Feds Indict Big Donor to Chicago Ald. Joe Moore, IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich

Raghuveer Nayak

June 20, 2012 - Chicago - FBI agents arrested Raghuveer Nayak, MS, RPh this morning and took him into custody. Nayak was a major fundraiser for Rod Blagojevich, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and donor to Chicago Alderman Joe Moore. He is being held on $10 million bond.

In 2008 it was alleged that Nayak promised to raise $5 million for Blagojevich in exchange for the appointment of Jesse Jackson, Jr. to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. (Other sources put the alleged figure at $500,000, while some sources say it was $1 million.)

"A former campaign fundraiser for imprisoned ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. has pleaded not guilty to fraud charges related to his outpatient surgery centers," reports the Chicago Tribune today. "A judge set bond Wednesday for Raghuveer Nayak (RUG'-oo-veer NAY'-uk) at $10 million. Nayak has agreed to post six properties in Indiana and Illinois and will be released from custody Wednesday."

The feds have charged Nayak, 57, with 19 counts of mail fraud, interstate travel in aid of racketeering and filing false tax returns. He is also accused of "paying bribes and kickbacks to physicians for patient referrals."  Nayak was arrested at his home in Oakbrook home by FBI agents this morning. Wednesday at this suburban Chicago home and took him into custody.  READ the entire indictment here (pdf).

Nayak owns outpatient medical centers in Illinois and Indiana. One of those clinics is Rogers Park One Day Surgery Center at 7616 N. Paulina in Rogers Park, a neighborhood on Chicago's far north side.

Nayak gave big money to
Chicago Alderman Joe Moore

In late 2008, Governor Rod Blagojevich attended an Oct. 31 luncheon meeting at the India House restaurant in Schaumburg. The event was sponsored by Raghuveer Nayak. Not only was Nayak a major supporter and fundraiser for Blagojevich, he also had very close fundraising and business ties to the Jackson family. That's "Jackson" as in Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr.  Nayak's event raised over one million dollars was raised for "Blagojevich's campaign as a way to encourage him to pick Jackson for the job."

From 2000 to 2008, Nayak contributed nearly $10,000 to Chicago Alderman Joe Moore (49th Ward, Rogers Park). Moore, a fervent supporter of Blagojevich, has made no public statements about Nayak's role in the Blagojevich-Jackson scandal, or about today's arrest.

Nayak's contributions have tended to be almost exclusively to Democrats, with the notable exception of John McCain, who might as well be a Democrat. "From 1993 through June 30, 2008," reported the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, "Rogers Park One-Day Surgical Center gave $194,830 to candidates in Illinois, 100% of which was contributed to Democrats. During that same time, Nayak gave $24,700 in personal contributions."

Raghuveer Nayak's Political Contributions, as sampled by selected websites: Newsmeat.com and CampaignMoney.com

A Song for Rod Blagojevich and his Rocky Mountain Retreat

Rocky Mountain High
(federalprisoncalls.net)

March 15, 2012 - Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich settles into a federal prison near Denver, Colorado today. It made me think about his new digs in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. He'll be a guest at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Englewood in Littleton, Colorado. Naturally, this made a John Denver song came to my mind.

Now he walks in quiet solitude the forest and the streams
Seeking grace in every step he takes
His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand
The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake

The full lyrics are below, and some of them are weirdly appropriate for Blago's plight. "While there are views of the Rocky Mountains and a golf course from the compound," reports 9-News KUSA-TV, "former prisoner[s] have told Chicago reporters it only serves as a reminder of things that can't be enjoyed behind bars." That sounds like complaining that the glass is half empty. The fact remains that the inmates can see the mountains. It's a great view.

Perhaps this will be good for  "Inmate No. 40892-424," as he will be officially known. Maybe it will do him some good to get away from those who enabled him to commit his crimes.  Time in the big house, and a lot of fresh mountain air, just might cleanse Blago's  soul. I can't say for certain, of course.

Blago checks in (photo: MSNBC)

All I know do know is that I've been waiting years for an excuse to include a John Denver song in a blog post, and although Blago's relocation to Colorado is a really flimsy reason to do, I'm taking the opportunity. (Now, if I can just get that danged song outa my head....)

