Federal mole comes through again
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The person who appears to be the same mole used by the feds to arrest those seven people yesterday for bribery conspiracy helped bust some Board of Review staffers. From the US Attorney…
Two analysts for the Cook County Board of Review were arrested today on federal bribery charges for allegedly accepting $1,500 to facilitate reducing by more than $14,000 the property tax assessments on three residential properties identified by a confidential source who was cooperating with federal agents. The defendants, Thomas Hawkins and John Racasi, allegedly discussed scheming with others to facilitate property tax reductions in exchange for bribes; however, the complaint charges them with accepting just one bribe. The Board of Review is comprised of three commissioners, each of whom has analysts and other staff who provide recommendations as to how the commissioners should vote in reviewing appeals of the Cook County Assessor’s property tax assessments.
Hawkins, an analyst since December 2004, and Racasi, an analyst since March 2006, were both on the staff of Board of Review Commissioner A in September 2008, when they allegedly accepted the $1,500 bribe payment. They were not charged at the time because of ongoing investigations involving Confidential Source 1 (CS1), according to a criminal complaint that was unsealed today following their arrests.
Hawkins, 48, and Racasi, 51, both of Chicago, were each charged with one count of accepting a bribe, and were scheduled to appear at 2:00 p.m. today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole in Federal Court.
The arrests and charges were announced by Gary S. Shapiro, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI’s Chicago City Public Corruption Task Force led the investigation with assistance from the Chicago Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division, which is a task force member.
According to the complaint affidavit, uncharged Individual A had mentioned to CS1 that Individual A had the ability to help CS1 get his property taxes reduced. When CS1 began cooperating with the FBI in July 2008, CS1 raised the property tax issue with Individual A, who subsequently introduced CS1 to Hawkins, who, in turn, introduced CS1 to Racasi. CS1 recorded numerous meetings and telephone conversations with Hawkins and Racasi in which they discussed facilitating property tax reductions in exchange for bribes.
The affidavit describes CS1 as a Chicago police officer who began cooperating during an investigation of public corruption and gun-trafficking in the Chicago area. CS1 has not been charged but will likely be charged in the future with attempted extortion and firearms-related offenses, the affidavit states.
The complaint details recorded conversations in which the defendants allegedly discussed a scheme to reduce property tax assessments for bribes, but does not allege any specific instances beyond the charged bribe paid by CS1.
In July 2008, CS1 and Individual A discussed a scheme to reduce the property tax assessment on CS1’s homes in Chicago and Burbank, and a condominium in Tinley Park. They discussed the fact that lawyers typically charged a fee of 33 percent of the amount of the reduction, while they believed they could obtain between 20 and 30 percent of the tax reduction through a bribery scheme. In a recorded meeting on July 28, 2008, CS1 and Individual A discussed using Individual A’s influence with the Board of Review to get property taxes lowered for CS1 and recruiting business owners to apply for property tax reductions. CS1 provided Individual A with the Property Index Numbers (PINs) for the homes he owned in Chicago and Burbank.
In August 2008, Individual A introduced CS1 to Hawkins and they allegedly discussed Hawkins’ ability to assist them in getting assessments reduced. Two days later, CS1 recorded a meeting at a restaurant with Hawkins, Individual A, a Restaurant Employee, and the Restaurant Owner in which they discussed obtaining property tax reductions through Individual A and Hawkins. The complaint alleges that Hawkins said:
“Right, because it’s just three signatures, we only need, it’s three commissioners, we only need two, two of the three, we only, each commissioner has a staff and we’re analysts so we handle all the property taxes and go through the files, find out if the assessor is, is just enough because see most of them always come in high anyway until we knock it down.”
Later in August 2008, CS1 recorded a meeting with Hawkins, Racasi and Restaurant Employee, who provided PINs for properties owned by Restaurant Owner. Racasi allegedly provided CS1 detailed information about the amount of money he made for obtaining property tax assessment reductions for single-family residences. When dealing with taxpayers he knew, Racasi said he charged $150 a PIN up front and another $150 when the tax reduction was completed. For individuals he did not know, Racasi said he charged double. Racasi also said the “fees” had to be split three ways among the three staffers voting on a particular reduction. If one of the three analysts did not participate, then the other two would divide the money and override the third analyst, according to the complaint affidavit.
In September 2008, CS1, Hawkins and Racasi allegedly discussed the specifics of the bribe CS1 would pay for a reduction on his property tax assessments. During their conversations, Hawkins, Racasi, and CS1 allegedly discussed a broader scheme and agreed upon charging others $500 for each residential property going forward. Upon agreeing on a $500 fee, the affidavit states Hawkins said, “We’re going to have a lot. Let’s do a $500 [inaudible] fee. Alright? That’s the whole thing [inaudible] for every house because there’s going to be so many houses. That way nobody gets hoggish, and there is room to play if you want to play.” Racasi and CS1 agreed, the complaint states.
On Sept. 11, 2008, Hawkins and Racasi allegedly agreed to reduce the assessed values on CS1’s Chicago and Burbank properties and the Tinley Park property owned by Individual C for three years beginning with the 2008 tax year. Hawkins and Racasi provided CS1 with analysis sheets for these properties, which could be used to calculate the tax savings that a property owner would realize over the three-year period. In return for the $1,500 bribe, Hawkins and Racasi allegedly promised CS1 a total tax savings for the three properties over the three-year period of at least approximately $14,209 if a lesser reduction on the Burbank property was used, and a total tax savings of approximately $14,900 if a higher reduction on the Burbank property was used.
The complaint alleges that the bribe payment was made on Sept. 17, 2008, when CS1 met with Hawkins and Racasi and handed the money to Racasi. Hawkins allegedly assured CS1 that Racasi would later provide Hawkins with his share of the money.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret J. Schneider and Michael T. Donovan.
Bribery carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the AP…
Gov. Pat Quinn says solving Illinois’ pension problem is imperative, and he’s warned lawmakers not to go anywhere next month.
Quinn says legislators can’t “drift through the summer and do nothing about it.”
* The Question: Should Gov. Quinn call a special session next month to deal with pension reforms if the legislative leaders can’t come to an agreement? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please. Thanks.
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National Journal ranks Illinois races
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the National Journal…
Three wave elections in a row have done plenty to scramble the House landscape. This year, it’s unlikely another wave will develop–at least any wave that could overwhelmingly benefit one party. Instead, we’re likely to see an anti-Washington backlash, one that could cost a number of members their jobs, even if neither side sees a big net increase.
