The Isaac Hayes for Congress campaign has released a video ad to highlight the rather untrue statements of opponent Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Illinois
Is He or Isn’t He: Scott Lee Cohen for Governor?
-By Warner Todd Huston
A few days ago, we pondered the amusing possibility of Scott Lee Cohen running for Illinois Governor as an independent. Wouldn’t it be hilarious if this fellow ran for governor after being kicked off the Democrat ticket?
Well it is beginning to look like Cohen really is looking to run for governor as an independent. Now a spokesman for Michael Madigan is saying that Cohen told the party bigwigs that he does, indeed, want to run for governor as a lt.
This would be awful fun if it came to pass. But I warn everyone about Cohen. He seems awfully flakey. Don’t be surprised if Cohen flakes out and decides he “never said he’d run.”
I don’t think we can trust this guy to really commit.
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Is He or Isn’t He: Scott Lee Cohen for Governor?”
Feds Shut Down Dem. Sen. Candidate Giannoulias’ Family Owned Bank
-By Warner Todd Huston
The Democrat’s Illinois Senate candidate, Alexi Giannoulias, has seen his family business stripped away from them and placed in the hands of a new owner (MB Financial) because he and his family could not come up with the $85 million needed to shore up falling liquidity.
Banking regulators seized the Giannoulias’ Broadway Bank this evening and placed it in the hands of MB Bank, a bank with branches throughout the Chicagoland area.
Alexi Giannoulias was the bank’s chief lender and vice-president from 2002 to 2006. He has been criticized for working for the bank when it loaned $20 million to Michael “Jaws” Giorongo and reputed mobster Boris Stratievsky. Giannoulias’ family has also been attacked for taking $70 million in dividends in both 2007 and 2008 as the bank’s loans were going bad.
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Feds Shut Down Dem. Sen. Candidate Giannoulias’ Family Owned Bank”
Gay Archie Comic Character: My Channel 2 News Response
-By Warner Todd Huston
Earlier this afternoon, Mike Parker long-time reporter from CBS 2 News, Chicago, gave me a ring and asked me to make a quick trip downtown Chicago — well, “quick” being relative with Chicago traffic at rush hour — to appear with him in a piece on the recent announcement by the good folks at Archie Comics that they intended to add an openly gay character to their Archie comic book series.
It was a bit unusual for me. Not to be on TV, but to have TV call me about an item I hadn’t yet written about. I saw this story this morning but thought I’d put off writing about it until later tonight or Saturday. Now, usually I get everyone mad at me after I’ve written about something, but it looks like Mr. Parker wanted to initiate a preemptive strike with this one! Ha, ha.
Anyway, Mr. Parker was quite correct that I had a thing or two to say about the matter and I hope that I was able to effectively convey those ideas in the interview that will appear tonight during the 10 O’Clock news on Channel 2.
What struck me about this Archie announcement is that it seems we’re about to lose yet another safe haven for kid’s entertainment. Introducing a gay character may be “realistic” but does Archie have to be realistic? Kid’s entertainment doesn’t have to “reflect the current world of Teens.” It doesn’t have to present harsh realities or controversy. It can just be about fun or fantasy and it doesn’t have to delve into every aspect of life whether it be provocative, even deviate. Will the Archies have a skinhead character? Will they have a Holocaust denier character? Or how about on the other end of the spectrum and putting in a strict Christian character? Will Archie get one of those? Likely not as it doesn’t fit the liberal agenda.
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Gay Archie Comic Character: My Channel 2 News Response”
AFSCME Official’s Threats
-By Warner Todd Huston
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees chief Henry Bayer addressed a rally of Illinois unions members on April 21. During his harangue this man revealed the exact sort of logical disconnect in which union thugs everywhere wallow.
Bayer noted that 10% of the workforce in Illinois is out of work. OK, then what was his prescription to solve this situation? More taxes! How even higher taxes on the few lucky enough to have a job could help enlarge the workforce is the $64,000 question. The answer, of course, is that it can’t.
