The issue of Democrat Senate candidate Alex Giannoulias and his bank dealings with alleged crime figures, is not going away. If anything Giannoulias is creating more questions, by his refusal to be forthcoming on the issue with the Chicago media.

In contention is a major loan Giannoulias personally oversaw as Vice President of Broadway Bank (owned by his father). The $15 bill loan was made to well-known Chicago crime boss Michael "Jaws" Giorango. He was also a Giannoulias family friend. The funds were used in illegal criminal enterprises.

Some background from a 2006 article in the Illinois Times, "Democrat candidate's defense of mobster could derail campaign":

Michael “Jaws” Giorango was apparently a member of the old Chicago Heights mob operation. Years ago he was convicted twice on bookmaking charges. One of the bookmaking operations he worked for, according to the Chicago Tribune, used “threats of bombings, beatings and robbery to collect unpaid debts.”

Chicago Tribune political editor John Kass opined "Giannoulias fails to end bank controversy" March 3:

On this media day, Giannoulias, the Illinois state treasurer and current Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in November, had a job to do:

Put to rest nagging questions about the bank and loans he approved for some earthy types, including Michael "Jaws" Giorango, the convicted Outfit bookie and protector of a national prostitution circuit.

He did address the issues. But he didn't exactly put them to rest. He failed.

If anything, he may have made things worse by offering answers that only supporters would characterize, optimistically, as "evolving.

Meanwhile, Republican Senate nominee Mark Kirk is calling on his opponent to come clean.

From WLS Chicago, March 1:

"Ya know, it's one thing to issue a loan to someone and say in the first year the recipient repaid the loan. But in the case of Michael "Jaws" Giorango, the recipient failed to pay the loan. And it's loans like that are imperiling the Broadway bank, made under Alexi Giannoulias' signature when he was an officer of the bank."

Polls show the race very tight, Giannoulias up by two, within the margin of error.