From the Sun-Times:
Bid-rigging plea didn't end ex-Rep.'s lobbying career
FUND-RAISER FOR GOV
April 10, 2008
He got his start in politics working in the Northwest Side ward organization of Ald. Dick Mell, served in the Illinois House of Representatives and went on to head one of the most influential lobbying firms in the state, Ronan Potts LLC.
Then, Al Ronan hit a hurdle.
The high-flying lobbyist -- who once gave to the campaigns of favored legislators by handing them cash-filled envelopes on the floor of the Illinois House -- saw his firm caught up in a bid-rigging scheme at McCormick Place, one of many scandals that occurred under the now-imprisoned former Gov. George Ryan.
Ronan Potts was accused of helping a client win a rigged contract at the publicly run convention center. Ronan's pal, Scott Fawell, who ran McCormick Place, had documents leaked from a competitor's contract bid. Fawell ended up in prison.
Federal authorities charged Ronan's firm and one of his employees, who pleaded guilty.
The firm pleaded guilty, too -- in 2004. It was fined $375,000.
Neither Ronan nor his longtime business partner John Potts was ever personally charged with any crime. But, with the name Ronan Potts tainted by scandal, they shut down their high-powered lobbying firm.
Then, they set up separate lobbying companies -- businesses that work out of the same Loop office and share the same receptionist.
Most of their previous clients stuck with Potts, leaving Ronan with a pared-down clientele, state records show.
Neither Ronan, who's been a top campaign fund-raiser for Gov. Blagojevich, nor Potts wanted to talk about their business for this story; they didn't return calls.
These days, a current legislator says of Ronan, "He keeps a lower profile."
Blagojevich's office referred questions to the governor's campaign spokesman, Doug Scofield, who didn't return calls to discuss the fund-raising efforts by Ronan, which has come up as prosecutors detailed the governor's fund-raising efforts during the ongoing corruption trial of Tony Rezko, the governor's longtime friend, adviser and fund-raiser.
Back in 2003, when he was raising money for Blagojevich and his firm hadn't yet been charged, Ronan Potts had 64 clients for whom they lobbied state officials. Today, Ronan, 61, lobbies state officials on behalf of 20 clients.
"Al Ronan was not, you know, accused of any wrongdoing,'' says Phil Burdick, spokesman for Harper College in Palatine, which hired Ronan's firm about a year ago, in part to push legislation that would allow the community college to offer bachelor degrees. Harper College is paying Ronan $40,000 a year.
The village of Hoffman Estates hired Ronan last September, hoping he'll be able to persuade legislators to build a full interchange at Barrington Road on the Northwest Tollway, according to village manager James Norris.
Ronan was chosen because "he's been successful in lobbying for his clients,'' Norris says. "We understood that one of his former partners had some issues, but he never was indicted, nor was he ever implicated.''
Ronan seems to be doing OK. He makes $300,000 a year, according to records he filed in his pending divorce case. He put his net worth at $9 million -- including a $3.5 million River Forest mansion, $125,000 worth of art and crystal, a $100,000 wine collection and an $80,000 investment in Phil Stefani's 437 Rush restaurant, a popular spot for political power brokers. Ronan also reported he has nearly $500,000 in a deferred-compensation plan with the state of Illinois.
Tim Novak and Dave McKinney
The list | The governor's go-to guys
Rod Blagojevich has been one of the biggest political fund-raisers ever among Illinois governors. According to evidence at the corruption trial of longtime Blagojevich adviser and fund-raiser Tony Rezko, these are some of his top fund-raisers -- and some of his major fund-raising events. (Some were credited cryptically -- for instance, only to "2000," or "Lamb" or "Final Stretch." (Lamb referred to an event Republican power broker William Cellini held for Blagojevich in October 2002, a witness testified.)
Milan Petrovic, lobbyist and Blagojevich friend $1,963,485
Tony Rezko, developer and Blagojevich friend $1,437,350
Ald. Dick Mell, Blagojevich's father-in-law $1,028,526
John Wyma, lobbyist and ex-Blagojevich staffer $924,525
2000 $896,321
State Rep. Jay Hoffman of Collinsville $789,675
Final Stretch $765,120
Illinois Trial Lawyers $539,300
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee $500,000
David Rosen, ex-fund-raiser for Sen. Hillary Clinton $486,859
Chris Kelly, contractor and Blagojevich $474,624
State Sen. James DeLeo of Chicago $400,600
Lamb $400,600
Illinois Road Builders Association $400,600
Al Ronan, lobbyist, ex-legislator $393,350