Catch this complete lack of common sense and logic in Bayer’s spittle specked rant…
“… so they (the legislature) can’t do their job, ‘you know we can’t raise taxes because people are hurting.’ And they are absoroo…lutely right. People are hurting. But let me ask you this: if we raise revenue for senior programs will it hurt the elderly? If we raise revenue for childcare will it hurt working families? If we raise revenue for community colleges and universities will it hurt students? If we raise revenue for programs for the disabled will it hurt will it hurt those individuals who get those services? If we raise revenue for public safety will it hurt our communities? If we raise money for schools will it hurt our kids? Yes people are hurting that’s why we need a tax increase!”
If this isn’t the most stupid blather I’ve yet heard from a union tough, then I’ve never heard any. Where does this guy think all those taxes are coming from if not the very people he invokes? Does he think no one that he is interested in pays state taxes? The very people he mentioned are already losing their services because government has spent itself into a hole the size of the Grand Canyon!
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AFSCME Official’s Threats”
Gov’t Waste: $300,000 for Coffee in Cook County Government?
-By Warner Todd Huston
Tony Peraica has chimed in on the “Coffee Czar” controversy as reported here earlier this week.
“Yes, despite the political insiders’ claims that government is bankrupt and their calls for tax increases — we’ve learned that the county taxpayers spent more than $75,000 on a local coffee company in the first three months of the current fiscal year alone. That adds up to some $300,000 a year for coffee and snacks!
As I told the reporter for that story, I’ve long said that we have “corruption on steroids” here in Cook County — but now we learn it might also be fueled by coffee!
Are these really the types of wasteful “projects” on which our hard-earned tax dollars should be spent?
As your commissioner, I will continue to fight to expose these instances of abuse, and to fight for sensible spending reform and tax relief.”
Gov’t Waste: $300,000 for Coffee in Cook County Government?”
Did Obama LIE?
-By Warner Todd Huston
Did the President lie? Blago thinks so. Rod Blagojevich’s team asked the court to issue a rial subpoena to President Obama to get him to answer some key questions in Blagojevich’s trial. The ex-guv is accused of attempting to sell Obama’s vacant Senate seat.
The motion was made public but was supposed to have been heavily redacted. Unfortunately for the prosecution, the computer file released to the press was easily restored to an un-redacted state through simple computer features. So, here is the un-redacted subpoena:
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Did Obama LIE?”
Ill. Policy Institute: Is Capitalism Doomed?
Institute Featured on “The Daily Show”
In case you missed it, John O’Hara, our vice president of external relations, appeared on Jon Stewart’s show to discuss the meaning of the nationwide tea parties and more. You can watch the full interview, which aired on Comedy Central, here.
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Ill. Policy Institute: Is Capitalism Doomed?”
More of Melissa Bean’s Hypocritical Ways
From the Palatine Tea Party…
(Palatine, Illinois) – Since Melissa Bean voted yes on January 28, 2009 for the $787B stimulus bill the unemployment rate in Lake County continues to rise. While Bean spent the last year ignoring her constituents and the American people she continued down a path of the takeover of our healthcare industry while ignoring the jobs which are disappearing at an alarming rate in Lake County. Bean’s stance to support the Obama Administration’s failed policies is hurting businesses and individuals which live and work in Lake County.
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More of Melissa Bean’s Hypocritical Ways”
Governor Quinn Says There’s a Tax for That
From Adam Andrzejewski and For the Good of Illinois…
One week ago today, I had the honor of speaking at five tea parties throughout Illinois. Their message – government is out of control, spending has reached unsustainable levels and we’re Taxed Enough Already.
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Governor Quinn Says There’s a Tax for That”
Call for Sen. Prez Cullerton to Step Down
-By Warner Todd Huston
Last weekend, Senate President John Cullerton (D) got himself in a bit of hot water… or rather his son got him in hot water. As we reported earlier, sonny boy got himself pulled over for drunk driving. That wasn’t the big problem, though. The big problem is that the junior sir drinksalot was driving a state owned SUV that is supposed to be used only for official state business. Yet here was the youngster flying around town, drunk twice past the legal limit, and driving a state owned vehicle.
