Chicago Daily Observer

For Illinois Republicans used to coalescing early around an easy presidential winner, 2008 is turning out to be a different kind of year.

Even before Mitt Romney’s win in Tuesday’s Michigan primary, Illinois’ business and GOP establishment was dividing its money and support among no fewer than four candidates, with a fifth, Mike Huckabee, appealing to social conservatives, if not LaSalle Street lawyers and bankers.

Sun-Times Media Group has let go four newsroom staff at the Naperville Sun, plans to cut eight editorial positions from the Post-Tribune in Gary, Ind., and has sacked the co-editors at its newly merged SouthtownStar as it presses forward on a plan to chop $50 million in expenses in the .

For the first time, Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama has surfaced in the federal corrupton case against his longtime campaign fund-raiser, Tony Rezko, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

The Illinois senator isn’t accused of any wrongdoing. And there’s no evidence Obama knew contributions to his 2004 U.S. Senate campaign came from schemes Rezko is accused of orchestrating.