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Topinka: Blagojevich forced lobbyists to pay $10K entrance fee

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Illinois

* Perhaps Ms. Topinka should testify to the impeachment committee, or take her story to the US Attorney…

A former state treasurer says lobbyists had to pay $10,000 to get in to see Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Former Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, who was the Republican candidate for governor against Blagojevich in 2006, says lobbyists who found the governor not in his office at the Capitol would then come to her office and commiserate.

“Some complained that if they went into the office and had an appointment with the governor, it was expected that they would drop $10,000, almost as an entry fee, before a meeting would even take place,” Topinka says.

* And speaking of lobsters…

A federal judge late last week upheld Connecticut’s ban on lobbyists and state contractors making contributions to state political campaigns.

In a 98-page decision, U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport on Dec. 19 said the General Assembly was justified in enacting such a ban given Connecticut’s history of public corruption scandals involving high-ranking state politicians.

“I conclude that the legislature had a constitutional, sufficiently important interest in combating actual and perceived corruption by eliminating contributions from individuals with the means and motive to exercise undue influence over elected officials,” Underhill wrote in Green Party v. Garfield.

The judge maintained that the state’s campaign-finance law, which passed in wake of the corruption scandal that drove former Gov. John G. Rowland from office in 2004, does not “materially undermine” lobbyists’ constitutional right to free speech or to freely associate with candidates and political parties.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:19 am

Comments

There is a lot of things just like that. Check most RFP’s the state put out and chances are you will find some sort of fundraising ticket associated with it.

Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:35 am
Topinka would not seem to be the cleanest pol in Illinois. This sounds a bit like the pot calling the kettle black.

Comment by Cowgirl Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:36 am
If the Illinois General Assembly passed a similar bill banning lobbyists from making contributions, it would only make the members even bigger mushrooms. They would make the leaders even more in control. I am sure the lobsters would love to be banned from contributing.

Comment by ivoted4judy Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:37 am
Too bad Topinka didn’t know any of this when she was running against him for Gov. What is she thinking?

Comment by Wumpus Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:38 am
Cowgirl, you apparently bought into Blagojevich’s advertising/smear campaign.

Think for yourself, please.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:38 am
Why is a $5,000 a plate fundraising dinner called “access” amd a $10,000 lobbyist entrance fee called “pay to play”?

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:42 am
Perhaps Topinka should have asked those lobbyists to support her bid for Governor.

Comment by Levois Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:44 am
===Why is a $5,000 a plate fundraising dinner called “access” amd a $10,000 lobbyist entrance fee called “pay to play”?===

It’s different if it’s demanded up front in a definitive quid pro quo arrangement.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:45 am
Cowgirl, where do you get off with that accusation? Topinka ran a clean shop. You might take a look at her lifestyle vs. your friend Rod and his cronies. She is obviously one of the few statewide office holders who has not profited from her position.

Comment by Bye Rod Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:49 am
I don’t know. Hard to trust people who drink coffee out of a straw. but she may have a point

Comment by Easy Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:52 am
She should have done, or do, something with that information, shouldn’t she? That was a long time ago, obviously. Why is she talking about it now.

If she didn’t do anything with it (she was his opponent), maybe she just considered it business as usual.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:55 am
Topinka WAS calling out RRB for the crook he was/is. People seem to be conveniently forgetting that, probably in an attempt to justify foolishly voting for RRB.

Comment by anon Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:59 am
No wonder Topinka lost.

If lobbyists talks to our State Treasurer that way I would hope the only response is “file a complaint”.

Comment by Gabriel Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 10:59 am
How much was it Ozinga paid to meet with Blago? It was part of the 11th CD race and didn’t he explain the contribution as a way to get access in order to discuss highway projects with the Governor?

Comment by ValleyGal Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:01 am
It seems that the feds with their ongoing investigations and indictments (and convictions) are trying to answer the question of access vs. bribe.

Sometimes, though, you wonder whether it makes a difference when someone coerces $10,000 from you with a velvet smile and some savoir faire and someone does it as a thug with their big hair in your face?

Comment by Narcoleptic Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:06 am
Let’s assume the story is true, Blagojevich expected lobbyists to pay $10,000 to get a meeting.

Was their beef that Blago was charging too much or that he was charging at all?

If said lobbyists felt they were being extorted illegally, what did they do about?

For that matter, why didn’t JBT make it an issue?

Rod Blagojevich is an unpleasant person for most of us to deal with beyond his superficial charm.

But are the insiders PO’d at Blago because he’s a tool or b/c he’s a criminal?

It’s hard not to get the impression that politics and gov’t in Illinois are held together with shady favor banking and quid pro quos that are well enough hidden to make them difficult to prosecute.

If Blagojevich’s conduct was an outrage by Springfield standards, why didn’t the lobbyists or JBT speak up at the time?

It seems now that Blagojevich has his reputation shot and no real power everybody wants to throw him under the bus like he’s the problem. While Blagojevich’s conduct may have been criminal, the widespread silence about his illegal activities creates the impression that conduct that may be criminal is common enough to make Blagojevich’s behavior insufficiently noteworthy to report to law enforcement and prosecutors.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:08 am
Given that the Gov was never in his office, nor did he ever really meet with anyone outside his inner circle, this seems to smack of embellishment…

Comment by unlikely Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:13 am
Isn’t this the same Topinka who wanted to let Cellini off the hook for the hotel at 25 cents on the dollar - even when Jim Ryan said it was more like 50 cents on the dollar? While the current focus is on RRB, doesn’t mean everyone else is pure as the driven snow.