So, have you had enough of a state government that allows drunken frat boys to use state owned vehicles to do their carousing in when the state is $12 billion in debt and climbing.
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Call for Sen. Prez Cullerton to Step Down”
Union Thugs at Capitol Demand Illinois Gov’t ‘Raise Our Taxes’
-By Warner Todd Huston
In the late morning hours of April 21 dozens of rented buses streamed into Springfield, the Illinois capitol, and began spewing out hundreds of tax-gorged union thugs. It was as if the Illinois Hog Producers association had pulled up to the capitol and thrown wide the doors to their livestock carriers.
Some estimates say the unionists mounted some 15,000 participants all there to wave their professionally printed signs and wear their gang colors… er, I mean wearing their T-Shirts bearing their union’s signature colors.
And what did they want? They wanted the Illinois legislature to raise taxes on everyone in the state so that those few union members could get even more undeserved bennies, richer pay scales and even higher pensions than anyone in the private sector could ever expect — all things they already enjoy.
But, a protest is all American, right? These guys are just like the tea partiers, aren’t they?
Not so much.
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Union Thugs at Capitol Demand Illinois Gov’t ‘Raise Our Taxes’”
Scott Lee Cohen, Independent Run for Ill. Guv?
-By Warner Todd Huston
Could it be? Could Scott Lee Cohen be roaring back to politics so soon after being thrown off the Democrat ticket in disgrace?
I don’t know about you, but this blogger is crossing his fingers and toes in hopes that it could be true. Oh, LORDY make it true. I mean, why not, eh? What fun it would be.
For those that don’t quite remember the dim days so long ago last February, Scott Lee Cohen won the Democrat primary to take the Lt. Gov. spot on the Dem. Ticket. But no sooner was he celebrating his big win when the Chicago Old Media finally started to research candidate Cohen only to discover that he had all sorts of unsavory legal and criminal allegations in his past. There was the beating he gave his prostitute girlfriend, the assault with a knife… well, let’s just say that things were a bit messy in his recent past. Once the Dems found out about his past the whole Democrat establishment rose up to demand that Cohen quit his campaign for Lt. Gov.
Well, as he headed for the door Cohen promised that he’d try for office again someday. Apparently, he’s considering that someday should be today. Several sources are reporting that Cohen would like to run for Governor as an independent this year.
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Scott Lee Cohen, Independent Run for Ill. Guv?”
Blago-a-go-go: Suckin’ Up to Da Man
-By Warner Todd Huston
In the ongoing Blago-a-go-go, the sage of the Governor whose aborted attempts to sell a U.S. Senate seat for money, profit and high falutin’ job opportunities for himself and his family, we see ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich taking a little time out from his busy radio and TV star schedule to visit the court rooms of the Richard J. Daley building in beautiful downtown Chicago.
Blago has been yelling from the rooftops that the prosecution should “play all the tapes” to prove that he, Blago, is innocent as the driven snow. Today Judge James B. Zagel (Reagan appointee, 1987) shot down Blago’s demands and said that he is the one that will determine what tapes will be played and what won’t.
“I will not allow the time of these jurors to be needlessly consumed,” Zagel said. Zagel also scolded Blago saying he would not allow any “legal head butts” to take place in his courtroom.
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Blago-a-go-go: Suckin’ Up to Da Man”
Congressman Eric Cantor Visits Chicago and Praises Bob’s Campaign
From the Dold for Congress campaign (10th District)…
Virginia Congressman and House Minority Whip, Eric Cantor, came to Chicago on Sunday 4/18 to meet with friends of the Pro-Israel Community. Congressman Cantor is the highest-ranking Jewish member of Congress. Bob first had a chance to talk with Congressman Cantor on Sunday night, at a Republican Jewish Coalition program in Skokie. Prior to the event, Bob, Congressman Cantor, and two of the area’s other Republican congressional candidates met privately to discuss the various issues impacting Israel’s security. The program that followed included remarks from Congressman Cantor, to an audience of 250 people. During his speech, the Congressman spoke glowingly about Bob and his campaign, and urged those in attendance to work hard to get Bob elected.