* The National Journal looked at 75 US House districts that it deems the most likely to change hands. Here are the Illinois rankings…
3. IL-08 (R, Rep. Joe Walsh): Walsh complained recently that Democratic nominee Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran and former Veterans Affairs official, uses her service as a way to duck political issues. She would have to address issues more if Walsh didn’t keep sticking his foot in his mouth. The seat gave President Obama more than 61 percent of the vote in 2008, and 45 percent of its residents are nonwhite. As one of Walsh’s colleagues might say, the cake is baked.
8. IL-10 (R, Rep. Robert Dold): Of all the Republican-held House seats, this one gave the greatest share of its 2008 presidential vote to Obama. But Democrats failed to capture it from Mark Kirk in several attempts last decade, and they couldn’t keep Dold from holding it for the GOP in 2010. Dold’s legitimate moderate streak (and a formidable war chest) gives him a glimmer of hope, but Democrats have a strong, moderate nominee in Brad Schneider. Schneider will hammer Dold all autumn for his two votes for the Ryan budget plan. Obama could win the district with 60 percent again, and it would be difficult for Dold to peel off a full sixth of Obama supporters from Schneider.
16. IL-17 (R, Rep. Bobby Schilling): Democrat Cheri Bustos is quickly raising cash in a district that, like nearly every other GOP-held seat in Illinois, got more Democratic after redistricting. The swing districts outside Chicago’s orbit aren’t quite as fertile ground for Democrats as the ones closer to the city, but Schilling is competing at a structural disadvantage.
17. IL-11 (R, Rep. Judy Biggert): Biggert is a moderate on social issues, and that helped her appeal across party lines against tough opposition in 2008. But Obama won 54 percent in that seat; he took 61 percent of the vote in the new seat. Obama probably won’t do as well this year, but that still makes it tough to figure out the math necessary for Biggert to beat well-funded ex-Rep. Bill Foster.
23. IL-12 (Open D, Rep. Jerry Costello retiring): Though the district voted for both John Kerry and Barack Obama for president, Southern Illinois is exactly the type of predominantly white, working-class place where Democrats have had serious trouble recently. Republicans think businessman Jason Plummer can wrestle the seat away for them. Democratic nominee Bill Enyart, who commanded the Illinois National Guard, joined the race just weeks ago after the Democratic primary winner dropped out for health reasons. Enyart seems like a great recruit so far, but he has a lot of money and name identification to make up in a hurry.
53. IL-13 (R, Rep. Tim Johnson): Republican nominee Rodney Davis has never appeared on the district’s ballot; GOP county chairs chose him to replace Johnson after the incumbent declined to run in the general after winning the primary. But Democratic nominee David Gill might have appeared before voters too many times. He lost to Johnson three times in the last decade, and a more Democratic district might not be enough to boost him over Davis this year.
Thoughts?
* A fundraising chart from Crain’s…
* More…
The only candidate to have a clear fundraising advantage is freshman Rep. Robert Dold.
The North Shore Republican had more than $2.1 million in the bank after hauling in $711,084 in the three months ended June 30, according to the latest campaign finance reports.
His Democratic opponent from Deerfield, management consultant Brad Schneider, raised almost as much in the quarter — $582,342 — but had only $567,623 in cash on hand after spending most of the $1.5 million he’s raised so far on a tough primary. […]
In the open downstate seat of retiring Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Urbana, Republican candidate Rodney Davis has outraised Democrat David Gill by almost 2-to-1, making it less likely to become one of the state’s hottest races.
…Adding… Oops. I forgot to make mention of the Tribune’s scathing editorial about Joe Walsh…
Our “true heroes”? As opposed to what, exactly?
Walsh’s opponent is Democrat Tammy Duckworth, who flew combat missions in Iraq as a member of the Illinois Army National Guard. In 2004, Duckworth was piloting a Black Hawk helicopter when it was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade fired by insurgents. She guided the aircraft safely to the ground, then passed out from loss of blood. Her comrades dragged her from the wreckage, wrapped her in bandages and whisked her to safety. Duckworth, who lost both of her legs in the attack, was awarded the Purple Heart.
Those are facts.
A military website interviewed her a few weeks after the attack.
“I hope this is the worst thing that happens to anyone in the 106th during this deployment,” she said. “This is not so bad. There is always somebody worse off than you are. I’m just glad it was me and not one of my guys out there.”
Now what was that, Rep. Walsh, about true heroes?
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* House Speaker Michael Madigan has taken the unusual step of responding point by point to a highly critical series of stories published by the Chicago Tribune last month. He prefaced his detailed attempt at refutation with an open letter to the General Assembly, which was forwarded to me this morning by a Republican legislative employee…
As you know, the Chicago Tribune published several articles that implied conflicts of interest between my law practice and my position as Speaker. These articles provided ample speculation, but few facts. I have come to learn from individuals interviewed by the Tribune that the authors were provided information that directly contradicted the reporters’ conclusions-but that information appears nowhere in the articles.
Despite the implications, it is clear that the reporters have failed to uncover any evidence of conflicts of interest or quid pro quo between my legislative acts and the interests of my law firm, or of any other unethical conduct on my part. They have failed to find any evidence because it does not exist. Yet they insist on publishing articles that imply, if not outright state, that I have engaged in inappropriate conduct.
None of my actions as Speaker or as an attorney have been inappropriate or violative of any applicable law or ethical rule, I have imposed requirements on my law firm and myself, beyond what is required by the law, to ensure ethical conduct, and I go to great lengths to make certain there is a clear division between my law practice and my actions as a public official. Any potential law firm client who seeks a State benefit is not accepted. If a client requests my intercession with a State agency, I refuse. If a client expresses an interest in legislation, I recuse myself from consideration of the bill.
Even though the Tribune consistently ignores information that might cast their stories in a considerably different light, I am grateful to share such information with you. Enclosed you will find information relevant to the implications, as well as several inaccuracies found in the articles.