Words by John Denver;
Music by John Denver and Mike Taylor

He was born in the summer of his 27th year
Comin' home to a place he'd never been before
He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again
You might say he found a key for every door

When he first came to the mountains his life was far away
On the road and hangin' by a song
But the string's already broken and he doesn't really care
It keeps changin' fast and it don't last for long

But the Colorado rocky mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye
Rocky mountain high

He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below
He saw everything as far as you can see
And they say that he got crazy once and he tried to touch the sun
And he lost a friend but kept his memory

Now he walks in quiet solitude the forest and the streams
Seeking grace in every step he takes
His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand
The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake

And the Colorado rocky mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky mountain high

Now his life is full of wonder but his heart still knows some fear
Of a simple thing he cannot comprehend
Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more
More people, more scars upon the land

And the Colorado rocky mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
I know he'd be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly
Rocky mountain high

It's Colorado rocky mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
Friends around the campfire and everybody's high
Rocky mountain high

BLAGOJEVICH GUILTY ON 17 COUNTS

June 27, 2011 - 2:55 PM, CHICAGO - BLAGO IS GUILTY. The jury has convicted former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on 17 of 20 counts against him in his retrial.

From AP: This time, the 12 jurors voted to convict the 54-year-old Blagojevich on 17 of 20 counts after deliberating nine days. He also faces up to five additional years in prison for his previous conviction of lying to the FBI.

Blagojevich was acquitted of soliciting bribes in the alleged shakedown of a road-building executive. The jury deadlocked on two charges of attempted extortion related to that executive and funding for a school. More at Associated Press...

RELATED:
IL Senator Heather Steans Lies About Blagojevich Connections - CNB

New Madigan Mailer Slams Steans for Blago Ties and Lying - CNB

Campaign Flyer Links Steans to Blago Pay-to-Play -CNB

BLAGO GUILTY ON ONE COUNT ONLY

BREAKING: Rod Blagojevich has been found guilty on only one of 24 counts: Lying to federal agents. That guilty verdict could get Blago a sentence of up to five years. The jury, after deliberating for 13 days, has been sent home. The judge has said that he plans to call a mistrial on all of the remaining 23 counts.

UPDATED: JURY FINDS BLAGO GUILTY OF LYING TO FEDERAL AGENTS

UPDATE, 4:35 PM - Rod Blagojevich has been found guilty on only one of 24 counts: Lying to FBI agents. That guilty verdict could get Blago a sentence of up to five years. After 13 days of deliberation, the jury has been sent home. The judge has said that he will call a mistrial on all of the remaining 23 counts.

Was Rep. Jesse Jackson Involved In Blago Bribery?

"Was Rep. Jackson at the head of the table when bribery conspired?" Republican Issac Hayes is running for Congress against U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. in the 2nd District, Illinois. Hayes asks that question - and more. Hayes released the following statement following testimony heard in the Rod Blagojevich trial that placed Congressman Jackson at a meeting where cash in exchange for the U.S. Senate Seat was discussed: "Today, we again heard damaging testimony belying Congressman Jackson’s claims of innocence in the Blagojevich Senate Seat scandal. We can now place Mr. Jackson at the head of the table when this conspiracy was first discussed. According to testimony by Rajinder Bedi, on October 27, 2008 he met with Congressman Jackson and his supporter Raghu Nayek at the 312 Restaurant in the loop. During this meeting at which Jackson was present, Nayek asked Bedi to send word to Blagojevich that he would raise a million dollars for Blagojevich if he would appoint Jackson to the Senate seat. "A pattern has emerged with Mr. Jackson. First, he denied any involvement in the Senate Seat scandal, but then we learned he was ‘Senate Candidate 5’ in the Rod Blagojevich indictment. Next, he denied any knowledge of an offer by his acquaintances, but today we learned he was sitting at the head of the table when the bribe was first offered. "The good people of Illinois Second District need a Representative who has the character and values to lead our district with honesty and integrity. The three-peat of political corruption we have experienced in this district has taken the focus off of job creation and small business investment. We need a change of leadership and that starts by voting Mr. Jackson out of office in November." This statement also appears on the Citizens for Isaac Hayes website at: http://www.isaac4honesty.com/

Why Is Roland Burris Soliciting Campaign Contributions?

