Illinois

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Blago Toyed With Giving Rival's Daughter Senate Seat...

...in exchange for dad's pet-project support

(Newser) - Ousted Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich considered nominating his rival's daughter to the US Senate in exchange for concessions on pet projects, the AP reports. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, daughter of the state's powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, was in contention for the spot, according to aides to Sen. Dick...

Pols Pushed U. of Illinois Into Taking Students

'Clout list' just amounts to 'blackmail:' critics

(Newser) - Prominent state lawmakers have been pressuring administrators at the University of Illinois to accept favored applicants or risk facing their wrath, the Chicago Tribune reports. Analyzing 1,800 documents, the paper found that subpar applicants on a “clout list” gained admission over the objections of admissions officers after school...

Burris Offered Blagojevich a Personal Check

FBI tape reveals offer, but the future senator never sent money

(Newser) - The Senate Ethics Committee will have an interesting conversation to ponder as it considers whether Roland Burris engaged in any shady business before being appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. In an exchange secretly taped by the FBI between Burris and Blago's brother before the gubernatorial scandal...

Blago Brother's Talk With Burris Fair Game for Inquiry

(Newser) - FBI recordings of a conversation between Sen. Roland Burris and the brother of disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich can be released to the Senate Ethics Committee, a judge ruled today. The committee is investigating Burris’ appointment by the now-impeached governor, made after Blagojevich was indicted, the Hill reports. The...

RFK Son Plans Run for Obama Senate Seat

Chris Kennedy sets sights on seat now held by Burris

(Newser) - Another Kennedy is taking a shot at a Senate seat, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Chris Kennedy, the eighth of Robert F. Kennedy's 11 kids, plans to challenge Roland Burris in next year's election for the Illinois seat vacated by President Obama. Insiders say the Democrat decided to run after polls...

Peterson Murder Case Hinges on Flimsy Evidence

Prosecution counting on 'beyond the grave' testimony from victim

(Newser) - The murder case against Drew Peterson is likely to hinge on circumstantial evidence and hearsay testimony, the Chicago Tribune reports. Prosecutors will be relying on a new statute that some are calling “Drew’s Law,” which will allow victim Kathleen Savio to “testify from beyond the grave,...

Peterson Cracks Jokes at Murder Hearing

Ex-cop smirks as arraignment on murder charge delayed

(Newser) - Drew Peterson smirked and wisecracked his way through a court hearing yesterday, the Chicago Tribune reports. "Look at this bling. Look at this nice spiffy outfit. Three squares a day," the shackled ex-cop cracked on his way into court, where he was told his arraignment on murder charges...

Reality-Show Brothel Offers Drew Peterson a Pimpin' Job

Top choice Blagojevich had turned gig down

(Newser) - The Moonlite Bunny Ranch—the legal Nevada brothel featured in HBO’s Cathouse—seems desperate to play host to a Chicagoan with reputation problems, WBBM-AM reports. After Rod Blagojevich turned down a job offer as an apprentice pimp, owner Dennis Hof has now made entreaties to murder suspect Drew Peterson—...

Driver Polishing Nails Charged in Fatal Crash

She hit a motorcyclist yielding at a signal

(Newser) - A woman who fatally rammed into a female motorcyclist yielding at a yellow light said she was painting her nails before the accident, the Chicago Tribune reports. The driver was ticketed for failing to slow down and could face more charges. Authorities say the deceased biker was wearing a helmet...

WWJD? OK Medical Pot: Pastors
WWJD? OK Medical Pot: Pastors
Apr 29, 2009 1:43 PM CDT

WWJD? OK Medical Pot: Pastors

60 Ill. clerics push lawmakers on cannabis measure

(Newser) - More than 60 Illinois religious leaders want state lawmakers to legalize medical marijuana, saying their faith compels them to show mercy, the Chicago Tribune reports. "Jesus lived his life healing those where he could and bringing those to the absence of pain," said one minister. "This...

