"An emotional Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) on Tuesday sought to halt a bitter public feud with his son-in-law, Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but did not retract charges that the governor had abused the power of his office.
"I think you all realize that when I think I am right, I will stand up for what I believe is right. ... If I wouldn't have stood up for a fight, I don't think the governor would be the governor in all reality," said Mell, who raised funds and twisted political arms for Blagojevich in successive races for the Illinois General Assembly, the U.S. House and the governor's office.
"But this has to end," the alderman declared as his voice cracked during a City Hall news conference. "It has to end, not for me and Blagojevich but it has to end for my wife, it has to end for the rest of my family. This is not something that will continue. It is something that is going to be put to rest today ... I think I am hoping there is a possibility of repairing this."
But Mell pointedly refused to take back allegations that Blagojevich had allowed advisers to trade government jobs for campaign contributions and manufactured controversies to buff an image as a "white knight."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0501120280jan12,1,5661096.story?coll=chi-news-hedWell isn't that just sweet?