I asked this question on May 24, and it bears repeating today. Burris, a Democrat, was appointed by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on December 30, 2008 to fill the Senate seat formerly held by Berserk Obama. "I will not be a candidate in the 2010 election," Burris said at a press conference in July, 2009, "I will not run." (Source: The Hill) In light of today's news about the possibility that Burris might have to leave office earlier than previously expected, we again wonder aloud why Burris still has his Senate campaign website up - with an active "Contribute Now!" button that leads to a PayPal donation page. On June 16, 2010, the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals decided that a special election must be held to replace Burris. The decision is based on the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which says - in effect - that Roland Burris is only a temporary appointee to the U.S. Senate until an election is held to fill the Obama seat. The decision says that whoever wins the court recommended special election on Nov. 2, 2010 would take office immediately, but would be replaced in January by whoever wins the already-scheduled election on the same day. Neither the Kirk nor Giannoulias campaigns have commented on this development yet. (See GERALD A. JUDGE and DAVID KINDLER, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. PAT QUINN, Governor of the State of Illinois, andROLAND W. BURRIS, U.S. Senator.) Burris was sworn in as a U.S. Senator on January 15, 2009. Burris soon came under fire for contradicting himself a number of times about his contact with Blagojevich's brother Robert prior to being appointed to the Senate. On February 14, 2009 Burris admitted that he spoke to the Blagojevich camp. A Burris spokesman said that Robert Blagojevich asked Burris "to contribute or help raise up to $10,000 in campaign cash before Burris was named a U.S. senator on December 30," according to CNN on Feb. 14, but "Roland Burris told reporters in January that his appointment has nothing to do with money." On Feb. 17, the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee opened an investigation into Burris's contradictions; on Feb. 20, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn called for Burris to resign. On Feb. 24, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) publicly asked Burris to resign. More and more pressure and embarrassment was piled onto Burris essentially made him a lame duck. Realizing that, and the disrespect he was getting from his own party, Burris finally announced that he would not run for election in November, 2010.

"He assured us there was nothing wrong, so we said, ‘Well, say it under oath.' It troubles me that there was a need to file an additional affidavit.” ~ Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL

So - again - why is the "Roland Burris For U.S. Senate" website still soliciting campaign contributions? (Why is that website still up?) You might think that it's just his old site, put up before he agreed to not run and then forgotten about. Not so. At the bottom of the website is a notice that says, "Copyright © 2010 Roland Burris." Remember, Burris agreed to not run back in July, 2009. Has Burris gone back on his word? Or is he just trying to scam campaign donations that will end up as personal income after paying taxes on them? If anybody is foolish enough to click Burris's donation button and actually donate, what will Burris do with the money? Isn't it fraud to accept money under false pretenses? Burris needs the cash, for sure. In April, 2009 Clout Street reported that "Burris campaign officials.... released a report showing the new senator raised only $845 from January through March and had $111,032 in debts from defending himself in ongoing ethics and perjury probes and travel." It's only gotten worse. As of March 31, 2010, according to OpenSecrets.org, Burris's campaign committee is $141,650 in debt and had only $5,654 cash on hand. Will Dick Durbin - or anybody in authority - please look into this? RELATED: Possiblity of two Illinois Senate elections on Nov. 2 Chicago Sun-Times The Problem With the 17th Amendment‎ The Atlantic Blagojevich case timeline‎ Chicago Sun-Times U.S. Constitution: 17th Amendment FindLaw.com

Why Is Roland Burris Soliciting Campaign Contributions?

I asked this question on May 24, and it bears repeating today. Burris, a Democrat, was appointed by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on December 30, 2008 to fill the Senate seat formerly held by Berserk Obama..... Read the rest at "Why Is Roland Burris Soliciting Campaign Contributions?"

