CHICAGO: CRIME KIND OF TOWN

641 posted on 05/11/2010 4:08:28 PM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

MUST READ! There ya go ... CRA (fannie,freddie), all the Commies, crooks and liars of CRIME INC., all insiders .. THE NEST IS THICK WITH ALL OF THEM!

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FROM:
MUST READ! There ya go ... CRA (fannie,freddie), all the Commies, crooks and liars of CRIME INC., all insiders .. THE NEST IS THICK WITH ALL OF THEM!

~~~~

The Star Players in the ShoreBank Story
by Central Illinois 9/12 Project

~~~~~~~~~~

The Shorebank story is quite complicated and filled with literally hundreds – if not thousands — of individuals who have been in some way involved in the unfolding of an intriguing saga.

It has been difficult to narrow down the field of characters in order to focus on just a few. Some of the names are familiar, and some are relatively unknown (except, perhaps, within the context of their own circles of influence).

The original founders of Shorebank probably didn’t dream that this bank would have the worldwide influence that it now has. They were all very active in their communities and had a desire to see the South Shore neighborhood re-built to its former state of safety and community life. The neighborhood had suffered economically and was becoming run-down and plagued by crime.

Their hope was to re-invest and re-enliven this neighborhood of Chicago. They made loans towards the renovation of many of the buildings which were deteriorating and in disrepair. They also invested in new building projects to benefit the residents of South Shore.

For 30-plus years Shorebank has seen its founders’ dreams realized; and beyond those dreams, Shorebank has become the catalyst for international financing — especially that directed toward low-income people in many countries of the world. The Community Reinvestment Act, passed into law in 1977 during President Jimmy Carter’s term of office, encouraged financial institutions to make loans to low-income borrowers.

Ron Grzywinski (one of the original founders of Shorebank) was the only banker to testify before Congress in support of the Community Reinvestment Act.

Its passage was instrumental in paving the way for Shorebank’s success.

The bank steadily grew financially and facilitated the renewal of poverty stricken areas through the rest of the 1970’s and early 80’s, catching the attention of then-Governor Bill and Hillary Clinton of Arkansas (in fact, according to the IFA, Bill is still advocating on behalf of ShoreBank).

Because Shorebank was lending to run-down neighborhoods, the Clintons, along with Shorebank, decided to establish the Southern Development Bancorporation in Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 1988.

They hoped that the poor in Arkansas would be helped by the loans they could obtain. Hillary’s former roommate at Wellesley College, Jan Piercy, joined Shorebank in 1984.

In this video, Hillary Clinton speaks (in September 2008) about Shorebank. The “Ron” she refers to is Ron Grzywinski, one of the founders of Shorebank (founded in 1973).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sQ6QOAlMgk&feature=player_embedded

Other ShoreBank Key Players

From Shorebank’s website:

“In 1973, Ron Grzywinski, Mary Houghton, James Fletcher and Milton Davis purchased a failing bank in a declining and disinvested neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. They set out to demonstrate that banks can be powerful tools for creating positive social and community change.”

Below is a picture of the 4 original founders of Shorebank. (Some articles number the founders at only 3, and one article spoke of a founder named Stanley Hallett, now deceased.)

In any case, this is the picture that can be found on ShoreBank’s website. (at link)

Ron Grzywinski

The leading roles in the Shorebank story must go to Ron Grzywinski and Mary Houghton.

Ron and Mary Houghton were both employed at Hyde Park Bank when they decided to purchase the former South Shore Bank in 1973. Both very much community activists, they did not want to see the bank moved to the Loop in Chicago. Both of them served on many community organizations geared towards a progressive view point.

Ron was instrumental in getting the Community Reinvestment Act passed by Congress. He was the only banker to testify before Congress to support the legislation. Ron was also the founder of the Center for Neighborhood Technology.

Mary Houghton

As one of the founders of Shorebank, Mary Houghton has been one of the motivating forces for the promotion of lending to lower income clients for the purpose of social change. She also has been very involved in community activism and has served on many organizations. As a recognition of their hard work, both she and Ron Grzywinski have received numerous awards.

Jan Piercy

Jan Piercy was Hillary Clinton’s former college roommate.

From Jan’s biography on the ShoreBank website:

“Jan rejoined ShoreBank in 2005 after over a decade of being away to work on developing a talent pool for Presidential appointments during the last stages of President Clinton’s first Presidential campaign.

In addition, she served on the President’s White House staff before being nominated to become the U.S. representative on the board of the World Bank.

She was confirmed by the Senate in 1994 and served for 7 years as the bank’s U.S. Executive Director, chairing the Board Personnel Committee and the Committee on Development Effectiveness, and also serving on the Audit Committee.

As an Advisor to ShoreBank between 2002 and 2005, she was the lead member of the team that raised $28.8 million in capital to establish ShoreCap International.

Jan was previously Senior Vice President at ShoreBank in the early 1980’s. Jan is on the Advisory Councils of the Acumen Fund in New York and the Global Philanthropy Forum in San Francisco, and the boards of Vital Voices and Women Advancing Microfinance.

She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Robert Weissbourd

Another key player at Shorebank is Robert Weissbourd. He joined the banking firm in 1990 as Vice-President. He progressed up the ranks to Executive Vice-President by 1997. In 2000 he formed a consulting firm named RW Ventures, LLC. He currently serves as President of that firm.

According to RBO

“He has been active for over twenty-five years in community and civic organizations, including service as President or Vice-President of the Boards of City Colleges of Chicago, Crossroads Fund, Businesspeople in the Public Interest, the Center for Neighborhood Technology and PROCAN, as well as on the Visiting Committee of the University of Chicago Law School, and the Advisory Committees for the (Chicago) Mayor’s Technology Advisory Committee, Brookings Metropolitan Economy Project and Brookings Urban Markets Initiative.” (emphasis added)

The organization Businesspeople in the Public Interest (BPI) received $375,000 in grants from the Chicago Annenberg Challenge during the time that Barack Obama was Chairman.

Weissbourd was a great supporter of Barack Obama during his campaign for US Senate in 2003-2004. He also was a part of the Obama-Biden transition team.

Adele Simmons

Adele Simmons is currently Director at Shorebank.

She was President of the John D. and Catherine T. Macarthur Foundation from 1989 to 1999. She has been and is still active in a multitude of organizations too numerous to list here. Click HERE to see an interactive map of her associations.

Howard Stanback

Howard Stanback is presently on the Board of Directors for the Shorebank Neighborhood Institute. He has also previously served as President of the Hyde Park Community Association and is a former Board Chairman of the Woods Fund.

Before joining Shorebank he was employed by the New Kenwood LLC, a real estate development co-owned by Allison Davis (Barack Obama’s former boss at the Davis, Miner, Barnhill Law Firm) and Tony Rezko. He and Barack Obama previously served together on the board of the Woods Fund.

Barack Obama

Barack Obama has several connections to Shorebank:

His wife Michelle Obama grew up in the South Shores neighborhood of Chicago where Shorebank first began.

He served on the Woods Fund board along with Board Chairman Howard Stanback, who is currently head of Shorebank’s Neighborhood Institute.

He also was chairman of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge (CAC) during the time that Business People for the Public Interest (BPI) was approved for $375,000 in grants. Ron Weissbourd, former Exec VP for Shorebank was serving on the board of directors for BPI during the same time period.

During the 2008 Presidential campaign, while still a Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama visited Kenya, the former home of his biological father.

He promoted the application of microfinancing (an activity for which ShoreBank has been a major promoter) as a way to fight poverty world-wide.

Chicago’s Shorebank donated $1 million to Kenya and also assisted in setting up financial institutions in Kenya and many other locations throughout the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRBcKQ1S0aY&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS_ze2dbwOk&feature=player_embedded

Another significant connection between Obama and Shorebank is the fact that his political campaigns (both IL Senatorial and US Presidential) were very generously contributed to by its staff.

George Soros

Although the connections between ShoreBank and George Soros are indirect ones, Mr. Soros has been very involved in promoting microfinancing as a viable avenue for bringing about social/economic change.

In an April 2004 article in Investment News, George Soros is quoted regarding microfinance:

“I believe there is a market of socially conscious investors, be it foundations or individuals, who would invest in microfinance if they knew where to go,” he said. “Right now, microfinance is tiny compared with the market that needs to be served. The real challenge is to figure out how to bring [microfinance] to the macro level. Just lending money alone won’t lead to a scaling up.”

Click HERE to view an interactive map of George Soros’s associations. Mr. Soros was, of course, a major contributor to Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign.

Other familiar names with ties to ShoreBank — Jeremiah Wright and Van Jones:

Jeremiah Wright

ShoreBank was the institution that financed the highly publicized loan to Trinity United Church of Christ (Jeremiah Wright’s church) for Jeremiah Wright’s $1.6 million retirement home, as well as a $10 million line of credit for Trinity United.

Another familiar name is that of Van Jones, who is a recognized account holder at ShoreBank. No real surprise here when you take into account the heavy-handed green agenda promoted by ShoreBank.

*snip*

Shorebank has recently experienced major financial losses prompting federal regulators to issue a “cease and desist” order. Until the situation is resolved (by raising more equity), the order will remain in effect.

From ChicagoBusiness.com on Dec 11, 2009:

ShoreBank co-founders Ronald Grzywinski and Mary Houghton, who’ve led one of the country’s most high-profile community banks for more than three decades, are easing out of their leadership posts, the bank announced to employees today.

Mr. Grzywinski, 73, and Ms. Houghton, 68 … are passing leadership of the holding company to George Surgeon, the ShoreBank veteran who was named CEO of the bank in early November….

In Friday’s letter to employees, Mr. Grzywinski wrote that he and Ms. Houghton next year “will continue to focus on raising capital and providing oversight of ShoreBank Pacific, the international companies and all the non-profit affiliates so that all of George [Surgeon]’s attention can remain focused on the Midwest bank.”

It appears as though the ship may be sinking and people are running for their lives.

