Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2010

Sam Adam, Jr. tries to explain away the expensive clothes

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 1:35 pm - I have to be on the road soon, so I won’t be able to blog this afternoon. Please help out by updating the trial’s developments in comments. Use the links in the upper right corner of the page, plus any others you’ve grown to rely on. Thanks much. You’re the best.

Here’s the latest dispatch from the Sun-Times Blago Blog, which really ought to win some sort of national award for its trial coverage…

Sam Adam Jr. leaps back into his closing argument. The topic? The ex-governor’s $400,000 wardrobe.

Jurors learned a few weeks ago that Rod Blagojevich spent $400,000 on clothes during his six years in the governor’s seat — largely on custom suits and pricey ties.

“You know why he spent $400,000 on suits in six years?” Adam says. “Because he’s a politician. A CEO for the state of Illinois. He’s on the front page of the paper every day. They have media every day. You gotta look the part.”

“Why did Sarah Palin spend $150,000 on her wardrobe?” he says. “Now she’s getting $150,000 for a speech.”

“He’s broke, man, BROKE! When I say broke, I mean BROKE!”

Adam brings up that Blagojevich paid $500,000 in federal taxes while he was governor. That was really his No. 1 expenditure during those years — a fact the government failed to tell the jury, Adam says.

Again, thanks for helping out in comments.

79 Comments

Question of the day

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

* David Plouffe, Barack Obama’s former campaign manager, did a conference call with reporters this morning. From the Post-Dispatch…

[Plouffe] fielded some tough questions about Giannoulias’ own problems (the Illinois Republican Party helpfully emailed a suggested list to reporters just before the conference call), including his bank’s failure and its alleged ties to organized crime.

I’ve seen more of these “helpful” e-mailed questions this year than ever before. The other side will typically send out the usually loaded questions right before an opponent’s media event. Here is the one the Illinois Republican Party sent out earlier today…

This morning, David Plouffe will host a conference call with reporters to discuss the U.S. Senate race in Illinois. We have a few key questions for Mr. Plouffe:

1) Are you concerned about Alexi Giannoulias’ reported loans to mobsters and questionable relationships?

2) Are you concerned that Alexi Giannoulias’ loss of $73 million in college savings could become a major liability in the fall campaign?

3) Are you worried about new reports of criminals or mobsters tied to Alexi Giannoulias emerging between now and Election Day?

4) Are you concerned that Mark Kirk holds a 4-1 cash-on-hand advantage over Alexi Giannoulias right now?

5) How do you strategically square the President’s statement in Massachusetts that “bankers don’t need another vote in the U.S. Senate” with backing a former banker who made the kind of risky loans the Administration has criticized and whose risky decision-making led to the failure of a bank and a $394 million loss to the FDIC?

* The Question: What do you think reporters should do with such suggestions? Ignore them? Use them and admit it? Etc.? Explain.

44 Comments

Our non-campaigning campaigner strikes again, and again, and again

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

* As we’ve discussed before, Gov. Quinn is relying on almost non-stop “non-campaign” events to bolster his campaign. He did it again yesterday when Ford unveiled its new Explorer in downtown Chicago. The video is from our old buddy Simon. Watch it…

* Quinn will have another, albeit smaller, “victory” to announce today when word gets out that the Illinois Racing Board has approved parimutuel wagering at the State Fair. It was looking like there would be no racing at the fair this year because the state hadn’t paid winners premiums from last year. Those premiums were finally paid and a deal was worked out and racing will return next month.

* And while tying furlough days to paid holidays may not go over well in Springfield, it’ll probably find at least some favor with voters…

[Rep. Rich Brauer] said he had “heard from a pretty good source” that the Quinn administration is considering eliminating holiday pay for the nonunion workers, effectively making those holidays – 13 this year and 12 next – unpaid furlough days. […]

The Capitol Fax newsletter last week reported the possible use of holidays as furlough days, though Brauer said he had also received similar reports from within state agencies.

“It’s ridiculous to take a small segment of society and say we’re going to make you suffer, and that’s exactly what this has done – not only once, but twice,” Brauer said, referring to the nonunion workers. While about 2,700 people are in that category in the state workforce, some are exempt from furloughs because they are paid with federal dollars, or for other reasons.

