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ILGOP tries to link Pritzker criminal justice speech to Blagojevich bid to get out of prison

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Illinois
Blagojevich Trial

* Pritzker campaign media advisory…

JB Pritzker to Give Major Policy Address, Hold Panel on Criminal Justice Reform and Gun Violence

WHAT
JB Pritzker to give a major policy address and release his criminal justice reform plan followed by a panel discussion with State Representative Juliana Stratton, Roseland Ceasefire Project Executive Director Bob Jackson, Director of NEIU’s Master of Social Work Program Dr. Troy Harden, Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church, and Enlace Chicago Executive Director Katya Nuques.

WHEN
Thursday, November 2 at 1:00 PM

* ILGOP…

Blagojevich Asks to Get Out of Federal Prison Early as Pritzker Talks Criminal Justice
Does Pritzker support his imprisoned friend’s petition before the U.S. Supreme Court?

“J.B. Pritzker’s favorite governor is back in the news. As Pritzker is scheduled to talk criminal justice this afternoon, lawyers representing his imprisoned friend Rod Blagojevich plan to file a petition to the US Supreme Court, asking them to review his conviction on corruption charges. Blagojevich’s petition begs the question - does J.B. Pritzker, Blagojevich’s fifth-largest campaign contributor, support Blagojevich’s request to get out of prison early?” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

Today, lawyers representing imprisoned former governor Rod Blagojevich plan to file a petition for a writ of certiorari before the United States Supreme Court, asking them to review his conviction on corruption charges.

Currently, Blagojevich is five and a half years into his fourteen-year sentence in a Colorado federal prison for orchestrating a “political corruption crime spree” ranging from attempts to sell a U.S. Senate seat appointment to shaking down state vendors for campaign contributions.

Blagojevich’s petition to the U.S. Supreme Court is his latest attempt to get out of prison early.

Blagojevich’s most recent request begs the question - does J.B. Pritzker, Blagojevich’s fifth-largest campaign contributor and now Democratic candidate for governor, support Blagojevich’s request to get out of prison early?

In a bombshell investigative report from the Chicago Tribune, it was revealed that Pritzker was recorded on FBI wiretaps conversing with Blagojevich about being appointed State Treasurer, among other offices. Pritzker and Blagojevich also discussed campaign contributions on the same call.

Upon the release of the wiretaps, news outlets called it a “campaign crisis” for Pritzker. Pritzker was later scrutinized for a $100,000 campaign contribution to Blagojevich that one reporter said “sounds like pay-to-play to me.”

Given Pritzker’s well-documented close ties to imprisoned former governor Rod Blagojevich, surely he has an opinion on Blagojevich’s latest attempt to get out of prison early.

So, as Pritzker plans to discuss criminal justice this afternoon, does he support his imprisoned friend Rod Blagojevich’s petition before the U.S. Supreme Court?

No mention of Madigan?

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:07 pm

Comments

“Does Pritzker support his imprisoned friend’s petition before the U.S. Supreme Court?”

Betteridge’s Law of Headlines: “Any headline that ends in a question mark can be answered by the word No.”

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:19 pm
==Blagojevich’s petition begs the question - does J.B. Pritzker, Blagojevich’s fifth-largest campaign contributor, support Blagojevich’s request to get out of prison early?==

That’s not the way you properly use the phrase. But even if we charitably read it to mean “Blagojevich’s petition raises the question of whether Pritzker supports the request,” the answer surely is “no, these things have nothing to do with each other,” right? I get it–you have to hammer Blago/Pritzker, because politics is shameless and both sides are complicit in the nonsense, and as long as you’re playing the game, no one can earnestly hold you responsible for your perfidy–but this is really, really shameless.

Comment by Chris Widger Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:25 pm
Pritzker’s Crew really needs to put this Blagojevich thing bed.

The more this continues, the more headlines that can be generated.

It’s not this is going away…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:25 pm
Meh… people obviously didnt care about Stiart Levine/Rauner connection. Nor is there a big hubbabaloo over former biz partner lawsuit against Rauner

Comment by Honeybadger Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:32 pm
How many people hear of Stu Levine?