Poll Shows Few Trust Rep Jesse Jackson

The association of Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. with the alleged corruption of Rod Blagojevich is hurting his Congressional campaign. So says a poll released on June 16 by James H. Taylor, Sr., publisher of The Kankakee City News. Even though the poll was conducted before the corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich began, it shows a serious lack of trust in Jackson by potential voters. At the same time, the poll shows a rise in voters' respect for Isaac Hayes, Jackson's Republican challenger, who is seen by poll respondents as "the honest one." Hayes and Jackson are vying for the 2nd Congressional District seat of Illinois. A June 17 press release from Hayes says that he believes the recent Kankakee City News poll shows "how frustrated the citizens of Illinois Second District are with Congressman Jackson and that they are ready to go against the grain for a long overdue change of management." “Our communities must have hope for their future and their children’s future and in order to give them that hope," said Hayes, "we must have change.” Publisher Taylor said this about the City News poll: Hayes is viewed, according to recently conducted telephone and paper City News poll as the ‘honest one” while those polled had questions about the nature of Congressman Jackson’s role in the alleged attempts to sell and buy the U.S. Senate seat of former U.S. Senator Barack Obama. Some polled believed Congressman Jackson’s reputation is in question as a result of tapes revealed during the Blagojevich criminal trial. Those polled, 56% said they felt Congressman Jackson had failed to properly represent the voters of the 2 nd District and 78% of those polled checked a poll question that asked if they believed Congressman Jackson’s voting record reflected a disconnect with the majority of African American residents of the 2nd District. Those polled also, by a margin of 2 to 1 indicated that they did not trust Congressman Jackson and by a majority those polled said they believed Congressman Jackson’s voting record was more in line with those of interests outside the 2 nd District. Asked if they felt candidate Hayes would be more representative of the views and objectives of 2 nd District residents, poll respondents by a four to one majority said yes. Asked if they felt Congressman Jackson had told the truth about his involvement in efforts to purchase the U.S. Senate Seat formerly held by President Barack Obams, 79% said they did not believe Congressman Jackson had been truthful. James H. Taylor, Sr. is the chairman of The Kankakee County Black Republican Association (KCBRA), an African-American voters group in Kankakee County (Source: Daily Journal, Kankakee ~ subscription). Taylor used to support Barack Obama, but has had a change of heart. He posted this on Organizing For America website on January 24, 2010: To be sure I was a supporter and very proud of him when he ran for and won the office of President of the United States. One of my prized possessions has been a photo he took holdidng my news paper, the Kankakee City News, but today I am ashamed of Barack Obama. More here... The Hayes press release today says that the City News poll "was conducted over a period of six weeks and included 389 individuals either over the telephone or via responses to questions in person and an insert in the newspaper. The towns that were covered for this poll included: Ford Heights, Hazel Crest, Harvey, Park Forest, University Park, Chicago Heights, Homewood, Matteson, Dolton, South Holland, Country Club Hills, Frankfort, Richton Park, Olympia Hills, Phoenix, Markham, East Hazel Crest, Flossmoor and part of Woodlawn." The Hayes press release also notes that the poll "was taken prior to the start of the Blagojevich trial and release of wire tape recordings of conversations between Blagojevich and chief-of-staff Alonzo Monk, where Blagojevich is recorded saying Jackson will 'offer you fundraising and all kinds of stuff' in exchange for the Senate seat." Hayes says that the "lack of confidence in Jackson’s character" indicates an erosion of support for Jackson. “The second District needs a Representative with character and leadership to change the lackluster performance of Mr. Jackson," says Hayes. "We have suffered through sixteen years of failed leadership and we need a new direction that will bring honesty and integrity to our government." You can view the entire Hayes press statement on the Citizens for Isaac Hayes website at: http://www.isaac4honesty.com/. The Kankakee City News, oddly, has no website. It has was founded in 1972 and "covers information for Illinois and the greater area." It is a member of the Illinois African American News Service (IAANS). Published weekly, it claims a circulation of 37,000 and is owned by Taylor Publications. (Source)

Joel Pollak On The Blago Trial And Jan Schakowsky

Joel Pollak wrote yet another great piece for BigGovernment.com., this one is about the trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and how U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky is tip toeing around it. It's fascinating, well-written stuff, and Pollak details how The Schak and her criminal husband Bob Creamer are up to their necks in the Blago Stink. Pollak is running against Schakowsky for Congress in the 9th District of Illinois, but that doesn't change the fact that what he wrote is worthy of the front page of any major newspaper today. Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich starts his federal trial today. And the Illinois Democrats who clung to his coattails for years are desperate to pretend they don’t know him. Back in 2003, Rep. Jan Schakowsky proclaimed of Blago: “He really is very smart. I don’t laugh at the idea [of his running for President] at all.” She added that when he walked into a room, “there was this crackle of electricity. Everyone wanted to touch him.” That electricity prompted Rep. Schakowsky to donate $28,000 to Blago’s campaigns for governor. Her husband, convicted felon and political strategist Robert Creamer, made $541,000 helping Blago get elected in 2002. She lobbied him heavily in November 2008 in the hope that he would appoint her to fill the Senate seat being vacated by Barack Obama, and is thought to be “Senate Candidate 3” in the original criminal complaint. Read the Full Article at BigGovernment.com...

Alexi Giannoulias Would Make Tony Soprano Proud

Who is Alexi Giannoulias? Find out in this cool video. Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

New Madigan Mailer Slams Steans for Blago Ties and Lying

More tough words from reformer Jim Madigan. He's running against the Machine-backed incumbent, Heather Steans, in the Illinois State Senate 7th District. Madigan's latest flyer, mailed to residents of late last week, points out that Steans (actually pronounced "stains") is "so desperate to hold onto her Senate seat that she'll do anything. Even lie." (Click on the images to enlarge them.) Those are strong charges, but Madigan details the lies from Steans and dismantles them with facts. Also see "Campaign Flyer Links Steans to Blago Pay-to-Play" and "Heather Steans Lies About Hubby's Blago Connections." Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Turning Down Blago

Friend and fellow Chicagoan Carol Felsenthal did what many Illinois politicians should have done - she turned down a profitable offer from Rod Blagojevich for her daughter. If that teaser doesn't intrigue you, you might not have a pulse. Read her post "An Offer From Blago I Could Refuse" at Huffington Post. Find more articles by Carol Felsenthal here. Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Heather Steans Lies About Hubby's Blago Connections

Heather Steans, Liar

Illinois State Senator Heather Steans lies about her husband's relationship to disgraced former governor Rod Blagojevich.