Whatever the case, the governor should’ve just rescinded his pay raises for top staff and not messed with this can of worms. He really screwed this one up.

* More press pops for the non-campaigner…

* New legislation may assist children without dental insurance

* Praise for new law protecting disabled Illinoisans

* Something for everyone in back-to-school tax break

* Ford introduces new Explorer as ‘most dramatic re-invention’

* Ford debuts new South Side-made Explorer

* Quinn veto would allow disclosure of public employee evaluations

* Prank 911 calls to carry stiffer penalty

* Illinois lawmakers have 2nd thought about foreclosure bill

* Illinois bans ‘legal pot’

* Gov. Pat Quinn Signs Synthetic Marijuana Ban

* Gov. Quinn vetoes physical therapist bill

* Quinn defends closing visitor centers

* SJ-R: Quinn’s furlough plan filled with confusion

* Most Howe workers moved to other facilities

* Illinois Aging accepting hall of fame nominations

* Cullerton’s Defense Of HB 174

* Cullerton Blames GOP For Lack of a Tax Hike

45 Comments

Kirk wants 7 debates as attacks continue

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Kirk wants seven debates…

Republican Mark Kirk is proposing seven debates and candidate forums in the race for President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat.

Kirk on Tuesday proposed that the debates begin Aug. 21 in Ottawa with the candidates talking about foreign policy. They would continue through Oct. 21 with a wide-ranging debate in Carbondale. Other debates and forums would focus on Middle East policy, agriculture and jobs.

The Giannoulias campaign says they reached out to Kirk’s campaign last week about debates and have accused the Kirk people of “litigating debates in the media.” From the Giannoulias camp…

We reached out to the Kirk campaign last week and asked to sit down and talk about debates - instead of working with us they pulled this classless stunt.

No tension there at all, though, right?

…Adding… Here’s the list of the proposed debates.

* Meanwhile, the Kirk campaign has issued two barrages in two days against Alexi Giannoulias. This one’s from yesterday afternoon…

Background: [Yesterday] morning, during a radio appearance on WGN-AM, Alexi Giannoulias made several statements that contradict previous accounts by him and his brother with regard to loans made to convicted mobsters while Alexi Giannoulias was Senior Loan Officer at Broadway Bank.

New Misleading Giannoulias Said: “Now, you know, there are some people who in a perfect world we never would have done business with.”

* FACT: Broadway Bank was aware of Michael “Jaws” Giorango’s mob record when they loaned him money. “Demetris Giannoulias said the bank learned of Giorango’s bookmaking and prostitution promotion convictions from a spring 2004 Tribune report detailing those cases… He said he asked Giorango about the convictions and Giorango said, ‘It’s in the past. I don’t do that anymore.’” (Chicago Tribune, 4/2/10)
* FACT: Alexi said he knew Giorgano had “legal problems.” “Giannoulias insisted he only knew that Giorango had ‘some legal problems’ while he was servicing the loans, declining to say whether he knew they were criminal in nature.” (Chicago Sun-Times, “Giannoulias: I Take It Back,” 4/27/06)
* FACT: Alexi knew about Giorango’s past and thought we was “a very nice person.” “He described Giorango as ‘a very nice person’ and questioned whether Giorango actually was a criminal. ‘Is he a crime figure?’ Giannoulias asked. ‘I don’t know what the charges are that makes him this huge crime figure.’” (Chicago Tribune, 3/15/06)

Misleading Giannoulias Statement: “You look at the credit worthiness of the borrower, you look at the appraisal of the property…You don’t do criminal background checks on who they give loans to.”

* FACT: Alexi made loans despite full knowledge of criminal backgrounds. “‘If every time someone got arrested the bank threw them out, I think it would be a problem,’ Alexi Giannoulias said. ‘We look at the commercial viability of loans, and that’s where we make our credit decisions.’” (Associated Press, 4/8/06)
* FACT: We are supposed to believe that a community bank helped mobsters finance a casino riverboat marina in South Carolina because it was a good investment. “‘From a commercial standpoint, it looked like a loan that should be made,’ Giannoulias said, adding he was unaware the marina was used to dock a SunCruz Casinos riverboat.” (Chicago Tribune, 4/9/06)

Misleading Giannoulias Statement: “I wouldn’t know what a mafia guy looked like if he walked down the street.”

