By Andy Shaw, ABC 7 Chicago.
January 31, 2005 — With more than one year before his re-election campaign kicks off Governor Rod Blagojevich has more than $10-million dollars in his campaign war chest. But there are questions about how much of that money was raised in exchange for state contracts. The governor vehemently denies any connection between campaign contributions and the awarding of state contracts, but investigations by the Tribune and the Sun-Times are raising serious questions about the claim, and Blagojevich's own father-in-law, Alderman Dick Mell, made some damaging allegations before backing down a bit.
So, as the governor releases his latest fundraising totals, his claims of reform and no more business-as-usual are under attack.
The governor is still running for exercise, not re-election, at least not officially. But he raised $930-thousand dollars in campaign cash since June, and his political war chest is bulging with a record $10.3 million dollars half way through his first term.
"Illinois says raise as much as you want from whoever you want, as much as you want and the governor has taken the ball and run with it," said Jay Stewart of the Better Government Association.
For the rest of it, click here.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Courtesy of National Review Online's "TKS.," Democratic Underground
TKS is now what was "The Kerry Spot." Democrats Underground is the epi-center of the "Bush is Hitler" universe.
Hard to believe. Wait, then again, it isn't hard to believe. Here it is in it's entirety.
I TRY NOT TO LOOK AT DU, BUT...
It's hard to resist the urge to look at the most furious of the Bush-haters on a day like today. So I glanced at Democratic Underground.
I should know better. These folks aren't the left-wing equivalent of the Freepers; they're much, much further out there.
Still, it's hard not to wonder if they represent the left-wing, Bush-hating, "anti-war" id, free from any constraints or limits. Anyway, some highlights:
I want peace for the Iraqis, but not at the cost of further empowering the Bush regime.
Our media isn't telling the whole story. Gag order on Iraq. No unhappy stories to mess with the bushites minds.
Reacting to the news that an Iraqi election official said that 72 percent of eligible Iraqi voters had turned out so far nationwide: "I don't know any Iraqis, but I know [balderdash] when I smell it." Another: Anyone who believes this [horsepucky] is seriously ignorant.... We don't even get that kind of turnout in our country.
(They're not saying "balderdash" and "horsepucky", obviously. The original language — in fact, most of the comments — are appropriate for the New Jersey Turnpike.)
This election is an absolute fraud. It does NOT represent ALL the groups like the Sunni and the candidates are mostly US puppets. The people whi voted are either paid off or too stupid to be voting anyway. Sounds like a recent US election to me.
(In a case of supreme irony, many are complaining about insufficient voter ID methods and eagerly pointing to reports of "irregularities" with the vote.)
In response to the report of the British military plane crash: "Like a sandstorm, the flying chads swirled around the atmosphere, making air travel difficult."Hearing comments like that, how can one not feel pity? You see happy faces of Iraqis taking place in the first election of their lifetimes, braving threats to life and limb... and your only reaction is more bitterness? What a dark little world of their own making they live in.
Hard to believe. Wait, then again, it isn't hard to believe. Here it is in it's entirety.
I TRY NOT TO LOOK AT DU, BUT...
It's hard to resist the urge to look at the most furious of the Bush-haters on a day like today. So I glanced at Democratic Underground.
I should know better. These folks aren't the left-wing equivalent of the Freepers; they're much, much further out there.
Still, it's hard not to wonder if they represent the left-wing, Bush-hating, "anti-war" id, free from any constraints or limits. Anyway, some highlights:
I want peace for the Iraqis, but not at the cost of further empowering the Bush regime.
Our media isn't telling the whole story. Gag order on Iraq. No unhappy stories to mess with the bushites minds.
Reacting to the news that an Iraqi election official said that 72 percent of eligible Iraqi voters had turned out so far nationwide: "I don't know any Iraqis, but I know [balderdash] when I smell it." Another: Anyone who believes this [horsepucky] is seriously ignorant.... We don't even get that kind of turnout in our country.
