CHAMPAIGN—Our Saturday was filled with traveling to Champaign to attend a fundraiser for the organization, For the Good of Illinois, created by former gubernatorial candidate Adam Andrzejewski. It was a very encouraging benefit, as they all are, and the keynote speaker of the night was worth every moment of the two-hour drive: Michale Callahan, former Illinois State Police trooper who has written a book about the horror of corruption in the state of Illinois.
Here in photos is a rundown of our evening:
Adam Andrzejewski gets things kicked off; the event was held at the Hilton Garden Inn, Champaign
An awesome dinner buffet was provided to those who purchased tickets to the event
This little doll wasn't too keen on the idea of the broccoli....
Adam with our North Counties correspondent Kirk Allen, and candidate for 102nd District, Rob Roman and his wife, Dawn
The place was PACKED
Scientist John Bambenek gave a brief presentation; he's been writing for years about the fiscal crisis in Illinois
Our own Sally Henson, from Clay County, received a Volunteer Award
Ron Rybolt received a Volunteer Award as well; we see these two everywhere Adam goes!
Then it was time for the remarkable Michale Callahan, an Illinois State Police investigator who moved from Chicago to Champaign, and was tasked in 2000 with reviewing the 1986 murders of Dyke and Karen Rhodes in Paris
Callahan reviewed the case and uncovered the type of abject corruption going on in almost every little burg in Illinois. He was demoted for it, but fought back. He wrote a book about it, "Too Politically Sensitive," which we're reading right now....& it's AWESOME!
Callahan's presentation, as well as Andrzejewski's closing remarks, brought wild applause and standing ovations to the capacity crowd
Ang (before she got sick with this cold she has now) got to talk to Callahan after the program. He agreed with our assessment: the corruption in this state is endemic, and we're only going to be able to fight it by putting out little fires here and there until at last it's all contained
During the program, Andrzejewski announced that he has a new app to go with his Open the Books portal: you can select a location, and within the radius of your choosing, you get the top 10 pay and pension receivers in the state. Pretty neat little thing!