Blagojevich attorney sent gubernatorial staff on hunt for Rezko links, memo says

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By Kurt Erickson | Thursday, May 15, 2008 10:09 AM CDT | () comments

SPRINGFIELD — A month before opening arguments were made in Antoin Rezko’s federal corruption trial, Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s top lawyer issued a memo to the governor’s senior aides.

The Feb. 8 directive called on staff members to search their computers, calendars and files for any information relating to Rezko and eight other notable people.

“If you find any documents or information relating to these individuals, you must notify the Office of the General Counsel in accordance with the directions set out below,” wrote William Quinlan, the governor’s senior legal advisor.

The memo appears to show the governor’s office was attempting to determine the extent of information in its own files about Rezko, whose trial is now nearing its end.

Quinlan didn’t respond to requests for information about the memo.

Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff offered no insight on why it was sent and what kind of information may have been gleaned from the files of senior staff members.

“We don’t comment on internal legal communications,” Ottenhoff said in an e-mail.

The Chicago-based Better Government Association has sparred with the administration over the release of documents.

“It’s another record showing the heat is on at the governor’s office,” said Jay Stewart, BGA executive director, said of the memo, which contains names of prominent political insiders who have been mentioned during Rezko’s trial. Chief among those is lobbyist Milan Petrovic, a leading fundraiser for Blagojevich who represents Motorola and the Illinois Hospital Association.

Petrovic has been credited by federal authorities with collecting at least $1.8 million in campaign funds for Blagojevich, which is more money than Rezko ever raised for the governor.

Petrovic did not return messages left at his Chicago office.

Others on Quinlan’s list include indicted advisor and fundraiser Christopher Kelly, campaign strategist David Wilhelm and Republican insiders William Cellini and Robert Kjellander of Springfield.

Amrish Mahajan, a Chicago banker who has raised money for Blagojevich, and Melvyn Weiss, an attorney who recently pleaded guilty of federal kickback charges, also appear on the list.

Kurt Erickson can be contacted at (217) 789-0865 or kurt.erickson@lee.net.