RSS Feed MenuThe hits just keep on coming for Alexi Giannoulias. As if Tony Rezko, Broadway Bank, and Rod Blagojevich were not enough, one of Giannoulias’ major donors was arrested yesterday. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the owner of the popular Boston Blackie’s restaurant chain, Nick Giannis, was arrested and accused of defrauding Charter One and Washington Mutual banks of almost $2 million. Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez described the scheme as “sophisticated” and “complex.”
According to the Sun-Times, Nick Giannis has donated $120,000 to Giannoulias’ campaigns. Giannoulias tried to parry the issue by releasing a statement announcing that “In light of today’s news reports on Mr. Giannis, Alexi For Illinois and the dormant state campaign, Citizens For Giannoulias, will immediately donate any and all contributions received from these individuals to a number of local nonprofit organizations.” Giving the money to charity is a nice sentiment, but it won’t matter. The gig is up. It took Mark Kirk about ten seconds to pounce on the latest break for his campaign, stating yesterday that “The check-kiting scheme conducted by a top Giannoulias contributor and Broadway Bank client appears to be part of a disturbing pattern of reckless business relationships, questionable banking practices and potentially illegal activity. … Between his questionable relationships and business practices, Alexi’s ethical lapses are beyond distracting for someone running to be a U.S. Senator.”
Polling numbers don’t show it yet, but this race is spinning out of control for Giannoulias and his campaign. Kirk’s attacks on Giannoulias’ ethics issues will become more frequent, more pointed, and most devastating for Giannoulias, more credible in the eyes of the public after this last lapse.
Giannoulias is in serious, serious trouble. Mark Kirk is going to win this race.
Independent // Mar 12, 2010 at 9:29 pm
More corruption from yet another associate of the Chicago School of Thuggery?
I think they need their dean back… good thing Dean Obama will be free after 2012, no?
Petra // Mar 13, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Is this scandal anything near the enormity that is Goldman Sachs’ looting of the nation? Mark Kirk voted against his party on Cap n’ Tax to satisfy the big banks. So, neighborhood banks are not as connected and go bankrupt when forced to loan to insolvent borrowers in the name of racial “equity”. They wish they had equity!
I’m not convinced that Mark Kirk is a shoe-in. He just came off an obviously beard-type marriage of convenience, not unlike those of Marty Peretz and John Podhoretz and is still in the Navy à la Eric Massa.