Comment by Smitty Irving Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:20 am
Lobbiest $10k, Contractor $25K, Senate seat $1.5mil, Former Gov. Blagoof behind bars PRICELESS.

Comment by Dan S, a Voter and Cubs Fan Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:23 am
This isn’t news.

Topinka always said Blagojevich was doing this.

It is just that no one wanted to listen to her until now.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:28 am
“File a complaint” sounds easy but in this political culture it could mean you are out of business or frozen out.

When Edward Hospital in Naperville filed a complaint it was being strong-armed by the Commission headed up by Levine, it found it’s expansion plans blocked. The culprits are now in jail but was Edward Hospital’s reward for good citizenry?

To my knowledge, even today, they are being blocked or held up, unless someone around here wishes to correct me. So being a whistle blower in this State means what?

So what is the message? Play ball Edward Hospital and you get what you wish for or blow the whistle and have your project held up 4-6 years or more?

We need to stop the rascals from running wild on both sides of the fence and in all political parties.

The silence of our major political leaders overall on ending Pay to Play once and for all (other than to bravely condemn Blagojevich) needs to come to an end.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:29 am
25 cents on the dollar was a good deal then and I’ll bet it would be now. If we had gotten 25 cents then, given the time value of money, that would be worth more than 50 cents today.
And Cellini had a very small share in this hotel.
So why do we keep throwing this in her face?

Also, all the contractors who paid to play with RRB ought to be facing some serious questioning by the FBI. Even if they were never charged with bribery, they might think twice after the G-Men put them through the ringer. And maybe some of them would actually report being squeezed next time. But TII, I know, but I can dream can’t I?

Comment by InquiringMind Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:32 am
Challenge for people claiming JBT raised the issue of Blagojevich extorting lobbyists: what keywords should I use in Google to find these Topinka allegations against Blagojevich.

I started with “Topinka”, “lobbyists” and “Blagojevich” and then started tinkering. I’m not seeing that Topinka alleged this extortion during the campaign.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:35 am
If you honestly think Topinka wasn’t out there (correctly) accusing RRB of corruption in 2006, you must’ve been living under a rock.

Comment by anon Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:44 am
Wow, that Connecticut pay-to-play law really screws over third parties, not to mentions mandates a huge amount of fundraising just to qualify for free government money — basically gives money to candidates who least need it. It’s like they invented a new form of play to play.

Read the complaint here:

http://brennan.3cdn.net/b4ba9cbfee47b4517a_wbm6b9058.pdf

Comment by PFK Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:52 am
If you paid $10,000 for a meeting and that meeting was about an appointment to a board or agency, was the $10,000 a down payment and you had to pay another $15,000 or did you have to cough up another $25,000 on top of the $10,000? Like I said…just wondering.

Comment by Just wondering... Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 11:59 am
Governor Paterson: What do you think of my appointing Carolyn to the Senate?

Political Advisor: She’ll raise you a lot of money for your election.

Governor Paterson: But how’s that any different than Blago?

Political Advisor: First, those Illinois pols don’t even trust each other. That’s why they have to ask for up front money. With us, we know Carolyn is good for it.

Comment by True Observer Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 12:11 pm
InquiringMind - If 25 cents/$ was the best deal the State could get, why did Jim Ryan insist on 50 cents/$? Don’t forget the Collinsville owners sued to enforce the 25 cent deal. If Cellini had a small piece, he could have used his gambling license profits to pay off the delinquent debt.

Comment by Smitty Irving Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 12:14 pm
Wow! Just think, if the people of Illinois would have been smart enough to vote for Topinka instead of RE-ELECTING Blago, the state of Illinois would not be the laughing stock of the United States.

Comment by Patriot Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 12:39 pm
Will JBt reveal her sources, or will she just throw rocks with a good on? Which lobbyists were asked to give a check for a meeting?

Can anything be reported without a reportable source these days?

Comment by Anon Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 12:52 pm
If you honestly think Topinka wasn’t out there (correctly) accusing RRB of corruption in 2006, you must’ve been living under a rock. –anon

If the “he charged lobbyists $10K to meet” allegation was part of JBT’s campaign, it shouldn’t be too hard to find using Google, right?

Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 1:35 pm
I think Judy B. Topinka was politically courageous for negotiating the hotel deal, knowing it would be used to trash her forever as a Cellini deal maker. I think she thought it was making the best of a bad deal that she did not make.
This deal was in the open and yes was scrutinized by the AG, who may have had his own political agenda, or weak knees, in not accepting it.

Comment by InquiringMind Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 1:57 pm
I guess she got swamped and drowned out by his mysteriously high campaign chest.

Comment by Wumpus Monday, Dec 22, 08 @ 2:52 pm
25 cents on the dollar was not a good deal for either hotel (neither was 50 cents), and don’t you find it fishy that at least the Springpatch hotel (and possibly the Collinsville hotel) are now making money, given that Cellini is now not allowed to have control over them? Some kudos to Giannoulis for working on making this a better deal for us little taxpayers, and shame on the Republicans for being so willing to allow this to drag on for so long, and waste so many of our tax dollars in court.

Remind me again, which party always likes to say that they favor business owners and investors? I guess it all depends on how many $$$$$$$ Big Bill and his minions were putting in your campaign fund…

Comment by Lynn S. Monday, Dec 29, 08 @ 4:10 pm