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Congressman Eric Cantor Visits Chicago and Praises Bob’s Campaign”
Bill Brady ‘Blogger Coffee’ Epic Fail!
-By Warner Todd Huston
As the kids on them Internet tubes say, it was an epic fail. GOP Gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady held what was claimed to be a “blogger coffee” in a restaurant in Rosemont on April 17. Three whole bloggers showed, one of which is closely connected behind the scenes to GOP movers and shakers. In other words this was not a “bloggers” anything, but just another closely controlled Brady campaign event facade that amounted to nothing.
In attendance to “meet” Brady was Bill Baar of Bill Baar’s West Side, Fran Eaton of the heavily connected Illinois Review, and a writer for NBC Chicago’s The Ward Room Blog.
As the Ward Room notes,”there wasn’t any coffee, and there were only three bloggers.”
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Bill Brady ‘Blogger Coffee’ Epic Fail!”
Rep. Roskam: GOP Not the Party of No, the Party of ‘No, How About This?’
-By Warner Todd Huston
On April 19, House Republican Whip Eric Cantor and Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam joined Fox News Chicago to talk jobs and the economy. The anchor brought up the claim made by many in the chattering classes that the GOP is just the “party of no.” Roskam had a great come back for this dismissal of the GOP’s principled stance against Obama’s socialist-like attack on our political system.
Announcing Lake County 9/12 Freedom Rally on April 24th
(Grayslake, Illinois) – The Freedom Rally is open to Americans who feel our Government has lost touch with the people. Do you who feel the U.S. Constitution is being shredded? Do you believe debts, the elected officials are incurring, will bankrupt our country? Do you see that corruption and special interest groups are the ultimate enforcers of this uncontrollable spiral? If you answered “YES!” to any or all of these questions, than you need to hear solutions and gather in numbers to make your voice heard.
This event will take place on Saturday April 24th, 2010, sign in will begin at 6:00pm, and speakers will start at 6:30pm-9:00pm. Our event will take place at 525 N. Atkinson Road, Grayslake, Il at the Living Waters assembly of God Church, Main Chapel, South East corner of W. Brae Loch Road and N. Atkinson Road.
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Announcing Lake County 9/12 Freedom Rally on April 24th”
Walsh Speaks with More Than 500 on Illinois’ Manufacturing Industry
From the Walsh for Congress campaign (8th District)…
(Oakbrook Terrace, IL)– “Illinois manufacturers are job creators, wealth creators, and they are the sector that will lead the economic recovery in Illinois,” said Republican challenger Joe Walsh on Monday afternoon while speaking to representatives from some 500 manufacturing companies at Metals Services Institute conference.
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Walsh Speaks with More Than 500 on Illinois’ Manufacturing Industry”
Rahm Emanuel: ‘I Would Like to Run for Mayor of Chicago’
-By Warner Todd Huston
On PBS’ Charlie Rose show, Rahm Emanuel finally admitted what has been rumored in hushed voices throughout the city of Chicago: He wants to run for Mayor.
Emanuel told host Rose that if Mayor Daley decides not to run again, he would like to throw his own hat in the ring and run for the big seat at City Hall.
But if Mayor Daley doesn’t, one day I would like to run for mayor of the City of Chicago. That’s always been an aspiration of mine even when I was in the House of Representatives.
Now the pressure is on Mayor Daley to decide if he wants another term and to wonder if Emanuel will run against him despite his claim to want to support Da Mayor if he runs again.