* FACT: Alexi Giannoulias visited mobster Michael “Jaws” Giorango in Miami. “Giannoulias said he traveled to Miami ‘about a year or two ago’ to inspect property the bank had financed for Giorango and met with him there. Giannoulias declined to provide details of that meeting.” (Chicago Tribune, 4/27/06)
* FACT: Alexi admitted meeting Giorango at the bank “a few times.” “But Giannoulias said that since he became a full-time senior loan officer, he has met Giorango at the bank ‘a few’ times.” (Chicago Tribune, 3/15/06)

* And this one’s from today…

The Kirk for Senate campaign today called on Alexi Giannoulias to explain his decision to participate in a far left-wing conference that featured panels with Van Jones, marijuana legalization advocates and J-Street.

Last week, Giannoulias announced on his Facebook page that he would be “leading the Illinois Caucus” at the Netroots Nation convention in Las Vegas. The Netroots website showed Giannoulias confirmed to attend the conference’s candidate event as well.

“Alexi Giannoulias’ decision to root his campaign in the far-left should be a troubling signal to independent voters,” Kirk spokesperson Kirsten Kukowski said. “Alexi Giannoulias claims to be mainstream but has no problem associating with 9/11 truthers like Van Jones and other left-wing radicals. Alexi Giannoulias claims to stand with Israel but has no problem aligning his campaign with J-Street and its supporters. The people of Illinois deserve a thoughtful, centrist leader not someone who panders to left-wing fringe groups.”

Kirk is listed as a contributor to Andrew Breitbart’s super-controversial Big Government website, so the guilt by association can cut both ways there. Breitbart ain’t very “centrist.” I’ll leave you to decide whether he’s “thoughtful.”

* But if you really want to see harshness, check out this mocking, but well-done video posted to YouTube yesterday…

81 Comments

Special election all but certain

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

* A relatively meaningless special US Senate election is all but ordered…

Acting after a series of directions from the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Judge John Grady said he is inclined to hold a special election to fill the rest of Mr. Obama’s term on Nov. 3, the same day as the regularly scheduled election.

Judge Grady also is inclined not to hold a special primary election but to allow the political parties to fill their ballot slots by vote of their central committees.

Also appearing on the ballot would be independent candidates who already have qualified for the six-year vote by filing petitions with at least 25,000 signatures, Judge Grady indicated.

Appointed Sen. Roland Burris is already attempting to turn this into yet another Illinois political spectacle…

Tom Wright, an attorney representing Burris, said using the nominees already on the ballot for the special election would deny Burris and other interested individuals the opportunity to serve the 60-day period.

Wright went on to say he believed Burris at least deserves the opportunity to see out the remainder of the term.

“No one else can come up to speed like that. No one else has the staff that’s already on top of these issues. No one else would be in a better position to finish this office,” he said.

But Grady emphasized that legally, Burris cannot receive preferential treatment in retaining the Senate seat and must be considered the same as any other citizen interested in the 60-day term.

Burris might be expected to push the state party to hold open hearings on whom they appoint to the ballot. That would be just one more opportunity to show to the world how thoroughly screwed up the Democrats are here.

* Related…

* Illinois parties could skip primaries

* Rules set for special election in Ill. Senate race

* Voters will vote twice Nov. 2 for Senator; no primary to fill remainder of Obama term; Burris tenure to be cut short

* Special election for Burris Senate seat close to resolution

* Special election for Obama seat near certain

* Special Election Likely, though Candidates Unclear

* Will you have to vote for one or two U.S. senators?

25 Comments

*** UPDATED x5 *** No jail for Sam Jr.?

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

*** UPDATE 1 - 11:23 am *** Sam Adam, Jr.’s closing statement is proceeding just about as we’d expect…

Adam’s statement is being continuously objected to by gov’t, and Zagel is sustaining. Zagel tells him to be “more precise.”

