with the feds…