The diminutive, oft times profane Emanuel reiterated a few times that he’s not looking to knock Richard Daley out of the office, but one really does have to wonder. Few Presidential Chiefs of Staff last long and one can be pretty sure that Emanuel will be gone for that position sooner rather than later. So, is he really, really sure that he won’t run to beat Daley?
This is a question that Daley would be foolish not to be asking himself.
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Rahm Emanuel: ‘I Would Like to Run for Mayor of Chicago’”
Ill. State Senate Prez’ Son in DUI Driving State Owned Vehicle
-By Warner Todd Huston
The son of Illinois State Senate President John Cullerton (D, 6th District) was arrested for drunk driving over the weekend. He had a blood alcohol level of .188, twice the legal limit of .08.
The vehicle that son Garritt was driving was a state owned SUV that is supposedly only to be used for official state business.
Cullerton immediately told reporters that he didn’t know his son was diving around in a state owned vehicle.
“A Senate vehicle assigned to the Senate President for official legislative business was used by his son without his authorization,” Sen. Cullerton’s office said in a written statement. “The Senate President is dissapointed that this incident occurred and takes this matter very seriously. He will work to ensure that this does not occur in the future.”
What utter BS.
You expect anyone to believe, Senator Cullerton, that your son stole the SUV to joy ride in after boozing it up? You truly mean to tell us, Senator Cullerton, that your son is a drunk AND a thief at the same time?
No, Mr. Cullerton, what is far more likely is that your son got caught drunk driving — bad enough of course — but that he was driving the state-owned vehicle because you let him do it all the time and it wasn’t out of the ordinary at all.
Yet, here you are throwing your own son under the bus… or SUV as the case may be… just so people won’t realize that your family has been illegally using state-owned vehicles for their own personal needs.
Mr. Cullerton you are not only a crook, but a bad father. Shame on you.
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Ill. State Senate Prez’ Son in DUI Driving State Owned Vehicle”
14th District, Hultgren: The Momentum is Shifting!
From the Hultgren for Congress campaign (14th District)…
Great news from the campaign trail!
This week non partisan political analyst Stu Rothenberg came out with his latest House race rankings, and he’s moved Rep. Bill Foster’s seat closer to the Republican column, calling it a “Pure Toss Up!”
Additionally, thanks to the huge outpouring of support from around the district, our campaign had its best fundraising quarter yet!
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14th District, Hultgren: The Momentum is Shifting!”
Hultgren Moves 14th District to ‘Pure Toss-Up’
-By Warner Todd Huston
According to the Rothenberg Political Report, the race in the 14th Congressional District is now a “pure toss-up” in a political climate in which 44 seats have been moved in favor of Republicans while only 4 have moved in favor of Democrats.
Currently, the 14th District is represented by Democrat Bill Foster who took the seat formerly held by Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert. The Republican candidate for the 14th is Randy Hultgren, currently the State Senator for the 48th District.
Hultgren won the primary pretty handily by defeating Ethan Hastert 54% to Hastert’s 45%.
Hultgren graduated from Wheaton Academy in 1984 and from Bethel University in 1988, Magna Cum Laude. He earned his doctorate degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1993. He’s been both a state rep as well as a senator in Springfield since 1998.
His site can be seen at: http://hultgrenforcongress.com/
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Hultgren Moves 14th District to ‘Pure Toss-Up’”
Is Scott Lee Cohen Eyeing Guv’s Chair, Now?
-By Warner Todd Huston
Former candidate for Comptroller William Kelly reported to Chicago News Bench that Scott Lee Cohen is thinking of running for the Governor’s seat. Could it be? Could the guy that the Democrat Party forced off the ticket when he won the Lt. Guv’s spot now be looking to take his revenge out against the Party by opposing them for Governor?
And if he does run, will he run as a Democrat or will he run as an independent? How will he do it? Or is he really thinking about the next run, not the 2010 run? There’s a ton of questions with this one, that’s for sure.
One thing is sure, though. Scott Lee Cohen has said to various members of the media, both new and old, that he will be running for something in the future… though to date he has not officially said what that office might be.
