Progress Illinois

When pressed to come up with ways to address the state's gaping budget deficit without raising income taxes, Illinois Republicans and conservatives love to bring up former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's unilateral expansion of Medicaid. (In 2007, he issued an emergency regulation that increased income eligibility for the state's FamilyCare program from 185 percent of the federal poverty level to 400 percent -- equivalent to $83,000 for a family of four.)  Below are a few examples:

State Sen. Carole Pankau (R-Itasca): "Start looking at some of the illegal programs that the former governor put in place without any General Assembly approval to do that. ... The largest segment of our budget right now is Medicaid. That is our 600-pound gorilla."  (ABC 7's NewsViews, 6/7/09)

Illinois Policy Institute chairman John Tillman: "In 1998, there were 1.7 million people receiving Medicaid benefits.  Today there are 2.7 million people receiving Medicaid benefits. And yet the rate of insured is the same.  The reason that's happened is that we've raised the eligibility for Medicaid so that a man or woman or family making $80,000 is now getting taxpayer-subsidized health care." (WTTW's Chicago Tonight, 4/16/09)  

Chicago Tribune Editorial Board: "Quinn should drop the expensive and likely illegal expansion of coverage under Blagojevich: Roll back the FamilyCare program to levels legislators approved." ("12 Steps Before A Tax Hike," 3/17/09)

State Sen. Matt Murphy (R-Palatine): "Governor Blagojevich's failed Medicaid expansion has been a boondoggle -- roll it back." (WFLD's Fox Chicago Sunday, 3/15/09) 

And our personal favorite: 

Potential gubernatorial candidate Dan Proft: "Gov. Blagojevich, one of the charges for which he was impeached was for illegally expanding Medicaid to 400 percent of the poverty level. ... Blagojevich is gone.  That illegal expansion of that benefit is not.  Doubling the eligibility of Medicaid has resulted in a 33 percent increase in Medicaid spending by the state just in the last three fiscal years ... They're projecting about $18 million in Medicaid spending [in FY 2010].  So it would save you about $5 billion." (Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz, 6/2/09)

There are two reasons why citing Blagojevich's FamilyCare expansion in the context of the budget debate makes zero sense.

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Media Matters caught the oh-so-talented hosts of Fox News Channel's morning show falsely claiming that an AP story published yesterday accuses Sen. Dick Durbin of involvement in a "pay-to-play" scheme with Gov. Rod Blagojevich.  Be sure to watch the on-screen text:

The AP article in question actually reported the following:

Just two weeks before his arrest on corruption charges, then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich floated a plan to give President Barack Obama's former Senate seat to the daughter of his biggest political rival in return for concessions on his pet projects, people familiar with the plan told The Associated Press.

Blagojevich told Sen. Dick Durbin he was thinking of naming Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to the seat, according to two Durbin aides who spoke on condition of anonymity.

As Media Matters points out, the article "did not include any suggestion that Durbin was involved in a 'pay-for-play scheme' or that Durbin would have benefited personally from the proposal that Blagojevich 'floated' to him."  Continue reading »

No surprise here:

"Mr. Rod Blagojevich would waive reading of the indictment and enter a plea of not guilty," the lawyer said. U.S. District Judge James Zagel asked the former governor a series of questions, including one about his schooling. 

"Um, I have a degree from law school," Blagojevich replied.

The Sun-Times published this statement from Delmarie Cobb, spokeswoman for Sen. Roland Burris, in response to the Blagojevich indictment.  Here's an excerpt:

To Blagojevich’s credit, he decided as a final act it was important to appoint someone with an exceptional reputation of integrity and superior public service to the U.S. Senate seat. Blagojevich gave Illinois the chance to accomplish three worthy goals — save the taxpayer’s (sic) an expensive special election, give the state a representative of proven experience, and show the rest of the world Illinois has good officials to take us beyond our tainted image.  His last words were, ‘Please don’t let the allegations against me taint this good and honest man,’ Blagojevich said at the time.

So Burris is using Blagojevich as a character witness now?  Is that really the best strategy?

As for Burris' honesty, we'll reserve judgment until the junior senator releases that "concise document" proving that his testimony before the Illinis House impeachment committee "was truthful and consistent."  It's been 44 days since he announced his intention to do so.    

UPDATE: Politico points out how Cobb's statement also took aim at Sen. Dick Durbin and the Democratic leadership.

