Is the sky green? Is the grass blue?
Wednesday, Mar 5, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ABC 7 led a story lat night with this question: Is Governor Rod Blagojevich a man of his word?
That’s the question that’s ricocheted around the state this week after state funds earmarked to restore Pilgrim Baptist Church went to the wrong place.
Another religious leader is also accusing the governor of breaking a promise.
Rabbi Philip Lefkowitz says, as a religious man, he’s not going to accuse Governor Blagojevich of lying to him but believes he did break a commitment made at a Seder. The rabbi claims the governor offered him $400,000 to build a long-dreamed-about, non-sectarian community center in Uptown. That was more than two years ago.
“We were counting on that. We were basing our fundraising dollars on it, and we could develop a mortgage and get the job going. We’re still waiting,” said Lefkowitz, of the Agudas Achim Congregation.
Um, no offense meant, but is Channel 7 just now figuring out that the governor’s word can’t be trusted - even when he makes a promise at a Seder? Where have they been?
* And there’s more weirdness afoot on that Pilgrim Baptist Church grant that went to the “wrong” place. A commenter here yesterday may have tipped off the Tribune…
In the midst of approving a $1 million state grant to officials for a school burned out of the Pilgrim Baptist Church, Gov. Rod Blagojevich granted a pardon and ordered that the criminal record of one of the school’s officers be expunged, according to state records examined by the Tribune.
The Trib reports that Rev. Jesse Jackson pushed for the gubernatorial pardon. Now, go all the way to the end of the story and here’s what you’ll find, after the Blagojevich administration claimed that the grant and the pardon were not connected…
In her petition for a pardon, however, Gill noted that she had applied for the $1 million grant but feared she wouldn’t be able to run the school with a felony record.
Pardons are a governor’s most awesome responsibility. In other words, he should’ve been paying attention to what he was doing there.
* Meanwhile…
A private school that Gov. Blagojevich said errantly received $1 million from his administration allowed a former kindergarten teacher to be sexually harassed and unlawfully retaliated against her when she complained, a state panel ruled in 2006.
The judgment by the state Human Rights Commission against Loop Lab School and one of its former officials, Tyrone Johnson, came two months before Blagojevich’s administration awarded the $1 million grant to the school.
Oops.
* And it looks like there may have been some troubles at that school before the church burned down…
[Former Loop Lab School teacher Gregory Luckett] claims financial problems popped up at the school long before the flames and long before Governor Rod Blagojevich offered state money to rebuild.
“Before the fire we were not getting paid correctly, we were not getting paid on a regular basis, we were not getting paid our rate,” said Luckett.
Longtime Blagojevich critic Rep. Jack Franks has promised to hold hearings on this imbroglio, so it should be a lot of fun.
* Kinda related stuff…
* Cole Hall demolition plan put on hold
* President Peters reconsiders plans for Cole Hall
* NIU president pulls back from call to raze Cole Hall
* Mayor Daley criticizes Gov. Blagojevich’s plan to raze NIU’s Cole Hall
* Second thoughts arise over demolishing NIU lecture hall
* Editorial: Rebuilding NIU shouldn’t be about politics
* Editorial: State can’t afford Blagojevich’s NIU plan
- Garp - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 9:10 am:
I have been around long enough to know when something stinks and Blogo’s million dollar deal is smelling really bad. I would bet, if investigated, criminal charges could be brought. Honest mistakes don’t happen with 1 million, it is called corruption.
- Cassandra - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 9:13 am:
We are used to wondering about Blago’s judgment and anyway, he doesn’t have any.
But one does have to wonder about the judgment
of the parents who are sending their kids to
the Loop Lab School. Given this trail of tears, it’s clear that they don’t have any judgment either. Get those kids outta there?
- Leave a light on George - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 9:20 am:
The gov. is doing to churches what he has been doing to state agencies for six years - punish the innocent and reward the guilty.
