Just months ago, the Pritzker campaign was rocked by the release of FBI wiretaps that caught the billionaire on tape in 2008 trying to use his powerful connections to score an appointment by Blagojevich to statewide office. Blagojevich was later arrested for trying to sell President Barack Obama’s US Senate seat.
Now, Pritzker is under fire for another possible pay-to-play Blagojevich scheme.
On Wednesday the Chicago Tribune released a front-page story detailing how Pritzker and his wife contributed $100,000 to Blagojevich’s re-election campaign, and four days later Blagojevich announced a million-dollar state grant for a museum for which Pritzker was chief fundraiser. It raises serious concerns of campaign cash for taxpayer money.
The Chicago Tribune writes, “In Illinois politics, timing is everything.”
It’s just more proof that billionaire J.B. Pritzker uses his deep pockets and insider status to buy what he wants. Illinois doesn’t need another crooked politician as Governor.
Chicago Tribune: Pritzker Gave Blagojevich Campaign $100,000; Holocaust Museum Got $1M Grant
In Illinois politics, timing is everything.
Consider fall 2006. J.B. Pritzker was raising money to build a Holocaust museum in north suburban Chicago. Gov. Rod Blagojevich was raising money for his re-election campaign.
Each had what the other wanted.
On Oct. 27, Pritzker and his wife gave $100,000 in campaign contributions to Friends of Blagojevich.
Four days later — a week before the election — Blagojevich announced he was giving a $1 million state grant to support construction of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie. Pritzker was the museum's chief fundraiser.
Asked Tuesday whether there was any connection between the $100,000 campaign contribution and the state grant, Pritzker said he didn't "recall specifically" either the contribution or the grant.