It would be a hoot if he decided to run for governor against Quinn and the Democrats both. It would be Chicago politics at its most circus-like. Political life under the big top, is what we have.
Tom Mannis has some other hot Cohen gossip at his Chicago News Bench site, so go on over and take a look.
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Is Scott Lee Cohen Eyeing Guv’s Chair, Now?”
Going to the Sam Adams Sammies Awards
-By Warner Todd Huston
The Sammies Awards are to be held in beautiful downtown Chicago, Illinois tonight. I’ll be attending and (hopefully) live blogging — if my wireless works down there, which it may not. And if they have a place to do it from… which they may not! But, regardless, I’ll have a full report on the event when I get back at the very least.
The 2010 Sammies Awards show in Chicago is tonight, April 16, 2010. Sam Adams Alliance will recognize six of the country’s finest free-market activists and government watchdogs, and feature Internet media entrepreneur Andrew Breitbart as their special guest at this year’s awards show. They are also fortunate to have John Fund, of the Wall Street Journal, joining us at this year’s dinner. Hope to see you there!
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Going to the Sam Adams Sammies Awards”
Chicago Tax Day Tea Party Video: Ballad of the Tea Party
During the tea party protest downtown Chicago at Daley Plaza, 9th District Republican candidate for Congress Joel Pollak debuted his new song, “Ballad of the Tea Party.”
Pollack himself performed the tune. It has the ring of a good old Irish diddie.
“Hey, hey, what do we say? Don’t tax our freedom away!”
Lyrics:
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Chicago Tax Day Tea Party Video: Ballad of the Tea Party”
Cook County Commissioner Peraica at the Chicago Tax Day Tea Party
Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica produced this video of his attendance at the Tax Day Tea Party event held in Daly Plaza, in beautiful, corrupt downtown Chicago!
Tony is right to mention the “corruption tax” we in Crook County pay every day. Let’s hope that in November of 2010 these tea party efforts will help bring about the real hope and change that this country needs.
Proft’s latest: The Simple Math of Socialism
From Dan Proft…
The Simple Math of Socialism
If you’re like me, there’s nothing you enjoy more than listening to politicians you can’t trust try to explain legislation they haven’t read by arguing about accounting models they don’t understand lifted from government agencies they manipulate that leave you with tax bills you can’t afford.
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Proft’s latest: The Simple Math of Socialism”
Urgent Appeal: Stop the Cynical Attempt to Seize Control of Redistricting by Corrupt Power Brokers!
From the Putback Amendment effort…
For a few months now, I’ve been sending you e-mails about the Put-Back Amendment, a citizen-initiated amendment to provide term limits and comprehensive reform of the General Assembly. I encourage you to keep sending in signed petitions to help me get the 500,000 signatures to get this on the ballot. However, that is not the reason for my e-mail today.
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Urgent Appeal: Stop the Cynical Attempt to Seize Control of Redistricting by Corrupt Power Brokers!”
Prosecutors: Blago Wanted to ‘Personally Profit’ From U.S. Senate Seat
-By Warner Todd Huston
U.S. prosecutors released a document today detailing some of the charges against former Governor Rod Blagojevich one of which is that the ex-gov “repeatedly expressed an interest in personally profiting” from his responsibility to appoint a successor to fill Barack Obama’s Senate seat abandoned in 2008 when he won election to the White House.
The document reports that Blagojevich told a high-ranking aide, “Now is the time for me to put my (expletive) children and wife first, for a change.”
Also repeated is the allegation that Blago expected to turn his power to appoint a Senator into a future job for himself and/or his wife, a “good gig” as he put it, as heard on surveillance tapes in possession of prosecutors.
Much of this info has come out in drips and drabbles in the past, but this is the first time that prosecutors have assembled it all in a single document laying out their roadmap for proceeding on the case.
Quite a few shady financial deals are outlined in the document.
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Prosecutors: Blago Wanted to ‘Personally Profit’ From U.S. Senate Seat”