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I’ve noted before that the governor seems to have a lot of fundraising ties to the Indian-American community. What I didn’t know was that his family was also profiting from it. The Tribune has the story.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s wife earned more than $113,000 in real estate commissions this year through a woman who holds a longstanding, no-bid state contract and whose banker husband has business pending before state regulators.The four real estate deals involving the Chicago couple Anita and Amrish Mahajan, the last of which closed Sept. 28, account for the only commissions Patricia Blagojevich has earned this year.
The governor’s office scoffed at questions about whether it is a conflict of interest for the governor’s spouse to make money from a couple whose businesses depend on decisions made by the Blagojevich administration.
“It’s unfair and completely ridiculous to suggest she should be expected to keep track of every client she does business with to see if they have contracts with the state,” said Abby Ottenhoff, the governor’s chief spokeswoman. She said the questions were rooted in outdated attitudes toward working women.
“Every client?” If those are the only commissions she’s earned this year she doesn’t have many clients.
Amrish Mahajan–who has donated $10,000 to Blagojevich’s political campaigns–is president of a Harvey bank with requests pending before state banking regulators to acquire two out-of-state banks. His bank has lent millions of dollars to indicted Blagojevich fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko.
Mrs. Blagojevich has also done a lot of deals with Rezko in the past.
Go read the whole thing, but I love this part of the story.
“I didn’t hire her,” Mahajan said in a brief interview from the balcony of her Chicago townhouse. “I didn’t even know who she was until closing. That’s when I heard she was the governor’s wife. I try not to get involved in politics.”
Mahajan then referred the Tribune to her attorney, James Regas.
“Why shouldn’t she hire Patricia Blagojevich?” Regas said. “They’ve been friends for a long time. He [the governor] is very close to the Indian community here.”
I imagine Mrs. Mahajan’s denial is what spurred the story on. So far, this isn’t much to go on. But that denial hints that more may be there.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 6:36 am
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The governo’s officer is a natural fit for the Indian community, what with them having more hands out than a statue of Kali and more press people with different stories than the multi-headed statue of Ganesh.
As far as the missus, wow, it must be really hard to do this:
“hi, I’, Patti Blagojevich, your realtor”
“That name sounds like…”
“Yes, the governor is my husband, you should know that I can have no influence on public policy, though.”
“Um, okay.”
Comment by Gregor Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 7:15 am
The hard line could be, as Richard J. Daley once said (perhaps in another context): sure I do favors for my family. Anybody that doesn’t like it can kiss my mistletoe.
Comment by Truthful James Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 8:01 am
As these “links” between the Governor and other individuals seeking “special favors” in exchange for financial contributions continue to leak out, I find it outrageous that Blagojevich is still able to conduct business as usual with no entity (Lisa, where art thou?)there to correct the blatant situation. It borders on being hilarious, much like a Saturday Night Live skit created to entertain the audience.
The Todd Stroger candidacy is another sad “joke” that the voters in Cook County and Chicago have allowed to take place and made themselves to be the “butt of the joke”. Voters in Cook County have allowed themselves to be victimized and demeaned which is their right. But, when it comes to the Governor’s race, it is a shame that Cook County voters basically determine that the rest of the state’s voters will also be made to share being “the butt of the joke”. Could we petition to have Cook County spun off as a new state with their beloved Blago for governor? Or, perhaps exchange Cook County for Puerto Rico? Cook County political corruption is a virulent cancer that seems to infect the whole state eventually in some way, shape, or form. Patrick Fitzgerald is “our form of chemotherapy” but it is so slow acting and the patient is forced to suffer terribly while being cured.
Comment by Beowulf Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 8:09 am
At least he is committed to his family. I mean, he makes sure his kids are taken care of, his wife too. What a father/husband.
Comment by Wumpus the Free Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 8:18 am
Mahajan says she didn’t know who she (gov’s wife) was until closing, yet her attorney says they’ve been friends for a long time. Am I reading that right?
