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* This isn’t new. The Sun-Times has reported it before, but as I’ve said many times, Michael Sneed has the best federal sources in the biz…
Sneed hears rumbles that convicted influence peddler Tony Rezko… is singing to the feds.
To wit: “I’m told by a close friend of Rezko that he’s cooperating with the feds,” said a Sneed source.
Kinda indirect, but in the wake of this week’s CBS 2 report about the IRS probing the guv’s finances, this is not good news at all.
* Meanwhile, the governor continues to point the finger of blame…
With unemployment numbers up across the state, Gov. Rod Blagojevich Thursday blamed House lawmakers for not putting people to work by paying for a huge state construction program. […]
‘’Yet even in the face of soaring unemployment, the Illinois House has stalled the jobs plan that would put hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans to work,'’ the governor said in a statement. […]
House Speaker Michael Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said Blagojevich should have urged the Senate to approve the lottery plan [which would fund the capital spending plan] this week while lawmakers worked on other matters in Springfield.
‘’Maybe the governor’s not able to multi-task, I don’t know,'’ Brown said.
* A potential Republican opponent paid a visit to the Tribune editorial board yesterday…
Federal Housing Secy. Steve Preston acknowledges there have been some people urging him to consider a 2010 bid for governor, but trying to resolve a national housing crisis and rescue the Republican Party in Illinois may be a bit too much multitasking.
“I haven’t ruled anything out, but I am really very, very heavily focused on the job at hand in Washington,” Preston told the Tribune’s editorial board on Thursday. […]
“I’ve had a couple of people tugging on my sleeves,” he said, declining to name them.
Despite his presence in the presidential Cabinet, Preston is not well known in the state and some Republican leaders privately questioned a potential candidacy. Others said he could be the political outsider that the state GOP badly needs.
It’s not just that he’s an unknown. He’s an unknown who works for President Bush, who ain’t exactly popular in this state.
Judy Baar Topinka actually led Gov. Blagojevich in 2006 post-primary polling. The guv’s campaign ran a TV ad linking JBT to GWB, and she sank like a stone, never to rise again.
* Unemployment up in all Illinois cities
* It’s an ethics law in Illinois, so look for the loopholes
* Yesterday’s ‘monumental’ ethics reform today’s chopped liver
* Tollway Revolving Door Opens Ethics Questions
* Inside McPartlin’s departure from the tollway
* Tollway chief’s move begs question on ethics law
* Tollway chief’s move adds to questions about strength of ethics law
* Toll director resigns, takes new job
* Another tollway chief leaves for company that got contracts
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 10:39 am
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Wouldn’t it be weird if one of those new prison beds ends up being used by Blagojevich?
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 10:48 am
Guv’s reservation is at a Club Fed facility, not a new state one.
Comment by A Citizen Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 10:53 am
Quite a loophole there for the toll chief. I think somehow in Illinois, something got lost in translating “ethics” from the Latin.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:06 am
If Rezco is singing that means the feds have Kelly, but good, which means he will have to sing as well which means lots of people will be looking to make deals for their testimony which would end this fiaco at last.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:09 am
Was is really necessary for Sneed to mention Obama? I mean if your source says “I don’t know whether he’s talking about Gov. Blagojevich or Barack Obama or anyone else,”, then why print that?
Comment by HV in HP Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:10 am
I do think everyone should chill a bit on the Blago indictment. I don’t like him as governor more than anyone else, but there needs to be some perspective. He isn’t indicted yet, and only Fitz knows when or if all the ducks will be lined up for the grand jury.
Even if Blago does get indicted, while the federal govt. does have a really great conviction rate, it’s not 100%. And if you think Blago’s ego is bad now, can you imagine him after an acquital/hung jury? I shudder to even imagine what he could come up with.
Comment by South Side Mike Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:18 am
An elephant never forgets!
Comment by Bill Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:19 am
So association means everything? Topinka associates with Ryan and this other guy associates with Bush.
Comment by Levois Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:20 am
If they have something they should move on it….How much (MORE) damage can Blago do to state government over the next two years???
Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:22 am
SSM,
I imagine if he was ever indicted he would be impeached so we wouldn’t have to deal with his ego, but chilling a bit is a good point. I don’t really wish jail on da Governor just a change of employment.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:25 am
It’s not just that he’s an unknown. He’s an unknown who works for President Bush, who ain’t exactly popular in this state.
And he is unknown and has something to do with HOUSING while the housing/mortgage/banking world is freefalling down around our ears.
Even the AccordianGal & BrickheadJoe could make that into an issue.
And I agree, let chill on Blagoof. Remember the man has nothing to fear but the truth.
Comment by EmptySuitParade Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:33 am
“….How much (MORE) damage can Blago do to state government over the next two years???”
I asked myself that same question two years ago. Lesson learned.
Comment by This Guy Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:37 am
Rich writes about Preston:
It’s not just that he’s an unknown. He’s an unknown who works for President Bush, who ain’t exactly popular in this state.
On the other hand, the general election will be in 2010, long after Bush has left the scene. Feelings will be much cooler.
On the other hand, Bush remains insanely popular with the GOP base. This is far more important in the early stages of a campaign which will take place next year.
Preston’s real problem will be with the housing market. If it’s still a problem, he’s got a problem. But if the housing sector rebounds by 2010, it will be harder to make the connection.
I know little about the guy — and I will support the Democratic candidate not named Blagojevich. Nevertheless, this offers an interesting possibility for the Republicans.
