Rod Blagojevich: Sick Kids = $$$

It seems Governor Blagojevich even viewed the need for funding to treat poor, sick kids as an opportunity for gain. Via the Chicago Tribune: Among the more lurid allegations in the criminal complaint against Gov. Rod Blagojevich was that he wanted a $50,000 contribution from the head of Children's Memorial Hospital for backing $8 million in state funding. The money, however, wasn't for the hospital but instead a statewide pediatric medical-care initiative to pay hundreds of doctors to treat poor sick children throughout Illinois, a coalition of medical providers said Wednesday. Children's Memorial and a group of health facilities and pediatric specialists formed a coalition called We Care for Illinois Kids to advocate for increased state reimbursements to doctors. The complaint alleged Blagojevich wanted the $50,000 campaign contribution from the chief executive of Children's Memorial. Although he wasn't named in the complaint, the executive is Patrick Magoon, the longtime CEO of Children's Memorial and chairman of the board of the Illinois Hospital Association, a powerful trade group and lobby. Class act.