McHenry County Blog

Wisconsin Republican Governor Tommy Thompson’s gift to Illinois politics, Nicholas Hurtgen, just keeps on giving.

Hurtgen was indicted in connection with the Crystal Lake Mercy Hospital kick-back scheme for which co-conspirator Stuart Levine is scheduled to plead guilty on Friday.

This time Hurtgen figures in an ethics complaint against Wisconsin’s incumbent Democratic Party Governor Jim Doyle’s attendance at the Sept. 29, 2003, Bears-Green Bay game at Soldier Field.

According to the Chippewa Herald,

State law prohibits a state government official from accepting items or services that primarily benefit the state and bars them from obtaining items or services for personal benefit.

The Ethics Board said in its release that while Doyle received some personal benefit by attending the game, "the uncontradicted testimony of witnesses was that the governor attended the event at the invitation of an owner of the Bears to meet Illinois government officials and business leaders.

The article goes on to point reveal a “close ties” between Doyle and Hurtgen.

The investment banker, according to the paper,

introduced Doyle to (Patrick) Ryan (CEO of Aon, owner of the skybox) and set up two campaign events for Doyle in Chicago earlier in the day, the report said. He also may have helped secure Doyle's tickets from Ryan,

the ethics report said.

And, next, the Tony Rezko connection:

The events arranged by Hurtgen included a dinner with Antoin Rezko, a top fundraiser for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich who was charged in two federal indictments this month.

Looks like John Kass' bi-partisan combine has infiltrated Illinois.