Thursday, May 08, 2008

Better than Marin w/Proft: Berkowitz w/ Sen. Dillard on Dillard's ad for Obama and the Kjellander-Rove two step, now streaming at a computer near you.

Jeff Berkowitz: ... [T]here are reports that in 2004 it was Bob Kjellander’s job, to get [Karl] Rove to reign in [U. S. Attorney] Pat Fitzgerald- maybe to get rid of him so that this corruption investigation around Blagojevich wouldn’t go ahead.

Senator Kirk Dillard: Right.
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Jeff Berkowitz: And, if that were true, then the whole thing about the Illinois Combine becomes more problematic for you, right?

Senator Kirk Dillard: It does and I am not sure that’s true. I mean, nobody is going to mess around, in their right mind, with the United States Attorney. But, I like Pat Fitzgerald and I very much like Peter Fitzgerald who...went out and found Pat Fitzgerald
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Senator Kirk Dillard: I think Peter [Roskam] is doing a great job...

Jeff Berkowitz: [Colonel] Jill Morgenthaler is challenging him [in the Illinois 6th CD]. She’ll be our guest next week [Watch the show w/Morgenthaler,now, here]...
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This week’s suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” featuring State Senator and Republican Senate Whip Kirk Dillard (R-Westmont), is now streaming here. For more about the show and its topics, go here.

A partial transcript of the show, taped on April 27, 2008, is included below.
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Jeff Berkowitz: You worked for [Gov. Jim] Thompson for five years?

Senator Kirk Dillard (R-Westmont): Right.

Jeff Berkowitz: Thompson signed on with Blagojevich in 2002 as Chair of his transition committee.

Senator Kirk Dillard: Um-um.

Jeff Berkowitz: Thompson’s firm, Winston & Strawn, became counsel to Blagojevich in the federal investigation which has gone on to the present. Thompson sat with George Ryan in the courtroom when [Ryan] was on trial and [Thompson’s] firm, Winston & Strawn, was defending that, pro bono

Senator Kirk Dillard: Right.

Jeff Berkowitz: That was a twenty million dollar gift to George Ryan. Now there are reports that in 2004 it was Bob Kjellander’s job, that is, we’ve gotten some testimony from somebody who is pleading guilty in that whole Tony Rezko mess that it was Bob Kjellander’s job to get [Karl] Rove to reign in [U. S. Attorney] Pat Fitzgerald- maybe to get rid of him so that this corruption investigation around Blagojevich wouldn’t go ahead.

Senator Kirk Dillard: Right.

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, that’s only one man saying that at this point but how troubling is that to you?

Senator Kirk Dillard: Very. I mean Pat Fitzgerald’s been a tremendous United States Attorney.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, if that were true, then the whole thing about the Illinois Combine becomes more problematic for you, right?

Senator Kirk Dillard: It does and I am not sure that’s true. I mean, nobody is going to mess around, in their right mind, with the United States Attorney. But, I like Pat Fitzgerald and I very much like Peter Fitzgerald who appointed and went out and found Pat Fitzgerald [Ed. Note: Technically, President Bush appointed U. S. Attorney Fitzgerald, but at the request of Illinois’ then junior senator, Peter Fitzgerald]. I mean those were great moves and I always supported Peter Fitzgerald, just like I supported Peter Roskam and cleared the path for Peter Roskam to become the Congressman from DuPage County when I was the Chairman of the DuPage County Republican Party. [By “cleared the path for Roskam,” Dillard is probably referring primarily to his role in state senator Carol Pankau’s and state senator Dan Cronin’s decision not to run in the 2006 6th CD Republican Primary]. Because I think if I didn’t clear the field for Peter Roskam, you’d probably be talking about Tammy Duckworth as the Cong. from the 6th Cong. Dist. and those numbers would be one different. [Sen. Dillard was apparently referring to the composition of the Illinois Congressional delegation, which after the election on March 8, 2008 of Democrat Bill Foster in the 14th CD Special Election to fill the seat of retired Speaker, Dennis Hastert, is now 11 Democrats to 8 Republicans].

Jeff Berkowitz: Yeah, and we’ll see. It could change because [Cong. Roskam] won by only 2000 votes.

Senator Kirk Dillard: I think Peter [Roskam] is doing a great job. I think he is secure as the Congressman there. He can’t lay down. But—

Jeff Berkowitz: [Colonel] Jill Morgenthaler is challenging him. She’ll be our guest next week [Watch the show w/Morgenthaler, here]. So, we are taping her-- so we’ll see—

Senator Kirk Dillard: She’s the top aide to Governor Blagojevich. [Ed. Note, Col. Morgenthaler was the head of Illinois’ Homeland Security office from 2005 to 2007 in the Gov. Blagojevich administration].

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, we’ll see what she has to say about that…
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search,
can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama and McCain, former Presidential candidate Richardson-- and many other pols, including now this week's show in the suburbs with Sen. Dillard, last week's show in the suburbs with John Cox and our recent shows with Pete Giangreco, Senator Radogno, Rep. Lang, and and WGN Political Pundit and Roosevelt University Professor Paul Green at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Recently posted shows on the Public Affairs Youtube page include (now posted this week's show with Sen. Dillard and (previously posted) last week's show in the suburbs with former Republican Primary Presidential Candidate John Cox, reflecting (a) on the similarity of much of Cox's message to that of Obama and (b) on the Illinois Combine, which in Cox's view, seems still to have a grip on the State GOP and some of its leaders, our prior show with Dem. Campaign consultant Pete Giangreco, our prior show with State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), our prior shows with Senator and Deputy Republican Senate Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont), State Rep. Lang (Part 2), State Rep. Lang (Part 1) , WGN Radio political pundit Paul Green, Senator and 2010 Illinois Republican Primary Gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady,former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger, assessing Barack Obama, Republican U.S. Senate Republican nominee Dr. Steve Sauerberg, discussing his Democratic opponent--Senator Durbin-- and domestic, cultural and foreign policy issues, State Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston,IL), discussing Barack Obama, as well as various Illinois Budget issues (spending, mass transit, capital budget, education, gaming and taxes) , State's Attorney for Cook County Republican nominee and Cook County Board Member Tony Peraica; and Anita Alvarez, Chief Deputy to current State's Attorney for Cook County Dick Devine and now the Democratic nominee for State's Attorney of Cook County