Nanosenator's Excellent Adventure

Nears its denouement.

Three weeks ago...

Reid top advisor Darrel Thompson named Burris temporary chief of staff.
By
Lynn Sweet
on January 30, 2009 4:36 PM

WASHINGTON--Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nv.) top senior advisor, Darrell Thompson will be serving as the temporary chief of staff to Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.)

Thompson knows the Land of Lincoln; in 2004, he was chief of staff for Barack Obama's U.S. Senate campaign. Thompson remains a Reid senior advisor.


"As the Leader of the U.S. Senate, I will do all that I can to support the success of Senator Burris and that begins with detailing one of my most respected senior staff members," Reid said in a statement. "Darrel's institutional knowledge combined with his strong relationship with Members and staffs in both the Senate and House, will undoubtedly serve Senator Burris well."

"We have spent the last two weeks evaluating chief of staff candidates and are looking forward to having someone on our team with Darrel's Illinois experience and knowledge and passion for helping solve the important issues facing our state and nation," Burris said in a statement.
...

And three weeks later?

Run Away!

Roland Burris' chief of staff quits

By Rick Pearson and John Chase at 3:57 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Roland Burris’ chief of staff has quit, another signal of the mounting pressures facing Burris amid calls by top Democrats in Illinois for him to step down.

Darrel Thompson was detailed three weeks ago by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to serve as Burris’ chief of staff, a move that some Democrats saw as an effort by the leadership to help try to keep a watchful eye on the novice junior senator from Illinois. Thompson had been chief of staff for Barack Obama’s 2004 U.S. Senate campaign.
In his resignation announcement, Thompson said he would resume his full-time duties in Reid’s office as a senior adviser to the Senate majority leader.
...

Meanwhile, back in the Land of Lincoln, the job of cleaning up the 300-mile-wide corruption, pay-to-play skidmark left behind by Governor Shakedown continues with this Exciting!Development!

Quinn hires aide who worked for Rezko, Blagojevich
Governor names longtime friend who formerly worked for the convicted Blagojevich fundraiser

By Monique Garcia

Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday installed as his chief operating officer an appointee of ousted predecessor Rod Blagojevich who also has close ties to convicted fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko.

The decision to name longtime friend Jack Lavin as one of his top aides raised eyebrows with some who said it might send a message of politics as usual in Illinois.

"Certainly he comes with some baggage that we have to be very sensitive about at this moment in our state's history, but personally I want to work with everyone right now to make sure we get through the very serious problems we're facing," said Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno of Lemont. "I can only hope the governor has fully vetted his association and knows full well that they won't in any way, shape or form interfere."

Lavin served as Blagojevich's director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity after Rezko recommended Lavin for the post. Lavin once worked as the chief financial officer for Rezko's food-related business and took more than $12,000 in donations from Rezko's firm while toying with a run for elected office in 2001.

A Quinn spokesman would not comment on Lavin's ties to Blagojevich and Rezko, but said the governor has "the utmost confidence in him."
...

Sigh.

There are Four Rules in Illinois Politics:

1. There is a club.
2. You're not in it.
3. You do not talk about Fight Club.
4. You Do Not talk about Fight Club.