- Way South of the Border - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 9:36 am:
A quick review of the latter’s financial filings on the AG’s web site (http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/charities/) shows wildly fluctuating revenue and expenses, as well as evidence of nepotism and people serving on the board while holding paid staff positions. Yeah, just the kind of group that is prepared to handle a sudden, sole-source infusion of $1 million.
If we can find this stuff on the web in five minutes, why can’t the governor’s office do a better job of vetting and speaking?
On a completely unrelated note, the U of C’s Lab School can’t be loving the echo of “Loop Lab School” as the scrutiny mounts.
- Macbeth - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 9:38 am:
The Loop Lab school does have a geocities page:
http://www.geocities.com/looplabchicago/
Complete with spelling errors.
- Niles Township - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 9:41 am:
I feel bad for the Rabbi believing the Guv. No one can trust him. Even if the Rabbi won’t, I’ll call the Guv a liar with no problem.
- Truthful James - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 9:57 am:
We continue to put up with sitting in an ever increasing pile of muck, unable to reach the flushing lever.
This anecdote may help explain. A poor soul was consigned to hell. Satan told him he had the choice of one of three rooms for eternity. The first had a thousand devils whipping everybody. The second had coal fires of damnation. In the third was a room filled like a giant wading pool with muck. The souls were standing with muck up to their waists drinking coffee or tea. Beautiful music was piped in.
The poor soul chose the last. The door was locked behind him. He was given a cup, when the voice of Satan came over the loudspeaker:
“Coffee break is now over, Everyboday will now re-assume the head standing position.”
So it is for us in Cook County, Illinois.
- Garp - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 10:07 am:
Sometimes I get so frustrated with our Governor’s false promises that I feel like taking the day off and going to a museum. Today, I think I will visit the Museum of Broadcast Communications. That should help relieve my stress. Oh wait…
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 10:33 am:
Everyone should calm down, as Jim Thompson says. Blagojevich promised that he will come up with another million dollars for the church as soon as he comes up with the 40 million for that new Cole Hall and a few billion to pay the medical bills Dan Hynes keeps whining about.
Patience is a virture, right? They’ll get their million dollars sometime within the next fifty years, unless Blagojevich is re-elected again. Then they will get it sometime within the next seventy five years.
What’s the problem?
- Dan S, a Voter - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 11:01 am:
This is an honest question, does seperation of church and state affect any of this and if so is it a violation of the constitution? Anyone who is well versed in constituional law please help.
- Moderate Repub - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 1:08 pm:
This is an honest question, does seperation of church and state affect any of this and if so is it a violation of the constitution? Anyone who is well versed in constituional law please help.
Well its on shaky ground. The GOv will argue that 1) Its a historical landmark 2) It’s more than just a church (example would be the funding given to a contact ministries, or babtist food bank). However, I am not well versed on the brick and mortar money, and if that makes a difference (grant for service vs grant for inferstructure). Its up an ACLU or some group to fight it. Oh, and I DO NOT claim to be well versed in STATE con law, but i am familiar with it.
Anyway, wait till FEDS start smelling this on. School gets million, but no one can find the School? Pardon for the Felon who ran the school? No students?
- poopy faced Gangstar - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 1:13 pm:
THis is what happens (grants to religious/schools that don’t exist) when the GA allows the Gov to have huge pools of grant dollars with such general language he can dole it to whomever. Guy runs under a banner of open govt, then does stuff like this. Just like the stem cell dollars he gave out after the GA soundfully rejected it. Shame on you Governor, shame on you!!!
- Macbeth - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 1:32 pm:
It’s all very intriguing, but I’m sure this will go nowhere — or at least nowhere with Blagojevich in the spotlight.
He’ll teflon this off just like he teflons everything else.
What I think will emerge from all this is how much Blagojevich is *completely* unconnected from his administration. People were wheeling-and-dealing right under his nose — and he’s got the signature-stamper on his desk (or by his TV) and is happy to simply stamp everything. This will also point to the fact that he trusted his staff far too much.
