The King of Clout

State deals make Cellini rich

Governors come and go, but for the last three decades there's been a constant in Illinois government: William Cellini.

The 61-year-old Springfield businessman has amassed clout and contracts that have turned him into a multimillionaire and made him an unelected powerbroker in government.

At various times, he's controlled federal appointments in Illinois, screened the governor's Cabinet choices, and lined up lucrative deals for himself and his associates.

His financial empire of at least $ 50 million was built on savvy in a political atmosphere in which clout pays big dividends.

Cellini has done it legally, in a wide-open system that government watchdog groups have been unable to tame.

Cellini tries to keep a low public profile, and ignored the Sun-Times' requests for an interview. Likewise, many politicians and Cellini's business partners declined to talk about him, an example of what one state official called a "perfect blend of fear and respect."

Still, extensive interviews and exhaustive checks of records have helped the Sun-Times develop an in-depth profile of Cellini, an invisible power in state government.