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Millennium Park Tainted By Corruption -(Chicago-Fitzgerald never sleeps)
AP/CBS 2 Chicago ^ | 8-4-05

Posted on 08/04/2005 1:30:20 PM PDT by STARWISE

$8 Million In Contracts Called Into Question

(AP) CHICAGO A Chicago official steered $8 million in park district work at the showcase Millennium Park and elsewhere to business executives who showered her with $137,000 in cash, gifts and free vacations, federal prosecutors alleged in an indictment made public Thursday.

Shirley McMayon, 47, the Chicago Park District's former director of natural resources, was charged in the 12-count fraud indictment along with Michael Lowecki, 45, of Libertyville, owner of James Michael Inc., and John Kevin Haas, 56, of Gurnee, the company's former chief operating officer.

"The defendants in this case used the Park District's coffers as their personal playground," U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald said in a statement. He said it was "particularly appalling" that some of the invoices submitted by James Michael were bogus.

McMayon, who now lives in Utah, was charged with steering contracts for lighting and landscaping to James Michael in return for not only cash and vacations but computers, a bicycle, a spa gift certificate and tickets to sporting events for herself, her family and her friends.

The indictment said McMayon worked at the park district starting in June 1999, first as deputy director of landscaping and later as director of natural resources. She left in 2001.

During that time, the James Michael company worked in at least seven parks throughout the city doing landscaping installation and maintenance and putting holiday wreaths and lights on bridges and monuments, the indictment said.

(snip)

The $475 million Millennium Park was a pet project of Mayor Richard M. Daley but was beset by delays and cost overruns.

Besides funneling money to McMayon, officials of James Michael allegedly also submitted false invoices for landscape architectural services, professional development, an electronic global positioning satellite system and digital cameras, the indictment said.

More at link

(Excerpt) Read more at cbs2chicago.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: chicago; daley; fitzgerald; haas; jamesmichael; lowecki; mcmayon; milleniumpark
Wow -- there really is an infectious contagion in Chicago -- and THE DOCTOR IS IN.


1 posted on 08/04/2005 1:30:23 PM PDT by STARWISE
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To: STARWISE

Didn't the GOP but out a reward for information leading to arrests for corruption.......maybe they will pay.


2 posted on 08/04/2005 1:32:14 PM PDT by PeterPrinciple (Seeking the truth here folks.)
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To: STARWISE

Fitzgerald should seriously consider running for governor, if not mayor.


3 posted on 08/04/2005 1:34:57 PM PDT by Rutles4Ever
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To: STARWISE

Go, Patick, Go. IMHO, the best thing Peter Fitzgerald ever did was recommending Patrick to be the Chicago US attorney.


4 posted on 08/04/2005 1:35:35 PM PDT by sharkhawk
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To: STARWISE

Graft and corruption in Chicago? I'm shocked, shocked, I say!


5 posted on 08/04/2005 1:38:04 PM PDT by Trimegistus
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To: STARWISE

Yeah, but Jesses and his friends and relatives get to keep theirs', though, right? Jesse's got children and their mothers all over the country needing support. Let's not have this clean government effort have an undue effect on black criminals!


6 posted on 08/04/2005 1:42:09 PM PDT by Tacis ("Democrats - The Party of Traitors, Treachery and Treason!")
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To: Tacis

Da mare's days are numbered. There's not one city project that isn't infested with corruption and he can't remember a thing.


7 posted on 08/04/2005 1:46:23 PM PDT by yobid
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To: Rutles4Ever
See the John Kass column for today. Fitzgerald isn't running for anything (now) and that is why all the politically connected people are scared of him. He is sort of a modern day Elliot Ness.
8 posted on 08/04/2005 1:49:00 PM PDT by glorgau
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To: glorgau
See the John Kass column for today. Fitzgerald isn't running for anything (now) and that is why all the politically connected people are scared of him. He is sort of a modern day Elliot Ness.

Yet everybody in the LeftStream media ignore Fitzgerald and his fellow US Attorney a few miles north, Steve Biskupic (trying to single-handedly clean up Milwaukee despite the 'RAT leadership still denying there's any real problems here, and succeeding) and lionizes Blowhard Elliot Spitzer.

9 posted on 08/04/2005 2:26:37 PM PDT by steveegg (Real torture is taking a ride with Sen Ted "Swimmer" Kennedy in a 1968 Oldsmobile off a short bridge)
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To: Rutles4Ever
ROFLMAO-- I'd love to see the lines of pols buying all the Depends available at Osco and Dominicks.

Quote of the day: "That's the way business is done in Illinois."

10 posted on 08/04/2005 6:45:41 PM PDT by pierrem15
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