Daley's clout deal puts homeless shelter in the red

The Chicago Sun-Times reports on Patti Blagojevich,Chicago real estate,and the world of Mayor Daley.Another great one from Sun-Times reporter Tim Novak.You'll want to watch the video.Tim Novak has more on why was Patti Blagojevich hired:

Why did the Chicago Christian Industrial League hire Patti Blagojevich?

“Who better than the first lady of Illinois?’’ said Judy McIntyre, the charity’s former executive director, who hired the governor’s wife five months ago. “Here’s someone whose name would be immediately recognizable and would open doors.’’

The charity needed money to repay a $10.8 million it obtained from ShoreBank with help from the Illinois Finance Authority — a state agency created by Blagojevich’s husband — to build a $25 million homeless shelter.

“Everyone knew we were looking for someone to raise money because of the debt,’’ McIntyre said. “They only raise about $1 million a year, they need to raise $2 million.’’

Blagojevich is paid $100,000 under a one-year contract that began Sept. 1.

The charity won’t say how much Blagojevich has raised. But it has collected $10,000 to $15,000 in each of the past three months — the same as it did before she started, said president William Good.

On Oct. 6, Blagojevich met with officials of the Pritzker Family Foundation, which has $65 million in assets. Among those at the meeting was foundation president J.B. Pritzker, one of several candidates the Sun-Times has reported the governor was considering to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s seat in the U.S. Senate.

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