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As Christopher Kelly was being treated for a fatal overdose, the political fundraiser who was being pressured to testify against ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich confided to his girlfriend to "tell them they won." "It's my life," Kelly told Clarissa Flores-Buhelos, according to a police report released today to the Tribune. "Tell them they won, tell them they won." The report does not specify to whom Kelly was referring. It was one of several new details contained in the 47-page police report released by Country Club Hills, where Kelly took numerous pills before his Sept. 12 death that authorities have ruled a...

*snip* Turns out that when the former governor instituted a state-hiring freeze back in 2003, it was just a ruse so that he could do favors for a bunch of politically connected buddies. He ended up hiring just over 2,500 people during the so-called freeze. But these weren’t ordinary applicants; politicians, including then-state-senator Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, pushed all the job seekers on Blago. None of the politicians in the report are accused of doing anything wrong -- leaning on clout is the status quo in Springfield -- but the report does illustrate the insider game that occurs...

Even before he was elected governor in 2002, Rod Blagojevich and three of his closest friends schemed about ways to enrich themselves by controlling state government, the former governor's former chief of staff alleged as part of a plea agreement today with federal prosecutors. When Blagojevich took office, his three friends became key players in his administration and met repeatedly with the governor to share moneymaking ideas and get updates on their plans to bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars that they could split up later, former top aide Alonzo "Lon" Monk alleged. Monk, who also was a groomsman...

Barack Obama needs a nap. His flight arrived from Springfield, Ill., at 4 a.m. and he was awake at 6 to do "Meet the Press," then "Face the Nation," then CNN's "Late Edition." This is an impressive regimen for anyone, especially a little-known senator from Illinois. That would be a state senator from Illinois. Obama has not been elected to the United States Senate. He is merely a candidate -- a dynamic, stirring and potentially historic candidate who would be the only African American in the U.S. Senate and just the third since Reconstruction. But still a candidate nonetheless. "I'm...

Liberals, their plans, veracity and activities have been under a lot of public scrutiny lately. They seem to be very uncomfortable with the light of public gaze upon them, even to the point of walking on eggshells. When they can’t find what they believe is an non revealing answer which they know will anger the public to some very straightforward questions they pretend to be obtuse on the issue at hand. Feigning obtuseness seems to be the best they can do to not come clean on the issues. The point of feigning obtuseness is to avoid the really uncomfortable questions...

Rod Blagojevich has a message to his former political cronies: "If I'm going down, I'm taking all of you with me." And given his close, 14-year relationship with Barack Obama and Tony Rezko, this can only be bad news for the White House. Unlike many criminal defendants who keep a low profile prior to trial, the impeached former Illinois governor has his own website. "Blago" and his wife Patti--the daughter of powerful Chicago Alderman Richard Mell--have made numerous media appearances. And now a book. "The Governor", released September by Phoenix Books hasn't been treated very seriously by reviewers -- perhaps...

Rod Blagojevich is Sarah Palin? That's correct! According to Carol Marin, Chicago Sun-Times Columnist... Let's just say it. Rod Blagojevich is Sarah Palin. Rising stars and fresh faces, once upon a time. http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1773133,CST-EDT-carol16.article Rising stars, fresh faces, once upon a time? What fairy tale are you referring to? The last time a reality check was done, Rod Blagojevich was in a flaming tailspin ready to crash into Federal Court. The FBI had arrested him on what U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald called “a staggering level of corruption involving pay-to-play politics in Illinois' top office.” Sarah Palin was not impeached or forced...

Call it a sign of the times. When a corrupted politician achieves rock star status, you know the world is heading to hell in the proverbial hand basket. I received a press release about Blagojevich mania. You may remember Rod Blagojevich, the governor of Illinois who lost his job and was indicted on federal corruption charges for allegedly attempting to sell President Barack Obama's Senate seat. Now, Blagojevich – and his likeness – is all the rage. From a chair autographed by the disgraced governor on the set of ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" to a Blagojevich bobblehead and even collectible...

We're all learning more details about the apparent suicide of politically connected contractor Christopher Kelly. He pleaded guilty to corruption charges, was facing years in federal prison and had the option of telling federal authorities about city airport contracts and his buddy, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But today, readers get their writes on Kelly, a self-inflicted victim of corruption the Chicago Way. John, I have known Chris since early days in Champaign, during college, and thereafter. Chris drank in college (like most college students) but has been a strict non-drinker for at least a decade, perhaps two. Chris would rather...