Burris, Unsure on '10 Election Run, Faces Cash Crunch

Senator collected only $845 in first quarter

(Newser) - Roland Burris says he hasn’t decided if he’ll run for election to his Senate seat in February 2010, but an aide says he has begun fundraising efforts, the Chicago Tribune reports. The “very aggressive” push to raise money “as quickly as possible” can’t come soon...

Blago Can't Hit Costa Rica for Reality Show

NBC wanted ex-guv in Costa Rica for celeb program

(Newser) - A federal judge has barred Rod Blagojevich’s bid to leave the country to join a reality-show cast, the Chicago Tribune reports. The ex-governor’s lawyers hoped he’d get permission in court today to travel to Costa Rica for NBC’s I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of ...

Reality TV Show Seeks to Dump Blago in Jungle

Ex-gov offered space on NBC show if judge gives the OK

(Newser) - NBC wants to pluck Rod Blagojevich from the political wilderness and dump him in the Costa Rican jungle, the Chicago Tribune reports. The ex-Illinois governor, who pleaded not guilty to corruption charges yesterday, has been offered a spot on a new season of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of ...

Blago Pleads Not Guilty in Criminal Case

Brother also pleads not guilty to corruption charges

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich and his brother pleaded not guilty to corruption charges today in a 10-minute US district court hearing, the Chicago Tribune reports. The former Illinois governor’s lawyer spoke for him as he faced several questions from the judge, including one on his education. “Mr Rod Blagojevich would...

Jackson Jr. Says He's Clean of Blago's Dirt

Congressman cooperating with House ethics probe

(Newser) - Jesse Jackson Jr. said today he is fully cooperating with a probe by a House ethics panel into his relationship with Rod Blagojevich, the Hill reports. "As I said when the Blagojevich scandal first broke back in December, I have done nothing wrong and reject pay-to-play politics," the...

Democratic Reformer Wins Emanuel's House Seat

Quigley cruises to victory in Illinois' 5th district

(Newser) - Mike Quigley has cruised to victory in the special election for Rahm Emanuel's old seat in Congress, the Chicago Tribune reports. The reform-minded Democrat had 70% of the vote in Illinois' 5th congressional district, a heavily Democratic area on Chicago's north side, with 94% of precincts reporting. Quigley plans to...

Blago, Top Aides Indicted; 'I'm Innocent,' He Says

(Newser) - A federal grand jury today indicted Rod Blagojevich on corruption charges, the Chicago Tribune reports. Indicted along with the impeached Illinois governor were his brother, two former chiefs of staff, and two businessmen. Blagojevich, accused among other things of trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat, issued a statement saying...

Feds Set to Indict Blago —and He's at Disney World

Former governor on vacation in Florida

(Newser) - A federal grand-jury indictment against former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich could come today, but if it is, he’ll have to wait to see it. That’s because Blago took his family to Disney World, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. A coincidence? Probably not. But there’s no reason he needs...

Blago Singled Out Senate Contenders for Cash

List shows he targeted 4 would-be senators

(Newser) - In his race to build a $2.3 million campaign war chest last year, Rod Blagojevich listed four possible candidates for President Obama's vacated Senate seat as prospective donors, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. A list of 150 names in all shows that Rep. Luis Gutierrez, billionaire J.B. Pritzker, and...

Blago 'A Natural' in Radio Gig
 Blago 'A Natural' 
 in Radio Gig
ANALYSIS
Mar 25, 2009 10:35 AM CDT

Blago 'A Natural' in Radio Gig

Ex-gov bashes his trial, his successor; jokes about hair and lack of progress on book

(Newser) - Morning drive-time radio could be the future for Rod Blagojevich, if the impeached Illinois’ governor’s fill-in stint today on Chicago’s WLS-AM is anything to go by, Jimmy Orr writes in live-blogging the show for the Christian Science Monitor. Amid Elvis theme music and complaints about his successor’s...

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