Over the past couple weeks news outlets across the country have run excerpts and mocking write-ups of Rod Blagojevich’s new book, The Governor, which explains how he played the game of politics.
The donations enabled the committee to rack up about $42.3 million in expenses, including $10.6 million to employ a staff of 57—ten of whom make at least $135,000 a year—$1.7 million on hotel and housing bills, and $1,146,074 in airfare.
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“Chicago 2016 is committed to operating with appropriate transparency,” the report reads. “We believe this report demonstrates the fiscal responsibility with which we have conducted this campaign.”
Even the Bears—notorious for being one of the cheapest outfits in the NFL—gave at least $100,000. But then that’s the least they could have done, since the city gave them hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild Soldier Field in 2002 and 2003.
And there may be others—I can’t say for certain since the city doesn’t publish a complete list of vendors who’ve received TIF money for their work. I apologize to anyone I may have inadvertently omitted.
I called around and asked some of these donors if they really truly believed—cross your heart and hope to die—that the games would benefit Chicago. Most of them didn’t respond, and the few who did wouldn’t let me use their names.
Of course, there are those who truly do believe that the games will be good for Chicago, no matter how much they cost taxpayers or how many south and west siders are cut out of their neighborhood parks.
