The penultimate sentence in my post from last night, Illinois to foreclose on Abraham Lincoln Hotel, was this:
But in the end, when the sun rises tomorrow, Illinois will still be the nation's most corrupt state.
And this morning I woke up to this story in the Chicago Sun-Times, which involves William Cellini, a Springfield RINO, who figures prominently in that entry.
Gov. Blagojevich's wife, Patti, made more than $50,000 in real estate commissions through a client who bought, then resold, a home from a development firm that donated money to the governor's campaign and includes political power broker William F. Cellini.
That's the same Cellini federal prosecutors describe as "Co-schemer A" in court papers (My note, involving Tony Rezko) that detail allegations of corruption involving the governor's administration, sources say.
This disclosure about the first lady's business link with Cellini comes as sources say investigators are looking into her real estate dealings as part of their wide-ranging corruption probe. Neither the governor, his wife nor Cellini has been charged with any crime.
The governor's office says Patti Blagojevich didn't know Cellini had any role in University Village -- the sprawling development Cellini and his partners began building after winning a state contract with the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1997. The project would displace the old Maxwell Street Market.
The paper mentions that Cellini "grew closer with Gov. Blagojevich through Tony Rezko, the since-indicted political fund-raiser. Rezko, Cellini, Blagojevich and their wives dined together at a birthday party at Rezko's Wilmette mansion soon after Blagojevich was elected."
Showing unprecedented idiocy, Illinois voters reelected Blagojevich in 2006. The honeymoon, if there every was one, is over. His approval ratings hover around 15 to 25 percent, even President Bush does better in this blue state.
Once again, Blagojevich should resign now. Since he probably won't listen to my advice, the state constitution, as the Chicago Tribune has proposed, should be amended to permit recall elections. And if Blagojevich is indicted--then impeachment proceedings should commence immediately.
Patti Blagojevich in not a naive waif. She's the daughter of Dick Mell, a powerful Chicago alderman and ward boss.
UPDATE 6:00pm
John Kass has more on Cellini and "the Combine" in his Chicago Tribune column. Free registration is required.
UPDATE January 18:
A couple of hours ago I was in Wilmette, where I had the opportunity to take a look at the Rezko home. It is a very nice neighborhood--Rezko's house is the nicest mansion on the block, and that's saying a lot.
In the summer of 2003 the Rezko home was the site of a Barack Obama fund raising event. Here's what the Chicago Sun-Times wrote last year:
At the time of the party, the state was in the process of foreclosing on a low-income apartment building Rezko's company rehabbed in Obama's state Senate district -- a rehab project on which Obama's law firm worked. Rezko had also abandoned many other low-income apartments, leaving numerous vacant units in need of major repairs.
Related posts:
Ill. corruption watch: Feds probe gov's wife real estate deals
More Blagojevich graft: Gov's wife profited on real estate deal with state contractor
Rezko firm hired to renovate Ill. Gov. Blagojevich's home
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