Pritzker Follows Up Phony Blago Outrage By Dodging Questions

CHICAGO — Gov. J.B. Pritzker won't even answer easy questions about the FBI wiretaps that caught him trying to score a political appointment from his felonious predecessor, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

On Thursday, NBC 5 political reporter Mary Ann Ahern asked him why the Illinois people should think he's different than other people recorded engaging in the kind of political horse trading that got Blagojevich locked up.

With a smug billion-dollar smirk, Pritzker dodged, ducked and deflected.

"There were hundreds of people recorded to be clear," the sitting governor said.

Not an answer, but it's good to be reminded ol' J.B. wasn't the only one window shopping at Blago's plus-size, political-favor outlet in Springfield.

Pritzker continued: "And let's also make sure we all understand that what happened more than 10 years ago has nothing to do with where we are today in this state."

I think that means no matter what happened in 2008 the statute of limitations has expired. Got it, governor. Good point.

"We ought to be focusing on the challenges of today and those include challenges around the budget and challenges of addressing corruption that exists still in our state more than a decade after [Blagojevich] went to prison," Pritzker said. "We still have politicians in this state who are on the take. We gotta make sure they get prosecuted."

Let me translate: "Look! Over there! House Speaker Mike Madigan's pals!"

Then, Pritzker walked away.

Nobody got to ask him how he ended up chit-chatting with Blagojevich about possibly getting appointed state treasurer, attorney general or, as the wiretap caught Blago suggesting, President Barack Obama's replacement in the U.S. Senate.

Was it his jolly demeanor? Or because they're both Cubs fans?

Or — and I'm just spit-ballin' here — could it be that the $100,000 Pritzker and his wife M.K. donated to Blagojevich's campaign 11 days before he narrowly won second term in 2006 is the kind of money that gets a governor on the phone when he's shopping for a political appointment? That's more than 74 percent of the $134,500 in campaign contributions the Pritzker's donated in 2006, according to state election records.

I'm not suggesting that has anything to do with where Pritzker is in state government today. Everybody knows he bought his job on the open market with an election campaign financed by $171 million of his own money, with complete transparency.

Besides, how could anyone think Pritzker could be a corrupt politician on the take when the big guy, as Blagojevich knew very well, is a giver? There's probably nothing illegal about that.

The FBI interviewed Pritzker during the investigation that brought down Blagojevich. The feds didn't charge Pritzker with wrongdoing. They didn't call him as a witness at Blagojevich's two trials.

There's wiretap proof Blagojevich asked Pritzker for a $50,000 donation on Nov. 14, 2008.

"I can't," Pritkzer is heard telling Blaogjevich on the federal wiretap. "I mean, not while everything's up in the air, but I hear ya."

That conversation occurred 10 days after Obama got elected, and six days before Pritzker's sister, Penny Pritzker, removed herself as a candidate for U.S. Secretary of Commerce "due to obligations to her family," the Tribune reported.

After so long, when asked to explain such old news, Pritzker has the audacity to shrug?

To quote President Obama, "C'mon, man."

Illinois deserves better.

Mark Konkol, recipient of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting and Emmy-nominated producer, was a producer, writer and narrator for the "Chicagoland" docu-series on CNN. He was a consulting producer on the Showtime documentary, "16 Shots."

More Chicago Stories from Mark Konkol:

• When Blago Gets Home Let's Talk About Calls He Got From Pritzker
• Mayor Releases Koschman, Markham Investigative Reports: EXCLUSIVE
• Lightfoot Administration May Add Ex-Con Pols To Hiring Blacklist
• City Hall 'Do Not Rehire' List Omits Chicago Hall of Shamers
• Don't Quit, Kim! Let Voters Express Facebook Outrage Election Day
• 750,000 Reasons Sun-Times' Kim Foxx Endorsement Shouldn't Shock
• Chicago Police Don't Arrest As Many Murderers As You Might Think
• Mancow Hosts On-Air Debate On State's Attorney Race Conspiracy
• Fired Top Cop Deserves Jussie Smollett Treatment, Send Him A Bill
• Could Raging Political Feud Derail Economic Revival In Pullman?