Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

First lady of Illinois linked to developer
The Chicago Tribune ^ | 5/20/05 | John Chase

Posted on 05/20/2005 2:19:35 PM PDT by LdSentinal

A controversial fundraiser and adviser to Gov. Rod Blagojevich has had a business relationship with First Lady Patti Blagojevich for eight years, the governor's office acknowledged Thursday.

Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a Chicago developer who has been influential in shaping Blagojevich's administration and policies, has "worked on various projects" with Patti Blagojevich since 1997, said Cheryle Jackson, the governor's spokeswoman.

The disclosure marks the first time that the governor's administration has acknowledged the governor's family has a personal financial link with a key adviser who helped shape the administration and is now tied to a variety of controversies involving allegations of cronyism.

The revelation underscores the depths of the relationship between Rezko and the governor, as well as the level of access Rezko has been given to the administration.

Rezko was one of several Blagojevich associates served with grand jury subpoenas last week in an investigation into allegations that plum government appointments were traded for campaign cash, according to several sources close to the investigation.

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: blagojevich; corruption; democrat; firstlady; governor; govwatch; illinois; patti
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-39 last
To: LdSentinal

do I REALLY have to say it???

21 posted on 05/20/2005 4:10:01 PM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist ©®)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hsmomx3

This week the gov. was bragging about his testiculer virilty.
What a loser. And he has big political asperations. (meaning the White House).


22 posted on 05/20/2005 4:25:31 PM PDT by JRochelle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: hsmomx3

I think he looks like 1970's Indiana Football coach Lee Corso
23 posted on 05/20/2005 8:20:59 PM PDT by jimboster (I went on vacation to see some new faces- your face doesn't look so new)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: LdSentinal

Does she have the ovarian femininity to fight these charges?


24 posted on 05/20/2005 8:28:04 PM PDT by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LdSentinal
Wow! She's an amateur photographer?


25 posted on 05/20/2005 8:30:34 PM PDT by Professional Engineer (Our father, who art in city hall, please save us from ourselves.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LdSentinal

Yah know if we'd just turn the governors residence into a jail this state would run a lot smoother. Everyone who moves in winds up in jail. They could just run the whole state from jail at the outset and frankly I don't think anything would be any different.


26 posted on 05/20/2005 8:31:22 PM PDT by festus (The constitution may be flawed but its a whole lot better than what we have now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JRochelle
Blow-dry-o-vich hasn't got a snowball's chance in hell to get on the ticket, much less win a primary for the Presidency. He has PO'd labor, his own cronies, and almost everyone else he touches. He is known not to keep his word, even to those who backed him. If background checks are done, and the skeleton-inspectors go into certain closets, he doesn't have the Clintonesque charm to get out of it.
27 posted on 05/20/2005 8:31:55 PM PDT by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve
Have Illinois politics always been this bad?

"This town ain't ready for reform." Paddy Driscoll - 1920's

Paul Powell - Secretary of State - died in 1970 - when they cleaned out his apartment, there was a closet full of shoe boxes, and each shoe box was full of $100 bills.

Mike Royko, from the book Boss, "The official slogan of the Chicago City Council should be, "Ubi Mea", which translates to "Where's Mine?"

And the beat goes on. This is a relatively minor scandal, as Illinois politics goes, but you have to keep up tradition.

28 posted on 05/20/2005 8:34:04 PM PDT by Bernard (Newsweek lied - Afghans died. At least they regret their error.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Bernard

That's Paddy Bauler


29 posted on 05/20/2005 8:45:16 PM PDT by jimboster (I went on vacation to see some new faces- your face doesn't look so new)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: jimboster

Never could tell them apart. When people found out I was from Chicago, they used to ask if we told Irish jokes. The automatic response was, "No, we elect them."


30 posted on 05/20/2005 8:48:26 PM PDT by Bernard (Newsweek lied - Afghans died. At least they regret their error.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve

You wanna know how JFK was elected? It goes back that far.


31 posted on 05/20/2005 8:48:51 PM PDT by endthematrix (Newsweek lied, people died)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: endthematrix

Even if Kennedy lost Illinois, he still would have won the election.


32 posted on 05/20/2005 8:55:09 PM PDT by jimboster (I went on vacation to see some new faces- your face doesn't look so new)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve

Going back to 1960, the following governors have been indicted, Kerner, Ogilvie, Walker, and Ryan. Since 1960 only TWO governors have not been indicted. That is a record which is without precedent. This present governor looks to be headed to join company with the preceding majority.


33 posted on 05/20/2005 8:58:55 PM PDT by Biblebelter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Biblebelter

I don't believe Ogilvie was ever indicted.


34 posted on 05/20/2005 9:01:56 PM PDT by jimboster (I went on vacation to see some new faces- your face doesn't look so new)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: jimboster
My point was the mafia was Kennedy's booster for POTUS, the HQ of was in Chicago. I'm sure there was fraud in other states like Nevada, CA and NY too.
35 posted on 05/20/2005 9:08:28 PM PDT by endthematrix (Newsweek lied, people died)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: jimboster

He was indicted although the case might not have went to trial. It had to do with some kind of race track deal that he was involved with. The indictment dealt with actions that occurred after he left office. Since in Illinois, politics is a criminal brotherhood which encompasses both so called parties, any time any political hack gets indicted, you can be sure, that he is not innocent. The most amazing thing about Georgie Boy Ryan was that no elected pol in either party ever called for him to resign, mainly because they exploited his political weakeness stemming from the corruption in his Secretary of State's office to get favors and deals from him.


36 posted on 05/20/2005 10:29:28 PM PDT by Biblebelter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Biblebelter

Ogilvie was known as an honorable and honest man. There was corruption by others during his admin, but I can find no record he was ever indicted- during or after he held office. The race track stuff was Kerner.


37 posted on 05/20/2005 10:44:57 PM PDT by jimboster (I went on vacation to see some new faces- your face doesn't look so new)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve

Only for a century plus. Hell at one time the Outfit had there own Congressman. Sam Giancana's son-in-law was his chief of staff.

Remember the Chicago City Council was once known by the endearingly warm name "The Grey Wolves."


38 posted on 05/20/2005 10:52:39 PM PDT by justshutupandtakeit (Public Enemy #1, the RATmedia.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Biblebelter

It is even worse since of the two who weren't convicted one served forever and a day, Big Jim Thompson the Republican who got there by sending crooks to jail.


39 posted on 05/20/2005 10:59:31 PM PDT by justshutupandtakeit (Public Enemy #1, the RATmedia.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-39 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson