Dir Rod Blagojevich aggressive machine fundraising collected hundreds of $ 25000 in a campaign to control the efforts of his predecessors small “and most major donors ended up taking advantage of its management.
A review of all forums, 235 of these donations shows that three out of four individuals, businesses or interest groups have something lucrative public contracts on board very good appointments to political and legal measures.
Donors interview she said there had to show their support for democracy governor in the first quarter of a century, or to attract the attention of the new regime. But the forum found that the model raises new questions about possible links between campaign donations and public actions.
Blagojevich insiders were charged in a broad corruption investigation of the Confederation for the exchange of favors for contributions. Last week, a former branch manager, in a plea agreement that he bought a part of his job with two gifts of $ 25000.
During the election campaign as reformers at the end of Illinois’ pay to play “reputation, Blagojevich, to a large extent the donors who have an interest in his hotel. He proposed a ceiling for campaign contributions, but has done little to the proposal.
Illinois is one of only five countries without borders in this campaign contributions. Most countries prohibit individuals or companies, provided that the $ 25000 to political candidates, after the National Conference of State Legislature.
A spokesman for the governor denied any suggestion that Blagojevich gifts for donations acted as an official with the governor of the fundraising campaign, Friends of Blagojevich.
“Never,” said Doug Scofield, a top campaign advisers, wrote in an e-mail response to written questions.
“There is no link between campaign contributions and the awarding of contracts or jobs,” he said. “The amount of the contribution is a decision that the only contribution.
Admittedly, there are some contributions have also given greater quantities, mostly 25000 - $ on the price of a new Toyota Camry-politics was the largest donation ever. Fundraisers interviewed political insiders and recognize that it was an amount of the campaign in the early stages of Blagojevich the first period as governor.
An engineer office in Chicago and its subsidiaries wrote two checks of $ 25000 in 2006 and in a few months, won $ 25.4 million in the new state. A law of the State would have one to six the number of state jobs over a dozen four donors awarded by employment or appointment Blagojevich. A pharmacist, Chicago previously said, the Tribune and repression that its $ 25000 to consider the governor of the campaign was the shield of price fixing for a review of the state’s pharmacy, a reproach, Fundraiser requested the check box adamantly denies.
Breaking Down donations
All have said Blagojevich campaign has more than $ 58 million since 2000, with nearly 6 million in donations to come, nearly $ 25000. These contributions-235 in all, 166 came from different donors. These donors had an additional $ 8.6 million in quantities larger and smaller than $ 25000.
For this report, the Tribune review of all donors, Blagojevich gave at least $ 25000 a cheque, a snapshot of the governor of the massive campaign and effortlessly.
While controls Blagojevich won exactly $ 235 to 25000, its immediate predecessor, Mr. George Ryan, Federal Prison corruption charges, only 14 have received since the beginning of his period as governor. Aides to the former Republican Govs. Jim Edgar and James Thompson, who has benefited from its own fundraising powerful machines, agreed that $ 25000 was unusual controls.
Blagojevich has more than any other governor in Illinois history, state campaign finance records. He took up his GOP predecessors, Ryan, 30 years for offices campaigns to increase by $ 40 million.
Of the 235 donations to Blagojevich, the Tribune found 175 businesses, unions, groups or individuals who benefit anyway under its management. More than three dozen review contributions to political campaigns.
The lawyer for the case to
Chicago lawyer Myron Cherry, a longstanding supporter of Democratic politicians, sat on Blagojevich’s Finance Committee from the early stages. He said he thought $ 25000 has been a goal of the campaign fundraising a certain activities. Cherry two donations of $ 25,000 Blagojevich.
“I remember a Fundraiser-may be others where $ 25000 was published as a character to be co-host, or something,” said Cherry. “It was at the invitation” .
He said that $ 25000 “is not an unusual character in politics” and other amounts have also been tried in Blagojevich fundraisers.
“Those of us who had enough money, those of us wanted to see a change in conduct in this state, $ 1000 was not enough,” he said.
Six months after the second Cherry contribution of $ 25,000 in June 2004, the state agency charged its insurance firm as part of a team to negotiate a multi-State for alleged legal dispute fraud by insurance companies.
As part of a $ 240 million settlement, he assisted in the negotiation between insurance companies and Illinois, Cherry, said his company charged $ 900000 in fees. He said he has “thousands” of hours and reduce its hourly rate of 40 per cent.
Cherry said it is unfair to put even more closely its contributions May, in his state.
“I asked for business,” he said. “I have asked several countries. I was already pursuing these legal recourse is excluded. It would be strange that the State to choose someone else to monitor litigation, which I originated and their cries .
“An exclamation point”
Among the many first donor-$ 25000 Chicago was an architectural firm that turned into new oasis Illinois Tollway.
