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Chicago whistle-blower implicates top state Democrat
Fox News. ^ | July 19, 2013 | Marla Cichowski

Posted on 07/19/2013 6:45:33 PM PDT by george76

A former Chicago-area executive is blowing the whistle in the latest case to showcase what is derisively known as the "Illinois way" -- politicians' practice of doing business by dishing out favors to friends who contribute generously to their campaigns.

This time, a top-ranking Democrat has been implicated. The case involves Illinois' most powerful Democratic leader -- state House Speaker Michael Madigan -- and the former head of the Chicago area's commuter rail service, Metra. In a rare move earlier this week, Metra's ex-CEO Alex Clifford came forward publicly to reveal specific details about how he says he was forced out of his lucrative job after refusing to cave to political pressure.

Clifford, who was hired from California in 2001, testified during a recent Regional Transportation Authority board meeting in Chicago. For two hours he spoke openly about what he calls serious "ethical and moral character flaws" from people who practice the "Illinois way" of doing business, including Madigan.

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: California; US: Illinois; US: Maryland; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: alexclifford; chicago; clifford; corruption; cultureofcorruption; democrat; democrats; fraud; illinois; liberalism; lisamadigan; madigan; michaelmadigan
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1 posted on 07/19/2013 6:45:33 PM PDT by george76
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To: george76

How’s Clifford’s health?


2 posted on 07/19/2013 6:49:17 PM PDT by griswold3
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To: george76

This is news? Why? Its been going on since the days of the 1st Ward politics, bustles and Mrs. O’Learys cow.


3 posted on 07/19/2013 6:50:13 PM PDT by Don Corleone ("Oil the gun..eat the cannoli. Take it to the Mattress.")
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To: george76

Better watch out for those exploding car crashes, followed by quick cremation before an autopsy can be done.


4 posted on 07/19/2013 6:52:47 PM PDT by txrefugee
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To: griswold3

Not too good. Could develop a case of “High Speed Lead” poisoning at any time. (The Chicago version of Fort Marcy
Park.)


5 posted on 07/19/2013 6:55:02 PM PDT by TaMoDee ( Lassez les bons temps rouler dans les 2013! Geaux, Pack, Geaux!)
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To: george76

And who will prosecute Michael Madigan? The Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, his daughter?


6 posted on 07/19/2013 6:55:58 PM PDT by Proud2BeRight
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To: txrefugee
Better watch out for those exploding car crashes, followed by quick cremation before an autopsy can be done.

That only happens in Hollywood.

;>|

7 posted on 07/19/2013 6:56:46 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Who knew that one day professional wrestling would be less fake than professional journalism?)
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To: george76

The entire city should have crime scene tape around the perimeter.


8 posted on 07/19/2013 6:59:01 PM PDT by Dalberg-Acton
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To: george76
Just a Liberal doing what his nature demands. Nothing to see here.
Move on.
9 posted on 07/19/2013 7:03:16 PM PDT by YHAOS
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To: txrefugee
Better watch out for those exploding car crashes, followed by quick cremation before an autopsy can be done.

Or, the coroner could meet at untimely demise also

10 posted on 07/19/2013 7:04:11 PM PDT by digger48
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To: george76

Who cares?

Nobody has the guts to stand up to any of it.

Everybody just sits and watches America fall.

The rightwing media complex sells angst.

Angst, angst, angst. No organization. No action.

On 9/12 2009 many Freepers including myself went to washington to protest en mass. Since then, zero zip nada.

Tea Party - silent
Freepers - silent
Conservative media figureheads - nothing but hot air from a comfy chair


11 posted on 07/19/2013 7:08:33 PM PDT by Eddie01 (Liberals lie about everything all the time.)
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To: Dalberg-Acton

the entire city needs to have an israeli security wall surrounding it.


12 posted on 07/19/2013 7:12:11 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Army Air Corps; MinuteGal; Velveeta

FYI


13 posted on 07/19/2013 7:13:07 PM PDT by hoosiermama (Obama: "Born in Kenya" Lying now or then)
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To: hoosiermama

Thanks for the ping.


14 posted on 07/19/2013 7:19:18 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: Eddie01

What should we do? Do you have suggestions? I am willing to do something, I just don’t know what to do. Let’s start organizing.


15 posted on 07/19/2013 7:29:00 PM PDT by Irenic (The pencil sharpener and Elmer's glue is put away-- we've lost the red wheel barrow)
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To: george76

LOL!
Sure, this will go somewhere.


16 posted on 07/19/2013 7:31:52 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: george76
I wonder have you ever read about the one of the worst instances of political corruption in Chicago: the Wine and Spirits Fair Dealing Act, which severely limited how alcoholic beverages could be distributed in the state. One of the big contributors to getting this law passed (and a big beneficiary of the law!) was the late William Wadsworth "Dollar Bill" Wirtz, the owner of the Chicago Blackhawks. Fortunately, that law was declared illegal by the Federal courts in 2002.
17 posted on 07/19/2013 7:33:37 PM PDT by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's economic cure)
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To: hoosiermama; flaglady47; mickie
Madigan has run the city and the state for decades. Both entities are near bankruptcy. Both have corrupt leaders.

But Madigan is too big to fall. He's teflon. Even this whistleblower won't faze him. The whistleblower will be destroyed....in the Chicago way.

Leni

18 posted on 07/19/2013 7:55:13 PM PDT by MinuteGal
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To: Eddie01

RE>
Tea Party - silent
Freepers - silent
Conservative media figureheads - nothing but hot air from a comfy chair

Our cause will only gain in strength and intensity after America has completely fallen, unfortunately. When that time comes, and it will, our main difficulty will be keeping out the “leaders” who come with empty claims of ideas to save us, and promoting and coalescing en mass around only those who stand by and commit to return to the wise foundations of our Constitution. The future “Freedom Party”. Hopefully the country will awake at the right time to a chance to vote out every last one of the professional political class. I’m not betting on that unlikely outcome.

More than likely the former Republicans and Regan Democrats will fracture into disunion and the Democrats, or their next sick incarnation, will usher us into America’s final twilight, and LIVs will follow them into the darkness forever, until the gravy train is dry.

May God save our kids from the mess that is most likely to come.
-Amen


19 posted on 07/19/2013 8:46:43 PM PDT by ri4dc (Cut your cable. You'll need the extra dough later on. 'This war is lost!' The worst is yet to come.)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Thanks george76.


20 posted on 07/19/2013 8:51:36 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (McCain or Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
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