With kindest personal regards, I remain
Sincerely yours,
MICHAEL J. MADIGAN
Speaker of the House
* You should really read the whole thing. But here are some excerpts. First up, “Whether legislation that transformed the supportive living facilities pilot project into a permanent program was the result of Pathway Senior Living hiring my law firm”…
On June 2,2012, the Chicago Tribune published an article entitled “Favorable legislation flows to private clients of House Speaker Madigan.” The article implied that the passage of Senate Bill 1651 of the 94th General Assembly - which was unanimously approved by the General Assembly and became law July 26, 2005 - was somehow attributable to the relationship between my law firm and Pathway Senior Living, LLC (”Pathway”). It is true that my firm represents one of Pathway’s twelve properties, and it is presumably true that Pathway benefited from the State’s decision to make the program permanent. But neither Pathway nor I initiated the legislation. In fact, if the Tribune had researched this issue at all, they would have discovered that the legislation was the direct result of actions taken by Governor Blagojevich - who has never been mistaken for an ally of mine - and a gubernatorial agency. The legislation implemented a rule proposed by the Department of Public Aid and approved by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (”JCAR”) that ensured that the Department had sufficient statutory authority to operate the supportive living facilities program, which had proven to result in significant savings to the State of Illinois. […]
At no time did any person in my firm or I discuss this pending legislation, or any pending or proposed legislation related to Pathway’s properties or senior living facilities in general, with any officer or representative of Pathway. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, I have met with representatives of Pathway on only one occasion. My law partner, Bud Getzendanner, and I met with James Kaledjian, President of Pathway, on October 24,2004, to discuss the firm assisting with property tax issues with a senior living facility Pathway intended to build at l05th and Michigan Avenue in Chicago, now known as Victory Center of Roseland, Mr. Kaledjian’s statements in the article confirm my recollection. Additionally, I believe he made it clear that we never discussed legislative issues and that Pathway’s decision to hire my firm had nothing to do with their legislative interests.
ccordingly, it is undisputed (but barely mentioned in the June 2nd article) that this legislation (i) was initiated by a governor who by no means was an ally of mine; (ii) received unanimous legislative support; (iii) resulted in significant savings yo the State by providing a lower-cost method of care; and (iv) benefits countless poor and elderly citizens in Illinois, The Tribune reporters would ignore virtually all of this relevant information and focus, instead, on that the fact that one of the companies that owned these facilities utilized the services of my law firm for one legal project months after that legislation passed. I believe it would be clear to any reasonable person - armed with all of the relevant information, not just that cherry-picked by the reporters - that there is no connection between my firm’s representation of Pathway and the passage of that legislation.
* Another topic…
The Tribune article published on June 2,2012, implied that the passage of Senate Bill 2185 of the 94th General Assembly, which became law on January 19,2007, somehow demonstrated a conflict of interest between my firm and my public acts. Given that I voted “present” on the legislation and recused myself from consideration of the matter, I am at a loss to understand why the Tribune believes that I had a conflict of interest. I voted “present,” as I usually do on property tax issues, as an act of caution. In light of the Tribune’ s strained attempts to link my legislative actions to clients of the firm who might “benefit” from such actions, my caution appears to be well-founded. […]
Senate and House records indicate that the Illinois Equity Fund, Developer Services Group, and Illinois Health Care Association supported the legislation. Again, there is no record indicating that Pathway was a proponent of the bill. Senate Bill 2185 was approved unanimously by the General Assembly with one exception - I voted present.
* Medicaid funding spared…
The Tribune article published on June 2, 2072, states that certain Medicaid providers, such as nursing homes, pharmacies, and supportive living facilities, received favorable treatment, and they imply that this supposed preferential treatment was due to my relationship to certain facilities via my law practice. As I will explain below, their premise is incorrect - there was no favorable treatment - and, in any event, I exerted absolutely no influence to benefit any of them. […]
Despite what the Tribune perceives as my many conflicts of interest, however, I stood alone among the legislative leaders in refusing to agree to these inflated figures and by insisting that the Medicaid problem would not be resolved solely on the backs of the poor and needy, without the providers sharing in the pain. I very easily could have agreed to these higher savings estimates and, by doing so, could have spared the nursing homes, supportive living facilities, and pharmacies from any cut to their rates whatsoever. This indisputable fact, which appears nowhere in the Tribune article, belies any notion that my public positions are dictated by my law practice. […]
…the full $700 million did not need to be cut from the providers (as originally proposed by Governor Quinn) was due to several factors, namely (i) the enhanced eligibility verification; (ii) the new hospital assessment, which generated an additional $100 million for Medicaid expenses; and (iii) the use of the FY12 surplus money. […]
The Tribune makes much of the fact that the Governor’s proposal called for the elimination of funding for supportive living facilities, a proposal that the legislature rejected. According to Representative Sara Feigenholtz, the lead negotiator for the House Democrats, LMAC concluded that it was unwise to eliminate supportive living facilities, as they were more cost effective than other Medicaid providers, and resulted in substantial savings for the State, Representative Feigenholtz explained this to one of the Tribune reporters during an interview, She also stated that the decision to preserve the supportive living facilities was made in the early stages of LMAC’s work - long before one of my attorneys, David Ellis, began attending meetings. Furthermore, Representative Feigenholtz was specifically asked if I requested that these facilities be protected or that my clients receive some sort of preferential treatment, and she stated that I had never discussed this issue with her. But, again, none of this information was included in the article.
With respect to the article’s inferences that supportive living facilities received preferential treatment, let me be clear - I disagree with that premise, but regardless, I did not exert any influence or direct any outcome with respect to the supportive living facilities. […]
To any knowledgeable observer of the Medicaid negotiations, the notion that pharmacies received preferential treatment is not only false but laughable. Pharmacies, like almost every other Medicaid provider, received a rate cut of approximately 3 percent in the Medicaid legislation. Moreover, the pharmacy community - represented by the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (”IRMA”), Illinois Pharmacists Association, Association of Indian Pharmacists in America, and Illinois Council of Health System Pharmacists - had agreed in February to a significant rate cut of 5.9% in fees, and to move to performance based contracting (which could also result in a significant cut), When the across-the-board Medicaid rate cuts were announced this year, which included pharmacies, representatives of the pharmacy community furiously objected that it was unfair to subject pharmacies to a second rate cut. They lobbied one legislator after another about the unfair treatment of pharmacies. For newspaper reporters, purporting to comprehensively research a topic, to fail to capture these easily-ascertainable facts is negligent at best.
What is even worse, however, is that I am told that David Vite, president of IRMA, explained this background to one of the Tribune reporters in each of two interviews. He explained that pharmacies had agreed to rate cuts and performance based contracting earlier in the year, and that now they were subjected to an additional 3 percent cut, in addition to the fact that approximately $18 million in prescription revenues would no longer be made available because of other cuts made by LMAC. Mr. Vite explained to the reporter how pharmacies were being treated much worse than other Medicaid providers. Yet these facts did not appear anywhere in the Tribune series. Instead, the Tribune reporters skillfully avoided these inconvenient details; rather than focusing on pharmacies in particular, they simply made the global claim that pharmacies and other providers “avoided the worst of the proposals” made during the Medicaid negotiations. That claim is only technically true and, particularly in the case of the pharmacies, is incredibly incomplete and misleading
* Foreclosure legislation…
On June 4,2072, the Tribune published an article entitled, “Michael Madigan tax clients unscathed in foreclosure debate, ” Given that I have been a leading voice in combating predatory lending practices of Illinois financial institutions for more than a decade, I am offended by the Tribune’s insinuation that I would place personal gain ahead of the families that have been impacted by this crisis and the decimation of communities that has occurred as a result of thousands of boarded-up houses in my neighborhood and throughout the State. I can only assume that the reporters did not contact those who represent the financial industries in Springfield, Had they taken the time to do so, they would have learned that the industry does not view me as an ally. Joyce Nardulli, Vice President of Government Relations for the Illinois Bankers Association, has said that she disagreed with the Tribune ’s inferences, mainly because I have been anything but helpful to the banking industry.