Three days ago, CNB looked at how Steans lied about her past work experience. A press release from Steans's Democrat opponent Jim Madigan (7th District IL State Senate) dated January 14, 2010 examined the fudged Steans resume, and that press release got some attention.

Surprisingly, only the first half of the Madigan release got any traction. It was, in fact, a two-part document that addressed not only Steans's resume exaggerations, but also some intentionally misleading statements about her husband Leo Smith's curriculum vitae and his friendship with Rod Blagojevich.

The Steans-Smith-Blago relationship is not news. Chicago News Bench and a few other bloggers have been screaming about Steans corruption for a long time. A year ago, we noted this: Steans and hubby Leo Smith have given Blago some $200,000 for his election campaigns. Unlike the questionable contractors, however, Steans will actually be one of those who will soon be judging Blago in his upcoming Illinois Senate trial. Full Post...

Let us turn, again, to the Madigan press release:

In [a] Sun Times questionnaire, Sen. Steans responded that [Leo] Smith “worked for the Governor’s Office from 1987-1990. No other family members have worked for government.” Sen. Steans’ response is blatantly inaccurate. Sen. Steans’ husband Leo Smith had multiple roles with the Blagojevich administration: 

 1. On December 3, 2002, Rod Blagojevich named Steans' husband Leo Smith as one of his Senior Policy Advisors on the transition team. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=111258&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=570076&highlight

The hapless Leo Smith

  2. On January 13, 2003, Rod Blagojevich named Steans' husband Leo Smith as a member of his Budget Advisory Board. http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=36&RecNum=2004 

 3. Rod Blagojevich appointed Steans' husband Leo Smith to the Illinois Early Learning Council, which met for the first time on January 12, 2004.[1] http://www.illinois.gov/gov/elc/minutes/JAN2004.pdf  The Steans’ campaign has engaged in a systematic pattern of deception about both the employment and qualifications of Sen. Steans and the ties of her husband to the Balgojevich Administration.
Additionally: Steans went on to protect Blagojevich just like her predecessor. A measure passed the Illinois House of Representatives in 2008 with a 60% majority to allow voters to recall the Governor. Both State Representatives Greg Harris and Harry Osterman voted in favor of the recall. The bill got a majority vote in the Illinois Senate, but fell just 3 votes short of the required 60% supermajority. Steans voted against recall. She is one of those few Senators who killed the measure.

Source: http://howtobuyasenateseat.com/
Leo Smith, you may recall, crashed one of Madigan's fundraisers and made a complete fool of himself. Steans later released a statement in which she said "While chivalry may not be dead, in this case it surely looks stupid. Leo should not have been at the back of the room of Jim Madigan's event, even if it was in a public place, and had no business talking to Jim at this event. I will continue to focus on presenting my legislative record and discussing the many critical issues facing the 7th District." 

So Leo Smith hides behind his wife's statements of explanation. When will he be man enough to issue his own apology?

RELATED:
Madigan Calls for Full Steans Investigation, Alleges Corruption
Steans' Campaign Engages in a Pattern of Deception - Jim Madigan
Politician's Husband Shows Up at Gay Bar to Drunkenly Heckle Opponent
Heather Steans' Husband Goes Nuts in a Gay Bar

Why Did Red Eye Cover Omit Bill Clinton?

What's missing from the January 12 edition of Red Eye (Chicago)? An image of Bill Clinton, that's what. The cover shows US Senator Harry Reid and former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich saying "Sorry" to former Illinois State Senator Barack Obama for racially insensitive remarks. Blago said he was "blacker" than Obama. Reid praised him for being light skinned and not using "negro" dialect. Bill Clinton, the nation's first Black president, said that Obama would have been serving him coffee a few years ago. While Clinton's remark is also in the news, the media is giving his remark much less coverage than they are giving to the Reid and Blago remarks. A new book, "Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime," gives details an incident in which Clinton was "belittling Obama in a manner that deeply offended [Sen. Ted] Kennedy. Recounting the conversation later to a friend, Teddy fumed that Clinton had said, A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee." (Emphasis added.) So, where is Bill Clinton on the Red Eye cover today, and when will he apologize? RELATED: Sharpton: Clinton 'Coffee' Remark About Obama 'Disturbing' FOXNews Clinton on Obama: From coffee boy to President Capitol Hill Blue Want something to worry about, Dems? The Guardian UK 10 Most Game-Changing Scoops in 'Game Change' Sphere Harry Reid Among The Race Hypocrites RedState Is President Obama Running from Race? ChicagoNow Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Bill Clinton Wants Obama to Bring More Coffee