There are plenty of questions surrounding the death of Christopher Kelly, the one-time confidante of Rod Blagojevich who was headed off to prison soon. Questions about what drugs Kelly took. Questions about the "mystery man" with gray hair who tried to pick up Kelly's Cadillac SUV from the hospital. Questions about whether the pressure to cooperate with federal authorities or the prospect of a long stretch in prison, drove him to suicide. Questions about how his death will impact the prosecution of Blagojevich. There's something else that deserves real scrutiny: What kind of medical care did Kelly get at Oak...

Request followed shouting match at Milwaukee Ave. club ### Just days before he died of an apparent overdose, a defiant Christopher Kelly was resolved to fight a corruption trial he faced, if only to thumb his nose at federal authorities. Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's fund-raiser and adviser suddenly flip-flopped, however, after faced with another point of pressure. On the eve of trial, the government asked a judge to revoke Kelly's bond, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned. Hospital tapes from over the weekend are "very helpful and revealing" in their attempts to unravel the final hours before Christopher Kelly's death, Country...

Country Club Hills mayor Dwight Welch said today that the girlfriend of Christopher Kelly has "lawyered up" and is no longer talking to police investigating the Saturday death of the former top Rod Blagojevich adviser. Meanwhile, the Cook County medical examiner's office said this afternoon following an autopsy that a determination of cause and manner of Kelly's death was "pending further studies," meaning officials need to conduct additional investigations to officially rule whether Kelly committed suicide. At a morning press conference, Welch also said police are searching for a man who went to Oak Forest Hospital while Kelly was being...

A key figure in ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's federal corruption case died Saturday of an apparent "aspirin overdose," a law enforcement source told the Chicago Sun-Times. Christopher Kelly, 51, was Blagojevich's former chief fundraiser, and was described by the newspaper as "go-to" guy in the ex-governor's administration.

Kelly’s death comes just four days after he pleaded guilty to a scheme involving $8.5 million in fraud at O’Hare Airport. It was the second conviction this year -- he still faced trial along with the ex-governor, in June. Kelly had been indicted three times since 2007 but refused to become a cooperating witness. When he pleaded guilty to the O’Hare scheme Tuesday, Kelly spoke of feeling intense pressure by prosecutors to abandon his loyalty to Blagojevich and cooperate with the feds. Chicago police are investigating Kelly’s death. A source familiar with the investigation told the Chicago

A former chief fundraiser for ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich died Saturday, just days before he was to report to prison to begin a three-year sentence for tax offenses that included using his company's money to pay gambling debts and claiming it as a business expense.Kelly, a suburban roofing contractor and Blagojevich's longtime fundraiser, was charged along with the former governor in an indictment alleging Blagojevich sought to sell or trade President Barack Obama's former seat in the U.S. Senate.

Christopher Kelly, a key figure in the federal corruption probe into former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is dead. The Cook County medical examiner’s office today confirmed that Christopher Kelly of Burr Ridge was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital at 10:46 a.m. The office said Kelly died of salicylate intoxication. According to medical reference guides, salicylates are used in anti-inflammatory and pain relief medications. An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday. *snip* Kelly is a former confidant and top fundraiser for Blagojevich, who was accused of using his office to leverage campaign donations and benefits for himself and his family. *snip* Kelly’s attorney,...

Two sources with knowledge of the situation told the Tribune today they have been notified that Christopher Kelly, a key figure in the federal corruption probe into former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is dead. The Cook County medical examiner’s office today confirmed that a body identified as Christopher Kelly was brought to the morgue from Stroger Hospital. The office would not provide any details, including his age, address and manner of death, because the family had not yet arrived at the office. Kelly’s attorney, Michael Monico, declined to comment today when reached by a Tribune reporter. Kelly is a former confidant...

Two sources with knowledge of the situation told the Tribune today they have been notified that Christopher Kelly, a key figure into the federal corruption probe into former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is dead.

CHICAGO (AP) -- Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Tuesday that statements he made on secret FBI wiretap tapes were taken out of context by prosecutors and that he might try to call senators and a top White House official as witnesses at his racketeering and fraud trial to back his version of events.

On Tuesday, deposed Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich, will release his memoirs "The Governor". The book is being billed as not only providing the impeached Governor's account of the political dealings that led to his arrest, but also an insider's perspective into the political landscape of Illinois, or more specifically, Chicago. In recent months, Blagojevich has become the symbol of the corruption and pay-to-play politics that embody the Chicago political machine. But don't necessarily count on The Governor to provide...

Has anyone stayed on this story?

