Rod Blagojevich

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Report: Summer youth job money misspent on community organizing, golf course work

April 30, 2012
Chicago Tribune

By Rick Pearson Tribune reporter

A 2008 summer youth jobs program launched by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich using money set aside for transportation turned into “a disaster” that instead saw teens community organizing and helping out on golf courses, according to a state watchdog report released Monday.

The misspent money became the subject of a federal investigation and the Illinois Department of Transportation is trying to recoup some of the funds.

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Blagojevich judge urges students to keep the faith in public officials

April 20, 2012
Chicago Tribune

 By Stacy St. Clair

Months after imposing a lengthy prison sentence while blasting former Gov. Rod Blagojevich for abusing the public's trust, U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel told a group of college students Thursday that Illinois residents still have reason to believe in their elected officials.

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Ending culture of political corruption begins in schools

April 9, 2012
Daily Herald

By Jim Ryan
Daily Herald

Another former Illinois governor went to the federal penitentiary on corruption charges in March.

Fiscal mismanagement and system corruption continue to plague state government.

A recent report released by scholars at the University of Illinois at Chicago noted there were 1,828 public corruption convictions by the federal courts in Illinois since 1976, making it the most corrupt state in the union after Louisiana and the District of Columbia.

Despite political and ethical reforms, not much has changed.
 

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Blagojevich aide Monk gets 2 years in prison (Editorial)

April 4, 2012
Chicago Tribune

Former chief of staff sought illegal campaign contributions for governor from horse racing exec

By Annie Sweeney, Chicago Tribune reporter

Of all those who have fallen in the federal takedown of Rod Blagojevich's corrupt administration, Alonzo "Lon" Monk was perhaps the closest to the former governor.

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In letters, even Rod Blagojevich’s aides ripped him

April 2, 2012
Chicago Sun-Times

By DAN MIHALOPOULOS Staff Reporter dmihalopoulos@suntimes.com

R od Blagojevich left the room unhappy. This was back when he was still governor , and two top aides had just informed Blagojevich that he wouldn’t be able to satisfy an alderman’s request to exempt an Illinois National Guard member from going to war with the rest of his unit.

When the door shut behind Blagojevich, John Harris, his then-chief of staff, turned to the other top aide and said, “See what I have to deal with every day?”
 

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Blago Judge Letters: Did aide minimize dysfunctional governor?

April 2, 2012
ABC 7 News

Paul Meincke

(CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Letters written in support of the former Illinois governor's chief of staff paint a less than flattering picture of Rod Blagojevich.

Written by some political heavyweights, the letters were sent to the judge presiding over the corruption trial of John Harris, who served as chief of staff for Blagojevich. Harris and Blagojevich were both charged with corruption. Harris, who worked with the government after his arrest, received a 10 day sentence compared to Blagojevich's 14 years.

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Blagojevich Ex-Chief of Staff Gets 10-Day Sentence

March 28, 2012
ABC News

By MICHAEL TARM Associated Press
CHICAGO 
Although Rod Blagojevich is in Colorado serving a 14-year prison sentence, his presence was felt more than 900 miles away Wednesday as his top aide was sentenced to just 10 days behind bars for helping the former Illinois governor try to sell President Barack Obama's old Senate seat.

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Blagojevich’s new name: Prisoner No. 40892-424

March 6, 2012
Chicago Sun-Times
Blagojevich, 55, has been ordered to report for prison on March 15 to begin serving his 14-year sentence for corruption, and the U.S.

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Bob Kustra’s unique perspective on ethics in politics

February 13, 2012
Idaho Statesman

Boise State University President Bob Kustra might have never spoken of going “Beyond the Blue” had he cut ethical corners.

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ICPR ALERT -- Rod Blagojevich Sentenced



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