But he’ll position himself as a patsy. “I wanted to clean up state government, but the people around me didn’t.”
This will clinch a third term. Easily.
- Mr. Wizard - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 2:13 pm:
Isn’t the story where the $1 M went? Didn’t it go to a firm controlled by one of the key witnesses in the trial?
- Truth - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 3:42 pm:
As I stated yesterday on here, I think that is a large part of the issue Wizard. The million bucks ended up in the hands of a man who has been making some damning accusations about this administration.
I’ll say it again, it has the appearance of an attempt at hush money, state hush money. OR it’s just a really, really unfortunate coincidence for the Governor.
- North of I-80 - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 3:48 pm:
MacBeth: I bet that $1million went to build & run that webpage… it really does showcase talent and professionalism doesn’t it?
- Oh, Baby...... - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 4:00 pm:
…..it just keeps gettin’ better and better, doesn’t it? Gov Goofy makes me feel so much more empowered as a taxpayer.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 5:31 pm:
Hey Rod, you wanna tear something down to make yourself look good, how about the Governor’s Mansion?
- The Mad Hatter - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 5:37 pm:
Is Chandra Gill related to Emil Jones? Did Patti Blagojevich have a hand in selling the condo space on Adams Street to the Lab School? If she didn’t, did she get her customary commission anyway? Jeez Fitz, do I have to do all your work for you?
- sinequanon - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 9:52 pm:
Let’s examine the govs little lie that has revealed a much larger symphony of lies by the gov and the general assembly as a whole. The little lie is that the first million did not go where it was intended and that some staffers made mistakes. There is a process for administering these grants, which has been mentioned already. The 1st mill went to the school as designed. One bit of larger ugliness here is the use of lump sum appropriations instead of line items of the budget that establish how much to whom for what. This has been debated at some length already and watchdogs have pointed to this problem for years. The lump sum appropriation is why the gov doesn’t really know if the money is or has been already committed to another purpose or why the general assembly doesn’t need to be involved. They have already failed us by establishing the funding authority as they have.
The need for lumps to serve emergencies is arguable as they do provide some flexibility to meet needs as they arise. But this church has had a need since 2006 and could wait until the next fiscal year to have a line established in that budget for their need. The gov choose to rush to their aid for his own selfish needs.
There is much more going on here with the school and the 1st grant. I am sure there are things that the school agreed to provide or do aka a public purpose for public funding. If the school failed to do those things they should be forced to return the funds.
“We’re reviewing the school’s compliance with the grant agreement,” Ottenhoff said. “If they’re not operational by the next school year, then we’ll look into options for recovering state funds.”
No way should the state wait until the next school year. What does the next school year have to do with the performance of this grant from two years ago?
- Quizzical - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 9:58 pm:
For some reason, this seems to stink a little more than the other scandalous things G-Rod has done. I don’t know why, but I feel a little differently about this one.
Why on earth did Rod have the presser to announce the mistake and his ‘heroic’ efforts to obtain another million?
- Disgusted - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 11:23 pm:
Any other leader in any other business would be ashamed to have his staff be so stupid. You will have to bury the governor and his staff with a corkscrew.
- Quizzical - Wednesday, Mar 5, 08 @ 11:49 pm:
Disgusted, Most other leaders in this business are ashamed for this guy, but I can’t see how mere stupidity can misdirect $1 million, that’s why I think something more is involved.
- Maggie - Thursday, Mar 6, 08 @ 7:23 am:
If their looking for the money maybe they should check Friends of Blagojevich. Rod’s campaign fund.
I do remember questions concerning church and state on this issue. Blago people said they were going to give the money to the school to avoid that issue. I think this was all reported.
So why is the church coming back for more money and pretending they had no association with the school ?
- Bookworm - Thursday, Mar 6, 08 @ 7:38 am:
Actually, there are times when the sky is green (if a tornado is coming) and places where grass is blue (Kentucky). Likewise, there probably have been a few times when Blago has kept his promises… give me a week and I might think of one