Posted on 12/19/2008 12:25:19 AM PST by hoosiermama
Edited on 02/09/2012 7:04:21 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
Crime in Chicago has been in the news lately, but it is nothing new. Historically it dates back over a hundred years. From the tale of the Gray Wolves
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/540.html
The 1890s Chicago City Council was notorious for corrupt political practices orchestrated by a faction of its aldermen known as the Gray Wolves. So named because they were viewed as preying upon the defenseless public, the Gray Wolves were led by First Ward aldermen “Bathhouse” John Coughlin and “Hinky Dink” Mike Kenna, and Johnny Powers of the Nineteenth Ward. These elected officials were not only skilled at trading votes for favors, but once in office they excelled in making municipal decisions to profit themselves financially.
TO the present, it is a compelling historical subject.
“Please post links and information, or connections of dots to this thread. Keep chit chat to the minimum or in Freemail. THANKS!”
Federal Inquiry Into Blagojevich Turns to University Admissions
###
Excerpt:
By KAREN ANN CULLOTTA
Published: June 18, 2009
CHICAGO — Federal prosecutors are trying to determine if former Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and his allies used political muscle to influence student admissions at three state universities.
United States Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald issued subpoenas .........
The request was related to Mr. Blagojevich and three of his co-defendants on criminal corruption charges, William Cellini, Christopher Kelly and Alonzo Monk.
The investigation also seeks records related to Antoin Rezko, .......
*snip*
investigate accusations that hundreds of students at the University of Illinois had been admitted because of their families’ political connections.
*snip*
The Chicago Tribune has reported that as many as 800 applicants to the university had been admitted because of political patronage.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/19/us/19donors.html?ref=us
KGB Agent NOW Speaking: IS BARACK OBAMA A COMMUNIST?
THE SCHIFFER REPORT ^ | June 22, 2009 | Paul Schiffer
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2277194/posts
Good post by ETL at site. More dots to connect.
Prosecutors claim Blagojevich learned the congressman was inquiring about the school and hatched a scheme to squeeze Emanuel - now President Barack Obama’s chief of staff - to get his Hollywood superagent brother to hold a fundraiser for him in exchange for releasing the school funds.
The school eventually got its money and no fundraiser was held. But Ari Emanuel shows up on the governor’s call logs for the first time 2 1/2 weeks after the state issued the final payment to the school.
Comes to mind after reading all of this: Death of Marat and Diogenes./Just Asking - seoul62..........
Thank you for the pictures. Diogenes is leaving Chicago, still in search of an honest man, pray-tell what city is next?/Just Asking - seoul62......
ANy familiar names?
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/interstitial.pl?v=1&where=L2NnaS1iaW4vbmV3cy5wbD9pZD0zNDUyMw==
A federal grand jury has indicted 10 people in an alleged mortgage-fraud scheme that allowed them to obtain $17.2 million in loans to buy condominiums in a downtown high-rise
...snip...
According to the indictment, Mhde Askar, 23, of Chicago, and Mahmoud Saleh, 35, of Hinsdale, formed a company to buy units in the 363-unit tower and profited by collecting mortgage rebates from the developer and flipping the units for a profit to handpicked buyers.
To obtain the fraudulent loans, the pair enlisted the help of Ahmad Karkukly, 33, of Palatine, a loan officer at Countrywide Home Loans Inc., the indictment says.
...snip...
In the other cases announced Tuesday:
• Richard Lisnek, 56, a mortgage broker and president of Arlington Heights-based K&L Real Estate Inc., and his wife, Judy Kein, 50, an attorney and president of D&J Properties II Inc., also of Arlington Heights, were charged with fraud in connection with about 70 mortgages totaling about $5.8 million between 2002 and 2007.
In addition to Mr. Lisnek and Ms. Kein, both of Buffalo Grove, 13 other individuals were charged in the case, including three appraisers and a title company executive. Ms. Kein declined to comment. The telephone number for Mr. Lisnek’s mortgage company was not in service.
• Mr. Askar is charged separately along with five other defendants in connection with the purchase of two multimillion-dollar single-family homes in Wheaton and Glenview.