There’s lots more. So, again, go read the whole thing.
Also, this was copied and pasted from a pdf file, so there may be some typos that I missed.
…Adding… The Tribune series is here.
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* Ali Ata cooperated with the government and will avoid prison…
Ali Ata will not go to prison for his role in the “pay-to-play” scheme of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
Ata is the former head of the Illinois Finance Authority. He was appointed to that post by Blagojevich after making a pair of $25,000 contributions to the Governor.
Ata pled guilty to making false statements to a government agent and to filing a false income tax return in 2002.
He has already paid $150,474 in restitution and was fined $50,000 on top of the four-year probation sentence.
* The US Attorney’s office and Ata’s defense counsel both argued for a light sentence…
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Fox said Ata is the most “honorable man” among all of the defendants in the case and said his testimony was important in winning the convictions of the former governor and of political fixer Tony Rezko.
Ata, a chemical engineer, was let go by Nalco, the Naperville company where he’d worked for 25 years, soon after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, according to his lawyer, Thomas McQueen. Ata was questioned by the FBI following the terrorist attacks and, because of his name, was asked to take a retirement package, McQueen said.
It was after his job dismissal that Ata focused on his real estate investments and met Rezko, McQueen said.
Ata fell under Rezko’s “spell,” he said.
In court, McQueen said that once Ata got away from Rezko’s influence, he was able to “right his wrong.”
* His firing because of his name after 9/11 was taken into consideration by Judge James Zagel…
Zagel said that seemingly wrongful dismissal may have been a significant factor in Ata’s decision to depart from an otherwise useful and honorable career.
* The Sun-Times tells us who got what so far…
† Tony Rezko, former top fund-raiser for Blagojevich and President Barack Obama, shook down companies seeking state business: 10 1/2 years in prison.
† John Glennon, a former adviser to now-imprisoned ex-Gov. George Ryan, covered up kickbacks that involved Stuart Levine, who was convicted of corrupting two state boards Blagojevich controlled: Two years of probation.
† John Harris, Blagojevich’s former chief of staff, helped Blagojevich try to sell an appointment to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Obama: 10 days in prison.
† Alonzo “Lon” Monk, law school roommate and former chief of staff who schemed with Blagojevich to get rich off state deals: Two years in prison.
† Joseph A. Cari Jr., tried to extort an investment company that sought pension-investment business from Blagojevich’s administration: Three years of probation.
* One Blagojevich-related defendant still awaiting sentencing is Bill Cellini. His lawyers are asking for a delay…
Attorneys for a Springfield powerbroker with links to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich are expected to ask for a delay to his sentencing hearing scheduled for Monday.
William Cellini’s lawyers requested a hearing for Wednesday to argue for a later sentencing date. But the motion they filed in federal court in Chicago was sealed and so their grounds for a delay weren’t clear.
Cellini’s sentencing hearing was already delayed once. Prosecutors have asked that he get up to 8 years behind bars.
*** UPDATE *** Cellini’s sentencing was, indeed, delayed today until October…
Cellini, 77, was scheduled to be sentenced July 23 but his attorneys asked U.S. District Judge James Zagel to postpone the date because of Cellini’s failing health.
Cellini’s attorneys said that their client suffered a heart attack in June. A few days later, he suffered a blood clot, they said.
Cellini’s lawyer Dan Webb wouldn’t comment further but said Cellini’s doctors were made available to prosecutors.
“The issue is Bill’s health and whether he can travel for sentencing,” Webb said.
Prosecutors did not object to the continuance request.
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* Mark Brown and I are pretty much on the same page…
[Former state Sen. Rickey] Hendon’s fingerprints turned up all over a federal criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday in U.S. District Court, where seven people — most of them with some connection to his political organization — were charged with paying kickbacks to a make-believe federal official in exchange for $25,000 government grants.
While Hendon is not named in the complaint, among the defendants are his former campaign treasurer, Dean Nichols, of Oak Park, and three others who had been paid for doing work for his campaign committee — Reggi Hopkins, Regina Hollie and Anthony Johnson, all of Chicago. Another defendant, Elliott Kozel, had been a small-time Hendon campaign contributor.
The criminal complaint goes out of its way to mention that Nichols was the treasurer for a campaign committee for a former Illinois state senator, which is how the U.S. attorney’s office blows a kiss to somebody like Hendon to make sure he knows they’re still thinking about him.
They also mention that the nephew of this former state senator has drawn their attention. The complaint says that the senator, clearly meaning Hendon, insisted that his nephew get cut in on two grants totaling $210,000 that he helped Hopkins obtain in 2007 and 2008.
Hendon had received plenty of prior notice that the feds have him in their sights.
Long before Tuesday’s arrests, it had been previously reported that federal authorities out of Springfield were investigating allegations that thousands of dollars from state health-care grants had been paid to Hendon campaign workers. Two women involved with the Chicago Chapter of the National Black Nurses Association were indicted last June for allegedly siphoning off $500,000 from state grants that Hendon had helped them obtain.
* Greg Hinz…
What may be more interesting, however, are comments in an affidavit filed by an FBI agent about Mr. Hendon and another defendant, Reggie Hopkins.
Describing Mr. Hendon only as “a former state senator” whose campaign treasurer was Mr. Nichols, the agent attested that, in 2007, Mr. Hopkins received a $190,000 state grant.
The grant allegedly was steered to him by the former state senator — with the understanding that “a portion of the proceeds” would go to the senator’s nephew and Mr. Nichols.
Mr. Hopkins’ group, called MIW Foundation, also received a $20,000 grant in 2008, allegedly submitting a budget that showed that the former state senator’s nephew would get $3,250 and Mr. Hopkins $4,250 in salary.
Beyond that, in a recorded conversation Mr. Hopkins told the confidential witness that he was donating 15 percent of grant payments back to Mr. Hendon as a campaign “donation.”
In a press release, Acting U.S. Attorney Gary Shapiro describes that ex-state-senator matter as “background for the investigation.”
* Sun-Times…
The charges make clear that federal law enforcement is attempting to lift the veil on the way taxpayer money is passed out in Springfield.