John Clark, a principal with Cordogan, Clark & Associates, said the agency leading the project, the California company Wilton partners Cordogan also offers gifts to Clark Blagojevich. Wilton themselves donated $ 50000 to the governor’s campaign fund, the same day. He said, Wilton’s Guide asked the company for the donation as an opportunity to attract the attention of the Oasis project in the time was moving slowly.
“Giving puts an exclamation point next to your name,” said Clark.
After the donation, Clark said the project started to go more smoothly. But he said he was not sure, it was a direct consequence of the gift or if “people are increasingly trot.
He said he did not see the gift as a pleasure and believes that the State was only live up to conditions of their original agreement signed after the hotel Ryan, Wilton has more than 80 million for the renewal of the oasis and pays providers rent.
“Maybe is the contribution helped, but I can not say that for you, because they do occur,” said Clark. “If this is a grace, it is not much.”
“If we have something, it was not our drawings and redessin [specifications], so at a low level [in the Tollway],” he added.
Wilton officials partners not return phone comment. But Clark said Wilton’s good work at the Tollway has been clouded by accusations of unfair political influence.
Clark’s architecture firm was one of 15 donors to earn 25,000 dollars, as part of a Fundraiser in July 2003 Navy Pier, where more than $ 1 million. All but one of 15 received some benefits Blagojevich administration.
Fundraiser’s attendance cinemas
Among donors of $ 25000 over the same Fundraiser was Ali Ata, Blagojevich be removed later, the Director of Finance of the Authority Illinois. Ata pleads guilty in the last week of the federal agent refuses, as his two contributions $ 25000 contributed to its $ 127000-a-Year work. Ata’s plea was the heart of the process of the Federal Constitution of the fight against corruption a top Blagojevich insider Antoin “Tony” Rezko, denounces corruption extorting campaign funds and contributions from individuals, state-owned enterprises.
After Ata’s plea agreement, Blagojevich has spoken with him, that Fundraiser. Ata, said the governor gave him the name of a good Supporter, acknowledged that Ata had its second substantial donation Ata and spoke of his accession to the hotel. Ata, now cooperation with the Confederation of prosecutors, faces a maximum of 18 months in prison on charges, investigators lies about the conversation.
If Ata of the termination of his service under the authority of funding during 2005, he was replaced by former leaders of Down State Bank, whose parent company also contributed $ 25000 to Blagojevich. Jill Rendleman took over as director of finance department, after two years, the authority of its Advisory Board, 2003 appointment, she won the same month as its parent company donating $ 25000 ’s.
“I do not think the contribution that we have something to do with the appointment,” said J. Hunt Bonan, vice president of the National Bank of peoples board.
Bonan is now the chairman of the Board of Review for the State Department of Employment Security, an office, he said, also had nothing to do with donations from his company to $ 10 in total 119000th Blagojevich Still, he acknowledged that the donation does not infringe on the business activity in Illinois, referring to a quote from the late U.S. Senator Paul Simon once said, when he expects the 20 calls from him and he could not back a call, it would pick up the phone for contributors.
“It is the attention,” said Bonan.
Dates hotel
In addition to the state, the Tribune audit found Blagojevich appointed more than 40 sponsors $ 25000 or whose parents or relatives of influential partners, but generally non-state regulatory maps and commissions.
Blagojevich noise a spokeswoman Rebecca E-mail response to questions appointment and said that these decisions are reviewed by the office of governor and on the basis of nominees qualification. In response to questions concerning government procurement, noise, said: “Good rules for the award are available, the procurement process and is independent of our office.”
Charges of influence peddling forces have at least one contribution of $ 25000, which also contributed to hundreds of thousands more for Blagojevich.
Harish M. Bhatt, the owner of the chain pharmacy Basinger’s, which is based in Joliet, presented the names of at least two members Blagojevich appointed to the state of the art of the medicine chest and contributed to what the State The Regulatory Authority above pharmacy earn his job. The forum last year, reports that the State Auditors pharmacy Probing allegations of Medicaid fraud Basinger’s complained that their leaders were impeding the investigation.
Bhatt adamantly refused, he exercised any undue influence and said that the prosecution against him for the stalemate lack of evidence. State police and corruption at the federal level investigators to resume the study Bhatt Tribune reported.
Bhatt also requested a cheque for $ 25000 to a pharmacist, Chicago, was also in trouble with the authorities to state regulation. Pharmacists Chicago Tribune, said the investigator and he has the gift of criminal law as a form of protection, but would like better and he stopped payment on the check.
The State Police denied the accusations but still the case, after studying Tribune at the end of 2007. Federal agents are also reports on the allegations.
In face of these allegations, the governor and his staff have repeatedly stressed they do not make transactions in this manner.
“We believe that thousands of contributors to the Blagojevich campaign Dir things to believe he is fighting for the health system more affordable for working families and working to promote the economy through the adoption of a law on employment, “said Scofield.