Incredible, but not surprising. The nation recently learned about Sen. Harry Reid's racist remarks about Candidate Obama being light skinned and praising him for not using "negro dialect." That's gotten a lot of play in the media, as has the revelation of Rod Blagojevich having told Esquire Magazine that he considered himself to be "more black" than Obama. A third prominent Democrat has made racially offensive remarks about Obama, and his name is Bill Clinton. Clinton, you may recall, was widely called the nation's "first black president" by Democrats both Black and White. Hardee har. A new book, "Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime," gives details an incident in which Clinton was "belittling Obama in a manner that deeply offended [Sen. Ted] Kennedy. Recounting the conversation later to a friend, Teddy fumed that Clinton had said, A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee." (Emphasis added.) That's even worse than what Reid or Blago said. Even so, the big media are giving the Clinton remark far less play than the Reid and Blago slurs are getting. The obvious theory is that the Media are giving the First Black President a pass, but that's just a theory. Perhaps you have a better theory. If you do, you might also believe that the Democrat Party's leadership is composed entirely of pure, saintly, politically correct angels. In both cases, you're sadly mistaken. Writer Mark Whittington asks, "Recently revealed racially charged comments by a number of Democratic politicians have raised the question, how prevalent is racism among the leaders of the Democratic Party? What does this say about what was once considered the post-racial era of Obama?" More at Associated Content... RELATED: Teddy's anger field negro: The truth about Harry Our America!: Democrats and Racism Isaac Hayes Says Racist Harry Reid Must Go Blagojevich: 'I'm blacker than Obama' - NYPOST.com Bill Clinton 2008 on Obama: A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee KKK Terrorist Arm of the Democratic Party - National Black Republicans The Democratic Party's Legacy of Racism by Mackubin T. Owens identity politics, racism, and democrats Jimmy Carter, Democrats and Racism Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Blago Donuts Dunked for $28 Million

I still love their coffee and donuts, even though I cringe at the thought that some of the money I've spent there to get my sugar and caffeine fixes went to Rod Blagojevich: Crain's - A former Gov. Rod Blagojevich fundraiser who built a reputation for recruiting Indian and Pakistani immigrants to the Dunkin' Donuts chain is facing an onslaught of 14 foreclosure cases seeking to collect more than $28.4 million. Amrit J. Patel, dubbed an "accidental Pied Piper" of South Asian franchisees in a 1999 Wall Street Journal profile, has 18 Dunkin' Donuts franchises in the Chicago area, including a location at O'Hare International Airport, according to his company's Web site. Full Story at Crain's Chicago Business.... Blagojevich has a long history with Dunkin Donuts. He loves their coffee and pastries too, of course, but his relationship has been a bit more complex than, say, yours or mine when it comes to the business end of things. To wit, this article from February 5, 2009 (emphasis added): And indeed, almost immediately upon election, Blagojevich contrived to sell a truly awesome smorgasbord of state jobs and regulatory favors to the highest bidder — everything from contracts for Dunkin' Donuts franchises at toll oases to a state-parks administrator job allegedly bought with a $1,500 check to Blagojevich's seven-year-old daughter. Full Article at Rolling Stone.... Just for fun, search for blagojevich AND "dunkin donuts" on Google. The results will surprise you. Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Prediction: Indictment for Jesse Jackson Jr.

April 14, 2009 - Fifteen minutes from now, former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will appear in court before U.S. District Judge James Zagel. It will be his first court appearance since he was indicted earlier this month on 16 felony charges. Blago says he will plead "not guilty" to the counts, which include racketeering conspiracy and extortion conspiracy. Blago's arraignment is set for 11:00 am at the Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago. (Source)

Meanwhile, the son of racist extortionist "Reverend" Jesse Jackson is up to his neck in accusations and getting a lot of his own unfavorable press this week. For months there has been speculation that Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) might be guilty of pay-for-play antics in an alleged attempt to buy his way into Barack Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat.

On April 13, the Chicago Sun-Times ran a story that seems to disspell any doubt that Junior Jackson is allegedly (there, the legal crap is out of the way) guilty as hell.

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s camp was told last year that U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) would raise up to $5 million in campaign cash for the ex-governor if he was appointed to President Obama’s U.S. Senate seat, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned. The overture came from at least two members of the local Indian community who approached the Blagojevich fund-raising team last fall, sources say.

Bad news for JJ, Jr. Questions arise, of course. One question: Where the hell would he get that kind of money? The answer: Daddy. The good reverend, you see, is rich. He got his money, in large part, by underhanded means. For example:

Last year [2000], Jackson billed the charities he controls $614,000 for "travel expenses." When asked to explain this extraordinary figure, he says that he often spends more than 200 days per year traveling on charitable business. Yet even if we make the charitable assumption that this figure doesn't include any direct padding of Jackson's self-reported $430,000 annual income, this still works out to nearly $3,000 per day. (Source: Rocky Mountain News via Skeptictank)

When he's not using charities as a personal ATM, Rev. Jackson is likely to be plotting his next extortion scheme. One of those schemes was the magnificently successful squeezing of brewer Anheuser-Busch.

