Feds Look at Mell's Role in Hull Campaign

By Kevin Robinson in News on Mar 10, 2009 4:20PM

Federal investigators are now looking at 33rd Ward Alderman Dick Mell's role in Blair Hull's failed bid to win the 2004 Democratic Senate primary. Mell, who is former governor Rod Blagojevich's father-in-law, apparently worked as a consultant on Hull's campaign, and was paid as a subcontractor by Fred Lebed's consultancy, the Prairie Group. Mell's take was reportedly $100,000.

With federal prosecutors on Illinois politicians like a cheap suit, Mell's connection to Blagojevich and Lebed's role as U.S. Senator Roland Burris's right hand man, Lebed has been asked to provide documentation about the arrangement to a federal grand jury. "I had been trying to get a hold of [Lebed] for like a week," John Ruff, a former Burris and Lebed associate told the Sun-Times. "He called to explain what he'd been doing. He said he wasn't in any trouble -- not to worry about him -- he just needed to provide some information" to authorities.

Of Mell, Lebed told the Sun-Times, "He brought a lot of credibility to the Blair Hull campaign...He was working for me, at the direction of me. He was not an employee but a subcontractor to me. There's nothing wrong with that whatsoever. There wasn't anything inappropriate. The campaign knew he was working with me. Dick would set up meetings. Back then, that was about it.''

Mell's role in the campaign doesn't appear to be illegal, but federal investigators may be looking into Hull's relationship with the disgraced former governor. Hull was a large-dollar contributor to Blagojevich's campaign, and G-Rod was said to have been covertly supporting Hull. The Sun-Times also noted that "Lebed or Hull might have had dealings with Blagojevich in October 2008. The ex-governor's daily log for Oct. 17 includes an entry: 'Blair Hull in Chicago October 28-31. Requesting follow-up mtg. Contact: . . . Fred Lebed.'"