Charges detail a system in which tens of thousands of dollars in state grants could easily be directed to cronies and relatives, with seemingly little oversight or back checks to see who is actually receiving money at a time when Illinois has reached a fiscal budget crisis. The charges say that in 2007, Hopkins received a $190,000 grant that Hendon earmarked allegedly with the understanding that Hopkins would “provide a portion of the proceeds to [Hendon’s] nephew.” State records show that money went to an organization called MIW Foundation. Hopkins told the cooperator in a conversation that was caught on tape that what he had “been doing is donating 15 percent of what I make off of grants, back to [Hendon’s] campaign . . . I just do it as a donation.”
Hopkins and Nichols each were donors to Hendon, with Nichols — described in state campaign records as an accountant — giving the former West Side Democrat $4,500 in contributions and loans.
The complaint is here.
Discuss.
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Should the feds have used this mole?
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* We’ll get to the Rickey Hendon stuff soon, but one of the least covered aspects of yesterday’s mass arrest of seven people for federal bribery conspiracy was the mole the feds used to set everybody up. From the federal criminal complaint…
Cooperating Witness (“CW”) is a Chicago Police officer. In July 2008, CW was arrested in the course of an investigation of public corruption and gun trafficking occurring in the Chicago area. CW is not currently facing any criminal charges, but will likely be charged in the future with attempted extortion and firearms-related offenses. CW has been cooperating with the government since July 2008 in the hopes of a recommendation for a reduced sentence in connection with these potential charges.
According to CW, he has known NICHOLS for more than 20 years. According to CW, he met NICHOLS when NICHOLS was an accountant for an auto repair business owned by CW’s family. CW stated that in the early 1990s, NICHOLS owned a bar managed by CW.
According to CW, he and NICHOLS attempted to bribe a former City of Chicago alderman by offering $10,000 in exchange for CW receiving a promotion within the Chicago Police Department. According to CW and the former alderman, who confirmed the offer, neither the payment nor the promotion ever occurred.
The feds are using a Chicago police officer who they busted four years ago during a probe of “public corruption and gun trafficking,” and who admits that he tried to bribe his way into a promotion.
Moles are often shady characters. I get it. That’s just the way things have to be done. And any change in his status as a police officer might have really hurt the feds’ investigation.
But that cop has been on the job for four years even though he admits to being pretty darned crooked.
Don’t get me wrong here. I want the US Attorney’s office to go after corruption hard. Very hard. As hard as they can. I’m just a bit uncomfortable, however, knowing that the cop is apparently still on active duty.
Your thoughts?
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Today’s quotes
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* State Rep. John Cavaletto (R-Salem) on Gov. Quinn’s plan to close several state facilities and Quinn’s refusal to meet with protesters this week who would be impacted by that closure plan…
[Cavaletto] states those losing their jobs should have been told before the Governor made the announcement to close the facilities. “The thing about it is, if the Governor is doing the right thing by closing these facilities, then he should face the people. But when you’re closing them and running away, then it’s a sign that you’re doing the wrong thing, and you don’t want to face the music. So a tough decision being governor is one thing, and you got to face the people when you make them, but you should talk with the people before you make them to let them know what you’re planning on doing, and then if you got to do it, go ahead and do it, and we’ll all understand”, said Cavaletto.
He says you can’t shut down facilities and throw people aside like they’re nothing, and says that is the problem with the state of Illinois. “We’ve got no compassion for the people who are losing their jobs, and no compassion for the people at Murray Center who have to be moved and go to another facility or home or somewhere far away from their moms and dads. This is the sad part about this; it’s a humanistic thing”, said Cavaletto.
Cavaletto says corn will grow again, but the lives of people are short, and the lives of those who are being moved out of developmental disability facilities could be shorter.
* From the Southern Illinoisan editorial board…
Gov. Quinn, we appreciate your candor on the closures and your willingness to announce drought aid in Southern Illinois. But frankly you took us by surprise by holding a news conference far off the beaten path and far apart from the apparent destination. We might have expected this of your predecessor, federal prisoner Rod Blagojevich, but even your critics considered you a stand-up guy.
You wouldn’t have made new friends by meeting the protesters eye-to-eye, but you would at least have tried to earn their respect. It was an opportunity to stand your ground and answer questions from the public — including people who trusted you with their votes for governor. We expected more from you, governor. We are disappointed.
* WSIL TV’s Fanna Haile-Selassie…
The news media was told to be at a Waltonville farmer’s home by a certain time. My photographer, Jared Roberts, and I began conducting interviews when we overheard the press conference would be held somewhere else. We were told we would be moving in a caravan to the actual location where the governor was giving his speech. We were near the front of a very long caravan of reporters, Farm Bureau officials, and state officials. We were led a couple miles away, down a long, single-lane farm road that eventually opened into a corn field. It was already packed with the governor’s staff and several satellite trucks from Champaign and St. Louis media outlets, so we were stuck on the road with nowhere to move.
One of the governor’s security staff came out and saw the long line of cars and immediately started yelling at everyone to clear the road, to somehow turn around, and then walk back to the news conference. Since we were at the front of the caravan, I grabbed the camera and microphone and quickly went to the meeting, while Jared dealt with the big screaming match between reporters and the governor’s security staff.
The governor began speaking just as I was setting up my camera. He did not wait for the rest of the media to get there. Several reporters missed half the conference because of the parking issue.
There was no explanation given for the change of venue, but it appeared the governor was trying to avoid the rallying prison workers. Considering that the governor gives hundreds of speeches every year, there really is no excuse for the lack of communication and horrible planning that went into the Waltonville news conference
* Governor Quinn’s Press Secretary Brooke Anderson…
“To be clear, there was an issue with the Farm Bureau’s satellite feed yesterday and the schedule was accelerated last minute as a result. While we regret that there was any confusion or inconvenience, we tried to be as accommodating as possible in addressing this unforeseen circumstance and worked to ensure that reporters had access to the governor and the announcement, which they did.”
Discuss.
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Pay raise case in a legal dodgeball
Tuesday, Jul 17, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Cook County Judge Richard Billik Jr. ruled last month that an arbitrator that had ruled in favor of AFSCME over Gov. Pat Quinn’s refusal to grant pay raises needed to consider whether the $75 million needed to fund the raises wasn’t appropriated by the General Assembly. According to AFSCME, the arbitrator declined and has kicked the case back to the judge…
Arbitrator Ed Benn has declined a Cook County judge’s remand of the case regarding Gov. Quinn’s refusal to pay negotiated wage increases, stating that the issues involved are beyond the purview of an arbitrator.
In late June, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Richard Billik referred the case regarding Quinn’s refusal to pay negotiated wage increases to Arbitrator Ed Benn for fact-finding. The judge said that he wanted the Quinn Administration to have the opportunity to establish its public policy defense and directed the arbitrator to make a determination regarding the Administration’s claim that there are “insufficient appropriated funds” to allow payment of the wage increases.
