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* UPDATED with Giannoulias fundraising totals * Quote of the day and fundraising plea of the day

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* You learned yesterday that Rod and Rob Blagojevich objected to a federal judge’s ruling that a prosecution blueprint be made public. One of the objections was that the Blagojevich brothers would be unfairly harmed in a potential jury’s eyes by the release…

It is manifestly unfair to make public only portions of sealed tape recorded conversations, which are taken out of context by the Government.

The prosecution responded today with their own brief and it includes our quote of the day…

Notwithstanding the recent airing of a national television show in which he repeatedly proclaimed his innocence, Rod Blagojevich now argues that he would be unfairly prejudiced by the publication of the actual evidence that will be heard at his trial.

Touché, federales. Touché.

* Our fundraising plea of the day award goes to Congressman Mark Kirk…

“Had Enough? Has someone laughed at you because you are from Illinois?”

Joe Ryan points out, however, that Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar recently held a fundraiser for Kirk at Bolingbrook’s “posh” town-owned golf course…

Claar has taken heat for both his campaign fundraising and spending. In 2000, in resigned from the Illinois tollway board after controversy over taking campaign contributions from tollway contractors.

Claar, whose tenure heading Bolingbrook dates back to the 1980s, has taken in more than $5 million in the last decade, a big sum for a suburban mayoral campaign, according to news reports.

A Chicago Tribune review of Claar’s fundraising showed that nearly half of his campaign cash comes from companies or individuals who have done business with the suburb. Those contributors received more than $300 million in such work, more than half of the money Bolingbrook taxpayers spent on contractors in the last 10 years, according to the August news report.

But in addition to questions about where the campaign money comes from, Claar has faced heat over how he spends it - on international trips to destinations like the Bahamas and China and on a Jaguar to get around town.

Glass houses, etc.

Runner-up goes to the Illinois Republican Party for its e-mail blasting Alexi Giannoulias for hypocrisy. On the one hand, Giannoulias whacks Mark Kirk for accepting corporate PAC money. But Giannoulias’ “campaign chairman” US Sen. Dick Durbin, rakes in the PAC cash. Among its list of questions for Giannoulias is this one…

Do you think your campaign chairman, Senator Dick Durbin, is owned by special interests since he has accepted corporate PAC contributions?

Despite his campaign pledge not to take corporate PAC contributions, the Giannoulias Campaign Chairman, Senator Dick Durbin, accepted more than $6.5 million in campaign contributions from federal PACs – $4.4 million from corporate PACs alone. (Source: Center for Responsive Politics)

The Giannoulias Campaign Chairman, Senator Dick Durbin, accepted $663,000 in campaign contributions from lobbyists, $1.46 million from Big Banks and Securities, and $1.45 million from the health care sector. (Source: Center for Responsive Politics)

That’s a fair question.

*** UPDATE *** Mark Kirk has reported raising $2.2 million in the first quarter of the year for his US Senate race. Alexi Giannoulias just released his own totals, which show he pulled in $1.2 million during the same quarter. From a campaign fundraising plea…

Together, without corporate special interest and federal lobbyist money, we raised $1.2 million, an outstanding amount that will allow us to get our message out.

The campaign disclosed in a follow-up call that it had $1.2 million in cash on hand. That’s way below Kirk’s $3 million or so in the bank. Giannouolias, of course, had a hotly contested primary.

“This is a competitive number and we’ve seen a surge in growth in recent weeks,” said a Giannoulias campaign spokesperson. The fundraising “surge” came after Kirk’s now infamous pledge to “lead the effort” to repeal the new healthcare bill.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 12:21 pm

Comments

If you put two clowns in a bakery, pies are going to be thrown.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 12:32 pm
I work in Wisconsin and live in Illinois and yes, people have laughed at me for living in Illinois because of our political leaders.

As a matter of fact, one of my co-workers is a county chairman for the Democratic Party in Wisconsin and is constantly laughing and saying, “only in Illinois, only in Illinois. You guys are a completely different world than the rest of the nation.”

So with that being said, I would love to see the Kirk campaign appeal in context. Was this verbal? A mailer?

Comment by A.B, Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 12:33 pm
Answer: Of course Durbin is owned by special interests. You don’t get to be Senator if you aren’t. So is Kirk and so will be Alexi. The pertinent question is what special interests you are owned by. I prefer Durbin’s owners to Kirk’s.