In a subsequent article by Steve Daniels with ChicagoBusiness.com dated January 18, 2010:

ShoreBank seeks financial rescue from state of Illinois

Prodded by the likes of U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Illinois Finance Authority officials met earlier this month with ShoreBank executives to discuss raising tens of millions for the bank through an IFA bond offering.

Banking experts say they’re not aware of any previous bank bailout by Illinois or any other state. (emphasis added)

Federal bank regulators usually handle such bailouts. And banks the size of ShoreBank, with assets of $2.5 billion, don’t ordinarily attract attention at the upper levels of government.

But ShoreBank has been lauded by presidents for making loans in economically disadvantaged areas many lenders avoid.

And its political ties run all the way to the White House, where President Barack Obama and the first lady are former neighbors of ShoreBank executives.

Mr. Brandt says the IFA, an economic development arm of state government, won’t consider similar assistance for Illinois’ numerous other small banks beset by the same real estate loan troubles.

“We’re not in the business of saving banks,” he says.

Still, a ShoreBank rescue would almost certainly trigger requests for help from other struggling local banks, some of which also serve low- to moderate-income communities. Rejecting such requests could trigger political repercussions from officeholders intent on saving banks in areas they represent.

An IFA bond offering could raise $30 million to $50 million for ShoreBank, depending on how much the bank gets from others. The rest of the capital could take the form of equity from private investors, and possibly an infusion of funds from the federal government’s Troubled Asset Relief Program.

In minutes from the January 9th’s IFA board meeting, Chairman William Brandt indicated saving ShoreBank was still a priority for him. He explained that ShoreBank deserved special consideration for IFA assistance due to its unique social mission, but acknowledged the situtation was still fragile.

Should Illinois Taxpayers be forced to bail out any bank with Illinois funds?

Is this a case of Shorebank being “too big to fail”? Or perhaps “too politically connected” to fail? What about smaller, less politically connected banks? Shouldn’t the Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) consider bailing them out also?

The above article presents but a few of the many individuals who are personally invested in the success of Shorebank.

It will be interesting to watch this situation continue to unfold. With Illinois being virtually bankrupt, how will Illinois residents respond to a bank bailout if it is, in fact, approved by the IFA? We’ll definitely be keeping a close eye on the outcome.

http://biggovernment.com/centralillinois912project/2010/03/13/the-star-players-in-the-shorebank-story/

