Governor No Knowledge

Joe Nobody from Nowhere. Never happened. Nothin' wrong. Nothin' done that is. Tribune:

A state Medicaid fraud probe into a major fundraiser for Gov. Rod Blagojevich was fraught with complaints from career investigators that they were hindered by political interference during their three-year case, a Tribune investigation has found.

The first investigator on the case reported that he got a call from his boss, the state's top pharmacy regulator, asking him to do a favor for the fundraiser, a Joliet drugstore owner who helped get the regulator his job.

Sigh.

The Tribune investigation, based on dozens of interviews, raises new questions about the inner workings of the Blagojevich administration, already beset by allegations that key supporters gained extensive influence over government decisions ranging from state hiring to contracts worth millions of dollars.

Bhatt, 57, who described himself as "Joe nobody from Joliet," denied that he exerted any political influence and said he was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing because the probe was error-ridden and without foundation.

A spokesman for the governor said he had no knowledge of the investigation.

UPDATE: Tribune timeline of investigations of the governor. (scroll down to bottom, p. 3)

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