Comment by the Other Anonymous Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:41 am
While she may have some of the best federal sources in the business; unless she is being artfully deceptive, her source in this instance appears to be a friend of Rezko’s, rather than an “undisclosed” government source. I tend to doubt that Rezko has too many friends in the U.S. Attroney’s office at this point.Of course I am sure that everything Sneed publishes is independently verified and corroborated with at least one other credible source. (~)
Comment by Hallelujah Chorus Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:42 am
===On the other hand, the general election will be in 2010, long after Bush has left the scene. Feelings will be much cooler.===
Reagan and the GOPs bashed Jimmy Carter for years, and it worked well. I wouldn’t be too sure of GWB’s unpopularity fading any time in the near future.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:49 am
==Maybe the governor’s not able to multi-task, I don’t know.==
I had to clean up some Diet Pepsi after I read this! A candidate for quote of the week or something lol
Comment by Vote Quimby! Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 11:54 am
I did figure out something about the Governor when watching the movie Burn After Reading. The character George Clooney plays is constantly doing dumn things and getting depressed and needs to jog which puts him in a better mood which allows him to continue to do dumb things. I think the Governor should quit jogging for his health.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 12:02 pm
So we have a revolving door policy which apparently is toothless. Great. Boy, I sure wish we had some ethics legislation to consider….
Comment by Vote Quimby! Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 12:05 pm
Kelly, Rezko, and many more “flippers” are singing to the feds. My guess is that Fitz is trying to assemble a complete Morman Tabernacle Choir before he indicts and goes to trial.
Comment by A Citizen Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 12:08 pm
This Guy - Ask Bill, he knows.
Comment by Little Egypt Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 12:17 pm
I’m not sure that Rezko is a credible/reliable witness in documenting the machinations of our absentee governor, but at this point in Governor Rod’s reign, I’ll bet there’s a sizable portion of the populace who don’t care - any way to get rid of Blago is worth pursuing and the sooner the better.
I wonder if either Emil Jones or Todd Stroger has an unemployed offspring or relative who can be appointed to this position. Why bother with the formality and hassle of an election?
Comment by BobW Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 12:29 pm
Sneed is hinting at something I’ve predicted a couple times on this site. When the next shoe drops it is likely to hit Mrs. B. right on the head. Her undoing is going to be her real estate deals with Rezko.
Comment by Leave a light on George Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 12:31 pm
Sneed has 1 good source for every 50 bad ones.
I don’t see why Fitz is so interested in pushing Rezko right now.
If Obama wins, Fitz would be a great choice for US Attorney. It would get him out of Chicago via a promotion; Daley would obviously benefit; and it would help Obama selecting someone so qualified and bipartisan.
Comment by Take It Easy Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 12:48 pm
Not only is there bad news for Blago, but there is bad news for Mr Froehlich. He had a debate last night and Anita plowed over him. She was so confident and sharp and poor Paul had his head down and made little to no eye contact with the crowd. What happened to him? Also Anita wants to do the parents night out. It will only look good for Anita.
Comment by boscobud Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 1:14 pm
Seems odd that the U.S. Attorney would “cancel” rather than postpone the trial of Nicholas Blase. That would not seem likely to occur for the benefit of some one that developed laryngitis.
Caparelli seems to have been the patron saint for Niles during the current administration, and public works projects continued to be well funded there even during difficult budget times, but the largesse didn’t stop there. Lot’s of DCEO money found its way to Niles based companies, and on a per capita basis of municipal citizens, with under 30,00o residents, they have to rank way up there in terms of public and private grant dollars received.
No shortage of “A” list contributors with Niles connections either.
When the U.S. Attorney’s office starts turning over rocks; sometimes even they are surprised at what they find.
Comment by Hallelujah Chorus Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 1:14 pm
Rezko is singing like a bird; but it will still take some time to firm up an indictment. But it will happen. And my sources are better then Carole Marin’s.
Comment by Legal Eagle Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 1:48 pm
Legal Eagle-
You forget that the Hurtgen trail is coming up in Nov. If Rezko is singing about the $400K he picked up via Hurtgen via Kjellander this could get very interesting.
If Kjellander goes so goes Cellini.
It might even bleed up to Wisconsin Gov. Doyle.
Comment by Legal Sparrow Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 2:48 pm
Hmmm- well if history is an indicator he might well get indicted- take Hurtgen who owned a stake in Knight E/A. He’s on trial in Operation Board Games.
Comment by Legal Sparrow Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 3:03 pm
Thank God it’s almost over. At the most we have to wait only 2 more years but from the sound of it Mr. Fitzgerald is going to make it much sooner. Those anonymous sources Sneed has are usually leaks that the US Attorney’s office wants to get out so that if anyone is having a hard time making up their mind as to whether they should testify it becomes easier. Anyone know whats going on with Chris Kelly?
Comment by tiredofwaiting Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 3:08 pm
Hmmm………….so he’s going to an engineering firm that does business with the Tollway.
Since McPartlin’s not an engineer, I bet his job will be to get more state contracts for the firm.
Certianly sounds like “Reform & Renewal” to me.
Comment by Larry "Bud" Mellman Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 4:51 pm
Wasn’t it Capt. Fax who observed awhile back that Co-Schemer A seemed like a bigger blip on the Fed radar than Public Official A? From the sounds of whistles in the wind old AA is hearing around the ‘patch, I think the Capt. is still correct.
Further, that would be a ball that could be teed up and smacked down the fairway without having to yell “Fore!” out east or worry about hitting a POTUS candidate upside the head.
POA (and Mrs. POA) don’t get a pass; they just have to wait their turn.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 4:55 pm
Where did the last IDOT secretary of transportation go, to a consulting company too. Someone ought to talley up how many IDOT employees went to consulting companies…you’d be surprised.
Comment by NoGiftsPlease Friday, Sep 26, 08 @ 6:58 pm
Quite a loophole there for the toll chief. I think somehow in Illinois, something got lost in translating “ethics” from the Latin.
Comment by Chicago Skyline Photos Saturday, Sep 27, 08 @ 2:29 pm