10 posted on Friday, May 14, 2010 9:53:46 PM by STARWISE

The Star Players in the ShoreBank Story
by Central Illinois 9/12 Project

~~~~~~~~~~

The Shorebank story is quite complicated and filled with literally hundreds – if not thousands — of individuals who have been in some way involved in the unfolding of an intriguing saga.

Ron Grzywinski (one of the original founders of Shorebank) was the only banker to testify before Congress in support of the Community Reinvestment Act.

Its passage was instrumental in paving the way for Shorebank’s success.

Because Shorebank was lending to run-down neighborhoods, the Clintons, along with Shorebank, decided to establish the Southern Development Bancorporation in Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 1988.

They hoped that the poor in Arkansas would be helped by the loans they could obtain. Hillary’s former roommate at Wellesley College, Jan Piercy, joined Shorebank in 1984.

In this video, Hillary Clinton speaks (in September 2008) about Shorebank. The “Ron” she refers to is Ron Grzywinski, one of the founders of Shorebank (founded in 1973).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sQ6QOAlMgk&feature=player_embedded

Other ShoreBank Key Players

From Shorebank’s website:

Below is a picture of the 4 original founders of Shorebank. (Some articles number the founders at only 3, and one article spoke of a founder named Stanley Hallett, now deceased.)

In any case, this is the picture that can be found on ShoreBank’s website. (at link)

Ron Grzywinski

The leading roles in the Shorebank story must go to Ron Grzywinski and Mary Houghton.

Mary Houghton

Jan Piercy

Jan Piercy was Hillary Clinton’s former college roommate.

From Jan’s biography on the ShoreBank website:

In addition, she served on the President’s White House staff before being nominated to become the U.S. representative on the board of the World Bank.

As an Advisor to ShoreBank between 2002 and 2005, she was the lead member of the team that raised $28.8 million in capital to establish ShoreCap International.

She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Robert Weissbourd

According to RBO

The organization Businesspeople in the Public Interest (BPI) received $375,000 in grants from the Chicago Annenberg Challenge during the time that Barack Obama was Chairman.

Weissbourd was a great supporter of Barack Obama during his campaign for US Senate in 2003-2004. He also was a part of the Obama-Biden transition team.

Adele Simmons

Adele Simmons is currently Director at Shorebank.

Howard Stanback

Barack Obama

Barack Obama has several connections to Shorebank:

His wife Michelle Obama grew up in the South Shores neighborhood of Chicago where Shorebank first began.

He served on the Woods Fund board along with Board Chairman Howard Stanback, who is currently head of Shorebank’s Neighborhood Institute.

During the 2008 Presidential campaign, while still a Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama visited Kenya, the former home of his biological father.

He promoted the application of microfinancing (an activity for which ShoreBank has been a major promoter) as a way to fight poverty world-wide.

Chicago’s Shorebank donated $1 million to Kenya and also assisted in setting up financial institutions in Kenya and many other locations throughout the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRBcKQ1S0aY&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS_ze2dbwOk&feature=player_embedded

Another significant connection between Obama and Shorebank is the fact that his political campaigns (both IL Senatorial and US Presidential) were very generously contributed to by its staff.

George Soros

In an April 2004 article in Investment News, George Soros is quoted regarding microfinance:

Click HERE to view an interactive map of George Soros’s associations. Mr. Soros was, of course, a major contributor to Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign.

Other familiar names with ties to ShoreBank — Jeremiah Wright and Van Jones:

Jeremiah Wright

Another familiar name is that of Van Jones, who is a recognized account holder at ShoreBank. No real surprise here when you take into account the heavy-handed green agenda promoted by ShoreBank.

*snip*

From ChicagoBusiness.com on Dec 11, 2009:

Mr. Grzywinski, 73, and Ms. Houghton, 68 … are passing leadership of the holding company to George Surgeon, the ShoreBank veteran who was named CEO of the bank in early November….

It appears as though the ship may be sinking and people are running for their lives.

In a subsequent article by Steve Daniels with ChicagoBusiness.com dated January 18, 2010:

ShoreBank seeks financial rescue from state of Illinois

Banking experts say they’re not aware of any previous bank bailout by Illinois or any other state. (emphasis added)

Federal bank regulators usually handle such bailouts. And banks the size of ShoreBank, with assets of $2.5 billion, don’t ordinarily attract attention at the upper levels of government.

But ShoreBank has been lauded by presidents for making loans in economically disadvantaged areas many lenders avoid.

And its political ties run all the way to the White House, where President Barack Obama and the first lady are former neighbors of ShoreBank executives.

Mr. Brandt says the IFA, an economic development arm of state government, won’t consider similar assistance for Illinois’ numerous other small banks beset by the same real estate loan troubles.

“We’re not in the business of saving banks,” he says.

Should Illinois Taxpayers be forced to bail out any bank with Illinois funds?

The above article presents but a few of the many individuals who are personally invested in the success of Shorebank.

http://biggovernment.com/centralillinois912project/2010/03/13/the-star-players-in-the-shorebank-story/

10 posted on Friday, May 14, 2010 9:53:46 PM by STARWISE

642 posted on 05/14/2010 8:24:17 PM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

Posted by Starwise here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2513796/posts?page=35#35

Rezko cash triple what Obama says
DONATIONS | $168,000 traced to indicted businessman, associates over the years

June 18, 2007
BY CHRIS FUSCO AND TIM NOVAK Staff

Excerpt:

During his 12 years in politics, Sen. Barack Obama has received nearly three times more campaign cash from indicted businessman Tony Rezko and his associates than he has publicly acknowledged, the Chicago Sun-Times has found.

Obama has collected at least $168,308 from Rezko and his circle. Obama also has taken in an unknown amount of money from people who attended fund-raising events hosted by Rezko since the mid-1990s.

But seven months ago, Obama told the Sun-Times his “best estimate” was that Rezko raised “between $50,000 and $60,000” during Obama’s political career.

Obama, who wants to be the nation’s next president, has been purging some of those donations — giving charities more than $30,000 he got from Rezko and three of his business partners referenced in Rezko’s federal indictments. All three attended a lavish fund-raiser Rezko hosted for Obama four years ago.

Obama, however, has kept $6,850 from others who also are referenced in Rezko’s indictments. Obama also has hung on to contributions from doctors whom Rezko helped appoint to a state-government panel involved in some of Rezko’s alleged fraud schemes.

“We’ve made our best effort to run the most ethical campaign possible in all ways and release donations when appropriate,” Obama’s press secretary, Bill Burton, said Friday.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/432197,CST-NWS-obama18.article

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rezko sent governor a wish list
10 of 19 people he recommended were appointed or got spouse named

October 23, 2006
BY DAVE MCKINNEY AND CHRIS FUSCO Staff Reporters

Excerpt:

One nondescript page -— containing 19 names and a note to Gov. Blagojevich from his chief of staff -— shows the clout Antoin “Tony” Rezko once wielded in state government.

“Rod, Here is a list of candidates that Tony Rezko wants to be put on non-paying boards. What are your thoughts?” Blagojevich’s former top aide, Lon Monk, wrote in a note faxed to the governor along with the Jan. 20, 2003, list.

Of the 19 people named on the document, obtained exclusively by the Chicago Sun-Times, 10 wound up being appointed by the governor to a state board or commission -— or got a spouse named. Others wound up with contracts underwritten by taxpayers, or their children got state jobs amid a Blagojevich hiring freeze.

The governor, meanwhile, got more than $830,000 in campaign contributions dating back to 2001 from 15 people on the list, or from their businesses, state records show. The Blagojevich campaign called that figure an “inaccurate representation of the facts.”

There is nothing illegal about Rezko, a recently indicted former top fund-raiser for Blagojevich, making recommendations about who should serve on state panels, or with panel members giving political cash to the governor. The state boards oversee activities ranging from investing pension funds to building affordable housing.

But the wish list comes to light at a time when federal prosecutors are alleging Rezko, in a case involving one state panel, schemed to trade a public pension deal for $1.5 million in contributions to Blagojevich.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/695935,gov102306.stng

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Obama, Rahm Emanuel, and Blagojevich: Place Your Bets

Excerpt:

All across America every day, after meeting with their attorneys, criminals go before a judge on plea day and enter a plea of “not guilty”.

Yesterday was plea day for the Obama transition team before the American public.

Announcing they would conduct their own internal review – which basically consisted of asking their staff to check their cell phone records, with all the ceremony one might observe from a doorman at Oz, White House attorney Greg Craig, steps from behind the curtain with a brief written report to declare everyone free of taint and stain.

What did anyone truly expect him to do?

He is the attorney for the White House. He is not an investigator, not a prosecutor, not an independent counsel, he is their attorney. And although it is Christmas, he is under no obligation to hand the American people or the FBI, a gift wrapped confession from anyone on the Obama team.

So, as could only be expected, Craig declared the Obama transition team innocent based upon the Obama Team’s own internal review – which stated that none of their people had suggested or considered pay for play with Blagojevich.

It does not say that they didn’t know about it. Which is a felony in and of itself.

It does point out that close friend and personal advisor of Obama, Dr. Eric Whitaker, was approached for information by Blagojevich’s office.

No small wonder. This is not only very telling, but very interesting. According to Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-times, Obama and Dr. Whitaker have been extremely close friends since Harvard, and are in fact so close, that Obama highly recommended Dr. Whitaker to Tony Rezko, sleazy wabbit found all along the Obama Nation bunny trail, for a job as the Illinois Director of Health, where he never applied, but was subsequently hired for, after being approached by Rezko, and Governor Blagojevich’s staff.

You can read Lynn’s article from this past October by clicking here.

http://politicalpiratespen.wordpress.com/tag/rahm-emanuel/

~ ~ ~ ~

One of Obama’s closest friends part of federal probe
RECORDS SOUGHT | Programs funded by state Health Dept. under Whitaker are targeted
May 9, 2010

Excerpt:

E-mails and other records of Dr. Eric Whitaker — one of President Obama’s best friends — have been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

The investigation involves “faith-based initiatives” and health-awareness campaigns funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health when Whitaker ran the agency for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to copies of subpoenas obtained under the state’s Freedom of Information Act.

Obama has said he recommended Whitaker for that job, which Whitaker landed in April 2003. The president’s friend resigned in October 2007 to join Obama’s wife, Michelle, as an executive at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

On Friday, Whitaker defended his work as the state’s former top health official, saying he developed “new methods” to help “African-American and other minority communities” get better medical care.

“The faith-based outreach programs at issue in this inquiry were recognized during my tenure by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others as national models for increasing awareness and preparedness planning for minority populations,” Whitaker said in a statement. “The programs were functioning well when I left the department in 2007.”

All told, Gov. Quinn’s administration turned over copies of six subpoenas sent to four state agencies that show authorities have been seeking information about a variety of health-awareness grants and programs that have cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

One sent to the health department seeks “any and all records” involving “faith-based initiatives” on subjects including “emergency preparedness,” “HIV/AIDS,” “cervical/breast cancer” and “pandemic flu” (see sidebar).

Five subpoenas came from a federal grand jury in Springfield, while the sixth came from a grand jury in Chicago. The most recent is dated March 30.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/2250646,CST-NWS-whitaker09.article

643 posted on 05/15/2010 4:23:27 AM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

644 posted on 05/21/2010 10:21:07 AM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

645 posted on 05/21/2010 10:30:46 AM PDT by Earthdweller (Harvard won the election again...so what's the problem.......?)

646 posted on 05/21/2010 10:34:19 AM PDT by gunnyg (Surrounded By The Enemy Within--~ Our "Novembers" Are Behind Us...If Ya Can Grok That!)

To: Army Air Corps

The Van Jones - ShoreBank Connection?
National Review Online ^ | May 23, 2010 | Greg Pollowitz/IBD

FROM:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2519620/posts?page=3

Stephen wrote about the politically connected, and failing, ShoreBank on Wednesday. Investor’s Business Daily also covered the topic in an editorial yesterday:

Scandal: Sometimes banks are too small to fail, such as when they are in the president’s hometown, deal with the president’s friends and serve the president’s agenda. Or should we perhaps say too connected to fail?

ShoreBank’s Web site boasts: “Van Jones saves at ShoreBank so his money fights for green jobs just like he does.”

It proudly notes, “According to former Vice President Al Gore, ‘Van Jones demonstrates conclusively that the best solutions for the survivability of our planet are also the best solutions for everyday Americans.’ “

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...

647 posted on 05/23/2010 3:30:52 PM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

Faith-Based Banking

ShoreBank is an innovator in providing banking services to faith-based organizations. Faith-based organizations are often anchors in urban neighborhoods, providing gathering places, programs and services for the community, thus building greater community stability and strength.

ShoreBank provides capital for faith-based organizations to renovate buildings, create programs such as day care and financial literacy, or add complementary businesses such as book stores. ShoreBank provides services for their congregants as well, including socially responsible deposit opportunities and money management classes. ShoreBank has also created partnerships with faith-based organizations to link congregation members with jobs, skills training and support services.

Loans to Faith-Based & Nonprofit Organizations

ShoreBank
ShoreBank, a full-service Illinois-chartered bank with branches in Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit, focuses on banking services for individuals, real estate and small business owners, and faith-based and nonprofit organizations.
more...

ShoreBank Cleveland
ShoreBank Cleveland provides loans to businesses, faith-based and nonprofit organizations, and real estate developers.
more...

ShoreBank Pacific
ShoreBank Pacific is a Washington-chartered bank that provides deposits, loans and consulting services to help businesses grow and become more environmentally sustainable.
more...
Savings, Checking, CD & IRA Accounts

ShoreBank Cleveland
ShoreBank Cleveland provides loans to businesses, faith-based and nonprofit organizations, and real estate developers.
more...

ShoreBank Pacific
ShoreBank Pacific is a Washington-chartered bank that provides deposits, loans and consulting services to help businesses grow and become more environmentally sustainable.
more...

FDIC NOTICE:

ShoreBank is participating in the FDIC’s Transaction Account Guarantee Program. Under the program, through June 30, 2010, all noninterest-bearing transaction accounts are fully guaranteed by the FDIC for the entire amount in the account. General FDIC coverage for deposit accounts has also been increased to $250,000 per depositor through December 31, 2013.

http://www.shorebankcorp.com/bins/site/templates/child.asp?_resolutionfile=templatespath|child.asp&area_4=pages/nav/focus/right_side&area_2=pages/focus/07&area_7=pages/titles/focus_title

11 posted on Sunday, May 23, 2010 6:12:31 PM by STARWISE

648 posted on 05/23/2010 6:16:35 PM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

Somewhere on this thread there is an article about the Parking wars going on in CHicago...Or should I say control of the parking/money. Feel free to connect dots or add anything else you find to the thread...Keeping it all together for easy research.

On October 1, 2006, Mayor Richard Daley appointed Martin Nesbitt as Chairperson of the Chicago Housing Authority succeeding Sharon Gist Gilliam.

Nesbitt was appointed as a Commissioner of the Authority on July 9, 2003. He served as Vice Chairperson of the Board since January 17, 2006. Chairman Nesbitt is president of PRG Parking Management, also known as the Parking Spot, and manages the strategic and operating services of the off-airport parking facilities.

