Another Giannoulias Headache

The Senate race in Illinois is devolving and it continues to be a contest of which candidate will have fewer scandal. Alexi Giannoulias took a step back in that race today.

By February 2006, businessman and political fixer Tony Rezko was already politically radioactive, caught up in a federal investigation that would see him criminally charged by the end of that year.

News reports had linked Rezko, a key adviser and campaign fund-raiser for then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, to shady deals involving state pension funds -- among the crimes that ultimately would send him to prison.

This particular story is dubious. The loan was made to a company that Tony Rezko had a stake in. It was made after news had come out that Rezko was involved in scandal, but it was also made after Giannoulias stopped running day to day operations at the bank.

It is, however, more evidence of just how much of an insider Giannoulias is and how connected he is to other insiders in Illinois and that doesn't help at all.