Ill. Governor Implicated in Pension Probe

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Ill. Governor Implicated in Pension Probe


Written By: Steve Stanek
Published In: Budget & Tax News
Publication Date: October 1, 2005
Publisher: The Heartland Institute

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As the federal corruption trial of Illinois' immediate past governor was about to begin, the state's current governor apparently was implicated in a massive fraud, extortion, and kickback scheme involving the government employee pension system.

On September 15, Chicago attorney Joseph Cari pled guilty to attempting to extort $850,000 from a Virginia investment firm that was seeking business from the state's Teacher's Retirement System (TRS). In his 17-page plea agreement, Cari said the attempted extortion was part of a scheme orchestrated by Stuart Levine, a former TRS board member who was indicted on August 3 with Cari and Steven Loren, former outside counsel to the pension fund.


Governor Denied Involvement

Cari's plea agreement states Levine told him a "high-ranking Illinois public official ('Public Official A'), acting through two close associates, was selecting consultants for the private equity funds that appeared before the State Pension Funds." Levine allegedly cooperated with the two associates to steer sham consulting contracts with the investment firms to individuals who would funnel the money to various places, including Public Official A, according to Cari.

Several news organizations, including the Chicago Sun-Times, ABC-TV News in Chicago, and Chicago's public radio station, WBEZ Radio, reported sources had confirmed Public Official A is Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D). They further reported the two close associates are Antoin "Tony" Rezko and Christopher G. Kelly, both of whom have been top fundraisers and advisors to Blagojevich.


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http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=17820

[PATRICK]

1. Heartland.org!

Could you find a better source? This is a rabid RW libertarian nexus whose sole interest here is in being based in Chicago. By itself it is really a good way to see the scope of propaganda and the alliances and the agenda of the extreme Right, but in this story? I would not even touch this place as a first source for anything.

Link to the Sun times directly.