Blago Had $2.3 Million Campaign Contribution "Hit List"
By Kalyn Belsha in News on Mar 29, 2009 7:15PM
The Sun-Times has obtained an internal document from ex-governor Rod Blagojevich's campaign organization that shows the ousted Illinois leader had plans to target 150 individuals for contributions totaling $2.3 million late last year. The list was compiled for use by Friends of Blagojevich before the end of 2008, when a new Illinois law that bans taking money from state contractors and appointees took effect.
Among those named on the hit list were four candidates under consideration for President Obama's empty Senate seat: U.S. Reps. Luis Gutierrez and Jan Schakowsky, billionaire J.B. Pritzker and, of course, Roland Burris.
Other candidates who were being discussed as possibilities for the Senate seat, including U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., Chicago Park District board President Gery Chico and former Blago spokeswoman Cheryle Jackson, were also on the list.
Pritzker was to be targeted for $100,000, but says he had no idea he was on the list. Gutierrez helped organize a Dec. 5 fundraiser, according to Blagojevich's attorney, which the document says generated $16,000. But Gutierrez denies having had any role in organizing the fundraiser or contributing money to Blagojevich's campaign. Schakowsky says she, too, was never asked to give to the campaign -- and points to the blank space next to her name to prove it.
At least half a dozen people appointed by Blago to state boards or other state posts appear on the list. Some, including Illinois Finance Authority Chairman Bill Brandt and University of Illinois board member Niranjan Shah, were slated to host fundraisers but did not due to the ex-governor's arrest.
The hit list was drawn up in September and federal investigators obtained it in October. The list was used to get permission to tap Blago's phone lines and the Sun-Times obtained an updated version in December, shortly before Blago's arrest. The document is likely to be used in the ex-governor's indictment -- which might be made public later this week. [S-T]