• Alshawntus Beck, 35, and five other individuals were charged in connection with $3 million in loans used to purchase several properties on the south and west sides of Chicago. Mr. Beck, of Plainfield, operated three companies, including Compass Investments & Development Corp. and West Horizon Construction. He could not be reached for comment.
• Lawrence A. Luckett, former CEO and part-owner of Burr Ridge-based Home Mortgage Inc., was charged with bank fraud in connection with more than 450 allegedly fictitious mortgage applications submitted to GMAC Bank that resulted in $15 million in losses. Mr. Luckett, 52, has been “cooperating with the U.S. Attorney’s office and GMAC from the beginning,” says Chicago attorney Michael B. Nash, his attorney.
Wonder how many will be idicted when FItz brings down the hammer.
Even cops losing their jobs in recession
AP/YahooNews ^ | 6/24/09 | DON BABWIN
Posted on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 3:25:02 PM by Kartographer
As hundreds of jobs in Chicago’s police department go unfilled, officers who once patrolled the streets with partners are riding alone in what some cops bitterly call “rolling coffins.”
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Don’t Have to be Big to be Corrupt
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 3:47:50 PM · by aic4ever · 9+ views
Organized Exploitation ^ | 06-24-2009 | Jonathan Nelson
Chicago politics are so twisted and mangled and confused it is a shock this city is only half a billion dollars in debt. In the ‘60s there was an alderman named Don Parrillo. This man may be the most corrupt politician in Chicago, and that is saying a ton. Harold Washington looks like a good man compared to him. So what does any aging, corrupt and power-hungry politician want? A book deal of course. And here is the first taste of what is to come. Really a fantastic read.
from:
organizedexploitation.blogspot.com ...
Lease with Daley nephew sparks aldermanic crackdown (Chicago)
Chicago SunTimes ^ | 6-24-09 | Fran Spielman, Chris Fusco, Tim Novak
The Daley administration would be prohibited from signing a string of month-to-month leases — such as the one at a South Side industrial site co-owned by Mayor Daley’s nephew — under a crackdown in the works to restore “credibility” to the leasing process.
As chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate, Ald. Ray Suarez (31st) says he should have signed off on the lease at 3348 S. Pulaski.
Last week, Ald. Ray Suarez (31st) demanded to know why the city has paid nearly $500,000 to lease the space co-owned by mayoral nephew Robert Vanecko and his partners.
But, City Hall’s decision to make it a month-to-month lease — and continue that temporary arrangement since November, 2007 — denied Suarez’ committee and the full City Council the right to approve the deal.
(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...
Got it:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2279606/posts
Blogger Hal Turner Charged With Threatening Chicago-Area Judges (web posts are being watched)
Hartford Courant ^ | 6-25-09 | Edmund Mahony
An Internet radio host and blogger charged earlier this month with encouraging people to “take up arms” against three public officials in Connecticut was arrested again Wednesday on charges that he threatened to assault and murder three federal judges in retaliation for a ruling upholding handgun bans in the Chicago area.
FBI agents charged Hal Turner, 47, of North Bergen, N.J., at his home on charges related to the appeals court judges. The federal charges in Chicago arise from Internet postings on June 2 and 3 in which Turner allegedly proclaimed his “outrage” over a June 2 decision by Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook and Judges Richard Posner and William Bauer of the Chicago-based U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
“Let me be the first to say this plainly: These Judges deserve to be killed,” said the postings, which also included photographs, phone numbers, work addresses and room numbers of the judges, along with a photo of the building in which they work and a map of its location.
The Chicago arrest warrant affidavit suggests that the Internet postings were inspired by lawsuits in Chicago and suburban Oak Park that followed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year upholding the right of citizens to keep handguns in their homes for protection.
The lawsuits challenged handgun bans that remained in effect after the high court’s ruling. The three judges dismissed the lawsuits in an opinion written for a unanimous court.