*** UPDATE 2 - 11:28 am *** More from Sam, Jr…

Sam Adam Jr. cranks up the volume right from the start, telling jurors in his closing argument that he decided not to put Rod Blagojevich on the stand — despite his promise that he would — because the government didn’t prove its case against him.

It’s what he refers to as the “big pink elephant in the room.”

“I promised each and every single one of you that Rod was going to get up there and take the stand,” Adam says. And at opening statement I gave you my word and I meant every word of it,” he says. “I had no idea no idea that in two months of trial (the government) would prove nothing.”

He argues that the government proved the defense’s case — that Patti got paid for legitimate work she did for Tony Rezko, that “Rod didn’t take a dime,” that government witness Lon Monk pocketed envelopes of cash from Rezko.

*** UPDATE 3 - 11:49 am *** Buddy Holly?…

Sam Adam Jr. briefly focuses on testimony of Bob Greenlee, Blago’s former deputy governor.

“He looked like Tom Arnold and Buddy Holly had a baby … remember those glasses?” Adam says, recalling Greenlee’s thick plastic frames. A female juror in front row crosses her arms and can’t suppress a smile.

“He took more than $100,000 a year to advise this man … and what does he come in here and tell you? Ridiculousness,” Adam says. “The most ridiculous statement I’ve ever heard before: ‘Yes, I said those things, yes, I gave you encouragement… you know why? Because I was trying to disagree by agreeing.’ Who are you kidding?”

Adam is referring to Greenlee’s testimony that he told the ex-governor what he wanted to hear - that placating his boss was often easier than arguing with him.

*** UPDATE 4 - 12:11 pm *** SAJ states the obvious…

Ripping apart prosecution witnesses, Adam says to #Blagojevich, “You’ve got absolutely horrible judgment on people.”

Also, make sure to head to the Sun-Times’ Blago Blog for some pretty funny stuff.

*** UPDATE 5 - 12:18 pm *** Yikes…

18 times: Number of objections from prosecution on SAJr’s closing argument in defense of #Blagojevich

[ *** End of Updates ***]

* After all the hooplah late yesterday when Sam Adam, Jr. vowed to risk a contempt of court citation and jail time for insisting on pointing to the absence of Tony Rezko and other witnesses the prosecution didn’t call, we have this short report from inside this morning’s hearing…

Zagel to #Blagojevich attorney Sam Adam Jr: “To put you at ease, Mr. Adam, jail is not in the picture and never was in the picture.”

And…

Zagel to #Blagojevich atty Sam Jr: “I don’t know where they lock up lawyers who make objectionable statements, but we don’t do it here.”

* Background…

Prosecutors had mentioned some of those witnesses, including convicted fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko, in their closing argument, and Adam argued the defense should be able to do the same.

“Your honor, I have a man here that is fighting for his life,” Adam said, turning red and raising his hands.

Zagel responded: “You will follow that order because if you don’t follow that order you will be in contempt of court.”

“I’m willing to go to jail on this,” Adam shot back.

Zagel said he was giving Adam the night to rework his closing arguments, given his “profound misunderstanding of legal rules.” He said Adam could designate another defense attorney to give the closing if he couldn’t follow the rules.

More…

“The jury has to decide based on evidence,” Zagel ruled, “and the fact that someone wasn’t called isn’t evidence.”

Adam raised objections, as the lack of testimony was expected to be a cornerstone of his closing to cast doubts on the government case against disgraced former governor Rod Blagojevich and his fundraiser brother Robert Blagojevich.

“You will not argue it. You will argue evidence,” Zagel insisted.

He said other legal jurisdictions might permit the tactic where if “the law’s against you (and) the evidence is against you, then attack the opposing lawyer,” but federal court and his courtroom do not.

“I can’t follow your order,” Adam said.

“You will follow that order,” Zagel replied. “Because if you don’t, you’ll be in contempt of court.”

* Possible motives for the Adam outburst…

Presuming they weren’t the signs of a meltdown, experts say Adam Jr.’s histrionics at the end of court Monday ultimately proved to be an unwieldy way of accomplishing two simple goals:

1. Stall for time so that he could give his entire closing argument on the same day.

2. Lay the groundwork for an appeal.

* Roundup…

* Blagojevich trial: Day 28 Closings or contempt?