... and nobody proofread it very carefullyThe timeline from impeachment to book release was an incredible seven months. How did former Illinois chief executive Rod Blagojevich manage to bang out “The Governor” so quickly? He wrote the first couple chapters longhand on a yellow legal pad, until his wife told him it was taking him too long, a source told the Sun-Times’ Michael Sneed. “So he dictated the rest of the book on his 12-year-old daughter Amy's pink dictating machine," the source told Sneed. Another reason for the quick turnaround: No one proofread it all that carefully. Blago’s lawyers reportedly...

It comes as know surprise after months of speculation that Dan Hynes, the long-time Illinois comptroller would announce his candidacy for Rod Blagojevich's former position. Hynes joins acting Governor Pat Quinn as the front-runners for the Democratic nomination for the Governors seat. As a result, the only thing more entertaining that the Rod Blagojevich commercials that are likely to plaster Illinois televisions next fall will be the battle royale by that is sure to ensue between the two Democratic nominees. Although both Democrats have at times openly opposed former Governor Blagojevich, both candidates will have plenty of opportunities to tout...

CHICAGO (AP) — Ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich says in a new book that White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel wanted his help in arranging to leave the Obama administration after two years to reclaim his seat in Congress. Blagojevich writes in "The Governor" that Emanuel spoke with him about whether it was possible to appoint a "placeholder" to the congressional seat Emanuel was giving up so that he could win back the seat in 2010 and continue his efforts to become speaker some day.

Politics: Should the election law in Massachusetts be changed to keep Ted Kennedy's seat filled and get ObamaCare passed? As in Minnesota and Illinois, the voters might lose again.Recognizing his own mortality and waging a valiant battle against brain cancer, Kennedy has written a letter to Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, state Senate President Theresa Murray and state House Speaker Robert DeLeo asking them to change the law so his seat might be filled immediately until a special election could be held. His letter, a copy of which was obtained by the Boston Globe, does not specially mention his illness or...

To sum up the state of the Republican Party in Illinois, just hours before the kickoff of "Republican Day" festivities at the Illinois State Fair, Andy Mckenna, the head to the state party resigned... Just 8 short years ago, the Republican Party in Illinois remained a force to be reckoned with. The party maintained control of a majority of municipality and county governments within the state, along with control of the Governor's office, several State Officers positions and the State Senate. But today, despite a golden opportunity to retake control of key State Offices due the Impeachment of Rod Blagojevich,...

Rod Blagojevich performed Elvis Presley's "Treat Me Nice" during a Chicago appearance, a publicist for the disgraced former Illinois governor says. Publicist Glenn Selig confirmed Blagojevich performed the song during a paid appearance Friday at the 14th annual block party for the Chicago company Optimus, the Chicago Tribune reported. Optimus President Tom Duff said Blagocevich, who faces federal charges after being removed from office in January amid corruption allegations, practiced with a backing track for days prior to his performance. "He was waffling between two different songs" before settling on 'Treat Me Nice,'" Duff told the Tribune. At least one...

Reporting from Chicago -- At least one sign in Illinois -- welcoming drivers to the state's International Port District -- still proclaims Rod R. Blagojevich to be governor. After Blagojevich was impeached and ousted from office following his arrest on federal corruption charges, Gov. Pat Quinn called for a cleansing of the Blagojevich name from signs across the state. The 32 such signs above Illinois Tollway plazas were removed immediately. Yet the painted sign near the top of a 41-story grain elevator near Lake Calumet still bears the disgraced former governor's name. "The good news is it's flaking off," said...

Chicago (AP) -- Judge James B. Zagel has meted out justice on the silver screen and masterminded a bank robbery in the pages of a novel. But the veteran federal court judge who will preside over former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's corruption trial leaves any theatrics behind when he dons his black robe and takes the bench. Lawyers whose antics go over the top are swiftly silenced in Zagel's courtroom — not with a tyrannical thwack of the gavel but with a deft, sly, sarcastic turn of phrase. Those who know Zagel say that approach will serve him well as...

Climate Change: A switch of four Republican votes would have defeated Waxman-Markey, the Democrats' global warming legislation. But like the Clinton Btu tax, the bill could die in the Senate and turn the House over to the GOP. What were these RINOs thinking? The GOP is supposed to be the party of low taxes and free markets. Rep. Mike Castle, one of the eight offered an explanation right off of President Obama's teleprompter...Illinois Republican Mark Kirk, who has senatorial ambitions to replace the choice of impeached former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Sen. Roland Burris, demonstrates why GOP fortunes in the Land...

