Marathon Pundit: Ill. corruption watch: Feds probe gov's wife real estate deals

Friday, December 07, 2007

Ill. corruption watch: Feds probe gov's wife real estate deals

The latest news on the most corrupt state in the union is that Patti Blagojevich, the daughter of a powerful Chicago alderman and wife of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, has drawn the attention of federal investigators because of her real estate dealings.

From the Chicago "free registration required" Tribune:

Federal agents are investigating real estate deals involving Gov. Rod Blagojevich's wife as part of a three-year corruption probe into allegations of favoritism and fraud within his administration.

Several federal sources familiar with the inquiry confirm that agents are interested in hundreds of thousands of dollars in real estate commissions Patricia Blagojevich has earned in recent years as a real estate broker for political supporters, fundraisers and state contractors.

One real estate agent told the Tribune that FBI agents contacted her in recent weeks with questions about her dealings with Patricia Blagojevich in a $3.2 million sale of a Gold Coast home in 2004. The seller was an investment banker and generous contributor to the governor's campaign fund who hired the first lady as his second agent on the deal.

It is the latest in a series of real estate deals disclosed by the Tribune in which the governor's wife received commissions from politically connected clients. Most of those deals involved people seeking favor from the government her husband leads.

The office of U.S Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has been investigating the administraton of the Chicago Democrat for several years.

In Illinois, we do corruption right--it's a family affair. Looks like the Dems are trying to snatch the "family values" voters away from the Republicans.

UPDATE 2:15pm CST: The governor has problems (again) of his own today.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Joseph Cari and Blagojevich met in the governor's Chicago office on March 16, 2004, according to Blagojevich's appointment calendar. Blagojevich's staff won't discuss the meeting.

The meeting was scheduled about the time that Cari, a former Democratic National Committee finance chairman, began his part in the scandal that has ensnared Antoin ''Tony'' Rezko, a close Blagojevich friend and fundraiser.

Rezko faces charges of money laundering, attempted extortion, fraud and aiding bribery. His trial is scheduled for February.

Cari pleaded guilty in September 2005 to attempted extortion. He and two others admitted roles in trying to squeeze money from firms seeking pension agency investments in part to raise campaign cash for a ''high-ranking public official,'' according to court records.

A person familiar with the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation isn't over, has told the AP that the public official is Blagojevich.