Progress Illinois

Fundraiser and former Illinois Finance Authority executive director Ali Ata will be cross-examined by the defense today as Rod Blagojevich's corruption trial gets back underway. Last week, Ata testified that he was given his state job only after donating $50,000 to the governor's campaign fund.

Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz drew a crowd of over 200 at a campaign fundraiser for 9th Congressional District GOP candidate and Tea Party favorite Joel Pollak Wednesday afternoon.  A Pollak spokesperson told Chicago magazine's Carol Felsenthal that the event generated $30,000.  Meanwhile, Rep. Jan Schakowsky's campaign says a fundraising appeal yesterday from the progressive foreign policy group J Street brought in $40,000.

The cost of insuring Illinois' debt has risen to levels higher than any state in the union and some troubled European nations, according to data provider CMA DataVision.

Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to sign a bill tomorrow to allow doctors and dentists licensed in other states to volunteer their services without obtaining state authorization, a change that supporters contend will directly benefit the state's 1.6 million uninsured residents.