Illinois Republican Party: "Federal agents are investigating real estate deals involving Gov. Rod Blagojevich's wife as part of a three-year corruption probe into allegations of favoritism and fraud within his administration.
Several federal sources familiar with the inquiry confirm that agents are interested in hundreds of thousands of dollars in real estate commissions Patricia Blagojevich has earned in recent years as a real estate broker for political supporters, fundraisers and state contractors.
One real estate agent told the Tribune that FBI agents contacted her in recent weeks with questions about her dealings with Patricia Blagojevich in a $3.2 million sale of a Gold Coast home in 2004. The seller was an investment banker and generous contributor to the governor's campaign fund who hired the first lady as his second agent on the deal."It is the latest in a series of real estate deals disclosed by the Tribune in which the governor's wife received commissions from politically connected clients. Most of those deals involved people seeking favor from the government her husband leads.
Neither the governor nor his wife has been accused of any wrongdoing.
But the revelation is the strongest indication yet that the federal investigation into allegations that state business, jobs and other favors were traded for campaign donations reaches beyond the governor's public administration and into his family's finances.
The governor's chief spokeswoman described the first lady as an ethical businesswoman who has been a licensed real estate broker and appraiser for more than 15 years.
"No one -- and I mean no one -- has told us that she is under investigation, and there's no reason she would be," said Abby Ottenhoff in an e-mailed response to questions Thursday. "She has done nothing wrong.
"But what is really sad is that someone has resorted to malicious rumors and innuendo to attack the governor's wife. This has sunk to an outrageous new low."
Randall Samborn, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, declined to comment.
In an interview this week with the Tribune, real estate agent Mary Bennett said FBI agents contacted her firm's attorneys requesting she sit down with them. She said agents wanted her to explain why she agreed to add Patricia Blagojevich as a second agent in the 2004 sale of a home in the 1200 block of North Astor Street. continued
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Guess Who's Gonna Be On This List Folks? Obama
Thats right the Messiah himself, this is gonna spell trouble as is explained in a post here Thursday
The urge to save humanity is always a false front for the urge to rule it. H. L. Mencken
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