Jackson, whose attempt to boycott Anheuser-Busch failed in 1982, was invoked by black employees of a company beer distributorship in Chicago, who believed they were being discriminated against. In what many observers saw as a blatant (and successful) attempt to buy racial peace from Jackson, Anheuser-Busch awarded the lucrative distributorship (with revenues of between $30 million and $40 million a year) to Jackson's sons. (Source: National Review Online)

So, the money is there. The Jacksons are quite wealthy. What's five million bucks to put your son in the U.S. Congress? I'm not saying that Jesse Senior offered up the five million dollars that was allegedly offered to Blagojevich. I'm just saying that if that was the case, the money was easily obtainable.

Back to the April 13 Sun-Times story:

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. denies allowing anyone to make pay-to-play offers for President Obama's U.S. Senate seat to then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich on his behalf. (Brian Jackson/Sun-Times) Besides the $5 million to be raised by Jackson, the proposal also included another $1 million for Blagojevich’s campaign fund that would come from Indian donors, sources say.

The Sun-Times report is damning. Jackson Junior keeps saying that he has done nothing wrong. That might be true. But why, then, are so many people, such as "at least two members of the local Indian community" and others, coming forward to say that Junior is guilty as hell?

Updated: Jesse Jackson Jr Under Investigation

UPDATE: "A congressional ethics board has launched a preliminary inquiry into U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), related to President Obama's vacant Senate seat and the corruption investigation of ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.".... Is "the Man" trying to keep Jesse Jackson, Jr. down? No, I'm not talking about Senator Harry Reid blocking the appointment of three black men by Blagojevich last year to fill Obama's empty Senate seat, and instead pushing two white women. No, I'm referring to the ongoing federal Blagojevich corruption case, in which Jackson stands immersed up to his chin. Back in December, the Congressman Jackson (and a gaggle of other Illinois Democrats) was very busy denying any involvement in Rod Blagojevich's corruption "crime spree." The "spree" included the alleged attempted sale of Obama's vacated US Senate seat, for which Blagojevich was recently indicted. New developments, as reported in the April 7 edition of the Chicago Sun-Times, indicate that Jackson's denials were not enough to make the federal investigators lose interest in him: Federal authorities have asked U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson (D.-Ill) why former Gov. Rod Blagojevich believed he would get campaign cash in exchange for appointing Jackson to President Obama's vacant Senate seat, sources told the Sun-Times. More than a week ago, Jackson and his criminal defense lawyer sat down for an interview with investigators in connection with the ongoing corruption probe of the now-indicted Blagojevich. (Chicago Sun-Times) Junior's daddy, the "Reverend" Jesse Jackson, would probably be accusing the feds of racism by now. Daddy has been curiously quiet about all of this, however, and the race card would be difficult to play anyway. Most of those under investigation or indictment in connection to the Blagojevich scandal are white, after all. The Sun-Times quotes Daddy as saying "I've stayed a respectful -- but supportive -- distance from his political work." That's rather uncharacteristic for Daddy Jackson, a man not exactly known for being shy about expressing himself publicly. The Sun-Times continues: But the charges against Blagojevich include an alleged scheme involving Jackson's possible appointment. The ex-governor [Blagojevich] believed he would receive $1.5 million in campaign money in exchange for appointing Jackson to the seat, according to the allegations. Now, why would Blago have believed that he would get $1.5 million from Jackson? The Southtown Star points out in its April 7 edition that "Jackson's recent interview took place nearly four months after he publicly announced he wasn't a target of the FBI investigation and said he expected to meet with agents in a few days. Jackson isn't accused of wrongdoing and has said he never gave anyone authority to trade cash for the appointment." On April 5, the Chicago Tribune also pointed out that federal investigators "say Blagojevich was approached by an associate of U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) who offered $1.5 million in campaign contributions in exchange for Jackson's appointment to the seat." It's amusing to see, in every major report about Jackson, a reminder that Jackson has been accused of wrongdoing. I suppose that's the work of the media lawyers. The federal investigators, on the other hand, seems less reluctant to come right out and say that "Blagojevich was approached by an associate of U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) who offered $1.5 million in campaign contributions." Are federal investigators imagining that a Jackson associate approached Blagojevich and offered $1.5 million for that senate seat? Was Blagojevich himself so confused that he misinterpreted an alleged offer of $1.5 million? Did the federal investigators, all of them, completely