Murder plot charge stems from voting probe [Democrat official attempts witness rub out]

Saint Louis Today ^ | Jan 21, 2005 | MICHAEL SHAW AND DOUG MOORE

[John Jorsett]

Kelvin Ellis, a top administrator at East St. Louis City Hall, plotted to kill a witness in a federal vote fraud investigation, according to indictments opened Friday, which also accuse Police Chief Ron Matthews of apparently unrelated crimes.

Matthews is accused of helping a former auxiliary police officer with a felony record regain a pistol that had been taken from him, and of lying about it. That auxiliary officer, Ayoub S. Qattoum, and Matthews' secretary, Janerra Carson-Slaughter, also were charged.

The vote fraud and gun cases appeared to be unconnected. Court documents provide a narrow window on the accusations. Federal officials made only measured statements at a news conference, and hinted there is more to come from a yearlong investigation.

This is "the beginning of a concerted and focused effort to root out public corruption," said Weysan Dun, special agent in charge of the FBI's Springfield, Ill., field office, which has jurisdiction over the Metro East area.

Ellis, 55, who once served a prison term after abusing a city post, is now the director of regulatory affairs, which puts him in charge of housing inspections. He also is a precinct committeeman with close ties to the community's Democratic Party leaders.

[John Jorsett]

I love it when I can use "rub out" in a headline. It makes me feel so ... so ... Dashiell Hammett.

[BenLurkin]

bttt

[Bahbah]

More on the East St. Louis mess.

[umgud]

Movie scripts or book plots aren't this good.

[BenLurkin]

Ping.

More material for your book! 8^)

[MisterRepublican]

Nobody does political corruption like urban Democrats. City government a la "The Sopranos".

[Hank Rearden]

I think "Ron Matthews" is the only normal name in that entire excerpt. Not interested enough to pull up the whole article, so there might be others.

[shield]

Stop the voter fraud by the rats...after yrs & yrs of it.

[SandRat]

Ellis, 55, who once served a prison term after abusing a city post, is now the director of regulatory affairs, which puts him in charge of housing inspections. He also is a precinct committeeman with close ties to the community's DEMOC Party leaders.

There that Reads properly now.

[Wristpin]

Nothing to see here... Kerry was witness to discussions involving assasinating US Senators. Certainly this is nothing but a baseless Republican witch hunt!

[muawiyah]

Sounds like somebody ought to go back through all those threads concerning Ambassador Keyes and identify all the posters who blamed him personally for the Republican loss in Illinois.

Their messages were a transparent attempt to divert our attention.

They may well have information the federales will need in this case, and for all we know this piece of voting system corruption extends all the way up to the level of that third-world charleton who is now a US Senator.

[VIDADDICT]

Acting East St. Louis City Manager Alvin Parks said Friday that he pledged to federal officials his "full cooperation in their efforts to stamp out corruption."

But that would likely put him out of a job too.

[Robert357]

Interesting.

[Gilbo_3]

Ellis, 55, who once served a prison term after abusing a city post, is now the director of regulatory affairs, which puts him in charge of housing inspections. He also is a precinct committeeman with close ties to the community's Democratic Party leaders.

why is there no restriction on criminals from holding public offices and responsibility?

I know, redundantly asked due to the 'D' on the ballot...

[John Jorsett]

Ellis, 55, who once served a prison term after abusing a city post, is now the director of regulatory affairs ...

Why's a felon with a history of abusing public office hired back for anything in city government? People in St L ought to be asking their officials that question.

[Timeout]

This is very interesting. Though there's little info on the vote fraud angle, it's heartening to finally read that the feds are involved in investigating fraud in the Nov. election! I hope this is just the tip of the iceberg.

I used to live in SL, BTW. Got lost in E. St. Louis on the day I moved into town. Not a pleasant memory.

[Cowboy Bob]

Thanks for the ping. Can never have too much material.

There is a lot of history to draw from! I grew up in New Jersey - home to Mayor Hague of Jersey City. Lived in Louisiana (home to Huey Long), and Evanston, IL (close to Chicago and the Daleys). There is a lot of fraud out there, most of the culprits have a (D) after their name... Go figure!

[Hank Rearden]

Ellis, 55, who once served a prison term after abusing a city post, is now the director of regulatory affairs, which puts him in charge of housing inspections. He also is a precinct committeeman with close ties to the community's DEMOC Party leaders.

There that Reads properly now.

Well done!

[hoosiermama]

Geez .....goes beyond a little stuffing the ballots with dead voters' ballots....Now they're trying to create the dead....Nice neighborhood!