Hastert's Tainted Stench Goes Unnoticed on Michigan Avenue

Friend and reader Alison over at Philosophe Forum sends a link to this piece, which appeared in The Hill on 9/12.

For those of you who don't have the energy to get past the part where Hastert's waterboy, Rep. Tom Reynolds (D-NY) carries water for "The Coach" by pissing on Rep. Rahm Emmanuel (D-IL), here's the most interesting part, also highlighted at SoapBlox Chicago:

Prosecutors allege Levine used his position with the system to arrange kickbacks from companies seeking to invest in the fund. Cari is expected to plead guilty this week; Levine has pleaded not guilty.

Cari donated $5,000 to Emanuel between 2001 and 2003 and $5,000 to the DCCC. Emanuel said he would return the money.

But Levine donated to both parties. He gave $3,250 to the House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s (R-Ill.) campaign committee and $5,000 to his political action committee (PAC) in 2003. Levine gave a total of $2,000 to Hastert in 2001 and 2002. He has also helped Rep. Mark Green (R-Wis.) and Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.), who returned Levine’s $1,000 donation this year.

“Hastert is exploring options to return the Levine money,” a top GOP aide said.

Funny. You'd think that with this scandal simmering while there's been at least some major media coverage of allegations that Hastert took small cash donations from foreign nationals-- the political moral equivalent of accepting large quantities of small, unmarked bills (from the Mob) under the table (in an Italian restaurant, while some cop's getting whacked out front) -- you might find a story somewhere in the voluminous pages of, um, The Chicago Tribune.

Nope.

Write Public Editor, Don Wycliff and ask why not.