I guess the Giannoulias campaign is not too confident. According to The Capitol Fax Blog, it has begun sending Freedom of Information Act Requests to county clerks.  Capitol Fax followed up with an e-mail to Champaign County Clerk Mark Shelden, asking him whether he’d ever seen something like this before. Here is Clerk Shelden’s response…

”Never been done before in my 13 years.

A little more background. Section 302 of HAVA requires that provisional’s be confidential. I believe that request is not legal.

The rest is very interesting. In a discovery recount, the requester can ask for these items for 25% of all precincts. I’ve often wondered what would happen should someone FOIA it. Now we’re finding out. A very strong argument can be made that the section of the election code regarding discovery recounts trumps FOIA.

None of the clerks are going to deal with this pre election. And I’m sure we’re all hoping, more than even before, that a 2-3 point win on either side makes the issue go away.”

 Here we go.

The political career of Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. may well be finished. As if all of the previous corruption allegations against him weren’t enough, today we hear about new ones. The new allegations seem even more serious than the accusations of offering Rod Blagojevich money in exchange for being appointed to the U.S. Senate.

In previous allegations, Jackson was accused of merely being the beneficiary of the fundraising efforts of others. Now, federal authorities say that Jackson actually directed those efforts directly. In fact, one of the key players is now saying that he was acting on Jackson’s own orders.

“Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. directed a major political fund-raiser to offer former Gov. Rod Blagojevich millions of dollars in campaign cash in return for an appointment to the U.S. Senate, sources said the fund-raiser has told federal authorities,” reports the Chicago Sun-Times. “The allegation by Oak Brook businessman Raghuveer Nayak counters public statements made as recently as last week by Jackson that he never authorized any deal to attempt to buy the Senate seat.”

And in another little blast from the past, I can’t figure how is it remotely legal for JJJ to have paid his wife $240,000+ in federal campaign funds under ALIASES– and why has no Chicago paper even sniffed the story?

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=washingtonstory&sid=a7Hk3ZEF4QyM

Jesse Jackson’s FEC reports list payments as being made to J. Donatella & Associates, which [a staffer] described as “Sandi’s sole proprietorship” for her consulting work. The couple’s oldest child is 9-year-old Jessica Donatella Jackson.

From 2003 through mid-2005, the recipient is shown on Jackson’s reports as “Lee Stevens” or “Lee Steven” at the J. Donatella firm. Sandi Jackson’s middle name is Lee. Her maiden name is Stevens.

BTW – Have met Isaac Hayes http://www.isaac4honesty.com/index.asp

Gee whiz – what a surprise. It is going to be extremely difficult to cast my vote for this putz. I know, I know what the alternative is – but the lines between the two get blurred more with each passing day.

Pass the popcorn!!! It’s going to be a fun summer in the Northern District of Illinois!

Blago defense seeks permission to subpoena Obama

My Congressman (Lipinski) is still in hiding, along with Halverson and Mark Kirk (who is busy trying to back-track his yes vote on cap and trade now that he’s running for the Senate). It appears Danny Davis will be doing a magician act with four and two at the same time in two different places. Shakowsky’s could be interesting. Don’t forget your bail money!

Rep. Danny Davis
8/15/2009 | 10:00 AM
N. Central Avenue and Bloomingdale Avenue | Chicago, 60639

Rep. Danny Davis
8/15/2009 | 1:00 PM
Columbus Park
Central and Jackson | Chicago, 60604

Rep. Danny Davis
8/15/2009 | 10:00 AM
Kickoff Central and Bloomingdale
Central and Bloomingdale
Chicago, 60639

Rep. Danny Davis
8/22/2009 | 9:00 AM
Malcolm X College
1900 West Van Buren | Chicago, 60612

Rep. Danny Davis
8/29/2009 | 9:00 AM
2nd Baptist Church of Maywood
36 South 13th Avenue | Maywood, 60153

Rep. Janice Schakowsky
8/31/2009 | 6:30 PM
Niles West High School (Auditorium)
5701 Oakton Street | Skokie, 60077

Rep. Jesse Jackson
8/18/2009 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Sheldon Heights Church of Christ
11249 S. Halstead Street | Chicago, 60628

Rep. Timothy Johnson
8/5/2009 | 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Normal Library Community Room
206 W. College Avenue | Normal, 61761

Rep. Timothy Johnson
8/10/2009 | 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Pontiac City Hall
115 W. Howard Street | Pontiac, 61764

This made my day. No wonder he won’t run for Obama’s seat if he has a primary opponent. What a weasel!

<object width=”425″ height=”344″><param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/AGHTiD5Jo-U&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0×999999&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1″></param><param name=”allowFullScreen” value=”true”></param><param name=”allowScriptAccess” value=”always”></param><embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/AGHTiD5Jo-U&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0×999999&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowfullscreen=”true” allowScriptAccess=”always” width=”425″ height=”344″></embed></object>

Fundraiser seeks immunity in Blagojevich probe

Raghuveer P. Nayak, an Oak Brook businessman and political fundraiser, is the unnamed “Individual D” who prosecutors say was being squeezed by the governor for campaign cash in return for appointing U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, sources said.

Investigators appeared at Nayak’s Oak Brook home the morning the FBI arrested Blagojevich, the sources said. Nayak was among a number of people connected to the case who were contacted by federal agents that dayRaghuveer P. Nayak, an Oak Brook businessman and political fundraiser, is the unnamed “Individual D” who prosecutors say was being squeezed by the governor for campaign cash in return for appointing U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, sources said.

Investigators appeared at Nayak’s Oak Brook home the morning the FBI arrested Blagojevich, the sources said. Nayak was among a number of people connected to the case who were contacted by federal agents that day. 

Doesn’t look good for Jesse – “Junior G-Man”

On Sunday evening, Jackson’s lawyer, James Montgomery Sr., reacted to the news of Nayak’s bid for immunity by saying, “If that is indeed the case, and if that cooperation relates to my client, then [Nayak] is trying to save his own skin. That’s all I have to say.”

Attempts to reach the congressman were unsuccessful Sunday evening.

Nor for any of the rest of them…

Federal and state election reports show Nayak, his wife and his businesses for the last decade have donated more than $779,000 and raised hundreds of thousands more for candidates ranging from the Cook County Circuit Court clerk to President-elect Barack Obama. He has contributed primarily to Democrats but has given money to some Republicans as well.

Nayak also has been a notable contributor and fundraiser for three statewide officials who have been among the governor’s harshest critics since the scandal broke–Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan, Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn and Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias.

Somehow I got rooting around in the Harvard Crimson archives and found these to little gems – kind of funny how they all end up in same place 30 years later.

http://tinyurl.com/63jyez

http://tinyurl.com/5vouob

Rush just mentioned this CBS News story – http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/22/cbsnews_investigates/main4539410.shtml?tag=topHome;topStories. Did this come from campaign funds or did she report this as personal income on her 1040. At $6K each that’s a lot of dough!

Another Joe Biden Classic!