(They're not saying "balderdash" and "horsepucky", obviously. The original language — in fact, most of the comments — are appropriate for the New Jersey Turnpike.)
This election is an absolute fraud. It does NOT represent ALL the groups like the Sunni and the candidates are mostly US puppets. The people whi voted are either paid off or too stupid to be voting anyway. Sounds like a recent US election to me.
(In a case of supreme irony, many are complaining about insufficient voter ID methods and eagerly pointing to reports of "irregularities" with the vote.)
In response to the report of the British military plane crash: "Like a sandstorm, the flying chads swirled around the atmosphere, making air travel difficult."Hearing comments like that, how can one not feel pity? You see happy faces of Iraqis taking place in the first election of their lifetimes, braving threats to life and limb... and your only reaction is more bitterness? What a dark little world of their own making they live in.
And from the Chicago Sun-Times....more Blago hits
This was just e-mailed to me....bad day for Rod Blagojevich, more hits on his "Mr. Clean" image:
An excerpt:
Donations and deals raise eyebrows, by Chris Fusco:
Contractor Robert C. Blum gave Gov. Blagojevich's campaign $124,000 in cash and a $100,000 loan.
Now he's on the receiving end.
Two construction firms owned by Blum -- a friend and business associate of Blagojevich's fund-raising chief, Christopher G. Kelly -- have been awarded nearly $25 million in state contracts since July. They include a $24.4 million deal to build a Chicago State University convocation center named in honor of state Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), a top Blagojevich ally.
There's nothing illegal about the contributions or the contracts for Blum's companies, Castle Construction Corp. and MBB Construction Group. Castle underbid seven companies for the Chicago State job, beating out its closest competitor by a $185,000 margin.
Both Blum and the governor's office say his friendship and business ties to Kelly in no way could have influenced the bidding. Kelly's commercial roofing company leases part of Blum's construction yard in Markham and, until January, was involved in a joint roofing venture with Blum at O'Hare Airport.
The state's Capital Development Board "awards contracts without discretion based solely on the lowest filed bid," Blagojevich spokeswoman Cheryle Jackson said. All bids "are sealed and then they look at the lowest bid."
Still, disclosure of the Castle-MBB contracts -- part of a Chicago Sun-Times analysis of political contributions and state contracts under the Democratic governor's reign -- is raising new questions from good government advocates and Blagojevich critics who recall his pledge to end "business as usual" in state government.
'Cause for real concern'
They also could draw attention from Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine, who are probing whether Blagojevich's fund-raising operation traded contributions for appointments to state boards and commissions -- an allegation leveled but then recanted by Blagojevich's father-in-law, Chicago Ald. Richard Mell (33rd), under threat of a defamation suit from Kelly.
"These instances are cause for real concern," said Jason Gerwig, spokesman for the Illinois Republican Party. The Castle contract "should send a red flag up to [Madigan and Devine] as they're looking at this."
It's all here.
An excerpt:
Donations and deals raise eyebrows, by Chris Fusco:
Contractor Robert C. Blum gave Gov. Blagojevich's campaign $124,000 in cash and a $100,000 loan.
Now he's on the receiving end.
Two construction firms owned by Blum -- a friend and business associate of Blagojevich's fund-raising chief, Christopher G. Kelly -- have been awarded nearly $25 million in state contracts since July. They include a $24.4 million deal to build a Chicago State University convocation center named in honor of state Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), a top Blagojevich ally.
There's nothing illegal about the contributions or the contracts for Blum's companies, Castle Construction Corp. and MBB Construction Group. Castle underbid seven companies for the Chicago State job, beating out its closest competitor by a $185,000 margin.
Both Blum and the governor's office say his friendship and business ties to Kelly in no way could have influenced the bidding. Kelly's commercial roofing company leases part of Blum's construction yard in Markham and, until January, was involved in a joint roofing venture with Blum at O'Hare Airport.
