The Plot Thickens!

While "Candidate 5" has steadfastly stated that he wants no part of "pay for play" political schemes, it appears that some of his close allies including his brother Jonathan have recently been maintaining pretty close contact with embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich according to the Chicago Tribune. The following is a snippet from the article:

Blagojevich made an appearance at an Oct. 31 luncheon meeting at the India House restaurant in Schaumburg sponsored by Oak Brook businessman Raghuveer Nayak, a major Blagojevich supporter who also has fundraising and business ties to the Jackson family, according to several attendees and public records.

Two businessmen who attended the meeting and spoke to the Tribune on the condition of anonymity said that Nayak and Blagojevich aide Rajinder Bedi privately told many of the more than two dozen attendees the fundraising effort was aimed at supporting Jackson's bid for the Senate. Among the attendees was a Blagojevich fundraiser already under scrutiny by federal investigators, Joliet pharmacist Harish Bhatt.

That meeting led to a Blagojevich fundraiser Saturday in Elmhurst, co-sponsored by Nayak and attended by Jesse Jackson Jr.'s brother, Jonathan, as well as Blagojevich, according to several people who were there. Nayak and Jonathan Jackson go back years and the two even went into business together years ago as part of a land purchase on the South Side.

Interesting article on the back room deals being made in Chicago political circles. It really looks like Jackson Jr. was going to be appointed by the governor, and federal authorities brought the hammer down on Blagokevich to prevent that from happening. Jesse Jackson Jr. may not have known what was happening behind the scenes, but obviously some close friends of his were working diligently on his behalf. All of the hard work may have been for nothing, and possibly ended Jackson Jr.'s chance at a very coveted seat in the United States Senate.