From:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/588442,watchdog04.stnghttp:/
...The much-conflicted alderman says he meant to sit out the vote. He’d even sent a letter to the Chicago Board of Ethics in August 2003 saying he would abstain from any Council votes on Rezko’s plan to put as many as 5,000 homes and stores on a 62-acre site along the Chicago River at Roosevelt Road.
But then Rezko’s project came before the City Council on March 31, 2004, and Burke cast his vote — in favor.
“An error occurred,” the alderman said in a written response to questions, “and Rule 14 was not invoked.”
That would be the Council rule under which aldermen are supposed to abstain from a vote when they have a conflict of interest.
Of course, it’s up to the alderman who has a conflict to invoke the rule.
Burke’s legal work for Rezko’s Rezmar Corp. is referenced in records on the 62-acre site Rezko wanted to develop with $140 million in city subsidies. The project fizzled, and Rezmar sold the land...
Illinois Corruption:
http://therealbarackobama.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/speculation-whos-who-in-the-blago-complaint/
Speculation: Who’s Who in the Blago Complaint BlagoGate?
Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Sen. Barack Obama, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley
A RBO regular is combing through the 70-plus page federal criminal corruption complaint against Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, that was revealed today by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s office.
...
* Senate Candidate 1, whom Obama’s team wanted appointed and whom Blagojevich was disinclined to appoint without a gift, is Obama confidante and advisor Valerie Jarrett. Jarret withdrew from considering for the seat, maybe partly because she didn’t want to be involved in the coming Blagojevich indictment and scandal (if Rod had appointed her before this all broke, lord knows how bad that’d look for Barry and company).
* Senate Candidate 2, the one whom Chicago Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed shilled for on Blago’s behalf (in order to piss off Obama), is Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Hey, her dad is the Speaker of the Illinois House. The Illinois House would be the ones who would have to impeach Blago or pass legislation necessitating a special election if they don’t want Rod to still appoint his own candidate.
* Senate Candidate 5, rumored to be Jesse Jackson, Jr., is actually probably Illinois state legislator Emil Jones. This is the one Obama didn’t want appointed, and Blago repeatedly threatened to pick him instead of Jarrett.
* Senate Candidate 6, a rich person Blago wanted to appoint to the Senate in exchange for millions of dollars in donations, is probably J.B. Pritzker. Pritzker is a Hillary donor, a wealthy Chicago businessman, and the brother of Obama finance advisor Penny Pritzker.
Update 1: Ben Smith at The Politico reports that a “Democratic source confirms that SEIU President Andy Stern is the ‘SEIU official’ referred to in the federal complaint against Rod Blagojevich. …
Another Democratic source tells me that Stern was been in Chicago November 3 meeting with Blagojevich, a discussion thought to have included talk about the Senate seat — though that meeting isn’t mentioned in the complaint
Olypic /Daley/ Michael Scott Sr
FRom:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2310984/posts
Posted on Friday, August 07, 2009 6:46:45 PM by STARWISE
Mayor Richard Daley today declined to answer questions about a Tribune story on how a member of his Olympic bid team arranged to develop city-owned land near a park that would be transformed for the 2016 Summer Games, potentially positioning himself to cash in if the Games come here.
Developer Michael Scott Sr., an early member of the mayor’s Olympic committee, leads a group planning a residential and commercial project on lots kitty-corner from the proposed Douglas Park sporting venues, a location where land values could jump if the city gets the Olympics.
*snip*
Daley’s public schedule indicated he would only be taking questions on that topic today (which he did), but a throng of reporters showed up and asked him about Scott’s project.
Daley, however, said he would only be taking questions on the city’s construction plans.
“I’m sorry I can’t answer questions every day. Every day, I do it enough,” Daley said.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsblogs.chicagotribune.com ...