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December 10, 2008
The Illinois governor pressured the Chicago Tribune; in New York, the mayor & Ratner have had much less trouble
Atlantic Yards Report
Norman Oder examines the differences between the way things are done in Illinois and the way they're done here in the Empire State.
The sell-the-Senate-seat scandal immolating Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has a very interesting subplot regarding state help for a sports facility and the role of Chicago's leading newspaper.
The indicted Illinois Governor allegedly threatened to withhold state financial assistance for the Chicago Cubs if the club's parent company, which owns the Chicago Tribune, didn't fire some pesky editors (simpler to just have Bruce Ratner make a phone call). In addition, according to the Department of Justice:
Blagojevich and Sports Consultant discussed the importance of getting the IFA transaction approved at the agency’s December or January meeting because Blagojevich was contemplating leaving office in early January and his IFA appointees would still be in place to approve the deal, the charges allege.
...And what about the rush to approve Atlantic Yards before 2006 and the end of the administration of Gov. George Pataki? Consultants for the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) worked over Thanksgiving to revise the Final Environmental Impact Statement.
Posted by eric at December 10, 2008 12:17 PM