He Will Rock You

6:13 pm, 3/11/05

He Will Rock You
Never fear, Illinois! Blagojevich is coming to bring an end to business as usual! Oh, wait, that was years ago, but he's recycling it:

Gov. Blagojevich said Monday he'll push landmark campaign finance reform that "will rock the system in Springfield" and potentially move Illinois from "worst to first" on the issue -- though he denied any link between state contracts and contributions to his political war chest.

The governor has been facing increasing criticism about companies that have made five- and even six-figure donations to his campaign and have won multimillion-dollar state contracts. But Blagojevich said that has nothing to do with the timing of his new interest in campaign finance.

How stupid does he think we are?

His call to "completely change the way campaigns are funded at the state level" did little to quell criticism from a possible 2006 rival who said a federal investigation of state contracts under Blagojevich might be warranted. The governor has more than $10 million in his campaign fund for a re-election bid.

"The U.S. attorney maybe ought to start looking into some of this," said Republican state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, who attended a Casimir Pulaski Day celebration on the Near Northwest Side with Blagojevich, Mayor Daley and other elected officials.

When asked if pay-to-play politics were worse under indicted former GOP Gov. George Ryan, Topinka replied, "There's always been an element of it, but I think Gov. Blagojevich has raised it to a new art form."

While Blagojevich insisted he has been interested in tough donation limits since taking office, the governor's public stance on the issue hasn't always reflected that interest and has evolved rapidly in the last month.

...It's good that we have the Sun-Times around to explain these things.

"Our goal is to get something done this [legislative] session," Blagojevich said. "What we have a chance to do now is free up the way the system is run . . . and frankly give more independence to the rank-and-file" lawmakers.

The governor also issued a challenge to his critics.

"Let's see them put their money where their mouths are," he said. "Let's see them support the kinds of things that we're going to propose."

In response, Michael Madigan has asked Blagojevich to put his money where his mouth is.

House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) blindsided the governor in a closed-door meeting by urging him to return campaign cash from contractors, a move that would quell the growing fuss over how the governor's donors have scored big-money contracts with his administration.

"The current notoriety in campaign finance reform has been caused by people giving contributions to the governor while they've got significant contracts with the state," said Madigan. "And my suggestion is: Give the money back," he said.

With more than $10 million in his political bank account, Blagojevich did not respond to the request during his meeting with Madigan and other legislative leaders. But an aide later said the governor would not return donations and denied wrongdoing.

"We've played by all the rules," Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said. "But let's be clear. Illinois has the worst campaign finance laws in the country. In fact, when it comes to campaign finance, Illinois has virtually no restrictions on who can give money or how much they can give."

Since then, the governor has been vague on details, a trend he continued in Wednesday's meeting. When hit with Madigan's in-your-face questioning, Blagojevich parried. "He really didn't comment much," Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) said. "He looked on it as a jest comment, but I don't think it was said in that manner."

Of course, Madigan continues a long tradition among Illinois Democrats:

While promising to work with Blagojevich on campaign-finance reforms, Madigan did not appear eager to take his own advice. An aide said the speaker has no plans to divest his own political account or the Democratic Party of Illinois fund of state contractor cash.

"There's not been anything improper the speaker has done. The controversy about improprieties has originated there," Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said, referring to the governor's office.

"Look at him! Not at me! At him!"