At last, Roland Burris has made a decision as senator that we can endorse wholeheartedly.He will not run next year for his Senate seat.Thank goodness.At least one chapter in the sad show that is Illinois politics can soon come to an end.You'll remember, of course, that Burris began shredding his own credibility and the legacy of his decades of state service when he accepted the Senate appointment from our radioactive governor, Rod Blagojevich. Blagojevich anointed Burris, just as the governor was getting tossed from office for allegedly trying to sell that very Senate appointment. Recall, too, that we have state...

Politics: The career of Roland Burris, a political cipher from Illinois who became a U.S. senator and the lamest of ducks, is over. He can now retire into the obscurity he so richly deserves.Having obtained the seat under a cloud of typical Illinois corruption, Burris announced Friday he won't run for a full term in 2010. He was appointed by the former and recently impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich who, among his other accomplishments, tried to auction off the seat formerly held by Barack Obama. Blagojevich was forced out of office and may soon join other Illinois governors who went on...

Democratic U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, his political prospects and personal legacy weakened by controversy, is expected to announce Friday he will not seek election to the seat he was appointed to by Rod Blagojevich after the then-governor's arrest, sources close to Burris said. The decision by Burris, 71, is an acknowledgment that prospects of mounting a multimillion-dollar fundraising effort for a high-profile statewide race are low in the face of widespread public criticism over how he got the job.

Sneed has learned that U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has decided not to seek election to a seat he fought the government to keep...To wit: Burris, whose decision to vie for Barack Obama's seat landed him in the midst of a federal pay-to-play corruption probe of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, decided to end his 20-year political career at the end of his term... "because he was primarily concerned about his legacy," a source close to Burris told Sneed.

Burris Won't Run in 2010 By Emily Pierce Roll Call Staff July 9, 2009, 6:14 p.m. Burris Won't Run in 2010 House Chairmen Thumb Noses at White House Health Care Deal Updated: 6:48 p.m. Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) will announce Friday that he will not seek election to a full term in 2010, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Burris’ office issued a press release Thursday evening saying the Senator would make a “major announcement” Friday during a scheduled speech at the Chicago South Loop Hotel. However, his spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. Burris’ decision is likely based on...

CHICAGO (Reuters) – The former chief of staff for ousted Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich pleaded guilty on Wednesday and agreed to testify about attempts to cash in on the governor's power to fill a vacant U.S. Senate post. John Harris, 47, became the first of six defendants indicted in the corruption case against Blagojevich to reach a plea agreement with prosecutors. A trial is scheduled for June. Prosecutors have said Blagojevich was arrested in December to prevent him from carrying out tape-recorded threats to trade the Senate seat vacated by newly elected President Barack Obama. Two months later, Blagojevich was...

Whether the name of Richie Urso ever makes it into the corruption trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich next June is anybody's guess. You've probably never heard of Richie Urso. But the FBI sure has heard of him. His is a classic Chicago story, about a beefy yet charming guy born on Grand Avenue, who got in trouble with the law as a kid, only to make political friends and become extremely wealthy. He was arrested once for jewelry theft in the '60s by the Outfit's top Chicago police detective, William Hanhardt. Urso's alleged partner in the theft was the...

South Carolina's chief executive isn't the first to earn headlines for acting odd. A look at governors' unusual behavior: -Mark Sanford; South Carolina governor, 2003 to present: Sanford disappeared last week on a secretive vacation, out of pocket from staff, state leaders and even his wife. He had also once put a "spending clock" outside his office to show how quickly a proposed budget would spend state money, and brought pigs to the House chamber to protest pork he said lawmakers left in a budget. -Earl Long; governor of Louisiana, 1939-1940, 1948-1952, 1956-1960: Long had an affair with a stripper,...

Documents show that unqualified student would have been allowed to transfer ### University of Illinois College of Medicine officials acknowledged Friday that an unqualified applicant pushed by Trustee Lawrence Eppley received an unfair advantage. An initial review of nearly 500 pages of documents released late Friday found no other examples of clout affecting medical school admissions decisions. *snip* Some of the records, however, were so heavily redacted that it was impossible to interpret them. But in the 2003 Eppley case, the student seeking to transfer to the Chicago-based medical school had "very poor grades" in the beginning of his college...

Obama DID talk to Blagojevich about the Senate seat on November 5th Posted by Christophe on Dec 10th, 2008 Barack Obama claims he never spoke to Governor Rod Blagojevich about filling his vacant Senate seat. On November 5th, the state of Illinois issued a press release saying Obama and Blagojevich did indeed talk about filling Obama’s vacant Senate seat. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 5, 2008 Governor Blagojevich Congratulates President-elect Obama and Discusses U.S. Senate Seat To fill President-Elect Barack Obama’s Senate seat, Governor will use deliberate process to select suitable replacement CHICAGO – After congratulating President-Elect Barack Obama on his...

