Another Scandal?

The Chicago Tribune reports that, possibly as a result of pressure from the paper, the Illinois State Police are re-opening an investigation into claims that a state regulator solicited a campaign contribution to the Governor in exchange for possible protection against a Medicaid fraud probe:

A Chicago pharmacist first told state police in 2005 that he made a $25,000 contribution to Blagojevich as a form of protection from a state Medicaid probe.

The Illinois State Police told the Tribune last month they had already investigated those allegations and determined they were unfounded.

But after repeated inquiries from the Tribune about the thoroughness of that investigation, state police said last week they were taking another look.

The agency formally denied the newspaper's request for documents in the case on the grounds it would "obstruct an ongoing criminal investigation."

"Certainly, that case has been reopened and it is being actively investigated," Lt. Scott Compton, the agency's chief spokesman, said Friday. "That's all I can say at this time."

Compton, the state police spokesman, confirmed that Patel told an investigator he felt pressure from Bhatt to contribute to the governor and Bhatt offered to intervene with state regulators on his behalf in exchange for the money. Compton also confirmed Patel said he immediately felt pangs of regret for writing a $25,000 check to Friends of Blagojevich and ordered his bank to stop payment.

According to state disclosure forms, the Blagojevich campaign reported Patel's donation on June 27, 2005 and then reported on July 8, 2005 that the check didn't clear.

"We were told by Patel there were other instances where Bhatt solicited payments and that he had documents to corroborate those payments," Compton said last month. "Mr. Patel failed to provide those documents after numerous attempts by the state police."

This decision on the part of the state police to revisit the case breathes a whole new dimension into the story.  It's no longer just about whether the Governor's Office is willing to help big donors skirt the law in exchange for campaign cash.  Now the integrity of the state's top law enforcement agency may be called into question.  It should raise eyebrows that the state police investigation didn't even include an interview with key parties involved with the accusation:

The state police likewise dismissed as unfounded the allegations of improper political influence in Bhatt's own case after what the agency described as a thorough investigation. Both Bhatt and the pharmacy regulator said they were never interviewed by state police about interference allegations. Both deny any wrongdoing.

Doesn't sound like the state police engaged in much of an investigation.  The Trib isn't done trying to get to the bottom of things:

The Tribune has appealed the denial of its records requests to state officials.

Here's the Tribune's initial report that appeared on October 16.