IL-Sen - Jan Schakowsky Releases Polling Info - Testing Waters

by: admin

Mon Apr 27, 2009 at 22:10:18 PM CDT

I think that Giannoulias would be the favorite over Schakowsky Burris and his low favorable ratings. However, I do think that Schakowsky would be a formidable opponent as she could certainly raise a lot of money and would likely be endorsed by Emily's List and other women's groups.

I know of Schakowsky from working in Illinois during the 2002 campaign. Her husband Bob Creamer owns the Strategic Consulting Group. While a very talented and proficient community organizer and campaign consultant, Creamer did serve prison time for tax fraud and bank fraud as a result of guilty pleas in 2005.

From a 2005 USATODAY article

Creamer, 58, a prominent Chicago political consultant, was accused of swindling nine financial institutions of at least $2.3 million while he ran a public interest group in the 1990s.

Creamer told reporters Wednesday there was "no doubt that my actions a decade ago were very foolish and placed myself, my family, the organization and many of those who worked with me at considerable risk."

He offered a "sincere apology to anyone who has been affected by my conduct."

The indictment alleged Creamer caused a series of insufficiently funded checks and wire transfers to be drawn on accounts he controlled as executive director of the Illinois Public Action Fund. According to the indictment, he allegedly then used the inflated balances to pay the group's expenses and own salary.

Creamer pleaded guilty to one count each of bank fraud and failure to collect withholding tax. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped several other counts

Trying to Make Sense of Burris Conversations with The Blago Brothers

by: admin

Wed Feb 18, 2009 at 00:29:12 AM CST

I don't think you can make any sense of what Blagojevich was doing or what his brother Robert was doing on his behalf.

So based on recent accounts we do learn that Burris did have some conversations with Robert Blagojveich. He previously stated he did not have any conversations with Blago or any of his associates. Well I guess that is wrong if he talked with his brother who is clearly an associated.

Probably what happened is that Blago's brother was calling everybody who is anybody in Illinois to ask them to raise money. It looks as if nobody responded in an affirmative manner.

So here's Burris's latest wrap-up of what happened

Burris said he contacted "some people" about holding a fundraiser at the request of Blagojevich's brother, Robert, only to learn that no one was willing to help the governor. He said he later changed his mind, raised no money and contributed none.

So we go round and round an round. When does this all end. Blago has been removed from office. Do we remove Burris now also and vindicate those that didn't want to seat him in the first place?

Any thoughts?

Illinois Battleground - Mark Kirk Going Negative on Dan Seals

by: admin

Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 23:01:33 PM CDT

Just got forwarded a diary from Daily Kostonight about how Kirk is attacking Seals for being "unemployed".

Mind you that Seals is a business consultant and and lecturer at Northwestern.

Let's push Kirk to the unemployment line this fall. Then he will know what unemployment is really like for the struggling American working family that he votes to hurt.

Here is a blog called Ellen of the Tenth covering this race very extensively.