Ex-Gov. Blago Targeted 4 Sen. Candidates to Help Raise $2.3 Mil in Contributions

This document is likely to show up in the trial of ex-Gov. Blagojevich, portraying him as a shakedown artist. Whatever the case, you can certainly say this man knew how to raise funds. Now he needs to raise funds for his legal bills.

BY NATASHA KORECKI AND DAVE MCKINNEY
Chicago Sun-Times

CHICAGO — Four potential candidates for President Obama’s vacant Senate seat were each to be targeted for contributions by ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s campaign as part of an aggressive, $2.3 million race for cash late last year, an internal campaign document obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times shows.

The four were among about 150 people targeted for contributions by the Friends of Blagojevich campaign organization by the end of 2008, when a new Illinois law took effect that bans taking money from state contractors and appointees, the document shows.

Sources also said Blagojevich was worried at the time about his growing legal bills.

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