The state's Capital Development Board "awards contracts without discretion based solely on the lowest filed bid," Blagojevich spokeswoman Cheryle Jackson said. All bids "are sealed and then they look at the lowest bid."
Still, disclosure of the Castle-MBB contracts -- part of a Chicago Sun-Times analysis of political contributions and state contracts under the Democratic governor's reign -- is raising new questions from good government advocates and Blagojevich critics who recall his pledge to end "business as usual" in state government.
'Cause for real concern'
They also could draw attention from Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine, who are probing whether Blagojevich's fund-raising operation traded contributions for appointments to state boards and commissions -- an allegation leveled but then recanted by Blagojevich's father-in-law, Chicago Ald. Richard Mell (33rd), under threat of a defamation suit from Kelly.
"These instances are cause for real concern," said Jason Gerwig, spokesman for the Illinois Republican Party. The Castle contract "should send a red flag up to [Madigan and Devine] as they're looking at this."
It's all here.
Tribune Blago Analysis
As hinted at in Saturday's post:
Good read, the whole article is here.
Key excerpts from the article:
"Now, despite two years of massive borrowing and fee increases, sizable budget cuts and an array of fiscal tricks to stave off the need for income- or sales-tax hikes, Blagojevich is back where he started and facing a budget hole as high as $2 billion by some estimates."
And there is this:
"Illinois has learned some things about Blagojevich the man during the first half of his term: his fixation with his thick head of hair, his infatuation with Elvis Presley, his chronic lateness to everything, and his strained relations with a wide array of fellow Democrats, among them his own father-in-law, Ald. Dick Mell (33rd).
But in Springfield, very different images have emerged of Blagojevich the politician and steward of the public purse and trust.Blagojevich sees his record as one of impressive action and accomplishment, holding the line on taxes despite the constant struggle with deficits, trimming the state payroll and imposing higher ethical standards on a government in bad need of a cleansing.
To his critics, the Blagojevich era is highlighted more by grandiose claims, initiatives crafted primarily for the media pop, inattention to detail and a strategy of trying to humiliate those who get in his way."
And more:
"Running a perpetual image campaign, Blagojevich has adopted the tactic of using bogeymen to further his populist causes. He has attacked federal regulators and pharmaceutical makers over his inability to import prescription drugs, launched a drive to outlaw the sale to minors of violent video games and railed against the "Soviet-style" facelessness of the State Board of Education, which he has stripped of its independent advocacy."
And finally:
"The fragility of Blagojevich's relations with the legislature could prove a minefield for him as he struggles to overcome the latest round of deficit problems while ramping up for re-election in 2006 and, many in Springfield think, a possible White House run two years later."
Good read, the whole article is here.
Key excerpts from the article:
"Now, despite two years of massive borrowing and fee increases, sizable budget cuts and an array of fiscal tricks to stave off the need for income- or sales-tax hikes, Blagojevich is back where he started and facing a budget hole as high as $2 billion by some estimates."
And there is this:
"Illinois has learned some things about Blagojevich the man during the first half of his term: his fixation with his thick head of hair, his infatuation with Elvis Presley, his chronic lateness to everything, and his strained relations with a wide array of fellow Democrats, among them his own father-in-law, Ald. Dick Mell (33rd).
But in Springfield, very different images have emerged of Blagojevich the politician and steward of the public purse and trust.Blagojevich sees his record as one of impressive action and accomplishment, holding the line on taxes despite the constant struggle with deficits, trimming the state payroll and imposing higher ethical standards on a government in bad need of a cleansing.
To his critics, the Blagojevich era is highlighted more by grandiose claims, initiatives crafted primarily for the media pop, inattention to detail and a strategy of trying to humiliate those who get in his way."