The chairman is also vice president of the Pritzker Realty Group, L.P. where he procures new real estate investment opportunities, retail investments and developments for the Pritzker Group. Prior to joining Pritzker, Chairman Nesbitt was a partner and investment manager at LaSalle Partners and was responsible for the firm’s parking assets. He acquired, financed and managed a $100 million portfolio of parking assets in preparation for its public offering. While at LaSalle, Chairman Nesbitt also managed several specialty fund portfolios of non-traditional real estate investments with a combined market value of more than $1 billion.

Prior to joining LaSalle Partners, Chairman Nesbitt was employed by General Motors Corporation in the area of borrowing and financial planning. There, he was responsible for managing the company’s long-, short- and medium-term borrowing requirements which included the placement of more than $25 billion in debt annually. While at General Motors, Nesbitt was also involved in the securitization and sale of $4 billion in auto loans, an industry first. He was quickly recognized and rewarded at General Motors with one of the company’s GM Fellowships which sponsored his graduate education.

http://tinyurl.com/2d9de5x

649 posted on 05/29/2010 4:39:53 PM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2532222/posts?page=2

8 things you need to know about Obama and Rezko (2008)
Sun Times ^ | 1-24-08 | Tim Novak

Posted on Thursday, June 10, 2010 by STARWISE

Tale in national spotlight, thanks to Clinton January 24, 2008

All of a sudden, seems as if everybody’s talking about Barack Obama and Tony Rezko. Even Jay Leno.

Rezko already was a big story in Chicago, accused of influence-peddling in the Blagojevich administration and set to face trial Feb. 25.

But Monday, he became national news — and an issue in the presidential race. That’s when Hillary Clinton blasted Obama for having represented “your contributor, Rezko, in his slum landlord business in inner-city Chicago.”

Having a hard time keeping track of the facts? Here are eight things to know:

1. They met in 1990. Obama was a student at Harvard Law School and got an unsolicited job offer from Rezko, then a low-income housing developer in Chicago. Obama turned it down.

2. Obama took a job in 1993 with a small Chicago law firm, Davis Miner Barnhill, that represents developers — primarily not-for-profit groups — building low-income housing with government funds.

3. One of the firm’s not-for-profit clients — the Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corp., co-founded by Obama’s then-boss Allison Davis — was partners with Rezko’s company in a 1995 deal to convert an abandoned nursing home at 61st and Drexel into low-income apartments. Altogether, Obama spent 32 hours on the project, according to the firm. Only five hours of that came after Rezko and WPIC became partners, the firm says. The rest of the future senator’s time was helping WPIC strike the deal with Rezko. Rezko’s company, Rezmar Corp., also partnered with the firm’s clients in four later deals — none of which involved Obama, according to the firm. In each deal, Rezmar “made the decisions for the joint venture,” says William Miceli, an attorney with the firm.

4. In 1995, Obama began campaigning for a seat in the Illinois Senate. Among his earliest supporters: Rezko. Two Rezko companies donated a total of $2,000. Obama was elected in 1996 — representing a district that included 11 of Rezko’s 30 low-income housing projects.

5. Rezko’s low-income housing empire began crumbling in 2001, when his company stopped making mortgage payments on the old nursing home that had been converted into apartments. The state foreclosed on the building — which was in Obama’s Illinois Senate district.

6. In 2003, Obama announced he was running for the U.S. Senate, and Rezko — a member of his campaign finance committee — held a lavish fund-raiser June 27, 2003, at his Wilmette mansion.

7. A few months after Obama became a U.S. senator, he and Rezko’s wife, Rita, bought adjacent pieces of property from a doctor in Chicago’s Kenwood neighborhood — a deal that has dogged Obama the last two years. The doctor sold the mansion to Obama for $1.65 million — $300,000 below the asking price. Rezko’s wife paid full price — $625,000 — for the adjacent vacant lot. The deals closed in June 2005. Six months later, Obama paid Rezko’s wife $104,500 for a strip of her land, so he could have a bigger yard. At the time, it had been widely reported that Tony Rezko was under federal investigation. Questioned later about the timing of the Rezko deal, Obama called it “boneheaded” because people might think the Rezkos had done him a favor.

8. Eight months later — in October 2006 — Rezko was indicted on charges he solicited kickbacks from companies seeking state pension business under his friend Gov. Blagojevich. Federal prosecutors maintain that $10,000 from the alleged kickback scheme was donated to Obama’s run for the U.S. Senate. Obama has given the money to charity.

650 posted on 06/10/2010 7:28:19 PM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

Blago once offered Holder a $300K job
washington examiner ^ | 6/14/10 | Barbara Hollingsworth

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2534395/posts?page=3

Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 2:26:10 PM by Nachum

Here’s a Blagojevich-Obama connection you may not know about unless you’ve been reading the Chicago newspapers for quite some time. Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, D, tried to hire Eric Holder (now the U.S. Attorney General) six years ago to give a clean bill of health to a gaming company that prosecutors say had just paid Blagojevich a $40,000 bribe.

Blagojevich wanted to hire Holder to a $300,000 special investigator’s position, so that he would dispel allegations by state Attorney General Lisa Madigan,D, that Emerald Casino was tied to the mafia. Even as Blago tried to whitewash Emerald, the company’s president had just paid off Blagojevich by giving his wife a no-work real estate fee, according to Blagojevich’s federal indictment.

Holder even appeared with Blagojevich at a March 24, 2004 press conference. Nearly five years later, he failed to mention the event in a 47-page questionnaire he submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee five days after Blago’s arrest, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...

651 posted on 06/14/2010 12:41:29 PM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

Rezko asked for $10,000 check to Obama campaign: witness
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 7:59:37 PM · 9 of 11
maggief to STARWISE; hoosiermama; penelopesire; Liz; onyx
(NO LINKS)

Gov fund-raiser linked to man in indictment
Chicago Sun-Times (IL) - Sunday, August 7, 2005
Author: Dave McKinney, Chris Fusco and Steve Warmbir, The Chicago Sun-Times
SPRINGFIELD — A Glenview businessman who federal investigators believe received a $250,000 kickback in a state teacher pension scheme has had past business dealings with gubernatorial fund-raiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko , the Chicago Sun-Times has found.

Records in three Wisconsin cities show that companies linked to Rezko turned over ownership of at least six Papa John’s pizza restaurants in 2001 to a company owned by Joseph Aramanda , who surfaced in last week’s federal indictment alleging corruption at the Teachers’ Retirement System of Illinois.

Neither Aramanda nor Rezko , a close associate of Gov. Blagojevich who has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the governor, have been accused of criminal wrongdoing by federal investigators.

Aramanda , however, received $250,000 of a $375,000 finder’s fee that prosecutors say was illegally arranged by indicted former TRS board member Stuart Levine, who was reappointed to that board by Blagojevich months before his July 2004 resignation.

Levine, according to a 14-count indictment released Wednesday, arranged for Aramanda to get the money from a financial consultant who had been representing a company that secured a $50 million investment from TRS.

Levine and two Chicago lawyers were charged Wednesday with allegedly shaking down investment companies seeking TRS business for hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks.

Aramanda , who did not return a message left at his Neenah, Wis., corporate office and could not be reached at his Glenview phone number, was named as “Individual C” in the indictment. The Sun-Times confirmed his identity through multiple sources.

Several telephone messages left at Rezko ‘s main office were not returned.

Aramanda owned 22 Papa John’s pizza restaurants in Wisconsin, according to a 2001 business filing with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

At least six of those restaurants, located in Madison, Eau Claire and La Crosse, were owned by Rezko ‘s companies up until 2001, when Aramanda ‘s firm — JAA Enterprises — took over ownership, according to restaurant licensing documents maintained by health departments in each of those cities.

Details about the ownership shift, including how much JAA paid for the restaurants, were not available. A spokeswoman at Papa John’s Louisville, Ky., headquarters declined to comment on the matter, citing privacy concerns.

Whether Aramanda ‘s tie to Rezko extends beyond this particular transaction is not completely clear, but Aramanda has a link to the governor, having given Blagojevich’s campaign fund $10,000 in 2002, state election records show.

Aramanda also has been a donor to U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who received $11,500 from him between 2000 and 2004, according to federal election records.

One of the Obama contributions hints at another possible business tie between Rezko and Aramanda . A $1,000 donation from Aramanda to the fund Obama set up for an ill-fated 2000 congressional bid identifies Aramanda ‘s employer as “P.J. Chicago.” The initials “C.O.O.” appear next to the entry, federal election records show, suggesting Aramanda was the chief operating officer of P.J. Chicago.

P.J. Chicago was managed by Rezko Enterprises, according to Illinois Secretary of State records. P.J. Chicago is listed on the sixth floor at 409 W. Huron St. in Chicago, home to several of Rezko ‘s businesses, according to regulatory filings with the Wisconsin and Delaware secretary of state offices.

(snip)

Internship also links Obama, Rezko : Fund-raiser asked senator to hire contributor’s son
Chicago Sun-Times (IL) - Sunday, December 24, 2006
Author: Frank Main, The Chicago Sun-Times
In addition to a land deal, Sen. Barack Obama’s ties to indicted dealmaker Antoin “Tony” Rezko include an internship the senator provided the son of a contributor at the request of Rezko , an Obama spokesman confirmed Saturday.

John Aramanda served as an intern for Obama for about a month in 2005, said Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs. His father is Joseph Aramanda , a Rezko business associate who was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a federal corruption case against Rezko . Aramanda has contributed $11,500 to Obama since 2000, Gibbs said.

“Mr. Rezko did provide a recommendation for John Aramanda ,” Gibbs said. “I think that it’s fairly obvious that a few-week internship is not anything of benefit to Mr. Rezko or any of his businesses.”

The internship revelation comes after Obama acknowledged he erred in buying property from Rezko in January. The transaction took place when it was widely known Rezko was under investigation by the U.S. attorney’s office.

“It was a mistake to have been engaged with him at all in this or any other personal business dealing that would allow him, or anyone else, to believe that he had done me a favor,” Obama — a likely presidential candidate — told the Chicago Sun-Times in November.

(snip)

Obama and Rezko have been friends since 1990, and the Wilmette businessman has raised as much as $60,000 in campaign contributions for him.

After Rezko ‘s indictment, Obama donated $11,500 to charity — the amount Rezko contributed to the senator’s federal campaign fund.

Gibbs said no decision has been made on whether Obama will return any contributions from Aramanda , given his alleged role in the federal corruption cases against Rezko and former Teachers Retirement System board member Stuart Levine.

(snip)

Aramanda was identified by the Sun-Times as “Individual D,” who allegedly received a $250,000 kickback tied to a scheme to steer lucrative state pension deals to firms and consultants that donated to Blagojevich. Aramanda is not specifically named or charged with criminal wrongdoing in the court papers. He did not return a call seeking comment Saturday.

Gibbs said John Aramanda served in Obama’s Capitol Hill office from July 20 to Aug. 26, 2005.

Rezko pals in state posts - Records reveal vast influence with governor
Chicago Tribune (IL) - Thursday, June 15, 2006
Author: David Jackson and John Chase, Tribune staff reporters.

EXCERPT

Blagojevich pal’s reach into state government

Newly obtained public records show deep ties between state government and several financial backers of businessman Antoin “Tony” Rezko , confidante and political fundraiser for Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

NAME

Imad Almanaseer

TIE TO REZKO

Member of LARC Realty, a Rezko business

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Health Facilities Planning Board member; son Ahmed worked for Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

NAME

Abdelhamid Chaib

TIE TO REZKO

Chief operating officer of Rezko Enterprises

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Wife Lori on Board of Review for Department of Employment Security

NAME

John “Jack” Lavin

TIE TO REZKO

Former chief financial officer of Rezko Enterprises

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Director of DCEO

NAME

Alber Najjar

TIE TO REZKO

Investor in Rezko Enterprises, LARC Realty member

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Daughter Claudine works for DCEO

NAME

Michel Malek

TIE TO REZKO

Investor in Rezko Enterprises, Roosevelt/Clark development

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Health Facilities Planning Board member

NAME

Fortunee Massuda

TIE TO REZKO

Investor in Rezko Enterprises

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Health Facilities Planning Board member

NAME

Ali Ata

TIE TO REZKO

Investor in Roosevelt/Clark

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Former executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority

NAME

Joseph Aramanda

TIE TO REZKO

Co-owned Papa John’s pizza franchises with Rezko

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Got loan from state tollway contractor

NAME

Velma Butler

TIE TO REZKO

Investor in Roosevelt/Clark

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Illinois Housing Authority member

NAME

Muhamad Dabbouseh

TIE TO REZKO

LARC Realty officer

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Daughter Amy works for the DCEO and daughter Huda for the DES

NAME

Kelly King Dibble

TIE TO REZKO

Former vice president for business development of a Rezko real estate company

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Executive director of the Illinois Housing Development Authority

NAME

David Gustman

TIE TO REZKO

Attorney for Rezko and companies

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Unpaid chairman of Illinois Finance Authority

NAME

Anthony Licata

TIE TO REZKO

Rezko attorney

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Chairman of the Capital Development Board

NAME

Michael Rumman

TIE TO REZKO

CEO of Heritage Development Partners, and investor in Roosevelt/Clark

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Former director of Central Management Services

NAME

Ed Wynn

TIE TO REZKO

Heritage lawyer

STATE GOVERNMENT TIE

Former general counsel of CMS

Sources: State records, court filings, corporate reports

652 posted on 06/16/2010 6:23:35 PM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

Keepin it all together ...sort of...

FROM:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2543150/posts?page

Judge James Zagel denies a defense request to gain access to the FBI report summarizing then President-Elect Obama’s 2008 interview with federal investigators.

Defense lawyers argued in a filing last week that the government minimized Obama’s knowledge of the then-Governor’s attempts to horsetrade for the Senate seat appointment.

They said that testimony by government witness John Harris contradicted that portrayal by federal prosecutors.

Harris testified last week that Blagojevich believed Obama knew about the then-governor’s request for a presidential cabinet appointment in exchange for appointing Valerie Jarrett to the Senate seat.

Zagel said there was nothing relevant concerning Harris’s testimony that would allow the defense access to Obama’s interview.
..snip..

One wonders if Ald. Ed Burke’s omniscient political power also extends to federal judges and prosecutors, in this city of SOP massive corrupt political tentacles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Real Mayor of Chicago

Excerpt:

But, Alderman Burke’s control of Chicago’s financial purse strings isn’t his only lever of power.

Cook County has the largest unified court system in America. In heavily Democratic Cook County, 100% of all of the judges are Democrats. The Chairman of the Democratic Party Judicial Slating Committee is none other than Alderman Burke.

The Chicago Reader astutely observed Burke’s “Seat on the Democratic Party judicial slate-making committee ensures that Cook County judges owe him their jobs.” Alderman Burke’s influence goes beyond the Cook County level:

his wife Anne is a justice on the Illinois Supreme Court.

Along with all of Alderman Burke’s power to control Chicago’s tax code and Cook County’s judicial system comes campaign contributions. Alderman Burke doesn’t represent a wealthy ward, nor has he ever faced a serious political opponent, but he still has amassed an eye popping campaign fund. The Chicago Tribune explains:

~~~

“But the state’s richest political family was Ald. Edward Burke (14th) and his wife, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke. Together, their political committees held $8.3 million in cash.

The Tribune reported Monday that Anne Burke’s campaign was returning a large portion of her cash to donors because she is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Mayor Richard M. Daley, who traditionally ceases fundraising after elections, raised just $43,000 in the last six months, but had $3.1 million in cash on hand.”

~~~

In terms of cash at the very least, Burke is already more potent not only than Daley but has more in his coffers than Daley and all 49 Aldermen combined.

But, the ever active Alderman Burke is also a businessman, not surprisingly a rather successful one.

The state of Illinois has rather lax ethics laws, and since being an Alderman is a “part time” job, Alderman Burke has outside employment. Burke runs a successful property tax appeals business.

Burke’s latest ethics form filed with the city of Chicago shows his impressive list of clients. Such big corporations as AT&T, American Airlines, Bank of America, Northern Trust, Harris Bank, T Mobile and many others have done at least $5000 in legal business with Alderman Burke’s law firm in the last year.

They also – I am sure readers will be shocked – do business with the city of Chicago. WBBM, the local CBS affiliate, even has Alderman Burke handle some of its legal business.

Occasionally, Alderman Burke’s conflicts get reported on.

When Obama ally and Blagojevich influence peddler Tony Rezko was looking to get his taxes cut on a big land deal the Chicago Sun-Times explained:

~~~

“Why did Ald. Edward M. Burke vote to approve Tony Rezko’s plans to develop the South Loop’s biggest piece of vacant land even as he was working for Rezko on that same deal?

Burke says: I forgot to abstain.”

~~~

When Rod Blagojevich first decided to run for Governor in 2001, he got important backing from Burke. Blago’s father-in-law, by the way, is Alderman Dick Mell, a colleague of Alderman Burke’s who got the ball rolling.

The Daily Herald unearthed this revealing statement from Alderman Burke in 2001 concerning Blago:

~~~ “I am with Rod 100% because he has what it takes to win – money, message and an army of supporters,” said Burke, referring to a rousing announcement speech given by Blagojevich to a reported throng of 10,000 people on August 12. Burke also mentioned filings with election officials that show Blagojevich with over $3 million in his campaign fund, double the amount of cash on hand of all of his potential Democratic opponents combined.”

~~~

In the coming years, as Chicago style politics seeps into America’s mainstream, remember Alderman Burke.

Thirty of Burke’s colleagues on Chicago’s City Council went on to become convicted felons since 1970. But Alderman Burke is still standing, and still dominating in the shadows, atop much of what happens in the Windy City.

..snip...

The Cost of Corruption in Illinois: $500 Million a Year

***

Excerpt:

People in Illinois pay over $500 million a year because of government corruption. That’s according to a new study from the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Political Science Department.

Professor Dick Simpson is a co-author. He says Illinois lawmakers might be ready to enact some of the reforms needed to curb that corruption.

SIMPSON: I think this is our best opportunity because of all the excitement that’s been created by the Blagojevich scandals. They’ve really focused the attention of the world, and in addition, in a time of recession, we see how important it is to make those savings.

Simpson says lawmakers should start by implementing anti-corruption measures outlined by the Illinois Reform Commission.

http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=34204

__________________________________________________________

Friday, December 12, 2008
Why is Illinois So Corrupt?

###

Watch the videos on this site:

http://www.crimefilenews.com/2008/12/chicago-corruption-fighter-and-author.html

Robert Cooley is a former mafia lawyer who worked with corrupt Illinois officials and judges. He turned state’s witness and he explains how the Chicago “Machine” still run by Alderman Ed Burke who “picks” the judges and controls the Chicago City Finance Committee and his wife, corrupt Illinois Supreme Court Justice Ann Burke, still are up to their ears in corrupt politics as usual. He talks how this cabal of corruption:

1- controls the media,

2-pays off the U S Attorney (former and probably still pays off his middle men, hired during this super corrupt era, who hide stuff from present US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald so the only people prosecuted are fall guys like Blagojevich so as to take the heat off the real top dog crooks like:

A- Jim Thompson (former Gov X 16 years, Director of CIA oversight committee under 1st President Bush and member of 911 Commission under W)

B-Madigans (Speaker of the House Michael and his daughter Attorney General Lisa, who launder all the bribery money kicked back from State, County and City contracts through their political fund “friends of Madigan”),

C-the Burkes, and

D-the Daleys(Richard - Chicago Mayor and partner of John
Burge [the torturer to get murder confessions] while he was
state’s attorney, John - Cook Co. Commissioner who
controlled Co. Board President John Stroger Sr and his Son
Todd who replaced him, and William former Commerce Sec under Clinton and now wants to be Gov of IL and therefore needs to discredit Blagojevich and Lisa Madigan).

A summary of the “system” running Illinois in my view is as follows:

Illinois for too long has been under the control of the:

1- Kingdom of former Gov. Jim (Prince John) Thompson and

2-his Lords, Chicago Mayor Richard M. and Cook Co. Commissioner John Daley (sons of former Mayor Richard J.), County Board Pres. John Stroger Jr. (son of former County Board Pres. John Stroger),

3-House Speaker Michael and his daughter Atty Gen. Lisa Madigan,

4-Alderman Ed (buddy of Fast Ed[dy] now convict Vrydoliak - both of them were leaders against African American Mayor Washington in the “counsel wars” 20 years ago) and IL. Supreme Court Justice Ann Burke,

5-former Sheriff (of Nottingham) Sheahan, and

6-State’s Attorney Richard (Gisbourne) Divine, as well as

7-other Lords such as former Sen. President Emil Jones and now his son Emil Jones Jr.

Political office is inherited in Illinois, elected by political patronage paid for by bribery (10% of all contracts SHALL be donated (kicked-back) to political funds such as “Friends of Madigan” and “Friends of Blagojevich”), and decided in closed back room “deals” (bribes, tit-for-tat, nothing to do with competency or experience, etc.).

It’s time we have a truth commission in Illinois to give clemency to low level players so that we can reveal the true extent of the corruption, encourage witnesses to come out of the woodwork and reveal their evidence, as well as start anew with a high level of transparency.

We desperately need new blood in Illinois and help from the U.S. Attorney in breaking the cycle of corruption, bribery, kick-backs, patronage, and nepotism.

A UIC professor said:

Patronage breeds corruption like garbage breeds flies. SOOO true in Illinois.

Other examples of inherited office in Illinois include US Representative Lipinsky and his son who replaced him in Washington DC, and Illinois Senate President Emil Jones and his son who has replaced him in the Senate.

Kim Long who authored a book about government corruption talks how corruption started in the colonial days and has continued with pockets of intense corruption in Illinois, Louisiana, and New Jersey.

For the early days of the “Chicago Machine” and corruption see:

http://hickeysite.blogspot.com/2008/12/theres-sucker-born-every-minute-michael.html

__________________________________________________

Curing Corruption in Illinois:
Anti-Corruption Report Number 1
February 3, 2009

Authored By:

Thomas J. Gradel
Dick Simpson
And
Andris Zimelis
With
Kirsten Byers
Chris Olson

University of Illinois at Chicago
Department of Political Science

*****

Excerpt:

Public corruption has been an unfortunate aspect of Illinois politics for a century and a half.

Even before Governor Blagojevich tried to sell the vacant senate seat to the highest bidder, the people of the state were exposed continuously to outrageous corruption scandals.

The state history of political corruption features Paul Powell, a former secretary of state, who died leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars hoarded in shoeboxes in his closet, 13 judges nabbed in Operation Greylord for fixing court cases, and a state auditor who embezzled more than $1.5 million in state funds and bought two planes, four cars, and two homes with the money.

Since 1972 there have been three governors before Governor Blagojevich, state legislators, two congressmen, 19 Cook County judges, 30 Aldermen, and other statewide officials convicted of corruption.1

Altogether there have been 1,000 public officials and businessmen convicted of public corruption since 1970.

The history of public corruption in Illinois goes as far back as 1860s when the state’s largest city, Chicago, was growing rapidly and with much disorder which provided ample opportunities for corruption.

This time period is characterized by several corruption cases in the city including a city council ring of aldermen on the take known as McCauley’s Nineteen, and county commissioners involved in a City Hall painting contract scandal.

Of the 14 aldermen and public official indicted in that scandal four were convicted and several others lost their reelection bids in the elections of 1871.

At the same time, a gambling kingpin, Michael Cassius McDonald, created Chicago’s political machine.

Public officials were handing out contracts, jobs and social services in exchange for political support. McDonald is credited with “electing aldermen who lorded it in the city council and county commissioners who stole everything in sight and for providing contracts for public works that had thievery written between the lines.” 2

Machine politics and corruption have been directly linked ever since the late 1860s following the civil war and the Great Chicago Fire.

The possibility for corruption and its persistence can also be explained by the Chicago’s large immigrant population which made it easier for a political machine to grow in power.

Millions of Irish, German, Jewish, and Slavic immigrants settled in the cities of America and these ethnic groups had difficulties getting jobs. The immigrants would come to local officials for housing and work, thus turning public office into the market for jobs, contracts, and a place to reward “friends”.2

By responding to citizen demands and requesting political support in return, political machines continued to expand a system based on the politics of personal obligation. Businessmen also found this system useful so they paid bribes in order to receive lucrative contracts from the city and avoid troublesome city inspectors.

Patronage politics and corruption dominated Chicago and its suburbs regardless of political party in charge. After “reform” Republicans began controlling the city council in the late 1890s, they became as corrupt as the ousted Democrats. Through both periods, a notorious group of Chicago aldermen known as the “Gray Wolves” sold municipal
contracts and franchises to enrich themselves.

They even awarded the city’s gas business to a fictional company they had created, and forced the real gas company to buy it from them.4

Other examples of brazen corruption include two aldermen who ruled Chicago’s first ward from the late 19th century until 1940s.

Hinky Dink Mike Kenna was first elected in 1897 and Bathhouse John Coughlin first won election in 1892. They controlled police, zoning, prostitution and gambling in the central city Levee District for decades employing extortion, personal favors, and voting fraud to stay in power and to enrich themselves and their allies.

In 1896, businessman Charles Yerkes offered Aldermen Coughlin and Kenna a $150,000 bribe (worth more than a million dollars today) to support a fifty year extension of his streetcar franchise. They turned him down, but not for moral reasons.

Bathhouse told Mayor Carter Harrison II: “Mr. Maar, I was talkin’ a while back with Senator Billy Mason and he told me, ‘Keep clear of th’ big stuff, John, it’s dangerous. You and Mike stick to th’ small stuff; there’s little risk and in the long run it pays a damned sight more.’ Mr. Maae, we’re with you. And we’ll do what we can to swing some of the other boys over.”

With their backing the mayor defeated Yerkes’ ordinance by a vote of 32-31 in the then seventy member city council.5
Then there is William “Big Bill” Thompson, who served as the Republican mayor of Chicago from 1915 to 1923 and from 1927 to 1931.

He was a demagogue who had ties to the infamous criminal Al Capone. The Capone mob is said to have provided Mayor Thompson with hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions.6

http://www.uic.edu/depts/pols/ChicagoPolitics/Anti-corruptionReport.pdf
...snip...

653 posted on 06/29/2010 4:53:33 AM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

To: maggief; penelopesire

ALmost impossible to keep it all together. THere is just SO MUCH!

FROM:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2543020/posts

Flashback for the thread: (Allison S. Davis was Obama’s ex boss and Rezko partner)

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/353797,CST-NWS-rezdavis23.article

(snip)

“When Barack Obama took a job at a small Chicago law firm in 1993, the first name on the door of the firm was Allison S. Davis.

Five years later, having left his Davis Miner Barnhill & Galland firm, Davis invested in Antoin “Tony’’ Rezko’s final government-subsidized, low-income housing project, state records show, in a deal handled by Davis’ former law firm.”

...snip...
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/353797,CST-NWS-rezdavis23.article

Obama ‘s ex-boss a Rezko partner - Lawyer consulted on final Rezmar redevelopment
Chicago Sun-Times (IL) - Monday, April 23, 2007
Author: Tim Novak, The Chicago Sun-Times

EXCERPT

While Davis was running the law firm, he was also a board member of the Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corp., a not-for-profit company that hooked up with Rezko’s Rezmar Corp. on tax-supported projects to rehabilitate apartments for low-income tenants. Davis ‘ firm handled the legal work on those housing deals.

Davis has long been an influential member of the Woodlawn community just south of the University of Chicago. His father was the university’s first African-American professor. Since 1991, Davis has been a member of the Chicago Plan Commission, appointed by Mayor Daley, a friend.

Four years ago, Blagojevich appointed Davis to the Illinois State Board of Investment, which controls state pension funds — one of a series of appointments the governor made at Rezko’s request.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/672314,CST-NWS-watchdog29.article

Obama helped ex-boss get $1 mil. from charity - Senator’s spokesman: ‘Not a conflict to do what’s right’

Chicago Sun-Times (IL) - Thursday, November 29, 2007