* Blagojevich trial: Judge, attorney clash; jury sent home

* Dull, odd day in Blagojevich trial ends in drama

* Adam Jr., Zagel showdown a long time coming

* Blagojevich lawyer may be muzzled

* Judge Zagel, Blagojevich Attorney Clash Again

* Kadner: Will Adam risk contempt in Defense of Blago?

* Sneed: Berliant snuck into Blagojevich trial

* Blagojevich trial: Blagojevich daughters join parents in the courthouse for closing arguments

* Bring your daughters to court day

* Trial becomes family outing

* Why did they bring the kids to court?

* Roeper: Why would Blagojevich put kids in line of fire?

* Kass: Blagojevich uses kids for sympathy from jury

* Zorn: Really, Rod and Patti? The kids?

* Undecided Blagojevich Jurors Might Be Annoyed by Family

* Walking jurors through the Blagojevich maze

* Can Rod Muster 12 More Votes?

* Blagojevich trial: Ex-governor expressionless as government begins closing statement

* Blagojevich trial: What the prosecution is trying to do

* Blagojevich Prosecution: “Talking is the Crime”

* Prosecutors on case: “The law doesn’t require you to be a successful crook, it just requires you to be a crook.”

* Prosecutor in closing argument: Crimes didn’t have to be successful for ex-governor to be guilty

* Prosecutor: Case is “simple” — governor can’t exchange state action for personal benefit. “You do — that’s a bribe.”

* Prosecutor in closing argument: “In politics, money is power”

* Spotlight on brother

* Prosecutor to jury: Robert Blagojevich lied to you; you heard him “dancing and dodging”

* Tiptoeing around the profanity

* Government wraps up closing argument; Urges jury to find Blagojevich brothers guilty on all counts

* Final message: Don’t miss the forest for the trees

* Robert Blagojevich was an innocent bystander, lawyer says

* Defense attorney: Robert Blagojevich a “person of honor”

* Lawyer: Robert just didn’t want Rod to get in trouble

* Robert Blagojevich attorney: You can’t get convicted for talking

* Robert Blagojevich attorney to jury: You heard the government prove my client is innocent

* Robert Blagojevich closing ends

* Blagojevich jurors’ names stay under wraps

* Blagojevich’s Elvis statue may be auctioned off

* Blago’s Stuff Heads to Auction

* Blagojevich storage items in Arlington Hts. may be auctioned

42 Comments

Morning Shorts

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 9 shot at South Side CTA turnaround

* Nine People Shot on South Side

* 9 shot on Chicago’s South Side

* ‘No-snitch’ code keeps shooters on streets

In fact, records show that nearly half the people sentenced for unlawful use of a weapon receive probation in the Cook County courts. Last year, 2,264 people were sentenced for unlawful use of a weapon. Of them, about 54 percent got prison time and the rest got probation or some form of punishment other than prison, such as boot camp or court supervision, court records show.

* Sun-Times: Unpunished shooters given nothing to fear

On a single weekend in 2008 — 59 hours — 40 people were shot in Chicago, seven of them fatally. In each case, the police swooped in and interviewed neighbors and witnesses, took statements and collected evidence. They even made arrests.

But two years later, reporters Konkol and Main found, not one shooter has been charged and convicted, and just one suspected shooter is awaiting trial.

* Officer Michael Bailey Reward Increases, Park Manor Community Council Pledges an Additional $1,000

* Analysis: Home sales up in Elgin, entire metro area

According to an analysis of housing transactions for the first six months of this year conducted by RE/MAX, sales continued a steady rebound last month. RE/MAX looked at data available through Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED), the multiple listing service for Chicago and its Illinois suburbs, and it showed home sales in June were 26 percent higher in the seven-county metro area than they had been a year earlier, with 9,022 units changing hands.[…]

The average price of a home sold in the seven-county area in June reached $274,217, up 2.6 percent from the $267,338 average recorded in June 2009 and 5.6 percent higher than the $259,573 average of May 2010. However, the median price of homes sold declined 2 percent, from $213,500 last June to $209,000 in June of this year.

