Politics | Rod Blagojevich Feds: Blago Extorted Hospital Honcho Guv planned to seek campaign cash in return for state funding By Gabriel Winant Posted Dec 11, 2008 12:47 PM CST Copied Thomas Wiffler, CEO UnitedHealthcare Chicago, Kimberly Thormann, CMH APN, Bonnie Barnes, co-founder DAISY Foundation, Michelle Stephenson, CMH chief nurse executive, and Patrick Magoon, CMH CEO. (Photo: Business Wire) The Rod Blagojevich scandal extends beyond politics to medicine, the Chicago Tribune reports. He threatened to withhold $8 million in state funding for a pediatric health initiative unless the head of Children’s Memorial Hospital gave his campaign $50,000, according to the federal criminal complaint against the Illinois governor. "Children's Memorial is very disappointed" at being dragged into the story, the institution said in a statement. Read These Next They saw skulls in his car, found 'horror movie' in his home. Patrick Swayze's younger brother dies at 63. You may notice some big changes to your Gmail. Grok appears to have finally put a stop to troublesome images on X. Report an error