And more:
"Running a perpetual image campaign, Blagojevich has adopted the tactic of using bogeymen to further his populist causes. He has attacked federal regulators and pharmaceutical makers over his inability to import prescription drugs, launched a drive to outlaw the sale to minors of violent video games and railed against the "Soviet-style" facelessness of the State Board of Education, which he has stripped of its independent advocacy."
And finally:
"The fragility of Blagojevich's relations with the legislature could prove a minefield for him as he struggles to overcome the latest round of deficit problems while ramping up for re-election in 2006 and, many in Springfield think, a possible White House run two years later."
Bush Declares Iraq Election a Success
There was some violence and as of this writing, 44 deaths, but I think the election has been a big success for the Iraqi people.
From Yahoo!
By ANNE GEARAN, AP Diplomatic Writer
WASHINGTON - President Bush called Sunday's elections in Iraq a success and promised the United States will continue trying to prepare Iraqis to secure their own country.
"The world is hearing the voice of freedom from the center of the Middle East," Bush told reporters at the White House on Sunday, four hours after the polls closed. He did not take questions after his three-minute statement.
Bush praised the bravery of Iraqis who turned out to vote despite continuing violence and intimidation. Bush said voters "firmly rejected the antidemocratic ideology" of terrorists.
Iraqis defied threats of violence and calls for a boycott to cast ballots in their first free election in a half-century Sunday.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=2&u=/ap/20050130/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq
From Yahoo!
By ANNE GEARAN, AP Diplomatic Writer
WASHINGTON - President Bush called Sunday's elections in Iraq a success and promised the United States will continue trying to prepare Iraqis to secure their own country.
"The world is hearing the voice of freedom from the center of the Middle East," Bush told reporters at the White House on Sunday, four hours after the polls closed. He did not take questions after his three-minute statement.
Bush praised the bravery of Iraqis who turned out to vote despite continuing violence and intimidation. Bush said voters "firmly rejected the antidemocratic ideology" of terrorists.
Iraqis defied threats of violence and calls for a boycott to cast ballots in their first free election in a half-century Sunday.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=2&u=/ap/20050130/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq
Saturday, January 29, 2005
Sunday's Trib (Metro section) Tough on Blago
While in line at the grocery store, saw the Chicago Tribune Sunday edition. Page one of the Metro Section, an analysis on Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Not very kind to the hairy one. Will post more tomorrow.
Friday, January 28, 2005
Ill. Unable to Sell Its Extra Flu Vaccine
Some Blagojevich grandstanding has blown up in his face....
From AP via Yahoo:
CHICAGO - Illinois has been unable to sell any of the 700,000 doses of flu vaccine that Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other state and city governments agreed to buy from Europe, raising the possibility taxpayers could get stuck paying for unused vaccine.
New York City and Cleveland officials who signed onto the deal now say they don't need their share — and don't want to pay for them.
Illinois put the doses on the market in December after New York City asked the state to resell the 200,000 flu vaccine doses it had agreed to buy for $10 each. Cleveland officials said they told Illinois earlier this month they no longer wanted the 4,500 doses they requested at a price of about $11 each.
However, Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said anyone that signed onto the deal is responsible for paying their share of the more than $6 million price for the vaccines.
On Thursday, the government all but dropped its flu vaccine restrictions, encouraging states with ample supplies to offer shots to anyone who wants one. More than half the states have already dropped all their restrictions.
After last fall's vaccine shortage, the government had said flu shots should be reserved for elderly people, babies and those with chronic medical conditions.
From AP via Yahoo:
CHICAGO - Illinois has been unable to sell any of the 700,000 doses of flu vaccine that Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other state and city governments agreed to buy from Europe, raising the possibility taxpayers could get stuck paying for unused vaccine.
New York City and Cleveland officials who signed onto the deal now say they don't need their share — and don't want to pay for them.
Illinois put the doses on the market in December after New York City asked the state to resell the 200,000 flu vaccine doses it had agreed to buy for $10 each. Cleveland officials said they told Illinois earlier this month they no longer wanted the 4,500 doses they requested at a price of about $11 each.
However, Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said anyone that signed onto the deal is responsible for paying their share of the more than $6 million price for the vaccines.
On Thursday, the government all but dropped its flu vaccine restrictions, encouraging states with ample supplies to offer shots to anyone who wants one. More than half the states have already dropped all their restrictions.
After last fall's vaccine shortage, the government had said flu shots should be reserved for elderly people, babies and those with chronic medical conditions.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Kerry, Shrum, Living in a Fantasy World
Uh, guys, get over it, you lost!
From the Rothenberg Political Report:
Living in a Fantasy WorldOn the eve of Inauguration, John Kerry campaign manager Bob Shrum told the New York Daily News, "How am I feeling? Disappointed. Right now, I'm waiting for a camera crew from CNN to interview me about Karl Rove. Just think, a switch of 55,000 votes in Ohio, and I wouldn't have been doing this interview. But you've got to be gracious." Shrum is not alone."
Teresa said, 'What do you want for your birthday?' I said, '55,000 votes in Ohio,' " Kerry told a group of supporters in a post-election trip to Des Moines. Cong. Charlie Rangel (D) of New York agreed, stating on CNN's Late Edition the day after Christmas, "A shift of 60,000 votes in Ohio and John Kerry would be president."
And Democratic strategist Steve McMahon was very much on message. "If 50,000 votes or so had gone the other way, we'd have a different president." (Crossfire, January 12). "The fact is, if 50,000 votes now in Ohio had gone the other way, there wouldn't have been a George Bush second term, there would have been a Kerry term." (Fox News Channel, December 17)
But if Democrats want to play the "What If..." game, they have to play it both ways. In the real world, George W. Bush defeated John Kerry in the Electoral College 286-251, with 270 needed to win. (One elector in Minnesota cast his vote for John Edwards.) Yes, if Ohio had gone for Kerry, he would have totaled 272 electoral votes, and would be thawing out from his parade walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.
But while 60,000 votes would have made the difference in favor of Kerry, just 45,000 votes the other way paints a completely different picture. If 5,000 voters had switched in New Hampshire, Bush would have carried the state. If 6,000 voters had switched in Wisconsin, Bush would have carried that state. And if 34,000 voters had switched in Oregon, Bush would have carried it also.
So, in this backward hypothetical world, Bush wins reelection with a considerable 307 electoral votes. In addition, Bush could have lost Ohio and still won reelection if only a few thousand voters in New Hampshire or Wisconsin had magically decided to change their minds. The fact of the matter is, the voters voted and Bush won. And playing "What if..." is left for the loser.
For the rest...http://www.rothenbergpoliticalreport.com/archive/january242005.htm
From the Rothenberg Political Report:
Living in a Fantasy WorldOn the eve of Inauguration, John Kerry campaign manager Bob Shrum told the New York Daily News, "How am I feeling? Disappointed. Right now, I'm waiting for a camera crew from CNN to interview me about Karl Rove. Just think, a switch of 55,000 votes in Ohio, and I wouldn't have been doing this interview. But you've got to be gracious." Shrum is not alone."
Teresa said, 'What do you want for your birthday?' I said, '55,000 votes in Ohio,' " Kerry told a group of supporters in a post-election trip to Des Moines. Cong. Charlie Rangel (D) of New York agreed, stating on CNN's Late Edition the day after Christmas, "A shift of 60,000 votes in Ohio and John Kerry would be president."
And Democratic strategist Steve McMahon was very much on message. "If 50,000 votes or so had gone the other way, we'd have a different president." (Crossfire, January 12). "The fact is, if 50,000 votes now in Ohio had gone the other way, there wouldn't have been a George Bush second term, there would have been a Kerry term." (Fox News Channel, December 17)
But if Democrats want to play the "What If..." game, they have to play it both ways. In the real world, George W. Bush defeated John Kerry in the Electoral College 286-251, with 270 needed to win. (One elector in Minnesota cast his vote for John Edwards.) Yes, if Ohio had gone for Kerry, he would have totaled 272 electoral votes, and would be thawing out from his parade walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.
