Blagojevich tied to extortion claims

NAPERVILLE, Ill., Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Disgraced Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is facing bribery and fraud charges, helped extortion attempts against area hospitals, an official alleges.

Edward Hospital Chief Executive Officer Pam Davis alleged in the wake of Blagojevich's arrest this week the governor routinely attempted to extort hospitals such as her Naperville facility, the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald said Thursday.

"It's absolutely astounding that the governor and his cronies allegedly continued unrepentantly to shakedown hospitals more than four years after Stuart Levine and others attempted to extort me and Edward Hospital," Davis said in a statement. "It's equally appalling that public and regulatory officials entrusted with overseeing the regulation of important issues, such as healthcare, have abused that trust."

While the alleged incident referred to by Davis occurred four years ago, Blagojevich has also been linked to a similar alleged incident mere weeks ago, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said Tuesday in unveiling the charges facing the governor.

The criminal complaint alleges a top official at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago refused to contribute to the governor. That refusal prompted Blagojevich to rescind $8 million in state aid to the hospital, which is attempting to build a new facility in downtown Chicago, the complaint alleges.