The Capitol Fax Blog » Shaking down the hospital

Tuesday, Dec 9, 2008

Gov. Rod Blagojevich tried to shake down Children’s Memorial Hospital’s CEO in exchange for $8 million in state health care funding, according to a federal affidavit unsealed Tuesday detailing corruption charges against the governor.

Mr. Blagojevich on Oct. 8 discussed with one of his campaign fundraisers pressing the executive — named in the criminal complaint as “Hospital Executive 1” — for a $50,000 campaign contribution, allegedly a quid pro quo for the governor’s recent funding commitment, according to the affidavit.

“I’m going to do $8 million for them. I want to get (Hospital Executive 1) for 50,” Mr. Blagojevich told the fundraiser, according to the 78-page affidavit.

When the CEO didn’t return multiple calls from the fundraiser, Mr. Blagojevich discussed rescinding the commitment of state funds, which the affidavit described as “some type of pediatric care reimbursement.” Patrick Magoon is Children’s CEO.

* To the federal complaint…

Later on November 12, 2008, at approximately 2:14 p.m., ROD
BLAGOJEVICH spoke with Deputy Governor A, a Deputy Governor of the State of Illinois.

The following exchange began the conversation:

ROD BLAGOJEVICH: The pediatric doctors – the reimbursement. Has that gone out yet, or is that still on hold?”

DEPUTY GOVERNOR A: The rate increase?

ROD BLAGOJEVICH: Yeah.

DEPUTY GOVERNOR A: It’s January 1.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH: And we have total discretion over it?

DEPUTY GOVERNOR A: Yep.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH: We could pull it back if we needed to – budgetary
concerns – right?

DEPUTY GOVERNOR A: We sure could. Yep.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH: Ok. That’s good to know.

On November 12, 2008, at approximately 8:26 p.m., Fundraiser A called ROD BLAGOJEVICH and reported the status of fundraising efforts. During the conversation ROD BLAGOJEVICH instructed Fundraiser A to call Lobbyist 1 the following day and ask Lobbyist 1 what to do about the fact that Hospital Executive 1 is not calling Fundraiser A back and inquire whether it was possible that Individual A had instructed Hospital Executive 1 not to call back (see Paragraph 65). ROD BLAGOJEVICH asked, “what do we do with this guy, [Hospital Executive 1]?”

Shameless. This is the same guy who said health care was his top priority. Yet, here he is allegedly shaking down a hospital for fifty large. Disgustingly shameless.

* According to the lobbyist list at the Secretary of State’s website, John Wyma is a registered lobbyist for Children’s Memorial Hospital.

- posted by Rich Miller

11 Comments

- Liz - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 1:35 pm:
Patrick Magoon has donated to Friends of Blago in the past - as recently as 2007.

- Louis G. Atsaves - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:03 pm:
This behavior coming from a Governor who repeatedly demanded more healthcare for children?

- Captain America - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 2:14 pm:
No bail without a resignation. Governor Pinocchio,the sociopath is an imminent threat to the public interest.

- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 3:10 pm:
Deputy Governor A must be Deputy Governor Louanner Peters, sister of Illinois Hospital Association president Howard Peters, correct?

- Levois - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 4:20 pm:
Unbelievable!

- Sinequanon - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 5:21 pm:
Does anyone know the source of the hosiptal funding? Children’s has received over $50Mil in funds totaling distributions from FY07, 08 and 09 — according to the IOC website. This sounds like a bill or order to increase a rate of reimbursement. If so, are such increases normally done on a vendor basis and not as an industry as a whole? DHS the conduit apparently, though not the only agency to fund over the years.

- john a carroll, md - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 6:54 pm:
Does anyone know if other hospitals in the state of Illinois were asked for donations in order to receive health care funding from the governor?

John A. Carroll, M.D.
Peoria

pmmdaily.blogspot.com

- Disgusted - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 7:11 pm:
I find it amazing that Emil, et all express surprise and sadness about all this dreck. Those guys at the Statehouse knew what he was and used him as much as he used them. There is no honor among thieves. The lowliest state worker recognized him as a sociopath but the leadership who dealt daily with him didn’t??? Yeah, right!

- wordslinger - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 8:18 pm:
Despicable.

- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Dec 9, 08 @ 9:10 pm:
Not as egregious, but remember the Edwards hospital proposed for Plainfield that the Hpospital Board denied 3 times…and Stu Levine was involved in a previous shakedown attempt on behalf of the Blago administration.

This is a town of nearly 40,000 that does not have its own hospital, and sits next to a county (Kendall) of 100,000 that also has no hospital of its own.

Hopefully Aurora Rush Copley and Joliet Silver Cross (which were opposed to the Edwards facility) are not on the wrong side of pay-to-play here.

Pingback Blagojevich Coverage (Dec. 9, 2008) | The Black Diamond Populist - Wednesday, Dec 17, 08 @ 11:13 pm:
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