CHICAGO (AP) — A decade after the FBI began secretly recording then-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s profanity-laced conversations, the investigation that sent him to prison is still causing political problems for some Democrats.
The latest forced to do damage control is billionaire governor candidate J.B. Pritzker, who’s heard on newly released wiretaps making disparaging comments about prominent Chicago African-Americans in a 2008 call with Blagojevich.
Pritzker apologized but the fallout has been harsh, with an African-American minister withdrawing an invitation to speak at his church.
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner already has been running ads attacking Pritzker that feature wiretaps previously released by the Chicago Tribune.
Rauner also invoked Blagojevich in his successful 2014 campaign against Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn.
A former Illinois GOP official calls Blagojevich “the gift that keeps on giving for Republicans.”