Thursday, December 13, 2007

Illinois corruption watch: Top adviser to Gov. Blagojevich indicted: UPDATED

Just breaking on a very busy news day. It looks like the feds are closing the ring on the nation's worst governor, Democrat Rod Blagojevich of Illinois.

From AP:

Christopher G. Kelly, a top adviser and fundraiser to Gov. Rod Blagojevich, has been indicted on federal tax fraud charges.

For more on the corruption of sleaze in Illinois, scroll down one post.

UPDATE 2:15PM

Crain's Chicago Business has a lot more:

The U.S. attorney’s office charged Christopher Kelly with understating his personal and business income by more than $1.3 million over five years, in part by concealing his efforts to disguise shifting corporate funds to pay gambling debts. Mr. Kelly stepped down about a year ago as head of the governor’s political campaign fund.

Mr. Kelly, who ironically had represented Gov. Blagojevich in early talks several years ago about expanding gaming in Illinois, was not indicted for any impropriety regarding state government. The charges focus on his tax reports and his gambling debts.

Mr. Kelly has never been an elected or appointed state official.

And there is this, which figures into the below's entry:

Abdelhamid Chaib, a close business associate of Blagojevich fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko, also was indicted on corruption charges.

UPDATE 6:20PM: Also indicted today was P. Nicholas Hurtgen, a former senior official with Bear Stearns & Co. He allegedly participated in a shakedown scheme against Edward Hospital.

UPDATE December 14: Dan Curry of Reverse Spin has a summary of his posts on Chris Kelly.

Curry observes that Blagojevich's top two fundraisers have been indicted. He writes:

Now that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has his left flank fully in place, he can proceed upon his prey, Governor Rod Blagojevich. Does anybody seriously doubt how this is going to turn out?

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