Federal authorities said they found another Internet posting, allegedly written by Turner, claiming that the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals also ruled against Matt Hale, a white supremacist convicted of soliciting the murder of a U.S. District Court judge in Chicago. The blog entry noted that the slain judge’s mother and husband also were killed by a gunman in her home.
“Apparently, the 7th U.S. Circuit court didn’t get the hint after those killings,” the posting said.
“It appears another lesson is needed.”
State Capitol police in Connecticut charged Turner on June 3 with inciting injury to persons or property after he allegedly posted material on the Internet criticizing legislation to shift some control over the Roman Catholic Church affairs from the church to lay members.
The Internet blog targeting the Connecticut officials — state Rep. Michael Lawlor, state Sen. Andrew McDonald and state ethics commission officer Thomas Jones — promised to make public their home addresses.
On his Turner Radio Network blog, Turner allegedly wrote,
“It is our intent to foment direct action against these individuals personally. These beastly government officials should be made an example of as a warning to others in government: Obey the Constitution or die. ... If any state attorney, police department or court thinks they’re going to get uppity with us about this, I suspect we have enough bullets to put them down, too.”
Turner is scheduled to be presented this afternoon on the Chicago charges in federal court in Newark, N.J. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
He was presented at Superior Court in Hartford on Monday. He did not enter a plea. If convicted on the Connecticut state charge, he faces from one to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Libloather to knarf; hoosiermama; Liz
Please make a connection to Chicago and zero .... please.
At first glance, Mose Jefferson embodies an archetype of American politics: the man who makes a living, and a life, by attaching himself like a parasite to a famous and powerful relative fortunate enough to win office. The truth is more complicated. While his once-formidable stroke was derived from the political success of his younger brother, former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, the reverse was true as well.
For it was Mose Jefferson, 66, who cut his teeth on politics first, learning the tricks of the trade as a Democratic Party field lieutenant in one of Chicago’s most storied — some would say notorious — political operations before returning to steer his brother’s campaigns in New Orleans.
He learned the craft well. Detractors and admirers alike agree that from the xearly 1980s until Hurricane Katrina, Mose Jefferson was one of the city’s premier political tacticians. The organization he ran, the Progressive Democrats, with William Jefferson as its standard-bearer, grew into one of the city’s most potent forces.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2262476/posts
Moving you’re comment over here as we are trying to keep all the Chicago information in one place. Do you know the alderman involved?
Not that it’s limited to one...I suspect that’s how most stay in positions of power. A few are being targeted now, if you care to read through the thread you’ll see.
45 posted on Sunday, June 28, 2009 7:30:42 PM by spintreebob
8th Ward organization is controlled by Crook County Board Chair Toddler Stroger & family. 7th Ward is controlled by his close ally, William Beavers.
Precinct workers have to produce that extra bump in the vote count to keep their paychecks coming. Some of them actually work for their paycheck. But many don’t do much for their paycheck beyond working the precinct.
The main opposition to the Stroger-Beavers orgnaization is Jesse Jackson Jr led by his wife who won for alderman over the Stroger machine. There was more vote fraud against her than against any Republican as she is a real threat to the status quo.
CHeck out spintreebob’s post in relationship to post 7,8,13.
Michelle relationship with JJ has BO playing both sides again....His own version of present so he doesn’t have to commit.
Obama’s transition point was teleprompter reader at John Kerry’s National Convention when Obama became a bigger than life national figure.
Before that speech, there were hundreds of Blacks in Chicago, and thousands of politicians in Chicago more powerful than Obama.
After that speech, it was clear to everyone in Chicago that Obama was the future. He instantly became the most powerful person in the Black community. The other leaders still had their institutional power.
Before the speech Obama positioned himself in reference to the other leaders. After the speech others positioned themselves in reference to Obama.
Given this dynamic, the past power relationships have little bearing on the present or future. For example, suppose the poweerful Emil Jones had scandal on Obama. Before the speech, Emil could use that dirt to extort a favor from Obama. After that speech, Emil cannot use that leverage. Obama can now crush Emil if Emil so much as hints at bringing out the dirt.
In short, Obama has the power to throw under the bus anyone from his past that he wants and none of them can do a thing about it except think about how they can best take care of themselves.