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 12:41 pm
Few things are as entertaining as when the G puts their dry biting humor into their court filings.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 12:45 pm
Bill: Who are Kirk’s owners? Who are Durbin’s?

Comment by Brennan Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 12:50 pm
Brennan,
Check the contribution disclosures. Its pretty straight forward.

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 12:57 pm
Bill,

So you are cool with Big Banks? Sweeeeeet…..

Then again Alexi is going to be owned by the FDIC

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 12:59 pm
Betcha Rod and Rob are squirming, only 51 days till Ringling Bros. - Rod & Rob come to town.

Comment by Suspicious Activity Report Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 1:12 pm
i love the fact that mark kirk’s campaign continues to ask alexi’s campaign questions when kirk can’t be bothered to answer any himself. i have a whole slew of questions (some which originate from my relatives downstate) but, of course, kirk won’t say.

two whole weeks supposedly devoted to the state of illinois, and kirk didn’t sit down with a single major media outlet for open questioning…

Comment by bored now Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 1:25 pm
Any clue how much of Alexi’s money was raised before and after the primary. These numbers seem low given that he had almost two full months as the Dem nominee.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 1:39 pm
Chicago Cynic: Alexi says he gave away $110,000 in contributions from Giannis. So keep that in mind.

Comment by Brennan Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 1:53 pm
Pretty sure the Giannis money was a state account.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 1:54 pm
Does anyone have a link to the Alexi or Kirk filings? I find the FEC web site about as useful as the Illinois site.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 1:54 pm
It’s a pretty bad number for alexi considering the bazillions of dollars obama raised here in illinois, he had a tough primary race because of the questions about his bank and those aren’t going away so I dont buy that as a reason for his poor performance this time. Saying Kirk had a free ride is a joke considering he’s the first moderate prime time challenger for senate since lynn martin and he managed to do that by pulling off the inside baseball fancy political footwork that alexi is obviously not adept enough to do.

For what it’s worth. Bob Dold a first time no name candidate who won just 21k votes on the north shore pulled in roughly HALF of what alexi did for the quarter and he’s not a democrat, doesn’t have access to obama’s fundraisers and has 1/19 the fundraising base that alexi has to draw from (even less if you consider the fact that alexi has a galaxy of democrats to use as stars at fundraisers and can tap national greek money as well as national liberal groups donors and causes).

the giannoulias campaign is sinking faster than the 1997 white sox campaign after the white flag trade.

Comment by shore Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 2:03 pm
Chicago Cynic - I maybe wrong, but I don’t believe the filings are posted until after April 15th.

Comment by A.B, Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 2:10 pm
Shore, don’t beat up Lexi too badly - we want him to stick around for as long as possible, given his performance so far.

Comment by Team America Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 2:10 pm
Clout Street is reporting that Daley is defending Alexi against the notion of him bowing out. Notwithstanding that no one wants to be put in the same category as Scott Lee Cohen, watch Alexi’s fundraising dry up overnight if the “drop Lexi” wagon gets rolling.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/04/daley-says-giannoulias-should-remain-as-senate-candidate.html

Comment by Team America Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 2:20 pm
Hypothetical question here -

If A.G. were to bow out of the race and someone was named to run by Democratic leadership, doesn’t that then beg the question: Why the hell do we have a primary in the first place?

Comment by A.B, Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 2:24 pm
Alexi’s growing list of excuses is more transparent than a windshield. Couldn’t raise money because he was busy with a tought primary? Whaaaaat? A tough race is when you can raise the most cash. Fundraising operations are in absolute overdrive during a hot battle. Kirk was the one who kept hearing “You don’t have a primary. I’ll cut you a check in the general.” Just another argument that makes no sense from Alexi.

This has to create heartburn at the DNC offices.

And I wonder if Alexi will refuse Trial Lawyer and Union money since he is so free of “special interests.”

It looks like lots of Dem donors aren’t buying what Alexi is selling.

Comment by Adam Smith Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 2:25 pm
=== if the “drop Lexi” wagon gets rolling===

As far as I can tell, the only people pushing that notion right now are reporters and pundits. Not one major Democrat, on or off the record, has said s/he thinks Giannoulias should drop out. OK, one, maybe. Rod Blagojevich. He doesn’t count.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 2:26 pm
=Pretty sure the Giannis money was a state account.=

One with $110,000 in it?

