22 Comments - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:20 pm: A bit more transparency would have been better, Alexi … What, did you think…the date you were served would not come out? I just don’t get, as we see this over and over, Dems and Repubs, the fact that they all think, “Well, we can just keep this to ourselves, and it won’t backfire …” If you disclosed in APR, “Good morning, I called you here today to inform the media I indeed received a subpoena today, adn I am ready to fully comply with whatever is expected of me, pertaining to the case against Rod Blagojevich” Then, its done … no hiding Nah … Wait till July … but kudos to diclosing as we are getting ready for the July 4th holiday …. Brutal! - VanillaMan - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:23 pm: Uh - gee - ya think he is a bit worried about how this would have looked as he campaigned? Oh brother. Where is that transparency he claims to promote? - OH - That only applies to others, not him! Is that smoke I smell from the Giannoulias campaign, or is it still the smoke I smell from the Kirk campaign? - Brennan - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:28 pm: Any link to Giannoulias’ disclosure? Thanks. - Cincinnatus - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:28 pm: This subpoena has been known since May, at least I remember reading/hearing that somewhere. Maybe the announcement is taking place because he has been informed about an approximate date for his testimony. Imaging news breaking about Alexi testifying tomorrow without his campaign having done what they did today. - Anon - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:33 pm: This may be a new record even for Illinois…. A seizure and subpeona in same week. - Excessively Rabid - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:33 pm: Subpoena from Blago? Consider the source. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:36 pm: ===This subpoena has been known since May=== No, it hasn’t. - A.B. - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:49 pm: Alexi just keeps making it tougher on himself to point the finger when he continues to hide stuff. From a Kirk supporter, “thanks, AG!” - MOON - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:54 pm: Who cares when the subpoena was issued. Blago and his attorneys have subpoenas for everybody. Rich don’t be surprised if you receive one.Big deal! It means nothing other than Blagos attempt to drag in everyone and dirty them up. - Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 4:00 pm: I guess if receipt of the subpoena was timely disclosed, it would have distracted certain media members or everyone from pounding on Kirk’s background and pulled the negative spotlight in part back onto Alexi? Just speculating here. - shore - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 4:10 pm: Dan Seals used to do the same thing. Bring in lots of big name democrats-ok for those who think debbie wasserman shultz is big, then after kirk had a monster quarter release his late at night the friday or day before the quarter ends to bury his figures. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 4:10 pm: Is it a big deal? Giannoulais’ actions say that it is big enough not to tell anyone. To me, right now, it isn’t a big deal. It is just a shame that he handled it this way. - Brennan - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 4:51 pm: =It means nothing other than Blagos attempt to drag in everyone and dirty them up.= When Rich comes up in Tom Balanoff’s testimony give me a shout. - Amalia - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 5:19 pm: wow. not good, how he handled it, and that the subpoena was delivered. this am on Scarborough and Country they said if this kind of trial were ongoing in NYC, it would be all the news could talk about there. here the first story on WGN News was nba free agent fest. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 6:29 pm: You seem to be comparing apples to oranges, Louis, and assuming that no one else can tell the difference. You have to ask whether–if the shoe were on the other foot–the Kirk Campaign, or any other for that matter, would not have considered timing, as well. I think it will only be a big deal if Giannoulias testifies and something comes out–though I’m sure that there will be quite a few attempts to link Giannoulias to something if he’s called. The only thing this speculation seems to be doing is starting that “process” earlier. And I agree that this being Blago’s trial has alot to do with it. If it were someone else’s, it might raise a few more eyebrows in Illinois. Maybe that’s why people in NYC would see this differently. They may not have the same ‘view’ of Blago as we do here. - fed up - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 6:59 pm: Hmm maybe Alexi is busy workin on his Taxes which he refuses to release or Maybe its the ethics disclosure that has kept him so busy. He is over a month late in getting that submitted. - Wumpus - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 9:04 pm: Another self inflicted gun shot wound. I know it is pre 4th, but it is still summer. Should have anoounced it earlier-Memorial day. Mothers day weekend would have been another opportnity. Do either of these guys want to br senator? - Dan S, a taxpaer, a voter and a Cubs Fan - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 9:41 pm: So either way we are going to get another crooked loser for a US Senator from the corupt state is illinois? Nice………………. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 11:04 pm: Good question. Another one might be whether anyone really wants either one of them to become Senator. One of them will obviously win–they seem pretty well “matched”–but I can’t help but keep wondering what happens to either one of them if they lose. End of political career? A well-deserved–maybe–”time out”? Especially after this run and all the dirt they might toss at each other during the election? A future appointment might be easier if someone wants to either one around. Hm. - supafla777 - Friday, Jul 2, 10 @ 12:19 am: This is the same guy that asked SCOTT COHEN to resign…. no comments time for a new party - VanillaMan - Friday, Jul 2, 10 @ 9:30 am: An open and transparent candidate would have announced that he had received a subpoena from Rod Blagojevich the day he got it and then made fun of it, and belittled it away. He would have told us how much he looked forward to telling a jury what he thought of his former governor, and assure everyone that there couldn’t be any bombshells waiting for him. By doing this, his actions themselves would relay to the public that what he said was probably true. And when asked about it by dopey journalists with nothing better to do than try and trip him us, laugh the subpoena off. Instead we got Alexi Giannoulais playing games when gamesmenship has soured and has been pinpointed as a root of our current corruption and cynicism. Not only this, but with Broadway Bank, we see a guy we no longer think we know. What was a rising star is now a guy with secrets about himself that are exposed when he doesn’t want us to know. It matters what his involvement is with both the past administration’s dealmaking, and with his past loan dealmaking were and are, but his actions demonstrates a lack of trust with us. Now to all those who hate Kirk for the same reasons, I am not saying that Giannoulais is alone in this behavior. Giannoulais is also coming off another kerfuffle over testimony that he asked an intermediary for Obama’s seat. We discovered it really wasn’t what it was testified, but it was still in the air. For Giannoulais to then admit to having received a Blagojevich subpoena, was just poor all around, because it then appears that Giannoulais and Blagojevich do have a tie beyond the constitution and political party. I don’t know who is advising Giannoulais but they are not doing a very good job here. The idea that politicians can manipulate information in this Internet age is obsolete thinking. Especially in 2010, we see a public fed up with politicians of all stripes, so anyone running for office has to be seen walking the walk, not just talking the talk in order to avoid suspicions. This year in Illinois, many voters do not believe that after eight years of Rod Blagojevich, things are now hunky-dorrey within the political party that nominated, elected, and supported him. Sitting silently while Illinoisans watch another governor face conviction, is not an option for incumbent Illinois Democratic candidates. The earned assumption from many voters this year is if you are an incumbent Democrat, you either played a role in the massive Blagojevich corruption, or sat on your hands. Voters elected them because they considered these people to be competent. Claiming ignorance of this entire issue, doesn’t enhance those considerations. It is important for incumbent Illinois Democratic candidates to talk to the public about Rod Blagojevich, their role within his administration, and assure their constituents that the failure and corruption we’ve experienced wasn’t their fault. Silence is not golden today. Hoping this will blow over may indeed save many incumbent Democratic candidates, but will damage their credibility next year. After a decade of government corruption, voters in Illinois want to hear the truth on these specific issues. This is a major reason why Giannoulais is failing to clinch the US Senate race. - Liandro - Saturday, Jul 3, 10 @ 2:38 am: Overall wasn’t a big deal to me, but VanillaMan raised a good point: it ties into a pattern of Alexi hiding things and appearing as if he is always covering something up. Not a good narrative. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.