Comment by Confused Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 8:57 am
Sounds just like the check incident. “They are long time friends, but she didn’t know PB was the Govs wife.” BS!
It may take a couple of more years to hand down an indictment to Hot Rod because there are so many things this guy has his fingers in. I bet he triples the number of counts in his indictment compared to GRyans. Maybe more.
When the indictment(s) come there will be so many pages the document will look like the Federal Budget.
Comment by Buck Flagojevich Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 9:10 am
More of the same. No matter how negative Blago goes with his ads, JBT couldn’t pay for this kind of advertising. It is an opponents dream. As far as the First Lady of Illinois is concerned, she may not have been elected Governor but she is part and parcel of this whole thing. She has an absolute duty to make sure there is no conflict of interest in her business dealings. PERIOD. No excuses. I don’t want to hear how she has the right to run her own business. She has the duty and responsibility to make sure that each and every business deal she is involved in is above reproach. She gave up her right to do business as she sees fit when her husband became governor. You cannot and should not have a separate set of ethics because you believe you are the wife of the top dog and can get away with it. Mrs. B may not have been pursuing a contract with the State but she was doing business with someone who was. It’s all about ethics in this administration - A BIG, GIANT LACK OF ETHICS.
“It’s unfair and completely ridiculous to suggest she should be expected to keep track of every client she does business with to see if they have contracts with the state,†said Abby Ottenhoff, the governor’s chief spokeswoman. She said the questions were rooted in outdated attitudes toward working women. Oh, so now Abby is playing the “discrimination against working women card.” Abby, aren’t you about out of excuses? It is NOT unfair and ridiculous to ask that Mrs. B keep track of every client she does business with. Apparently she did not have that many clients. It should have been extremely easy for her to do so.
Comment by Little Egypt Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 9:13 am
Once again, like Bev Ascarides, the GOV’s office claims the two are “good friends” and that is why they are doing business with Patty. HOWEVER just like Bev said she hates BLAGO….Mrs. Mahajan says shes had no clue who she was!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah! Real close friends alright…when will it all stop?
Comment by Larry Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 9:17 am
Fitzy…..Time to take out the trash…..
I know they have fired state workers for less than what has gone on. It is time to end this garbage.
Comment by He Makes Ryan look like a saint Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 9:28 am
Maybe the Feds will, or should, also look at Patti.
Comment by It's 5 O'clock somewhere Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 9:54 am
Well, Mrs. B. is likely one realtor who doesn’t have to worry about the downturn in the housing
market.
Comment by Cassandra Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 10:15 am
Wonderful, at least Ryan was decent enough to wait until after leaving office to get indicted and thrown in jail.
Comment by zinged again Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 11:10 am
Little e
Nobody cares.
Comment by Bill Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 11:57 am
Bill,
You’re wrong there. Little Egypt cares about it. I care about it. Ethics matters. This whole thing stinks. The wife says she didn’t know who Patty was, then their attorney turns around and says they’ve been friends for a long time. Hello? Once again, something isn’t right. And it’s tied right in to the current administration. Not with Judy, not with George, but with Blago and his “reform”.
I hope Fitz takes him down, and now I don’t care how long it takes. Just as long as the paperwork is done correctly so Blago gets what he deserves and we, the people of Illinois get justice and maybe, in time, real ethics in Springfield.
Comment by Tessa Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 12:11 pm
I agree with Bill — nobody cares.
The only thing that I *could* see folks caring about — and being deeply bothered — is if Blagojevich rejected veterans in favor of friends and cronies.
But I agree with Bill — no one cares much about all this money being passed around among a small circle of friends. Illinois has grown accustomed to this and doesn’t mind it.
Comment by Yvette Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 12:15 pm
She didn’t know who Patti B was? We all know Blagojavich is as common in America as Patel is in India.
Comment by Wumpus the Free Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 12:28 pm
Isn’t this just another kick-back?