Comment by Brennan Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 2:29 pm
I would agree Rich, but Daley felt compelled to address it, apparently, which is going to stir up the issue like chum in the water. You know how it works.

Comment by Team America Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 2:33 pm
thanks, rich. i wasn’t quite sure where the “alexi will drop out” meme started, and i certainly haven’t heard a single democrat raise the notion.

adam smith: i will grant you that i don’t travel among the north shore elites, but down here in the south suburbs, democrats are very excited that alexi will be our next senator. one activist (older) woman goes absolutely bongers over mention of his name. i know, i know, we don’t count but 3/5ths or something if you listen to the tea baggers, but i’m pretty sure we still count for a full vote in november (shhh, don’t tell them; let ‘em be surprised in the fall). last i heard, we had more voters than the northside, too. (ftr, seen more than a few bill brady signs — mostly in will county, but one right here in flossmoor (could be homewood) in a yard that still has their palin sign up (mccain’s name is missing); still no sight of kirk signs. i know, i know, we don’t count down here south of i-80 — or is it south of i-88?)…

Comment by bored now Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 2:36 pm
=One with $110,000 in it?=

Alexi’s state fund had $1,246,372.32 in it as of Dec 31, 2009.

Comment by well Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 2:53 pm
I think the point is, Brennan, that Alexi couldn’t use state cash for this effort anyway, unless he passed it out to state legislator buddies in $250 or $500 increments and asked them to hand it back to him as hard money for his federal account. Of course, that’s not kosher. But don’t think is hasn’t been done.

Comment by Switch Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 3:01 pm
Bored,

You can always be counted on to stoop to the lowest level of discourse.

When you are confronted by reality you resort to childish and idiotic name calling.

I am again so sorry that Kirk was not nice to your relatives downstate. It must be so painful for you. Perhaps a crisis counselor would be helpful.

Comment by Adam Smith Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 3:41 pm
Rich,

While I agree that the “Alexi should dropout” talk is premature, it has certainly been a topic of conversation among quite a few major Dems I’ve spoken with privately. They’re not saying he should at this point. But pretty universally they fear his candidacy has little hope given the drumbeat of negative Broadway Bank and other stories. So they speculate on whether he will drop out once the bank is taken over. In fact, the only major dems I’ve spoken with that believe he can win are his consultants.

There’s also a very persistent rumor that Dan Hynes has been positioning himself to become the nominee should that happen. This speculation is only fed when Dan shows up out of the blue at Alexi’s City Club speech as he did yesterday.

From the perspective of the Kirk folks, I know (have heard this at the most senior level) that they plan to hold their paid media fire once the bank is taken over because they fear he actually will be forced to drop out should his numbers get too low. They are planning for and praying that they continue to run against Alexi.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 3:59 pm
The way things stand, there’s no way Alexi’s going to bow out. He’s already taken the heat, which will be a big issue, but it’s not like Kirk is a slam dunk.

Kirk keeps looking over his right shoulder nervously and a lot of the GOP “base” doesn’t like him.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 4:03 pm
adam smith: LOL.

i make a snarky remark about how people are quick to dismiss the south suburbs and you retort by dismissing the south suburbs! well done (not that i needed more proof that i was right)…

Comment by bored now Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 4:16 pm
Bored- a lot of people call anything south of I-80 “downstate”. By that reckoning, at least half the south suburbs are.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 6:18 pm
Bored Now,

I may live in the north shore but I am certainly not an elite in way, shape, or form. As a proud Democrat that supported the only honest candidate, David Hoffman, I will be voting for Kirk. Up here in the “elite” areas (you sound like Sarah Palin btw), I have not spoken to one (1) democrat voting for Giannoulias.

Give me a candidate (Kirk) that I disagree with half time than a dishonest fraud who hasn’t accomplished anything in his life and is there because he played bball with the President.

I doubt on or off the record, any offical would talk about the prospect of Giannoulias doing the right thing and stepping aside. From my democratic friends, that’s ALL we talk about.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 6:52 pm
Dear bored yes the south suburbs should be taken more seriously. If only the state was as well run as Harvey,Robbins or ford heights. Oh wait the state is run just like those burbs.

Comment by Fed up Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 6:54 pm