misunderstand what they heard on the recorded Blagojevich conversations? The April 5 Tribune report also said: Blagojevich is accused of telling his brother, Robert, who led his campaign fund and who also was indicted Thursday, to tell Oak Brook businessman Raghuveer Nayak to begin the fundraising effort in exchange for Jackson's appointment. Raghuveer Nayak MS, RPh was a major money man for Rod Blagojevich. He lives in Oak Brook, a wealthy western Chicago suburb, and he owns the Rogers Park One Day Surgery Center at 7616 N. Paulina in Rogers Park, a Chicago neighborhood on Lake Michigan and at Evanston's southern border. The Trib had the following on December 12, 2008 (emphasis added): As Gov. Rod Blagojevich was trying to pick Illinois' next U.S. senator, businessmen, including Raghuveer Nayak, with ties to both the governor and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. discussed raising at least $1 million for Blagojevich's campaign as a way to encourage him to pick Jackson for the job, the Tribune has learned. Imagination? Fabrication? The Man keeping Jackson down? Seems not, if you can believe that December 12 report from the Chicago Tribune: Blagojevich made an appearance at an Oct. 31 luncheon meeting at the India House restaurant in Schaumburg sponsored by Oak Brook businessman Nayak, a major Blagojevich supporter who also has fundraising and business ties to the Jackson family, according to several attendees and public records. Two businessmen who attended the meeting and spoke to the Tribune on the condition of anonymity said that Nayak and Blagojevich aide Rajinder Bedi privately told many of the more than two dozen attendees the fundraising effort was aimed at supporting Jackson's bid for the Senate. Among the attendees was a Blagojevich fundraiser already under scrutiny by federal investigators, Joliet pharmacist Harish Bhatt. An excellent article by Prof. Vijay Prashad on December 31, 2008 gave deeper insight into the fundraiser attended by Nayak (emphasis added): On October 31 [2008], a Konkani businessman, Raghuveer Nayak, booked India House for a private party. He hosted luminaries of Chicago’s business community, people such as pharmacy owners Harish and Renuka Bhatt, hotelier Satish “Sonny” Gabhawala, and prominent political leaders of the Indian-American community, such as Babu Patel and Iftekhar Shareef (both past presidents of the Federation of Indian Associations). Nayak, also a former head of the Federation of Indian Associations, owns a group of surgical centres. A highly regarded Democratic Party fund-raiser, Nayak is also a friend of another person who attended the lunch, Rajinder Bedi, an aide to Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (the Governor calls Bedi “My Sikh Warrior”). In addition, among the few who are not Indian American, the party included Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.’s brother Jonathan. Governor Blagojevich made a brief appearance. (CounterPunch) (Vijay Prashad bio) Prashad continued: On December 4, the Governor met with “Advisor B” (as he is named in the criminal complaint) and told him that “Senate Candidate 5” (Jesse Jackson Jr.) would get “greater consideration” because of a surety that No. 5 would help Blagojevich raise money and that he would give him “some [money] up front, maybe.” Blagojevich wanted something “tangible” now because “some of this stuff’s gotta start happening now… right now… and we gotta see it. You understand?” Is Jackson, Jr. innocent? That will be for the legal system to figure out. Is Jesse Junior accused of wrongdoing? Not officially. Are the federal investigators keenly suspicious of him? It certainly appears so. Do they have reason to be suspicious? Seems so. Will Junior eventually be "accused of wrongdoing?" You can probably bet on it, then place another bet that he'll strike a deal in return for his testimony and cooperation. The phrase "sing like a canary" comes to mind. RELATED: Full Blago Indictment (US DoJ) Rogers Park Blago Money Connection American Thinker Blog: Jesse Jackson, Jr. not out of the woods yet ABC News: Jesse Jackson Jr. Is Candidate 5... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed CommieBama Hats and More

Now, What About Roland and Patti?

"I Ask Again,"writes Carol Felsenthal, "Did Burris' Lobbying Partner Help Patti Blagojevich Land a Job?" Indeed, that's also the title of her post today (03 April 2009) in the Huffington Post. Good question, worth asking again. Twice in early January.... I wrote about what, exactly, our now entrenched Senator Roland Burris did for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich to win the jackpot of being appointed to Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat.... The Feds did not indict Patti Thursday, although that does not mean she won't be indicted later.And there is much in the 75-page indictment about Patti's significant real estate fees--allegedly more than $150,000 and $54,396 from the infamous Tony Rezko, now imprisoned and cooperating with the feds --the latter at least for no or little apparent work. Read the Full Post... RELATED: Patti Walks: No Charges for Blago's Wife Who were Blago's early backers? Blagojevich, Brother, Allies Indicted on 19 Federal Charges Everything You Want to Know About Blago’s Indictment Rahm Emanuel target of Blagojevich shakedown attempt Chicago News Bench RSS Feed CommieBama Hats and More