Chicago Tribune: Tollway oasis pact rich with links to governor's allies

[Tweed]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0502130533feb13,1,5071490.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

"Gov. Rod Blagojevich long has vowed to purge the Illinois tollway of cronyism, yet two of his closest friends and political advisers have links to food vendors awarded lucrative contracts to operate inside the toll road's sleek new oases, government records show.

The Subway sandwich shops and Panda Express Asian restaurants now being installed in the tollway's seven revamped rest stops are controlled by firms with strong ties to the food-service empire of Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a Blagojevich confidant who has seeded the governor's cabinet with former business underlings.

Christopher G. Kelly, Blagojevich's chief fundraiser, who also recommended the tollway's executive director for his job, is an investor in at least one Rezko-controlled food firm, a spokesman said.

Subway and Panda Express are part of a revamped lineup of restaurants going into oases being rebuilt along the 274-mile toll network, and officials expect the vendors to make millions of dollars each year for both the operators and the tollway. Two of the rebuilt oases already are open and two more are scheduled to open Friday."

LONG article with very damaging information on Rod. The more and more stuff like this comes out, the more and more I his re-election chances diminish. There is a year and a half to the election. Should be an interesting ride.

[mopinko]

1. i'm shocked, simply shocked

seriously, tho, compared to the ryan administration?
i always knew blaggo was either lying or kidding himself if he thought he was going to undo the culture of corruption in this state.