http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/blagojevich/ en-us Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:58:33 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2047479/posts --snip-- Violent crime in the city of Chicago is out of control," Blagojevich said at the bill signing ceremony. "I'm offering resources of the state to the city to work in a constructive way with Mayor Daley to do everything we can possibly do to help stop this violence," said the governor. The summer of 2008 will be remembered as especially violent. Blagojevich said there's been a child shot nearly every day since June 26, with 29 Chicago Public School students shot since last fall WMAQ TV Chicago http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2047479/posts#comment Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:58:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2047031/posts NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN? | Gov offers to send state troopers and National Guard copters to fight gang violence Calling violence in Chicago "out of control," Gov. Blagojevich on Wednesday offered to lend state troopers and National Guard helicopters to the city to augment the Chicago Police. The governor is considering forming an "elite tactical team" to help the Chicago Police fight gang problems, a source said, adding that the unit could later be sent across the state to deal with gang problems at any city's request. It's fair to say that violent crime in Chicago is out of control.... Chicago Sun-Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2047031/posts#comment Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:12:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2046640/posts Gov: Chicago may get troopers, National Guard By DON BABWIN | Associated Press Writer 5:14 PM CDT, July 16, 2008 CHICAGO - Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday raised the possibility of bringing in state troopers or even the Illinois National Guard to help Chicago combat a recent increase in violent crime -- an offer that Mayor Richard Daley didn't know was coming. Appearing at signing ceremony for a bill that toughens the penalty for adults who provide guns to minors, Blagojevich said "violent crime in the city of Chicago is out of control." "I'm offering resources of the state to... Chicago Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2046640/posts#comment Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:21:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045715/posts Gov. Rod Blagojevich used his amendatory veto power Monday to rewrite a House bill that would require medical costs associated with autism to be covered by insurance. About 26,000 children in Illinois have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and families often cover treatment costs using personal funds, according to a governor's office news release. Blagojevich and other supporters instead want insurance companies to cover up to $36,000 a year for diagnosis and treatment of autism, including speech therapy and psychiatric services, as well as doctor visits until a patient reaches 21. “Since most insurance companies do not cover the... Springfield Daily Chronicle http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045715/posts#comment Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:54:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045031/posts Ryan Lizza writes a New Yorker article entitled "Making it: How Chicago shaped Obama." If you ask me, Barack Obama does not come off well here. Calculating politicians, ready to find scapegoats and godfather to pull levers for him and shower money unto him. But more importantly, 15 pages later, I find no evidence that Obama accomplished anything other than helping out on Project Vote. My guess is that he allied himself with ACORN on that one, but we don't see any information on that. Lizza ignores his work on what he calls the two "liberal foundations" -- which is... American Thinker http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045031/posts#comment Mon, 14 Jul 2008 03:50:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044381/posts Ties to Illinois governor threaten DemBy JOSH KRAUSHAAR | 7/8/08 6:49 PM EST While Barack Obama figures to be an unalloyed asset to down-ballot Illinois Democrats this fall, another statewide politician is threatening to become an equally significant drag on one of the Democrats’ leading congressional recruits. Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich is proving so politically toxic that he has become a central issue in the campaign to succeed retiring Republican Rep. Jerry Weller. Democratic state Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson and Republican concrete magnate Martin Ozinga III are each accusing the other of having closer ties to the two-term governor,... Politico http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044381/posts#comment Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:47:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2040201/posts Link only http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2040201/posts#comment Thu, 3 Jul 2008 13:01:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2038223/posts Judge seals files on gov interviewBY NATASHA KORECKI Federal Courts Reporter nkorecki@suntimes.com June 28, 2008 A day after it was made public, a federal judge on Friday sealed a court filing that revealed that Gov. Blagojevich had been interviewed by federal agents. According to the document, Blagojevich denied having conversations described in court by two key prosecution witnesses in the corruption trial of Tony Rezko, a former Blagojevich adviser and fund-raiser. The witnesses testified that the governor made statements tying state business to financial support for his campaign. U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve ordered the document sealed again, without... Chicago Sun Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2038223/posts#comment Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:58:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2038134/posts Barack Obama made one shrewd move this week, along with one risky one. In talking with reporters after the Supreme Court ruled that criminals who rape children may not be executed, Mr. Obama moved smartly to the political center. "I think that the rape of a small child, six or eight years old, is a heinous crime and if a state makes a decision that under narrow, limited, well-defined circumstances, the death penalty is at least potentially applicable, that does not violate our Constitution," he said, siding with conservative dissenters in the case. Mr. Obama was on shakier ground when... Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2038134/posts#comment Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:50:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2035970/posts Blagojevich threatens $1.5 billion in budget cutsPosted by David Mendell and Ray Long at 2:20 p.m. Originally posted: June 24, 2008 Gov. Rod Blagojevich tried to volley the state budget problem back at lawmakers Tuesday, threatening $1.5 billion in cuts he said he'll make unless the General Assembly comes up with more money. The governor, however, stopped short of saying he'll call lawmakers back to Springfield, instead urging the House to come back to the Capitol to approve revenue-generating measures the Senate approved in the spring. "As I've said before, the budget sent to me fails to meet the constitutional... Chicago Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2035970/posts#comment Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:37:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2034700/posts Democratic governors give Obama their priority listJune 21, 2008 By Abdon M. Pallasch, Sun-Times News Group U.S. Sen. Barack Obama started the day Friday with a Chicago gathering of 16 Democratic governors who all pledged to work hard to get him elected president - even those who backed Hillary Clinton in the primary races. Obama then flew to Florida to warn that U.S. Sen. John McCain's plan for off-shore drilling could corrupt the coastline and won't help American drivers for 22 years. **SNIP** Missing from Friday's gathering of 16 of the nation's 28 Democratic governors in Chicago was Illinois Gov.... South Town Star http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2034700/posts#comment Sun, 22 Jun 2008 14:05:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2032743/posts Flider favors recall vote, not impeachmentBy RON INGRAM & MIKE FRAZIER - H&R StaffWriters Monday, June 16, 2008 7:57 AM CDT State Rep. Bob Flider, D-Mount Zion, has voiced frustrations and disagreements with Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but he thinks talk of impeaching the governor is "premature." During a meeting with Herald & Review editors last week, Flider reacted to news reports that House Speaker Michael Madigan had circulated a memo to legislative candidates spelling out how to call for impeachment hearings. The memo provided talking points that compared corruption under Blagojevich's administration with a tumor that must be removed. A... Herald Review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2032743/posts#comment Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:36:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2032639/posts Obama fundraiser attracts criticism from GOP, raises questions on ethicsBy Alexander Bolton Posted: 06/17/08 06:42 PM [ET] An event Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) headlined last week has prompted head-scratching among Illinois ethics experts and drawn sharp rebuke from Republicans because one of the main organizers participated in Antoin “Tony” Rezko’s old fundraising network. John W. Rogers Jr., the chairman of Ariel Investments who gave $22,500 in contributions to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) through Rezko, hosted a top-dollar special reception with Obama Thursday to raise money for the Democratic White House Victory Fund. Rogers has also pledged to raise over... The Hill http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2032639/posts#comment Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:54:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2029550/posts (Illinois) House Speaker Michael Madigan has sent a 14-page memo to Democratic legislative candidates that outlines "talking points" in favor of launching "impeachment proceedings" against Gov. Blagojevich. The memo, obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, refers to corruption under Blagojevich as a "tumor" and notes that "criminal activity in the Blagojevich administration is no longer theoretical -- it is proven." A Madigan aide said the document is not necessarily reflective of the speaker's personal views but was prepared by House Democratic campaign staff. "Candidates get incessant questions from the media about the impeachment process. Some asked staff if they could have... Chicago Sun-Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2029550/posts#comment Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:27:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2029453/posts There is a reason Mike Madigan has been Illinois House Speaker for 24 of the past 26 years (the exception being the hiccup of the Gingrich Revolution year of 1994 which Madigan quickly rectified in 1996). He has a shrewd political mind. He is not given to reckless behavior or careless, emotional excess. He demands and receives loyalty. And he is patient, plotting in the present for a payoff he anticipates years down the road. These qualities explain Madigan's success in methodically converting Republican legislative seats in suburban Cook County and the collar counties into Democrat ones. So it is... Urquhart Media, LLC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2029453/posts#comment Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:22:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2029118/posts House Speaker Michael Madigan is circulating a memo to legislative candidates spelling out how they can discuss whether Gov. Rod Blagojevich should be impeached - with talking points that compare corruption under the governor to a tumor that must be removed. The 14-page rundown of Blagojevich's alleged "misdeeds and malfeasance" is sure to deepen the feud between the two Democrats and lend substance to talk of impeachment. A memo sent to some House Democratic candidates, obtained Tuesday by the Associated Press, offers detailed talking points on the merits of impeachment. "One thing we learned from the (imprisoned former Republican Gov.)