(no link)

Double-Duty Davis - Rezko pal pushed pension deal — and months later, the pension firm hired him
Chicago Sun-Times (IL) - Thursday, June 26, 2008
Author: Chris Fusco, Dave Mckinney and Tim Novak, The Chicago Sun-Times

In July 2004, state pension board member Allison S. Davis voted to turn over as much as $100 million in state workers’ retirement cash to an investment management firm.

Months after it won the lucrative deal at Davis ‘ urging, that investment firm hired Davis .

RREEF America REIT II Inc. agreed to pay the Chicago developer $30,000 a year to take a part-time post on its board of directors, even as Davis continued to serve on the Illinois State Board of Investment.

There were questions about the legality of the dual roles. According to Illinois law, “No member of the board shall have any interest in any brokerage fee, commission or other profit or gain arising out of any investment made by the board.”

But the state board got a legal opinion that Davis could hold both posts as long as he didn’t vote on any future state deals for RREEF, a real estate investment trust.

It’s an unusual situation. Davis — who was appointed to the state pension board by Gov. Blagojevich at the behest of since-convicted gubernatorial adviser Tony Rezko — is the only member of the state’s two main pension boards to also serve as a paid board member of a firm that handles state employees’ retirement money.

(snip)

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/644511,CST-NWS-davis11.article

How reform-minded City Hall critic became a cozy insider - Foe of Daley I, now ally of Daley II — caught in glare of unwanted spotlight
Chicago Sun-Times (IL) - Sunday, November 11, 2007
Author: Tim Novak, The Chicago Sun-Times
As a young lawyer, Allison S. Davis was a City Hall outsider.

He criticized Mayor Richard J. Daley over the 1968 riots. He worked to integrate Chicago neighborhoods. And he fought to elect judges based on legal ability, not political connections.

Today, Davis is a consummate City Hall insider.

He’s a loyal ally of Mayor Richard M. Daley, who appointed Davis to Chicago’s prestigious Plan Commission. Davis has gotten deal after deal from the mayor, helping to make Davis one of the city’s top developers. And Davis has forged strong ties to the Daley family, doing deals with one of the mayor’s nephews and giving legal business to Daley & George, mayoral brother Michael Daley’s law firm.

Now, Davis finds himself in the glare of an unwanted spotlight.

One of his business partners, William Moorehead, recently began serving a four-year prison sentence for stealing more than $600,000 from at least 13 federally funded housing projects he managed — including two buildings that he and Davis co-own. During the period Moorehead has admitted he was stealing the money, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned, he lent Davis $100,000 — a loan that has drawn scrutiny from federal investigators, though Davis hasn’t been accused of any wrongdoing.

(snip)

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/570056,CST-NWS-vanecko23.article

Mayor’s Nephew Cashing In - Bob Vanecko wants to revive Chicago’s struggling neighborhoods with $68 million in city-linked pension funds. He has his eye on areas near his uncle’s proposed Olympic stadium.
Chicago Sun-Times (IL) - Sunday, September 23, 2007
Author: Tim Novak, The Chicago Sun-Times
A nephew of Mayor Daley stands to make millions of dollars from city-connected pension funds.

In winning business from pension funds for city workers, cops, teachers and CTA employees, Robert G. Vanecko said he never told anyone he’s Daley’s nephew.

But officials with those funds knew who he was, interviews and documents show.

Vanecko and his partner, Allison S. Davis , a top mayoral ally, also asked pension funds outside Chicago to invest with DV Urban Realty Partners, a company they formed two years ago. None did.

It’s a risky venture, Vanecko and Davis warned potential investors.

Still, the city-related pensions opened their checkbooks, giving DV Urban $68 million. They did so even as they face growing financial worries, according to a recent state study.

(snip)

http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/1496799,CST-NWS-refuse26.article

Pension funds may not cooperate on subpoena

March 26, 2009

BY FRANK MAIN, FRAN SPIELMAN AND TIM NOVAK Staff Reporters

Trustees for at least two city pension funds are considering stonewalling Chicago’s inspector general over a subpoena for records involving their investments with a company co-owned by one of Mayor Daley’s nephews.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/1407352,CST-NWS-davis01.stng

Insiders’ housing projects targeted - Subpoena probes deals by Obama ex-boss and Daley pal Davis , plus Rezko, Cellini
Chicago Sun-Times (IL) - Sunday, February 1, 2009
Author: Tim Novak, The Chicago Sun-Times
A federal grand jury has subpoenaed records on dozens of low-income housing projects built over the last 30 years by indicted businessman William F. Cellini, convicted political fund-raiser Tony Rezko and City Hall insider Allison S. Davis .

(snip)

Davis , 69, and Vanecko, 43, are partners in a start-up real investment company, DV Urban Realty Partners. Five city pension funds have invested $63 million with the Davis and Vanecko company.

THE OTHERS

A federal grand jury also has demanded that the Illinois Housing Development Authority turn over records on a dozen other people:

- Nicholas Hurtgen, a former investment banker awaiting trial on corruption charges.

- Brian Hynes, a lobbyist who once represented the state agency.

- Chris Kelly, a close friend and adviser of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

- Mark Kirincich, president of Commonwealth Realty Advisors, a company started by William Cellini.

- Robert Kjellander, a lobbyist, Republican Party heavyweight and close Cellini pal.

- Milan Petrovic, a lobbyist and Blagojevich buddy.

- Paul Rosenfeld, an IHDA lobbyist and Blagojevich insider.

- Marvin Traylor, a lobbyist and Cellini associate.

- John Wyma, a lobbyist and longtime Blagojevich associate.

- Kelly King Dibble, former IHDA executive director and relative of President Obama’s adviser Valerie Jarrett .

- Darren Collier, an ex-IHDA staffer.

- Michael Todd, an ex-IHDA staffer.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/1407352,CST-NWS-davis01.stng

Insiders’ housing projects targeted - Subpoena probes deals by Obama ex-boss and Daley pal Davis , plus Rezko, Cellini

Chicago Sun-Times (IL) - Sunday, February 1, 2009
Author: Tim Novak, The Chicago Sun-Times

(snip)

- Kelly King Dibble, former IHDA executive director and relative of President Obama’s adviser Valerie Jarrett .

Dr. Orly, Obama Trust House Research Needed
A Natural Born Citizen...Orly? ^ | Jan 19, 2009 | me

Posted on Monday, January 19, 2009 9:22:28 AM by urtax$@work

Saturday, January 3, 2009 More help in research needed Obama’s house is sitting in a trust: Northern Trust Co, attorney Kelly Dibble. I got info that there are other properties sitting in that trust. Does anybody have addresses of these properties, legal descriptions, any info on these properties? What type of a trust is it: Charitable trust? Revocable? Irrevocable? Who are the beneficiaries? Who is listed as a trustor? Can smbd check microfish in county recorders office and get certified copies of tax payments? Orly Posted by Orly Taitz, DDS Esq. at 6:45 AM

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-bloggers/2167360/posts

654 posted on 06/29/2010 4:58:36 AM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

More from above thread from LIZ...KIAT.

MORE DIRT Two political contributors to Alexi Giannoulias, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Illinois, appear in the government’s evidentiary documents against former Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich. One of the two men, Myron Cherry, recently contributed $2,300 to Giannoulias’s Senate campaign. Cherry, an attorney, gave to Giannoulias in August.
He has also donated $68,000 to a bevy of Democratic candidates during this cycle, including Sens. Al Franken, Minn. and Harry Reid, Nev., and Senate candidates Paul Hodes, N.H., and Jack Conway, Ky. The other man, Michael Winter, was the office-mate of convicted fundraiser Tony Rezko.

In 2006, Illinois’ Capitol Fax blog reported that Winter gave at least $14,000 to Giannoulias’s race for state Treasurer, and that he had received a $2 million loan from the Giannoulias family’s Broadway Bank. Neither Cherry nor Winter has been charged with any crime.

The government’s evidentiary proffer against Blagojevich says that Winter and Cherry were alleged front-men for a conspiracy by a gang of Blagojevich cronies that included Democratic fundraisers Rezko and Chris Kelly, and Republican fundraiser Stuart Levine.

Kelly recently committed suicide, and the other two were convicted on corruption charges.(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...

655 posted on 06/29/2010 5:08:56 AM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

Andy Martin says $1 million Obama campaign contributor Goldman Sachs is trying to orchestrate a bailout of failed financial institution ShoreBank, which has close ties to Barack Obama’s old neighborhood. Martin says the “Chicago fix” is in. Martin will be asking the Department of Justice for appointment of an independent counsel to investigate influence peddling and Chicago corruption in the ShoreBank scam. ShoreBank may have financial interests in—no surprise—Barack Obama’s “home:” Kenya. Martin is demanding that the bank make full disclosure of all of its overseas interests and investments before any federal aid is approved.

Martin says Chicago news media are covering up the ShoreBank scam out of fear of Obama retaliation. Martin says the ShoreBank bailout in Chicago is a growing Obama Administration/Clinton financial scandal Martin says that ShoreBank investors are seeking a “disguised taxpayer bailout”

ANDY MARTIN SAYS THE PROPOSED TAXPAYER BAILOUT OF CHICAGO’S SHOREBANK IS NOTHING MORE THAN ANOTHER GOLDMAN SACHS FINANCIAL SCAM; GOLDMAN GAVE $1 MILLION TO THE OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN MARTIN PLANS TO ASK THE FDIC AND DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO OPEN INVESTIGATIONS INTO POLITICAL FAVORITISM AND INFLUENCE PEDDLING BY OBAMA ADMINISTRATION OPERATIVES

Martin calls the bailout “nothing more than a bailout of a bad investment by the very investors who are now trying to save their investment with taxpayer subsidies Martin says “Chicago clout” is behind efforts to rescue the bank.

“My readers are often astounded by the fact that I am linked to almost everything that has happened in Chicago over the past several decades. Well, here we go again. In 1973, I was one of the bidders for the old South Shore National Bank at 71st Street and Jeffrey Boulevard, which later morphed into ShoreBank. Although I had substantial resources to bid, I was outbid by the current owners who were backed by Pritzker Family money.

“A third of a century later, ShoreBank’s failed business strategy has imploded, and now ShoreBank investors are seeking a $75 million taxpayer bailout. Federal regulators should say no. The $75 million would not provide funds for future growth; it would merely reimburse investors for failed loans in the past. ShoreBank is dead in the water. It had a failed strategy, trying to mix ‘community’ banking with a massive international network of investments. What was a ‘community bank’ in Chicago doing involved in dozens of foreign countries?

“Barack Obama’s fingerprints are all over this bailout scam. ShoreBank has been linked to Bill Clinton, the Global Philanthropy Forum and the Chicago Global Donors Network which—no surprise—has links to Kenya(Obama’s old stomping grounds via United Kenyans of Chicago).

“The entire concept of ShoreBank is defective. The essence of banking is to spread risk. ShoreBank’s business plan is to concentrate risks, in bad neighborhoods. The bank has yet to publish a 2008 annual report, let alone a 2009 one. Tens of millions of bad loans are being concealed as part of a financial scam to secure federal financial support. This is nothing more than a Barack Obama ‘fix

“Most of the so-called ‘rescue’ investors have existing links to ShoreBank. Goldman Sachs has had someone advising the bank (Suzanne Johnson). Now they are trying to ‘invest.’ If Goldman can raise $140 million to save the bank they should be able to raise $200 million and avoid use of any taxpayer cash. Bank of America is listed as a shareholder; now they want taxpayers to bail them out. What is America-owned Citibank doing investing in bad banks and failed financial strategies? Citibank is a failed bank itself. It all comes down to two words: Barack Obama.

“The FDIC has closed better-situated banks in Illinois. Why is it stalling and propping up a failed institution? Chicago Clout. “What is interesting is the way the Chicago media have tried to hush up this scandal. Only recently has there been any press coverage. Well, we are blowing this scam wide open. Obama’s ‘game’ is up.