How many people know Blago?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:34 pm
If you like heat in your house, does that mean you support fire storms? This is a real stretch from giving a speech about Criminal Justice Reform, to wanting the former Governor to get out of prison. It seems the GOP is really in desperation mode. Perhaps they are seeing polls that have not been published.

Comment by Retired Educator Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:39 pm
Stu Levine wasn’t a Top 5 donor to Rauner. They also weren’t caught on FBI wiretaps commiserating.

OW is right. JB needs to find a way to get this gum off his shoe or it could stick until next November.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:47 pm
So when the tape sound bite hit the campaign airwaves things will get ugly for JBs camp. Question is when will that occur

Comment by theCardinal Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:51 pm
RE I have been posting for quite some time under this name. Perhaps if you added a number or a symbol there would not be confusion.

Comment by Retired Educator Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:51 pm
This is quite a stretch.

Might as well attack Pritzker for having hair like Rod did while you are at it.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:54 pm
Live footage from the ILGOP’s press shop just in:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh84bamfe_A

Comment by Chicago_Downstater Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:54 pm
Pritzker does need to get out in front of this. If he is the nominee, the Rauner crew will run a Pritzker-Blago wiretap commercial at a nauseating pace.

Pritzker, go on the record today.

Comment by We'll See Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 12:59 pm
You never know what will resonate with voters, but a tape of JB and Blago discussing political appointments, combined with the timing of contributions from JB to Blago could be very damaging. Particularly as Blago sits in Federal prison. Whoever the GOP candidate is would be wise to hammer on this repeatedly.

I don’t know how JB can make this go away. Is he going to say he was only kidding. He must be counting on the straight line Dem voters to ignore it. Not sure how that will play across the state.

Comment by Lefthand Louie Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 1:02 pm
An older comment of mine…

“After exhaustive investigating by a US Attorney, including trials and convictions of many in the Blagojevich administration and ending with a trial and conviction of Rod Blagojevich, not one time was JB questioned, not one time was JB forced to testify, and not a single time did the United States Attorney in all these trials, testimonies, and convictions did the US Attorney find any wrongdoing by JB, nor did the US Attorney even find a need to look at JB as someone to even talk to about Rod Blagojevich.

To even hint any wrongdoing or impropriety by JB after months and even years of investigating Rod Blagojevich and his administration when the multitude of investigators and lawyers found none is disingenuous at best and embarrassingly weak investigative work at its worst.

The US Attorney litigated these case. They’re over. JB Pritzker wasn’t part of any aspect that the US Attorney felt compelled to investigate”

- Fake statement defending JB Pritzker

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 1:12 pm
So Rauner does Criminal Justice reform but he’s part of helping reduce recidivism?
Pritzker calls for Criminal Justice reform and he’s looking to get Blagojevich out of jail?
Boy this race is going to be great. Not only the most expensive but the dirtiest ever. Let the popcorn pop.

Comment by DuPage Bard Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 1:25 pm
Great, now what am I supposed to do?! I look like a bad part in a community theater play!

Comment by Retired Educator #3 Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 1:26 pm
That’s a stretch, but whatever, these press pops kinda necessarily take a buckshot approach.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 1:28 pm
OW I like your draft/fake statement.

JB needs to weave in “Rauner had a “convicted Blagojevich con man on his payroll … for $25,000 a month while he was hawking business from the Illinois Teachers Retirement System,” state Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale.”

Comment by We'll See Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 1:29 pm
Oh this is just great

Comment by Retired Educator #4 Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 2:29 pm
“The same applies to me. I will add a Roman numeral”

That would be better. RE #2 looks like a redacted name in an indictment.

Comment by a drop in Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 3:22 pm
Rauner will attack JB by claiming he’s Madigan’s guy and Blago’s guy. Rauner will be attacked for his failures and because Trump is the head of his party. I’m guessing personal failure and Trump weigh more than Madigan/Blago.

Comment by Trapped in the 'burbs Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 4:21 pm
RE—lol— Thanks, I appreciate the effort and rthe humor.

Comment by Retired Educator Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 5:28 pm
RE—lol— Thanks, I appreciate the effort and the humor.

Comment by Retired Educator Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 5:28 pm
a federal wiretap found no fault with JB. The businessman govenor has past and current lawsuits from family and friends

Comment by Rabid Thursday, Nov 2, 17 @ 11:08 pm