On Monday, July 16 Arbitrator Benn issued a decision in which he declined to accept the case. Benn wrote that unanswered questions in the case are matters of law that must be considered by the court. “[A]rbitrators interpret collective bargaining agreements and courts interpret statutes, the Constitution and public policy,” he wrote.
Consequently, Benn stated, he is returning the case to Judge Billik.
The arbitrator also underscored the gravity of the state’s claim that it is not bound by a contract should the legislature fail to appropriate what the executive branch deems are sufficient funds. “[T]his dispute has other ramifications of immense importance beyond this case and impacts the collective bargaining process in this State,” Benn wrote.
Benn had previously determined that Quinn’s pay freeze was a clear violation of the AFSCME collective bargaining agreement and ordered the governor to pay the wage increases. The case has been tied up in court for over a year after the governor refused to comply and instead filed suit to vacate Benn’s award.
In his decision, Benn emphasized the significant previous sacrifices made by state employees to help balance the budget, and Governor Quinn’s failure to keep his end of the agreement. “The concessions granted by the Union to the State … in the CSAs [Cost Savings Agreements] amounted to approximately $400,000,000. … [A]fter accepting the concessions … the State agreed to pay a 2% wage increase on July 1, 2011 … and then failed to make that 2% payment to all employees. That is a contract violation as I found.”
* AFSCME’s statement…
Governor Quinn has broken his word to the men and women who provide vital public services, he is directly violating a collective bargaining agreement, and now it is clear that he has provoked a legal challenge to the very bedrock of the collective bargaining rights of workers in Illinois. It is shameful that a governor who pays lip service to the best interests of working people has put in motion this litigious assault on the basic tenets of good labor relations. We shouldn’t have to win a court battle to make the governor respect workers, honor their contract and comply with the law, but we will do whatever it takes to uphold our collective bargaining agreement and protect workers’ rights.
Some background here and here.
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* From the US Attorney’s office…
Seven defendants arrested today will begin appearing at approximately 3:30 p.m. today – before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole in Courtroom #1838 in the Dirksen Federal Courthouse – with new federal public corruption charges expected to be unsealed at that time. Copies of the charges and a detailed press release will be distributed via email and the U.S. Attorney’s Office website after the charges are unsealed.
Do not speculate in comments We’ll all know soon enough. Don’t get yourself banned for life. Thanks.
*** UPDATE 3:51 pm *** From Ben Bradley’s Twitter feed…
The 7 charged are all fairly low level government employees. At least one is a Cook Co Sheriff.
*** UPDATE 4:00 pm *** One of those charged is Dean Nichols, who was once former Sen. Rickey Hendon’s campaign treasurer. From the US Attorney…
SEVEN DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH BRIBERY CONSPIRACY TO OBTAIN
FICTITIOUS FEDERAL GRANTS AS PART OF FBI UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION
CHICAGO — Federal corruption charges were unsealed today against seven defendants who were arrested and charged with bribery conspiracy for allegedly paying kickbacks to a purported federal agency official, who did not actually exist, in return for awarding purported $25,000 cash grants from the agency. The charges stem from an FBI undercover investigation of the defendants, who include a campaign treasurer for a former Illinois state senator and two Cook County Sheriff’s Department corrections officers. The defendants allegedly believed that they were able to obtain multiple $25,000 grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in exchange for returning $5,000 to the fictitious HHS official and others involved in the scheme.
In fact, there was no corrupt HHS official and no federal agency grants were involved. Instead, those elements were involved only as part of the scenario of the undercover investigation. Acting at the direction of law enforcement, a Cooperating Witness (CW) informed defendant Dean Nichols that the CW had a friend affiliated with HHS who was willing to provide $25,000 agency grants in exchange for kickbacks. After being offered this opportunity, Nichols allegedly presented CW with several other individuals, including co-defendants Reggi Hopkins, Elliott Kozel, and Anthony Johnson, who were allegedly willing to submit applications to obtain these grants in return for $5,000 kickbacks, which would be divided into $1,250 payments to four individuals: the fictitious HHS official approving the grants; an undercover FBI agent who was purportedly associated with the HHS official; the CW; and Nichols, according to the criminal complaint unsealed today.
Similarly, Kozel, a Cook County corrections officer, allegedly presented several other co-defendants, including his supervisor, Mary Smith, along with Bryant Jessup, and Regina Hollie, who were allegedly also willing to submit applications to obtain these grants in return for $5,000, which would be divided into $1,250 payments to the fictitious HHS official, the undercover agent, the CW and Kozel, the charges allege.
Nichols, 62, of Oak Park, was charged with three counts of bribery conspiracy, and Kozel, 51, Chicago, was charged with four counts. Hopkins, 43, of Chicago; Johnson, 59, of Chicago; Smith, 54, of South Holland; Hollie, 48, of Chicago; and Jessup, 51, of Chicago, were each charged with one count of bribery conspiracy.
All seven defendants were arrested today and were scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole in Federal Court in Chicago.
The arrests and charges were announced by Gary S. Shapiro, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
As background for the investigation, the complaint affidavit states that Nichols was a treasurer of the campaign committee for a former Illinois state senator. While assisting the state senator’s campaign committee, Nichols allegedly helped steer State of Illinois grants to certain organizations, including a $50,000 grant to an organization operated by Nichols’ daughter from 2005 to 2006, and a $190,000 grant in 2007 to an organization operated by Hopkins with the understanding that a portion of the proceeds would go to Nichols and the state senator’s nephew.
The affidavit describes the CW as a Chicago police officer who began cooperating with the government in July 2008 during an investigation of public corruption and gun-trafficking in the Chicago area. The CW is not yet facing any criminal charges but will likely be charged in the future with attempted extortion and firearms-related offenses, the affidavit states. According to the CW, he has known Nichols for more than 20 years and they met when Nichols was an accountant for an auto repair business owned by the CW’s family. In the early 1990s, the CW managed a bar owned by Nichols. The CW and Nichols attempted to bribe a former Chicago alderman by offering $10,000 in exchange for the CW receiving a promotion within the Chicago Police Department, but, according to the CW and the former alderman, who confirmed the offer, neither the payment nor the promotion ever occurred, the affidavit states.
In July 2011, the CW recorded a conversation with Nichols in which the CW explained that the CW had “run into a friend” who was working for HHS and had authority to hand-out multiple $25,000 grants “like candy” in exchange for kickbacks. In discussing the opportunity, Nichols told the CW that they had to “get people that we trust,” the complaint states.
