Monday, December 22, 2008
News / Clout City They paid; now they're playing
Posted by Mick Dumke on Mon, Dec 22, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Amid a bit of uncertainty about who, if anyone, is actually running state government, the Illinois Gaming Board voted today to award a casino license to Midwest Gaming, a firm run by real estate and gambling baron Neil Bluhm.
It probably won't shock anyone to hear that Bluhm, his business partners, and his family have shown a keen interest in state politics over the years, or at least a willingness to be charitable with the state's most important elected officials.
Since the mid-1990s Bluhm himself has donated at least $231,500 to political candidates and causes in Illinois, including $36,500 to state comptroller Dan Hynes; $18,500 to attorney general Lisa Madigan; $13,000 to state rep Lou Lang, who chairs the House gaming committee; $10,500 to Chicago alderman Ed Burke, chairman of the City Council's finance committee; $10,000 to governor Rod Blagojevich; $10,000 to House speaker Michael Madigan; and even $500 to lieutenant governor Pat Quinn.
Bluhm's family members and associates in his various business interests--which include JMB Realty, Walton Street Capital, and LAMB Partners--have given another $738,000. Favored politicians included Mayor Richard Daley ($227,500); Blagojevich ($56,500); Lisa Madigan ($46,000); Hynes ($38,500); and alderman Burke ($18,000) and his wife, state supreme court justice Anne Burke ($50,000). Here's a database with the totals.
Bluhm and his family and businesses have also donated tens of thousands of dollars to pro-choice groups.
Among his many real estate deals, Bluhm acquired the old downtown post office building in 2007 with the aid of $60 million in public money. Before that he and partner Judd Malkin were involved in some of the city's big money-losing attempts to develop Block 37.
Here's betting that Bluhm will be involved somehow if the city of Chicago tries to get its own casino in the next couple of years--which it's widely expected to do; already some aldermen, including Blagojevich's father-in-law, Richard Mell, have been talking up the idea.
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Mayor Daley has an affinity to Rosemont,and its style of govt. Criticism of Rosemont is like talking about Chicago and our great Mayor Daley. Maybe you should move to Detroit,or to its Surburb Alburn Hills.
11th man, Chicago is not a pimple on Rosemont's ass. Rosemont takes care of there people. Daley fucks his! Mayor Stephens was ahead of his time, Daley is a spoiled retard.
Mell already gave us Rod don't let him give us Bluhm and his Casino. More politically connected jerks and Casinos without cleaning house of the current group of crooks is not good.
A bribe by any other name......
Who is running state government? Especially considering that the people running state government, namely the roofer Chris Kelly and the pizza and chinese food man Tony Rezko have both been indicted and Rezko is in jail? Nobody is at the helm
$18,500 to attorney general Lisa Madigan;anyone surprised? The Chicago casino will happen in time for the Olympics. it will be built on Navy Pier. The Olympic Venues are set, they are missing a casino to bet on athletes.
"Who is running state government?", you ask? Why, the same guy who has been ruining state government for years, namely, Mike Madigan. Did you really think that the governor was the only fellow playing the pay to play game?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-city-inspectors-briberydec20,0,7902749.story.
Criminal Enterprise.The most corrupt city agency.Hopefully by nailing the little fish,Fitzgerald will bring down the leader of this Criminal cabal. Christopher Kozicki, William Rooney,Ald William Banks,Ald Bernard Stone,Scott Loeff,Elzie higginbottom,John Daley,Marlean Hopkins and a cast of others. These cock roaches have placed Chicago in peril. Ex-inspector gets 21 months A former building-inspector supervisor for the city of Chicago was sentenced to 21 months in prison Monday. A federal jury earlier this year convicted Gregory Toran of attempted extortion charges. An informant testified he passed a $500 bribe to Toran, and jurors watched video surveillance of the act. Toran is to begin his sentence in March.
Code Warrior = Michael McGann
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