But while 60,000 votes would have made the difference in favor of Kerry, just 45,000 votes the other way paints a completely different picture. If 5,000 voters had switched in New Hampshire, Bush would have carried the state. If 6,000 voters had switched in Wisconsin, Bush would have carried that state. And if 34,000 voters had switched in Oregon, Bush would have carried it also.
So, in this backward hypothetical world, Bush wins reelection with a considerable 307 electoral votes. In addition, Bush could have lost Ohio and still won reelection if only a few thousand voters in New Hampshire or Wisconsin had magically decided to change their minds. The fact of the matter is, the voters voted and Bush won. And playing "What if..." is left for the loser.
For the rest...http://www.rothenbergpoliticalreport.com/archive/january242005.htm
Rice Confirmed, Durbin Votes Against
And what were those mistatements???
From the WBBM News Radio 78 website
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin was among the 13 senators voting Wednesday against the confirmation of Condoleeza Rice. Durbin said in a statement, "In the end I could not excuse Dr. Rice's repeated misstatements about the war in Iraq and her opposition to my amendment unequivocally condemning the use of torture. America has lost a voice of moderation with the retirement of Colin Powell. We can only hope that the responsibility of leadership will inspire Rice to follow his example.”
U.S. Sen. Barak Obama voted for the confirmation of Rice.
From the WBBM News Radio 78 website
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin was among the 13 senators voting Wednesday against the confirmation of Condoleeza Rice. Durbin said in a statement, "In the end I could not excuse Dr. Rice's repeated misstatements about the war in Iraq and her opposition to my amendment unequivocally condemning the use of torture. America has lost a voice of moderation with the retirement of Colin Powell. We can only hope that the responsibility of leadership will inspire Rice to follow his example.”
U.S. Sen. Barak Obama voted for the confirmation of Rice.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
More election mischief in Wisconsin
Perhaps it was sloppy record keeping by Wisconsin election officials, or incompetence. Or worse. Still, the folks who scream Bush "stole" Ohio will probably not scream and yell about this story, or the prior one from Wisconsin.
From the Milwauke Journal Sentinel:
The number is a result of a detailed computer analysis by the Journal Sentinel of the city’s voter records and represents about 0.4% of the 277,535 ballots cast in the city in the hard-fought election. Some of the problems may be due to flawed record keeping, such as transposed digits or incorrect street names. Many others, however, cannot easily be explained.
The newspaper’s review, the most extensive analysis done so far of the election, revealed 1,242 votes coming from a total of 1,135 invalid addresses. That is, in some cases more than one person is listed as voting from the address. Of the 1,242 voters with invalid addresses, 75% registered on site on election day, according to city records.
While the number is not enough to have determined the outcome of the statewide presidential contest, the revelation prompted renewed criticism Monday by state Republicans and raised concerns at City Hall about how well records were kept on and after a frenzied election day.
Read here for the rest of the story:
From the Milwauke Journal Sentinel:
The number is a result of a detailed computer analysis by the Journal Sentinel of the city’s voter records and represents about 0.4% of the 277,535 ballots cast in the city in the hard-fought election. Some of the problems may be due to flawed record keeping, such as transposed digits or incorrect street names. Many others, however, cannot easily be explained.
The newspaper’s review, the most extensive analysis done so far of the election, revealed 1,242 votes coming from a total of 1,135 invalid addresses. That is, in some cases more than one person is listed as voting from the address. Of the 1,242 voters with invalid addresses, 75% registered on site on election day, according to city records.
While the number is not enough to have determined the outcome of the statewide presidential contest, the revelation prompted renewed criticism Monday by state Republicans and raised concerns at City Hall about how well records were kept on and after a frenzied election day.
Read here for the rest of the story:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)