More Trouble For Blago

From the Southern Illinoisian breaking news page:

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna today sent a letter to State's Attorney Charles R. Garnati of Williamson County, calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Governor Rod Blagojevich's proposal to spend $3 million to benefit a privately-owned baseball stadium in Marion, Illinois.

McKenna again articulated the focus of his complaint, saying, "We support baseball in Marion, as well as further economic development in southern Illinois. What we do not support is the use of taxpayer money to finance a private project for the benefit of a major political contributor to the Governor."

Based on published reports, the stadium in question has been primarily financed and will ultimately be owned by John Simmons, who contributed, or contributed through his firm SimmonsCooper LLC., almost $1 million over the last two years to emocratic candidates, including almost $28,000 to Blagojevich. The appearance of a potential quid pro quo involving the stadium grant raises troubling questions about the transaction and potential violations of the law.

I don't know anything close to all the details of this one so it's hard for me to judge where the politics begins and ends on either side. Still, I have to say, on the surface, McKenna seems to have a point.