Bloomberg article reveals that top fundraiser for former Illinois governor represented CDR in that state, and also helped Richardson raise campaign cash
The media has already reported on one connection between N.M. Gov. Bill Richardson and the scandal-plagued former governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich: Richardson’s re-election campaign gave $20,000 to the campaign of Blagojevich in 2006.
Now Bloomberg has found another link. And it relates to GRIPgate.
Blagojevich’s top fundraiser and his lobbying firm donated $20,000 to Richardson’s 2006 re-election campaign and political action committees, according to an article the news organization published today. That lobbyist, Milan Petrovic, also represented, in Illinois, CDR Financial Products, the firm at the center of the federal pay-to-play grand jury investigation in New Mexico.
Petrovic, who raised $1.96 million for Blagojevich, arranged meetings between CDR and Illinois budget and debt officials, though, in the end, that state did no business with CDR. In Illinois, Petrovic also represented Stratton & Associates, the Denver consulting firm headed by Mike Stratton. Stratton is one of the handful of people in Richardson’s inner circle and was a senior adviser to his 2008 presidential campaign.
The contributions Petrovic made to Richardson came in 2004 and 2005. CDR was hired in New Mexico in 2004. The federal probe centers around allegations that the Richardson administration traded a lucrative state bond contract for $110,000 in contributions to Richardson’s political committees and his 2006 gubernatorial campaign.
There’s no indication in the article that the grand jury in New Mexico is looking into the contributions from Petrovic. Still, the timing of those contributions is interesting.
And, on top of the $20,000 Petrovic and his firm gave to Richardson, “Petrovic’s friends, business associates and clients donated at least $50,500 to Richardson,” the news agency reported.
Illinois residents gave $400,000 to Richardson’s 2006 gubernatorial re-election campaign, according to the article. That includes Lewis Borsellino, president of an Illinois health-care group, who gave $10,000 to Richardson after Petrovic asked him to attend a fundraiser for the N.M. governor.
Borsellino told Bloomberg that Petrovic has asked him to contribute to many candidates, adding that, “He’s a lobbyist. … I’m in the health-care business. Someday, I may need some direction.”
Petrovic told Bloomberg that Richardson “is a public official I admire,” but would not comment further. Richardson, according to the article, declined to comment on Petrovic’s contributions.