About a week later, the CW and Nichols met for lunch with the undercover agent, who was posing as someone working for a private agency that contracted with HHS to issue grants and who had the ability get $25,000 grants approved by bribing the fictitious HHS official. The three then allegedly discussed the volume of grants they could obtain and how the grants would be broken into installment payments, with a $5,000 kickback being paid after the grant recipient received the first $10,000 installment.
In August and September 2011, Nichols allegedly provided the CW and the undercover agent with grant applications for “Edutainment Services, Inc.,” listing Hopkins as president, and “Children’s Athletic Program,” listing Kozel as president. In a September 2011 recorded conversation, the CW told Nichols that Hopkins would be receiving the first grant and Kozel would receive the second grant. Nichols allegedly asked if the undercover agent could hand-deliver the checks instead of mailing them, and further conversation disclosed that Nichols was allegedly concerned about a federal investigation and avoiding federal mail fraud charges.
In a recorded meeting later in September 2011, Nichols allegedly provided the CW with 31 completed grant applications and said that he thought he and the CW could have as many as 40 grantees in total. Nichols allegedly calculated that he and the CW personally would obtain $100,000 from 40 grantees, and added that, together, they could buy “a big summer home” in Michigan if the grants worked out, the charges allege.
The complaint describes in detail the purported installment payments that were made to the grantees recruited by Nichols and Kozel and the alleged kickbacks that the defendants then paid from the proceeds. In November 2011, the CW audio and video recorded a meeting with Kozel in which the CW provided Kozel with a purported $10,000 grant payment, and Kozel said that he planned to take children who were purportedly going to attend his program “out for chicken wings, take them to Chucky Cheese“ and would also give them a tour of the Cook County Jail and talk about drugs, the affidavit states. In addition to recruiting Smith, his supervisor, as a potential grantee, Kozel said another potential grantee was his girlfriend and he had “made up” an organization for her, according to the complaint.
Nichols allegedly provided the CW with a grant application for Johnson’s organization, Children At Risk. State records show that Children At Risk received a total of $65,000 in Illinois state grants from 2006 through 2008. The affidavit cites a July 2008 published media report indicating that frequently no one could be found at an address for Children At Risk and quoted Johnson as saying the program was “in flux.” Kozel allegedly provided the CW with a grant application for Jessup’s organization, the J.A.M.A. Center NFP, which also received approximately $65,000 in Illinois state grants from 2006 to 2008.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Fox, Margaret J. Schneider, and Michael T. Donovan.
Each count of conspiracy to commit bribery carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. [Emphasis added.]
*** UPDATE 4 *** Steve Rhodes published this passage from Hendon’s book “Backstabbers“…
It turns out [Dean] Nichols and [Patricia] Horton were candidates Hendon ran for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District board. Their campaigns are Hendon’s prime examples in this book.
The way Hendon portrays it, the whole state was breathlessly watching.
Apparently delusional thinking isn’t the sole province of the governor’s office.
The funny thing is that - 40 pages later - after Hendon describes the painstaking process of getting his candidates on the ballot and surviving petition challenges, he decides later that “I now needed Dean Nichols to GET OFF THE BALLOT!!”
Why?
“It was clear to me from the beginning that we could come to this point. Both of my candidates filed on the first day and were in the lottery. Nichols pulled the third top ballot position and Patricia Horton pulled the fourth spot. There are twelve candidates running.
“I was trying to cut some deals and get other elected officials to carry my candidates but most of them would only commit to one of them.
“Some people liked Nichols while others preferred Horton. There was talk about me being greedy by trying to get two at one time. This can be disastrous to an elected official or a mover and shaker. Greed is not well received and ONE IS BETTER THAN NONE. So I met with Dean Nichols and explained our situation. If Dean agreed to step down Pat Horton would move up to being third on the ballot and this would give her a much better chance to get elected.”
Oy.
But that’s not all.
“I caught the opposition’s people checking out my sign sheets at the Board of Elections. They also requested my time sheets from my job at the Board of Review . . .”
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Drought politics
Tuesday, Jul 17, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Union members and southern Illinois legislators weren’t the only people attempting to garner a little media attention yesterday when Gov. Pat Quinn held a press conference about drought disaster relief. A northern Illinois legislator also tried to get in on the act…
State Rep. Jack Franks is calling on Gov. Pat Quinn to add McHenry County to the list of communities declared drought disasters.
More than 1,000 communities in 26 states have been declared natural-disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including some southern Illinois communities. The disaster declaration makes low-interest loans available to farmers to cover crop losses and provides other assistance for those struggling in adverse growing conditions. […]
“While southern Illinois farmers are facing the prospect of complete crop losses due to drought conditions, McHenry County farmers are also dealing with extremely dry conditions with no end in sight,” Franks said in a news release.
* From the latest update by the Illinois Water Survey…
As you can see, northern Illinois is in a drought, but it’s nowhere near as severe as central and southern Illinois.
* And here’s the trigger…
counties have demonstrated crop reduction losses of 30 percent or more, which is the USDA threshold for triggering disaster relief
* Quinn added several more counties to the disaster list yesterday…
* A photo from yesterday. Not good at all…
* But there is no doubt that this is a statewide problem…
Only two percent of the state’s topsoil moisture is adequate right now, and only four percent of the subsoil moisture is in that category.
Corn development continues to be stunted by hot and dry conditions. Many fields are turning yellow, which typically does not happen until mid-August. Nearly all of the corn is silking at 93 percent, compared to 52 percent at this time last year, which was about average. Corn in the dough stage is well ahead of the six percent average pace at 20 percent. Only 11 percent of the Illinois corn crop is rated good or excellent this week, down eight percentage points from last week.
The state is seeing 70 percent of its soybean crop blooming, compared to 37 percent last year and the five-year average of 42 percent. Fifteen percent of the soybean crop is setting pods. Just 17 percent of soybeans are rated good or excellent, down three percent from last week.
* And a national problem…
The drought gripping the United States is the widest since 1956, according to new data released Monday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Fifty-five per cent of the continental U.S. was in a moderate to extreme drought by the end of June, NOAA’s National Climactic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina, said in its monthly State of the Climate drought report. That’s the largest percentage since December 1956, when 58 per cent of America was covered by drought.
This summer, 80 per cent of the U.S. is abnormally dry, and the report said the drought expanded in the West, Great Plains and Midwest last month with the 14th warmest and 10th driest June on record.
Franks may well get his wish soon enough.
* Related…
* Illinois drought relief efforts expanded
* State law allows harvesting hay on rights-of-way
* Drought could have lasting impact on livestock production
* Drought likely to hit you hard in the pocketbook
* Mississippi River runs low as drought grips St. Louis region: At Ceres Barge Line, based in East St. Louis, 70 percent of the 200-barge fleet is tied up at the dock. Owner Mark Fletcher blames the drought, which also continues to ravage the corn crop and threaten the soybean crop. Prices are going up, and export demand is dipping.