Is there anything BO hasn’t corrupted or tied into the corruption that was already there. Thanks for the latest:
(no link)
OBAMA ‘S EXELON TIES MERIT CLOSE LOOK
Sun, The (Baltimore, MD) - Friday, January 25, 2008
Author: JAY HANCOCK
EXCERPT
But the Exelon - Obama link is especially strong. Exelon employees and others close to the company have given almost $195,000 to Obama , according to the latest records. Exelon is surpassed among corporate Obama donors by only Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Lehman Brothers and a couple of other companies, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
One of Obama ‘s biggest fundraising “bundlers,” packaging money from multiple individuals, is Frank M. Clark, chairman of Commonwealth Edison, the big Illinois utility owned by Exelon . Exelon director John W. Rogers Jr., chief of mutual fund company Ariel Capital Management, also has given thousands to Obama .
There are other reasons to ask if an Obama administration might be too sympathetic to big electricity.
Last year Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, frequently described as Obama ‘s mentor, single-handedly killed a bill that would have extended price caps for customers of Commonwealth Edison and other utilities.
When he was Bill Clinton’s energy secretary, Obama campaign co-chair Federico Pena vigorously promoted electricity deregulation, promised it would save consumers money and - according to a 2002 story in The Washington Times - personally urged Enron crook Kenneth Lay to lobby the president on the matter.
Exelon ‘s chief lobbyist, Elizabeth A. Moler, was Pena’s deputy at the Energy Department.
As a new member of the Illinois Senate in 1997, Obama voted for an electricity-deregulation bill that his staff says was supported by consumer groups and was far less than what power providers wanted. Nevertheless, just as in Maryland, deregulation set the stage for price increases beyond what can be explained by higher costs for generation fuels such as coal and natural gas.
David Kolata, executive director of the Illinois Citizens Utility Board, which represents residential utility customers, praises Obama ‘s record on electricity and other consumer issues.
“He was one of our strongest allies in Springfield,” Kolata says. “I can’t remember a time when he was not on our side.”
Obama once crossed his mentor, Jones, to oppose a bill increasing what incumbent phone companies could charge competitors leasing their lines, Kolata said. Phone outfits lobbied heavily for the measure, and “almost all Senate Democrats were convinced or forced to vote for it,” he said. “State Sen. Obama sided with the consumer on that.”
To hear his spokespeople tell it, Obama thinks deregulation has gone too far and Washington has taken its eye off the ball.
” Obama believes that, due to a lack of oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, consumers have unrightfully been forced to deal with high spikes in electricity prices,” says spokesman Ben LaBolt. He also “supports stepping up regulation of utility companies,” as well as increasing home-heating assistance with a windfall-profit tax on oil companies, LaBolt said.
Part of Obama ‘s Exelon connection may demonstrate old-fashioned ethnic politics as much as corporate connections. Rogers and Clark are part of Illinois’ black elite and would probably back Obama no matter what their business interests.
But the connections are there. The money is on the table, and the stakes are enormous. FERC, which regulates wholesale electricity, has repeatedly ignored allegations of price manipulation by Exelon and other generating companies, leaving states to do what they can.
Last year Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan accused Exelon and another company of overpricing electricity to achieve “a massive transfer of money” from consumers. Exelon agreed to pay an $800 million settlement.
“Five million Illinois residents are unnecessarily paying electricity prices that are double the actual cost of generating electricity and 40 percent higher than electricity prices in the wholesale electricity markets,” Madigan complained. “Our investigation turned up disturbing evidence of price manipulation.”
It’s hard to imagine an Obama FERC including anybody like Lisa Madigan.
Got it!
They’re as thick as thieves.
Let us not forget that Bill Ayer’s father
was Chairman of Commonwealth Edison, owned
by Exelon.
Better link the entire thread...Lots of good information posted:
Exelon delays plan for Texas nuclear plant
Yahoo.Finance ^ | June 30, 2009 |
Exelon delays plan for Texas nuclear plant
Yahoo.Finance ^ | June 30, 2009 | N/A
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