Andy Martin is the Executive Editor and publisher of www.ContrarianCommentary.com. Andy is a legendary New York and Chicago-based muckraker, author, Internet columnist, radio talk show host, broadcaster and media critic. He has over forty years of radio and television background. He is a former adjunct professor of law at the City University of New York (LaGuardia CC, Bronx CC) and holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois College of Law. Martin comments on regional, national and world events with more than four decades of experience.

SOURCE http://www.pr-inside.com/andy-martin-links-barack-obama-to-r1903402.htm

656 posted on 06/29/2010 8:04:39 AM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

Good grief Mag, It’s never ending...Wonder how many judges will go down this time?

FROM:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2544059/posts

http://inform.com/united-states/nononsense-blagojevich-judge-actor-novelist-607637a
The 68-year-old (Judge James B. Zagel) is a Chicago native who graduated from the University of Chicago and got his law degree from Harvard. He became a prosecutor in the Cook County state’s attorney’s office and later chief of the criminal division of the Illinois attorney general’s office.

In that post, he appointed a budding young lawyer, Jayne Carr, as his top aide. She later became Jayne Carr Thompson, wife of former Illinois Gov. James R. Thompson.

Gov. Thompson picked Zagel to head the Illinois Department of Law Enforcement in his administration and eventually recommended him to President Ronald Reagan for a judgeship. He was appointed to the District Court bench in 1987.

(no link)

Senate OKs James Zagel as U.S. judge
Chicago Sun-Times - Wednesday, April 22, 1987
Author: Michael Briggs
WASHINGTON The Senate yesterday confirmed President Reagan’s nomination of James B. Zagel , the Illinois State Police Department director, to be a federal judge in Chicago.

Without debate, the Senate approved Zagel ‘s appointment to the bench of the U.S. District Court for Northern Illinois.

Zagel , 46, has headed the state law enforcement agency since 1980. Prior to that he was Revenue Department director in Gov. Thompson ‘s Cabinet.

When Zagel is sworn in as a judge, Thompson is expected to nominate Jeremy D. Margolis, now inspector general, to the top State Police post.

Groomed as an understudy to Zagel , Margolis has been a troubleshooter for Thompson since the governor created the inspector general job in part as a political foil to what turned out to be a short-circuited 1986 gubernatorial challenge by Illinois Attorney General Neil F. Hartigan.

http://illinoiscorruption.blogspot.com/2008/12/why-is-illinois-so-corrupt.html

Friday, December 12, 2008
Why is Illinois So Corrupt?
Watch the videos on this site:

http://www.crimefilenews.com/2008/12/chicago-corruption-fighter-and-author.html

Robert Cooley is a former mafia lawyer who worked with corrupt Illinois officials and judges. He turned state’s witness and he explains how the Chicago “Machine” still run by Alderman Ed Burke who “picks” the judges and controls the Chicago City Finance Committee and his wife corrupt Illinois Supreme Court Justice Ann Burke still are up to their ears in corrupt politics as usual. He talks how this cabal of corruption:

1- controls the media,
2-pays off the U S Attorney (former and probably still pays off his middle men, hired during this super corrupt era, who hide stuff from present US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald so the only people prosecuted are fall guys like Blagojevic so as to take the heat off the real top dog crooks like:
A- Jim Thompson (former Gov X 16 years, Director of CIA oversight committee under 1st
President Bush and member of 911 Commission under W)
B-Madigans (Speaker of the House Michael and his daughter Attorney General Lisa, who
lauder all the bribery money kicked back from State, County and City contracts through
their political fund “friends of Madigan”),
C-the Burkes, and
D-the Daleys(Richard - Chicago Mayor and partner of John Burge [the torturer to get
murder confessions] while he was state’s attorney, John - Cook Co. Commissioner who
controlled Co. Board President John Stroger Sr and his Son Todd who replaced him, and
William former Commerce Secr. under Cliniton and now wants to be Gov of IL and
therefore needs to discredit Blagojevic and Lisa Madigan).

A summary of the “system” running Illinois in my view is as follows:

Illinois for too long has been under the control of the:
1- Kingdom of former Gov. Jim (Prince John) Thompson and
2-his Lords, Chicago Mayor Richard M. and Cook Co. Commissioner John Daley (sons of former Mayor Richard J.), County Board Pres. John Stroger Jr. (son of former County Board Pres. John Stroger),
3-House Speaker Michael and his daughter Atty Gen. Lisa Madigan,
4-Alderman Ed (buddy of Fast Ed[dy] now convict Vrydoliak - both of them were leaders against African American Mayor Washington in the “cousel wars” 20 years ago) and IL. Supreme Court Justice Ann Burke,
5-former Sheriff (of Nottingham) Sheahan, and
6-State’s Attorney Richard (Gisbourne) Divine, as well as
7-other Lords such as former Sen. President Emil Jones and now his son Emil Jones Jr.

(snip)

657 posted on 06/30/2010 3:13:54 AM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

FROM Same

Who’s who in Big Jim ‘s inner circle - Series: - THE THOMPSON LEGACY (STANDARD)
Chicago Sun-Times - Thursday, October 11, 1990
Author: M. W. Newman

EXCERPT

Samuel K. Skinner, 52, “Sam the Hammer,” crime-busting deputy who succeeded Thompson as U.S. attorney in 1975. A powerful Chicago lawyer, he took charge of the RTA in 1984. Co-manager of George Bush’s 1988 Illinois campaign, now U.S. secretary of transportation.

Dan K. Webb, 44, special prosecutor who nailed John M. Poindexter, former White House national security adviser, in the Iran-contra scandal. As U.S. attorney here, 1981-85, he initiated the Operation Greylord cleanup of corrupt judges. A prestigious Chicago defense lawyer.

Anton Valukas, 47, U.S. attorney, 1985-89. Nemesis of crooked judges, lawyers, cops and former Gov. Dan Walker in bank fraud case. Brought indictments in commodities traders sting. Now in private practice.

Daniel H. Weil, 49, veteran prosecutor, former overseer of Cook County Jail. In 1989, he gave up a six-figure law practice to take over Chicago’s scandal-stained Inspectional Services Department.

John B. Simon, 48, former assistant federal prosecutor, Thompson ‘s personal attorney. Simon, Valukas, Webb, Weil and Skinner are among Thompson friends whose law firms have collected lucrative fees from the state Insurance Department.

Joel Flaum, 53, right-hand man to Thompson in U.S. attorney’s office, now on U.S. Court of Appeals here.

Ilana Rovner, 51, deputy governor 1977-84, now a U.S. District judge in Chicago.

James B. Zagel , 49, former boss of the state police and Revenue Department. A federal judge here since 1987.

James Fletcher, 47. Ran Thompson ‘s first campaign, later chief of staff and deputy governor. A lawyer, he is a top lobbyist in Illinois.

James Reilly, 45, ex-chief of staff. Reilly is paid $168,000 a year to run the board that operates McCormick Place and Navy Pier and is planning $1.5 billion in new facilities.

Gregory W. Baise, 38, onetime Thompson go-fer who escalated to patronage boss, campaign manager, Illinois secretary of transportation. Now GOP candidate for state treasurer. A private consultant.

John D. Kramer, 42, a Democratic holdover who was Thompson ‘s first transportation secretary. Later ran the ill-fated 1992 World’s Fair Authority. A real-estate developer.

Dave O’Neal, 53, Thompson ‘s first lieutenant governor. He resigned, complaining there wasn’t much to do. Now U.S. undersecretary of the interior.

Gayle M. Franzen, 44, investment banker, a longtime Thompson troubleshooter. He ran the state’s toll highways and Corrections Department, spearheaded the deal to keep the White Sox in town. In 1989 he succeeded Skinner as RTA chairman, a part-time assignment

658 posted on 06/30/2010 3:18:43 AM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

Thanks Maggie. Is “John” plea bargaining or just trying to stay alive?

Rahm:President Elect Barack Obama wanted Valerie Jarrett

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpps/news/local/rod-blagojevich-trial-john-wyma-defense-delay-day-twenty-three-updates-20100713_8620563

UPDATE: 2:57 p.m.
Blagojevich defense attorney Sheldon Sorosky began their cross-examination of Wyma. Sorosky asked Wyma about his background.

Wyma said David Axelrod introduced Wyma to Blagojevich when he was in Congress, and Axelrod suggested Wyma be Blagojevich’s Congressional chief of staff. Wyma held the position for three and a half years and left on good terms with Blagojevich.

Wyma said he then went on to work for New York Senator Charles Schumer. Wyma left his job with Schumer to come back to Illinois in 2002 and work for Blagojevich’s gubernatorial primary campaign leading up to Blagojevich’s first term as governor.

In 2002, Sorosky asked if Wyma had any relationship with Mayor Daley; Wyma said no. When Sorosky tried to ask if Wyma had any relationship with Jesse Jackson, Jr. or if Blagojevich was Wyma’s political god father, the prosecution objected and the judge sustained.

Sorosky tried to ask Wyma if he ever asked Blagojevich for a position in his administration and about why went to work as a lobbyist, but the prosecution objected two both questions and the judge sustained.

Wyma said he opened his lobbying firm in spring 2003. Wyma explained a lobbyist works with companies on how to be “more effective” with the government regarding how legislative issues might affect their business.

When asked, Wyma testified he made “better than $1 million” in his first year with his lobbying firm

659 posted on 07/13/2010 2:03:10 PM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

Still more dots to connect. Or are they all just connected and we just need to start painting by the numbers.

=============================================================maggief to STARWISE; onyx; hoosiermama; penelopesire; Liz; LucyT
I have overlooked this connection ...
(no link)

DOHRN SURRENDERS, FACES COURT
Boston Globe - Wednesday, December 3, 1980
Author: Associated Press
Bernardine Dohrn , the one-time student radical leader who had eluded authorities for 11 years, surrendered today and pleaded innocent to charges stemming from a series of violent demonstrations in Chicago.

Dohrn , once on the FBI’s “most wanted” list, refused to talk to reporters but smiled and seemed calm as she appeared before Circuit Judge Richard J. Fitzgerald. After arraignment, she was taken away for booking, and a bond hearing was set for later today.

Dohrn , 38, is the most famous in a series of radical figures to surface after going underground rather than face criminal charges in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Others include student leader Mark Rudd and Yippie leader Abbie Hoffman.

Dohrn appeared at the courthouse with her lawyer and William Ayers, a former member of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

Later, at a hearing before Judge Fred G. Suria of Circuit Court, bail was set at $25,000. The judge reduced the bond from $300,000 on a request by Dohrn ‘s lawyer, who said his client had surrendered voluntarily and couldn’t afford the higher bond.

Suria said in lowering the bond, “It is my past experience that these people do in fact abide by the conditions of the bond.”

An assistant state’s attorney, Larry O’Gara, said he was satisfied with the lower bond and that the most serious of the charges was “that Ms. Dohrn struck a police officer with a club during a demonstration.” He said there had been no attempt to plea bargain with his office.

After the court hearing, Ayers, 35, talked briefly with reporters and said he had remained in hiding, even though there were no charges against him, “because I was living with Bernardine Dohrn .” He said they have two young children, who are staying with friends in New York.

“It’s a little like the Japanese soldier who comes out of the Philippine jungle to find out the war is over,” Ayers said of returning to public view.

Ayers is the son of Thomas G. Ayers, retired chairman of Commmonwealth Edison Co. and one of the city’s most respected business leaders.

Dohrn and Ayers, who according to the New York Times had most recently been living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, had contacted the Cook County state’s attorney’s office through attorney Michael Kennedy, apparently to arrange some sort of plea bargaining.

Dohrn faces a felony charge of aggravated battery and two misdemeanor charges of mob action stemming from the Days of Rage demonstrations led by the Weatherman faction of SDS in Chicago in October 1969.

The new state’s attorney, Richard M. Daley , said yesterday that his office had been in touch with Dohrn ‘s lawyer, but that there would be no plea bargaining until she surrendered.

660 posted on 07/15/2010 12:23:21 PM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)

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