Some friends in high places told me months ago that the Chicago Tribune would be taking a very close look at the Giannoulias family's Broadway Bank, and the impact its problems and checked loan-making history would have on Alexi Giannoulias' U.S. Senate hopes, should be end up being the Dem nominee.
That day has apparently come, with a front-page expose on the troubled bank and what it may mean for Alexi's candidacy, especially if the bank goes under.
Alexi's brother, Demetris Giannoulias, who now runs the bank, knows he and the family are on thin ice when it comes to how this may affect Alexi:
"It's a little delicate with my brother," he told the Tribune. "I stay up at night thinking of what I'd tell someone."
According to the story, the Giannoulias family must raise at least $85 million by the end of April to avoid being taken over by the federal government.
Think of the headlines with THAT story.
My only concern about all of this is peaking too early. Most importantly, we want Alexi to remain a very flawed, weak candidate, but remain the candidate nonetheless. On the other hand, the earlier this story gets and and is ingrained in the minds of voters, it will severely hamper Alexi's fundraising ability as he will be seen as damaged goods and not worth the investment from potential donors.
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11 comments:
Garnering the front page of today's Tribune with that story does little to help Alexi, his family or the failing Broadway Bank. That said, it does not guarantee our side much at this point. We have a lot of work to do. Somehow I received a letter from the 10th Dems today touting all the reasons to support this dud of a guy, Alexi. Geez. The letter seems very weak to me, although I'm hardly impartial in something like this, and it stresses why, regardless of who one backed in the Primary, it's everyone's job to get behind Alexi now to defeat Mark. Distortions are in that letter, but that's always been the way Ms. Gash and her team operate. The Kirk team will, I'm sure, be revving up the rhetoric very soon, not soon enough for me, but they're the experts in when and what to say. Suffice it to say, Alexi has a lot of explaining to do. I'm sure that big brother, Demetrias, will have more than just sleepless nights soon.
Alexi Giannoulias drops out of this race by July.
and Duckworth will be the annointed one
Why wouldn't L. Madigan be the anointed one?
I think Rahm dropped the Bank bomb on Alexi - he wants to run
Rahm made 18 million on a sweetheart business deal with a banker named bruce wasserstein, I don't think he's quitting d.c. in the midst of health care final round to take alexi's seat. the democrats knew the issue on alexi. They have prepared for it and the scud missiles are going to start on congressman kirk any day now.
I don' think the hits on alexi are peaking too early. The blago trial run up starts soon and that will suck all the wind out of hte media and provide a nice backdrop to mark's hits on alexi.
foklaeps.
For a change I agree with Foklaeps. Rahm won't be running, nor will Lisa Madigan. Alexi's troubles were very well known long time ago and that's why the DC Chicago team begged Lisa to run. She would have none of it. Hoffman wasn't a great 'find' but he was clean as the driven snow. We're not dealing with the likes of Scott Lee Cohen in this one, believe me. Alexi is staying in this race so just accept it.
My fear is that those bombs Foklaeps is talking about are about to start falling all over the Kirk campaign. I hope they're ready. Fasten those seat belts, this is going to get a whole lot uglier than what we're seeing today. You might say that this is the appetizer course, but wait for the MAIN course, guys.
When that bank gets taken over and shut down, Giannoulias will have a permanent major stain he will never be able to bleach out.
When he ran for Treasurer, he bragged about his abilities as a Senior Loan Officer. When running for U.S. Senate, he downplays his prior work as a Senior Loan Officer.
Ugly! What's next? Another Alexi rant about greedy bankers taking funds out of failing banks?
Louis G. Atsaves
What is so funny/sad is that Alexi, in fully hypocrite mode, poses as a man of the people, helping those who need jobs. Well the avarice of the Giannoulias family, overextending their bank for short-term profits, is exactly the kind of practice that led to the economic collapse in the first place.
But Alexi and his handlers know that if you lie to Illinois voters enough, they will believe you.
That is why he is furiously trying to change the subject and divert attention from his pathetic record at both Broadway and in the Treasurer's office
As much as I'd hate to say it, I think Alexi's going to survive this hit. And the Kirk campaign needs to be careful about about where they seem to be heading in trying to attract the D vote.
Here's just an example of a result of some of the mixed messages that are being sent out. "Will County Woman" on CapFax seems to be claiming that Dem Moderates and Republican Moderates are one and the same and that's why she can so easily support Kirk. That's not going to make most R Moderates happy, and it has the potential to create even more of a divide between the Conservatives and the Moderates in the Republican Party.
D votes are obviously important, but Kirk isn't going to get the majority of their votes.
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