... The State Journal-Register http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2029118/posts#comment Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:01:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2029108/posts With the ink barely dry on the verdict form in one trial, a federal judge on Monday set a trial date for Tony Rezko's next case. The trial for the onetime influential political fund-raiser is set to start Feb. 2, 2009. It involves a $10 million loan fraud scheme. Rezko allegedly asked a former state official, Ali Ata, to doctor up a letter to help secure loans for his pizza franchises, as part of the case. On Wednesday, a federal jury convicted Rezko of far-reaching fraud tied to state deals. He surrendered to jail immediately. In limbo now is a... SunTimes http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2029108/posts#comment Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:34:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2026824/posts Everything about the jury verdict in the Tony Rezko trial went pretty much as one might have predicted Wednesday, except for what happened right afterward. Rezko voluntarily surrendered to federal authorities. Rather than ask U.S. District Court Judge Amy St. Eve to remain free on bond while he awaits sentencing, as is customary in federal court here, Rezko opted to go directly to jail. He did not pass go. He did not collect 200 excuses as to why he shouldn't have to start serving his sentence. Heck, he didn't even wait for his sentence. Even St. Eve seemed to raise... Sun Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2026824/posts#comment Fri, 6 Jun 2008 01:22:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2026234/posts Ex-Obama friend convicted in Chicago Antoin Tony Rezko, a former friend of Barack Obama and former top adviser to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was convicted Wednesday on corruption charges. Rezko was charged with trading on his clout as a Blagojevich adviser and fundraiser. The Chicago Tribune reported the conviction could spell trouble for the governor, who made Rezko an important member of his kitchen Cabinet. A federal jury in Chicago convicted Rezko on 16 of 24 corruption counts after deliberating for parts of 13 days. Rezko was convicted of conspiring with Stuart Levine, a longtime GOP activist, to extort millions... Moldova http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2026234/posts#comment Thu, 5 Jun 2008 01:58:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2016661/posts Gov. Wants Health Care Expansion Despite Unpaid Bills CHICAGO (CBS) ― Gov. Rod Blagojevich continues to push an expansion of state-subsidized health insurance, despite a new audit that found at least $1.5 billion in unpaid bills and the system is plagued by mismanagement. CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports among the health care programs affected by the state's delinquency in paying its bills is a treatment program for pregnant drug abusers. The Haymarket Center recently had to wait more than three months for payment from the State of Illinois, and in the meanwhile had to find $600,000 elsewhere to... cbs2chicago.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2016661/posts#comment Fri, 16 May 2008 02:36:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2014559/posts Politics produces a gap between words and deeds. Obama exaggerates the credit he deserves for a limited piece of ethics-reform legislation. He embellishes when he presents himslf as having a consistent record on the Iraq war when in fact he's done done a fair amount of zigzagging. He says it was the 1965 bloody attacks on civil rights protesters in Selma, Alabama, that inspired his parents to marry. They had been married for years already. He engages in doubletalk when, on free trade and Iraq, he tells the yokels one thing and the policy people another. He overstates when he... The Australian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2014559/posts#comment Sun, 11 May 2008 22:33:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2014370/posts HOW DO we even begin to measure the degree of crassness embodied in Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s failure to show up at Wednesday’s Days of Remembrance Holocaust Observance at the Old State Capitol? There simply is no metric for an act of omission that so clearly demonstrates this governor’s lack of respect for so many things: for those who planned and participated in Wednesday’s event, for the history it represents, for the very office that he holds. The Holocaust observance is a 27-year tradition that, until 2004, always had featured the governor in attendance. Blagojevich missed it in 2004 because he... Springfield [IL] Journal-Register http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2014370/posts#comment Sun, 11 May 2008 12:36:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2008661/posts CHICAGO — The high-stakes courtroom drama was all about politics, patronage and payoffs. Illinoisans watched in fascination as George Ryan, the once-mighty Republican governor, fought to avoid a one-way ticket to federal prison but lost. And now they wonder: Will his Democratic successor, Rod Blagojevich, be next? “I think the governor is in extraordinarily big trouble,” Cindi Canary, director of the nonpartisan, foundation-funded Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said last week as Blagojevich’s problems grew. The governor’s name has surfaced repeatedly in the federal corruption trial of Antoin “Tony” Rezko, the Chicago real estate developer and fast-food tycoon who raised... ASSOCIATED PRESS http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2008661/posts#comment Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:08:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2006791/posts Illinois Democrat Governor Rod Blagojevich is facing impeachment talk from within his own party in the wake of the plea agreement of Rezko pal Ali Ata. The Chicago Sun-Times reports The impeachment drumbeat at the Statehouse grew louder Wednesday, a day after the blockbuster accusation by a former state official that he got his state job after pouring money into Gov. Blagojevich's campaign fund -- including a $25,000 check in an envelope he presented to the governor.Two House Democrats said discussions on a possible impeachment resolution targeting Blagojevich accelerated after Tuesday's disclosure by Ali Ata, whom the governor appointed to... American Thinker http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2006791/posts#comment Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:40:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2005868/posts A former top official in Gov. Blagojevich's administration said Tuesday the governor gave him a $127,000-a-year state job in exchange for pouring cash into Blagojevich's campaign fund, including tens of thousands of dollars out of his own pocket. That bombshell from Ali Ata came as the onetime director of the Illinois Finance Authority pleaded guilty in a deal in which prosecutors plan to have him testify in the ongoing corruption trial of former Blagojevich fund-raiser Tony Rezko. » Click to enlarge image From left: Tony Rezko, Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Ali Ata. (AP/Sun-Times files) RELATED STORIESEx-Blagojevich aide pleads guilty Rezko... Chicago Sun-Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2005868/posts#comment Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:59:40 GMT