SPRINGFIELD -- A key figure in the perjury investigation of U.S. Sen. Roland Burris died in an automobile accident Monday, authorities in far west-suburban Kendall County confirmed Tuesday. John Ruff, of Sandwich, Ill., was killed shortly before 3 p.m. when his 2001 BMW convertible crossed an oncoming lane of traffic and collided with a tree while he was driving eastbound on Rogers Road near Oak Brook Road in unincorporated Plano, said Kendall County Sheriff's Deputy Richard Pearson. John Ruff, a key figure in the perjury investigation of U.S. Sen. Roland Burris was killed in an automobile accident Monday in Kendall...

Just two weeks before his arrest on corruption charges, then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich floated a plan to nominate to the U.S. Senate the daughter of his biggest political rival in return for concessions on his pet projects, people familiar with the plan told The Associated Press. Blagojevich told fellow Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin he was thinking of naming Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to the seat vacated when Barack Obama won the presidential election, according to two Durbin aides who spoke on condition of anonymity

New Orleans Sensitive, internal memos and financial information are leaking like a sieve exposing vulnerabilities in some of our storied unions. This hurts workers and all of us. In labor we need some real leadership and something like a “Geneva convention” or UNITE, HERE, and SEIU ménage de trios is now breaking out. In the bitter court battle and divorce struggle within UNITE HERE as they try to unwind the merger of their organizations several years ago and reassemble various pieces into a new formation or in the former UNITE case to affiliate with SEIU, like the worst of Hollywood...

SPRINGFIELD---U.S. Sen. Roland Burris today said he shouldn’t be blamed for any lack of candor while under oath earlier this year before a special Illinois House panel about his appointment to the seat because his duty was only to answer the questions posed by the committee members and nothing more. Briefly speaking to reporters at the Illinois Department of Employment Security, Burris said it was not his responsibility during his January appearance before the panel weighing then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s impeachment to go out of his way to describe how he got Blagojevich’s appointment. “See, you all have got it all...

Patti Blagojevich Heads to JungleFormer Gov. Rod Blagojevich's wife is off to the Costa Rican jungle for a TV reality show. Patti Blagojevich is appearing on NBC's "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here." She's competing because a federal judge barred her husband from going while he faces federal corruption charges. Blagojevich family spokesman Glenn Selig said Wednesday that the show will be challenging for the "big city girl." The show premieres June 1. Others set to appear include actor Stephen Baldwin and "American Idol" contestant Sanjaya Malakar.

CHICAGO -- Transcripts from a call taped by the FBI show Sen. Roland Burris pleaded to be appointed to the U.S. Senate and promised to "personally do something" in response to a fundraising appeal on behalf of then-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The promise came in a phone conversation with Blagojevich's brother, Robert Blagojevich, who led the campaign fund. Burris repeatedly says how much he wants to be appointed to President Obama's former Senate seat. In response to an appeal for money from the governor's brother Burris says: "I will personally do something." The transcript was released Tuesday as part of...

The Obama administration is opposing an Illinois law that helped ensnare Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) in a federal indictment for corruption. Ethics watchdogs charge that in opposing a law intended to prevent politically connected companies from unfairly winning government contracts, President Obama has gone against promises he made during the presidential race.

Transcripts of a tape made from an FBI wiretap shows Sen. Roland Burris promised to "personally do something" in response to an appeal for money for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's campaign fund. The promise came in a phone conversation with Blagojevich's brother, Robert Blagojevich, who is head of the campaign fund. Burris repeatedly says how much he wants to be appointed to President Barack Obama's former Senate seat. In response to an appeal for money from the governor's brother Burris says: "I will personally do something." The transcript was released Tuesday as part of a motion by the U.S. attorney's...

Illinois Senator Roland Burris, a democrat, was recorded on an FBI wiretap suggesting that he could write a check to disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's political campaign before the ousted governor appointed Burris to the Senate.

Wiretap: Burris Offered To Write Ex-Gov. A Check Senator Suggested Contribution To Rod Blagojevich Before He Was Appointed, Later Decided Against It CHICAGO (CBS) ― Sen. Roland Burris was recorded on an FBI wiretap suggesting that he could write a check to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's campaign before the ousted governor appointed Burris to the Senate, reports CBS station WBBM-TV in Chicago. The details of the conversation emerged after a federal judge said Tuesday he would allow the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee to hear a federal wiretap of former Blagojevich's brother, Rob, having a fund-raising conversation with Burris. Sources tell...