Comment by Anon Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 1:17 pm
Yvette–
Open your eyes!!!! What do you think is going on with the hiring? Every job that this administration has hired a “good friend” has gone around the Vet preference rule.
Comment by He Makes Ryan look like a saint Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 1:31 pm
Do we really think we are getting the whole story here - not easy to determine on what’s been printed - on one hand i see a mom, and a first lady who also being intelligent wanting to work but can’t do it full-time because of there being too much to do in a day - so she does what she can through recommendations and referrals - of friends and family - everyone i know who has gone into realty has asked me to use them and i did use a friend for my last sale - so what? - those folks have been doing state business for years and years even before Blagojevich came into office - you tend to also be friends with people in the same social/work cirlce of your life - so it seems logical - i don’t read much into this one at all - i do think they knew who they were doing with because people in general like to brg that they know people of power - but the fact is this is what the first lady can do to make some of her own living and work a little too - this doesn’t bug me at all -
Comment by annoyed all the time Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 1:40 pm
Bill, if what you say is true, then isn’t that a sad testimony of Illinois politics? I care and so should you and everyone else, no matter what the politics. Have you become so complacent about corruption in politics that it just rolls off your back? Have you given up the fight? Are you now looking beyond all corruption and just voting for the party, regardless of how many indictments come out, how many checks are given to the kids, how much real estate commission is earned by the wife and from whom, what civilian presents a wish list of friends to be hired and how much is paid for those positions? Should you not care about all of this? Have all of our sense of ethics been so hammered and beaten down that we are numb to what our politicians are doing and we just wink back at them, giving the impression that they can continue with the graft? Is that what we want for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren. Should we not all strive for better? Politics being what it is, it is very sad that we will NEVER have the best of the parties running for ANY political office. Who needs to put up with all the crap that goes with it, the public scrutiny, the dissection of family life? But once one chooses to run, should they not have assumed this goes with the territory - that everything they do is subject to public scrutiny? How about it Bill. Don’t YOU deserve better? Don’t our veterans deserve better? Our son is in Iraq not because he volunteered to go there and I pray to God that he will come back safely. Do you not think that he deserves a “leg up” if he applies for a State job, considering that everything else would be equal on the application and scores? Doesn’t being in charge of training 700 Iraqi’s trump giving a politician a check for $1,500? Doesn’t a West Point education trump a $10,000 campaign contribution? Don’t we all deserve better? Don’t write back with any flip answers about your favorite candidate for governor. There are some serious questions here I would like for you to honestly address.
I sincerely hope that when all of you get into the voting booth and before you check any box for any office, that you would stand there and ask yourself if you would be proud to tell people whom you voted for. I voted for Blago once but there is enough smoke surrounding him that when the fire does erupt, it will be far worse than any California wildfire. Folks, we have gone down this road before. The only difference is the political party. You are all intelligent people and I know you can see what is going to happen. Your puffery on this blog at first I admired but now it is becoming nauseous.
Comment by Little Egypt Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 2:48 pm
People - Ingore Bill. He is trying to goad us into an unwinnable arguement.
Comment by Huh? Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 5:40 pm
For many years I’ve been a skeptic regarding “appearances of impropriety” charges. Appearances are in the eye of the beholder, and the officeholder can’t control that.
Comment by steve schnorf Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 6:21 pm
Tessa,
Re: “I hope Fitz takes him down, and now I don’t care how long it takes. Just as long as the paperwork is done correctly so Blago gets what he deserves and we, the people of Illinois get justice and maybe, in time, real ethics in Springfield.”
How long is Ryan’s jail term? Not very long. That is precisely why these people gamble that they won’t get caught, because they know they can just cooperate in the end and get a reduced jail term if they end up in the slammer. Does nothing to deter the would-be-crooks from running for office.
The hilarious political satirist PJ O’Rourke once joked that “Term limits aren’t enough. We need jail.”
I think what we need are longer jail terms, if you ask me.
Voting for JBT this time. After this, I give up.
Comment by Angie Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 8:35 pm