Sunday, July 15, 2007

Gov. Blagojevich's $600 makeover


Two years ago Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich bragged to the people of Illinois that his "testicular virirlity" made him suited to make difficult decisions.

But the Chicago Democrat, like John Edwards, tends to look, well...kind of girly.

And like Edwards, Blagovevich's vanity is expensive.

From the Southern Illinoisan:

Going before bright lights and television cameras to deliver his annual budget speech, Gov. Rod Blagojevich paid a professional makeup artist $600 to help him look good.

Records show the state paid Deborah Dee, a professional stylist from the Chicago-area town of Crystal Lake. Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said the $600 amount included payment for Dee's travel and consultation on the lighting.

When asked Friday why state government paid for makeup, the administration said the billing was a mistake and produced documents showing that Blagojevich's personal campaign fund paid Dee.

But the state paid her with tax money, too. Ottenhoff said Friday that Dee has sent a reimbursement check, but a spokeswoman for the comptroller's office said the state hasn't yet received it.

Illinois is in the midst of a budget stalemate that could lead to shutdown of state services.

But that hasn't stopped "Blago" from making almost daily flights--costing the state $5,800 each--from his home in Chicago to Springfield during the fiscal crisis. Blagojevich is the first governor since the capital was established in Springfield, and that was in the 1830s--not to live in the Governorn's Mansion.

Blagojevich has other problems. In May, the Blagojevich's political fundraising unit was ordered by federal prosecutors to surrender records as part of its ongoing investigation of corruption in Illinois.

That investigation led to the indictment last year of Blago fundraiser Tony Rezko.

Bub Blagojevich sure looks pretty.

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