Can Blago Tap Campaign Fund for Legal Fees?
Posted by Brian Baxter Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will likely seek to use some of the $5 million believed to be in his campaign fund to help pay the legal bills connected to his defense against federal corruption charges. While there is precedent for such an action, prosecutors could thwart that effort by going after the fund itself for alleged criminal activity. It’s what they did to George Ryan, Sr., Blagojevich’s predecessor in the governor’s office, and it could put defense lawyers in an awkward position, especially with Blagojevich reportedly already in the hole for $500,000 to his previous lawyers at Winston & Strawn. CAMPAIGN CASH RULES Before dipping into his campaign funds, which are thought to be substantial given Blagojevich’s relatively easy reelection campaign in 2006, the governor first needs to deal with the issue of “conversion”–whether or not he can use his campaign funds for legal fees. Even though Blagojevich is facing federal bribery and mail and wire fraud char
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