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I first heard about Alexi Giannoulias about a year ago. His father started a bank near my neighborhood in Chicago in the late 70s. Alexi has been the bank’s VP and Senior Loan Officer for the past four years, and his name sometimes comes up in conversations about local businesses.

I heard about him again last fall when someone I know who campaigned hard for Barack Obama gave me the hard sell on working on Alexi’s campaign for Illinois State Treasurer. Then someone else invited me to a fundriaser for him. People were talking about this guy a lot. And in every conversation two things were always mentioned:

He’s 29 years old. And Obama loves him.

A few weeks ago I heard him speak at a neighborhood Meet the Candidates event. I thought he did well: articulate and stylish, but maybe a little cocky. He did a nice job of explaining how his experience would make him a good Treasurer. He talked to a few people after he spoke and he seemed smart and personable. You could tell he was enjoying himself. And why not? He’s got some good endorsements. His coffers are full. He’s a former basketball star. From an outsider’s prospective at least, he’s led a charmed life. And now he wants to be Treasurer.

But The Democratic Party of Illinois has other ideas for the position being vacated by current State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka who’s running in the Republican Primary for Governor. Word is that the Dems don’t want everyone on their ticket to be from Chicago, a frequent complaint from those living “downstate” (anywhere but Chicago). So no endorsement for Alexi. Instead, the Dems are running Paul Mangieri. He’s from Galesburg.

The Democratic Party of Illinois hasn’t told me why they support Mangieri, but they sure don’t want me to vote for Alexi.

Twice over the last couple weeks I’ve received the same mailer from them. The front has the text, “There’s something you need to know about the company State Treasurer candidate Alexi Giannoulias keeps.” There is a graphic of the Daily Herald masthead dated 2/10/06 and the headline, “Casinos, murder, donations and Jack Abramoff.” The other side has several quotes from the same article.

First, about a $5000 donation to Alexi’s campaign from Spiros Naos:

This cash donated to a Democrat hoping to become Illinois’ treasurer comes with the makings of a TV murder mystery: It’s from a Florida casino fleet owner whose uncle was gunned down in an execution-style after selling the gambling fleet to a group that included indicted Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The murder occurred shortly after the fleet was sold to a business group that included Abramoff, who has set Washington politics asunder since pleading guilty to charges of consipracy, faud and tax evasion and agreeing to cooperate with authorities.

…the candidate, Alexi Giannoulias of Chicago, happens to own a stake in a Chicago bank where the donor owes $4.8 million.

The piece goes on to say that Naos is the business partner of Michael Giorango, who was, according to a Chicago Tribune article from 2/21/04,

…convicted twice of federal bookmaking charges and was found guilty in January of promoting a prostitution operation, according to a Justice Department press release and court records.

From the Daily Herald article, Alexi’s response to the Abramoff connection:

“When I heard the Abramoff thing I started laughing. Someone who had written a check to us one time did a deal with somone who’s being indicted and all of a sudden it’s a big deal?”

Yikes. Even if Alexi isn’t doing anything unethical himself, to treat the subject so lightly doesn’t seem like the brightest move. I bet Barack didn’t tell him to say that.

I’d like to think that his comment was just an off-hand remark that got blown out of proportion. The Daily Herald is the only paper that wrote about it. He’s got the support of a lot of people I respect, and I like his stance on helping people who, as he says, have been “shut out of the mainstream banking world.” I hope Obama, Democratic point man for ethics reform, isn’t wrong about him.

In the end, it might not make any difference. Republican candidate Christine Radogno is running unopposed in the primary and is said to have a good shot in November.

UPDATE: The Daily Herald has endorsed Alexi.

UPDATE: Despite not having the support of his party, Alexi won the Democratic nomination and will face off against Radogno in November.