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My memory of meeting Rod Blagojevich, who for the sake of brevity I will simply call Blago, dates back to the 2002 election cycle. I was working as part of the State Coordinated Campaign in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. When I signed up for the gig, I assumed I was going to Chicago. After five days in the Windy City, I was sent to the bright lights and two story skyscrapers in the Vern. We became known as the outsiders, Gephardt's boys, the DNC kids, Victory 2000, D.C. folks and City Slickers. First and only time in my life I was called a "city slicker". Oh and we were only paid $100 a week.
My recollections of encounters with Blago during that have become a bity hazy. Please forgive me, I forgive myself. At the time I did not blog, heck I just learned about the internet in 2008. Had I been one of those inter tube journalists, my ramblings would have probably better resembled those on TuckerMax.com . The stories were legendary and always involved lots of beer and shenanigans at a dive called Sam's that served some kick-butt Chili. Sam's usually got the big chunk of the weekly Benjamin Franklin in our pockets. One of my favorite memories is how we actually spent time in a bar one night that had a target shoot in the back and a waitress that pulled out her false teeth. Yes real guns and real dentures.
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky released a polling memo by Lake Research Partners showing that she is the strongest of three Democratic candidates. The other two candidates tested were current embattled Senator Roland Burris and Alexi Giannoulias - FOO (Friend of Obama).
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.
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
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?
We already had the Kirk remarks about "Shooting Obama on sight".
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.
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