Russ Stewart: Blagojevich must combat "appearance of impropriety"

[Tweed]

http://www.russstewart.com/1-19-05.htm

"To mangle an old phrase, hell hath no fury like a father-in-law scorned.

According to Alderman Dick Mell (33rd), the father-in-law of Governor Rod Blagojevich, he is the proverbial "old wife" who has been used and spurned. "(Blagojevich) uses people, and he used me," Mell is quoted as saying. "He uses everybody, and when there's no more use, he discards them."

Mell, who plucked Blagojevich from obscurity and engineered his election to the Illinois House in 1992 and to the U.S. House in 1996, and who was instrumental in his son-in-law's nomination and election as governor in 2002, now concludes that Blagojevich is the type of guy who, as he puts it, would "throw anyone under the bus."

But this familial spat took on critical importance when Mell accused chief Blagojevich fund raiser Chris Kelly of "trading appointments to commissions for checks for $50,000" to the governor's campaign fund and used the word "criminality." That allegation triggered a joint investigation by the offices of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Cook County State's Attorney Dick Devine, who now have relevant state personnel records, as well as Kelly's demand for a retraction by Mell, coupled with the threat of a lawsuit for defamation. The saga will continue."


To say that Stewart paints Blago's re-election chances at this stage bleak would be putting it lightly. Stewart also provides a potential challenger to Blago that I haven't seen mentioned here. Anti-Blago people will eat this article up.

[Rowdyboy]

1. Evidently, the father-in-law from hell has done some SERIOUS back peddling

The Gov's chief fundraiser has threatened to sue Mell is there isn't a clear retraction by Saturday. He's already given 3 different versions of the statement, says his "facts" came from newspaper stories, and now admits he's "said things I shouldn't have said".

http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/local_story_017223535.html

The Gov, meanwhile, has directed his Inspector General to investigate and is using the story to get laughs on the campaign trail, so it doesn't appear he's overly worried about things.

http://www.pantagraph.com/stories/011905/opi_20050119001.shtml

Even Russ Stewart, the author of the article above, said only a month ago that Blag was virtually a shoo-in for re-election....

http://www.russstewart.com/12-1-04.htm

I'd rather not have this flap but it looks to be primarily a distraction. Hopefully, it will stay that way.

[Tweed]

3. Yeah, Stewart's quick change of heart is what worries me

If you read about Stewart's past predictions he is usually very accurate. Now at the end of the article he states "It's way too early to prophesize that the "Mell Mess" is the beginning of the end for Blagojevich...", but his overall change of attitude doesn't give me much confidence in the governor. I'm a big fan of history repeating itself and the example of Dan Walker worries me too. It should be an interesting year to the primary.

[Radical Activist]

2. Dick Devine

Interesting. I think Blagojevich's unpopularity downstate gives an unusual advantage to any other Chicago candidate for Governor. The usual bias downstaters sometimes have against Chicago candidates will be erased if the only other option is Blagojevich. Rod won with the downstate vote last time, so I bet someone who can get a good Chicago vote and rally downstate could beat Rod.
The main question is, can Devine raise big money?