* New home sales up, but sales remain slow

* Debate continues over progress of property tax bills

It’s just possible the Cook County Board of Review is hearing more tax appeals this year than any other tribunal in the United States, says spokesman Scott Guetzow.

A verbal sparring match between the board and retiring Assessor Jim Houlihan over whether the county property tax bills will be sent out before the Nov. 2 election has been going on since spring.

Houlihan sees a conspiracy.

But if the bills don’t make it out by then, Guetzow said, it won’t be the Board of Review’s fault.

* Illinois ranks in the middle on child well-being

* Chicago gun lawsuit plaintiffs apply for permits

“The process itself was not bad,” said McDonald, who initially plans to buy a .45-caliber handgun for his Morgan Park home. “But the unreasonable thing was the $100 many people will not be able to afford. And that’s a shame because they will continue to be vulnerable to the drug dealers and gangbangers.”

* Man who brought ban to SCOTUS to get gun

* Examiner finds fraud evidence in Tribune sale

Kenneth Klee, appointed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to review the Tribune deal, said in a report submitted late today that fraud may have occurred in late 2007. That’s when the Chicago-based Tribune finalized $3.6 billion in financing to complete the $8.2 billion acquisition that came overwhelmingly from debt.

* Examiner: Tribune Co. buyout ‘marred’

* Tribune Co.’s management bonus plan draws criticism

The old proposal set a target of $635 million in operating cash flow for a year. The new one raises the target to $685 million. Reduced bonuses, totaling $16.5 million and about half the level of the original plan, would be paid if the company reaches $500 million in operating cash flow.

The company’s most recent financial reports, filed with U.S. bankruptcy court, indicate it is short of bonus thresholds. For a two-month period from late March to late May, for example, it reported about $50 million from operating cash flow.

* Tribune examiner finds fraud may have occurred in ‘07 buyout

* Deck the bridge houses?

A company that wants a deal to attract corporate-sponsored holiday displays on Chicago River bridge houses told aldermen Monday that City Hall could net more than $10 million a year.

Corporations each would pay up to $1 million to decorate the houses at each of the city’s 14 most prominent bridges around Easter, Independence Day, Halloween and Christmas, said Philip Lynch, president and owner of Lincolnshire-based Fresh Picked Media.

The company would coordinate the effort and keep 25 percent of the profit, leaving $10.5 million for the city if the projections work out, Lynch said.

* Safety Concerns Over City Porches Continue

* AT&T Plans Wi-Fi “Hotzone” for Chicago

* Swim ban continues on all Chicago beaches

* Mississippi still rising; 18.2-foot crest expected Wednesday morning

The river is currently just past the 17-foot level as measured at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad-Cities, according to the National Weather Service. Flood stage is 15 feet.

* Flood preparations continue; 12 counties declared disasters

* Storm-weary residents face more losses, big clean-up

* Village officials tally damage from weekend storms

* Elmhurst Residents Blame City For Flood Damage

* Environmental reports are hot topic in Buffalo Grove

* New Lenox moves toward rail quiet zone

* Batavia to place park rec center issue on ballot

* Aurora development may get repairs soon

* Evanston files complaint against fire union

* Bail reduced for Downers Grove cop

Defense attorney Jeffrey Fawell told Bakalis that Caudill was not a flight risk and that his client had “some psychiatric hospitalization in the past.” Fawell declined to elaborate out of court.

* Vote casts doubt on fate of controversial Villa Park billboard

* D300 breaks even, predicts $11M deficit in 2010-11

* Red-light cameras not going anywhere in Wheeling

* Elgin traffic could get worse as road workers work OT to finish on time

* Buffalo Grove trustee complains village rules not being followed

* City of Rockford updates budget forecast

* Moline seeks TIF pact with school

* [Quincy] Council to discuss feasibility study for intermodal transportation terminal

* Journal-Star: Pondering lessons of local government spending

* Tenaska’s ‘clean coal’ plant gets $417M federal tax credit

* Tax credit approved for Taylorville energy project

* Pekin denies AT&T special-use permit

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