Originally posted at 5:12 pm.

The U.S. Attorney's office has just released their indictment of former Gov. Blagojevich, his brother Rob Blagojevich, former chief of staff John Harris, fundraiser Christopher Kelly, lobbyist Lon Monk, and William Cellini -- all on corruption charges.  You can download Patrick Fitzgerald's press release on the charges here and the full indictment here.

Here's the clearest and broadest explanation of the case against Blagojevich and his alleged criminal "enterprise" (which consisted of him, his campaign organization, and the governor's office):

[B]eginning in 2002 and continuing after Blagojevich was first elected governor, Blagojevich and Monk, along with Kelly and previously convicted co-schemer Antoin “Tony” Rezko, agreed that they would use the offices of governor and chief of staff for financial gain, which would be divided among them with the understanding that the money would be distributed after Blagojevich left public office.

Beginning in 2002.

UPDATE: Below is video of Gov. Quinn's response:

Capitol Fax has Blagojevich's reaction.  Greg Hinz has a good summary as well.

From the Tribune:

The U.S. attorney's office in Chicago says that later today it is announcing developments in a "significant criminal matter." Sources familiar with the situation said the announcement is expected to be the indictment of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and others on corruption charges.

The office announced it will issue a press release and make a court filing available late this afternoon. There will be no press conference.

In his column today, the Tribune's Eric Zorn digs into Rod Blagojevich's theory -- espoused on WLS yesterday -- that Gov. Pat Quinn has entered a "corrupt bargain" with House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullterton. I'm more interested in Blagojevich's ongoing allegation that Quinn's proposed budget breaks a "promise" he made during the 2002 and 2006 campaigns not to raise the income tax.  After all, these are the sorts of claims that often find their way into attack ads.  Have a listen:

Internal mp3

BLAGOJEVICH: I kept the promise I made in two elections not to raise the income tax on people. ... I asked our new governor -- Gov. Quinn -- to keep the promise we both made when we ran as a ticket.  I kept it for six years.  Unfortunately, it took him less than six weeks to break that promise.

As the Democratic lieutenant governor candidate in both 2002 and 2006, Quinn certainly supported Blagojevich in the general election and campaigned with him along the way.  But did he ever endorse Blagojevich's pledge not to raise the income tax? 

We can't find any evidence he did.  And it seems pretty unlikely, considering that, then-Lt. Gov. Quinn spearheaded a constitutional amendment in 2004 seeking to raise the income tax on those making more than $250,000 (which Blagojevich opposed).   

Last night, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow touched on both the Republic Windows legacy and Rod Blagojevich's radio hosting stint in her "Ms. Information" segment.  Watch it:

The highlight of Rod Blagojevich's stint as a WLS Radio guest host this morning had to be the moments when he almost introduced himself as the "governor" rather than the "former governor."  Right off the bat he almost slipped up:

Internal mp3

And towards the end of the two-hour show, he did it again:

Internal mp3

Priceless.

After appearing before the House impeachment committee on January 8, Roland Burris told the press that he had passed with "flying colors," adding: "I have nothing to hide."  It's hard not to look back on those words and laugh after reading this revelation from the Sun-Times today:

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brother solicited U.S. Sen. Roland Burris for up to $10,000 in campaign cash before Blagojevich named Burris to the coveted post -- something Burris initially failed to disclose under oath before an Illinois House impeachment panel, records and interviews show. [...]

Burris acknowledged having three conversations with Robert Blagojevich, who headed the Friends of Blagojevich campaign fund -- and one of those was likely recorded by the FBI. [...]

In his new affidavit, Burris confirms he also spoke of his interest in the Senate appointment with Blagojevich insiders John Harris, Doug Scofield and John Wyma.

Below is a video clip from the impeachment hearing in which State Rep. Jim Durkin questions Burris about contacts with the governor's staff prior to Blagojevich's arrest.  Durkin specifically asks about Harris, Wyma, and the governor's brother.  In retrospect, Burris' answer is telling.  Rather than denying having spoken to those individuals, he says, "I talked to some friends about my desire to be appointed, yes."  When pressed by Durkin, he discloses the contact with Lon Monk in September.  Of course, Durkin moves on without asking the obvious follow-up question: "Did you speak with any other aides or confidantes of the governor?"  And Burris gets away without ever really answering the original question.  Watch it:

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