* Stephenson County added to drought relief request list
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* A reader sent in this report from Gov. Pat Quinn’s southern Illinois press conference yesterday where he focused on the massive drought…
I just wanted to give you some information on Quinn’s visit to Waltonville. I went there with the union, I retired from [redacted]. Our plan was to give him a warm southern Illinois welcome. We wanted to bring attention to Quinn’s closing of the facilities, especially the danger of closing Tamms. He has no idea the danger this will bring to staff. I did 17 years at Menard and 14 at Pinckneyville I’ve seen what can happen. If God forbid a staff member would get killed because he closes Tamm’s, the blood will be on Quinn’s hands.
Anyway here is what he did at Waltonville today. We were waiting for him at the farm he was suppose to visit. Also the farmers, press and I would guess dignitaries were there waiting also. We were standing out by the road and then about 1:30 all hell breaks loose. All the news crews take off and a bunch of other people went running to there cars and took off.
I guess Quinn got scared because we were there. When I was standing out by the road earlier I notice a couple U plate state cars and a black Crown Vic with tinted windows cruise by a couple times just a short time before everybody took off. I don’t know if they were scoping it out before Quinn got there. We all got to our cars and tried to find out were they went. It took us a while to get to the car, we couldn’t park too close. I figured we could find him, Waltonville isn’t too big. But we never found them, they could have went down any farm road. We kind looked like the Keystone Cops running around.
* Illinois Statehouse News has more…
Quinn did not stop to speak with the protesters, which included both prison and developmental center employees, as well as families who have relatives who use the facilities slated for closure, according to Ed Caumiant, regional director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31.
A police officer turned away the protesters when they showed up at the entrance to a dirt lane that led to the site of the news conference.
“I think it’s, frankly, kind of cowardly to play hide and go seek with your event just to avoid people who have something to say,” Caumiant said.
Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson said rumors the location for the news conference was changed to dodge the protesters were incorrect.
“The farm today was selected because the owner volunteered it to allow us to inspect the damage and make the relief announcement,” she said. […]
Quinn, a Democrat, said the closures will go forward, noting that some of the facilities are only half full.
“We are not building prisons or any center for the sole purpose of employment. We have to understand the common good comes first,” Quinn said.
“In our state, the Legislature funded those particular institutions, but they underfunded our Department of Children and Family Services, and we cannot have that. We cannot have abused children in dire straits.
“I have to make decisions, many times very difficult, but I make those decisions on behalf of the common good, and I stick to them.”
* Some Republican legislators weren’t happy with the way the thing went down…
State Sen. John O. Jones, R-Mount Vernon, in a statement blasted Quinn’s handling of the news conference.
“Neither Gov. Quinn nor his staff had the courtesy to reach out to local legislators to announce his presence; we read about his appearance on Saturday thanks to a reporter’s column,” Jones said. “Gov. Quinn’s flippant attitude about the facility closures is even worse than the way that his staff handled (Monday’s) press conference.
“He talks a good game about working with every legislator on fixing our state’s fiscal issues, but what we have here is nothing more than empty rhetoric. This was a fiasco and absolutely shameful.”
State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, also said he was unaware the news conference would be at different location.
Luechtefeld said he and state Rep. John Cavaletto, R-Salem, tried to attend the news conference, but had to park near the back of the line and then were told the governor may not have been there.
“It sure was strange,” Luechtefeld said. “It just was.”
* Rep. Jason Barickman is frustrated that he can’t get a response…
Quinn’s office also cites what it calls $11.6 million in “critical maintenance needs” at Dwight, including roofing repairs, water treatment facility upgrades, building rehabs and shower repairs. Barickman said the village of Dwight has offered the state assistance on its water and sewer issues at the prison, with little or no response.
* Quinn was asked why he didn’t talk with the protesters…
Governor Pat Quinn is standing firm on his decision to close several large developmental and mental health facilities in the state, including Murray Center in Centralia. He was questioned by reporters about the closures and why he has not talked to the impacted state workers while in Waltonville Monday afternoon to discuss the drought.
“Basically our state is going to have less institutions when it comes to those with mental illness and those with developmental disabilities”, Quinn said. “We’re going in a different direction; we believe in independent living. The opportunity for everyone, no matter what their situation to have an independent life, and that’s a decision that I made, and I’m going to stick to it”, said Quinn.
In regards to closing Tamms Prison and other correctional facilities, Quinn says employees with the Department of Corrections will have the opportunity to work within the department for positions they can apply for, and says there will be substitute jobs for those employees.
* The governor also talked about the Dwight prison on a Downstate radio station today…
In an interview on WJBC, the Chicago Democrat said the state must trim spending anywhere it can, and he’s been given assurances from the Illinois Department of Corrections Director Tony Godinez that closing two under-utilized facilities, the all-female prison in Dwight and supermax prison in Tamms, would be an effective way to streamline operations.
“We’ve got to make sure in our budget we have facilities that need to be closed in order to save money to make sure we have a balanced budget. It’s the only way to go,” Quinn said. […]
Quinn didn’t give specifics on how Logan Correctional Center in Logan County would be retrofitted to house the inmates from Dwight. He only said the state would be “looking at what it’s options are.”
As for concerns that Pontiac Correctional Center would become dangerous to other inmates and staff by taking in the most violent offenders from Tamms, Quinn said, “We have to incarcerate the worst of the worst,” but added that sentencing reforms lawmakers have already approved would alleviate overcrowding.
* However, one facility may get a reprieve…
Governor Quinn did say he would take a look at closing the Centralia Animal Disease Lab once more because of the current drought conditions, and what the lab can do to help. “That’s something that given the drought that we may want to revisit with respect to our lab in Centralia. I think sometimes when circumstances happen, you have to deal with those on an immediate basis”, said Quinn. The lab does tests for water, nitrate, corn, as well as other vital testing that concerns agriculture and public health. The lab is scheduled to close August 31st.
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Jul 17, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will host the nation’s lieutenant governors in Chicago this week as the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) convenes its 50th annual conference in Illinois.
Expected to generate over $600,000 in hotel, transportation, restaurant and tourism revenue, 30 lieutenant governors and their staffs will meet at the Drake Hotel on Wednesday through Friday to identify policies that can improve college completion rates, link veterans to employment, increase access to locally grown food and combat domestic violence, among other issues.
Simon, the NLGA’s Midwest Region Chair, and Governor Pat Quinn will conduct the conference’s opening ceremonies Wednesday morning.
“I value this opportunity to showcase Chicago and share innovative strategies to grow our state and nation,” Lt. Governor Simon said.
* The Question: What should be the National Lieutenant Governors Association’s Chicago convention slogan this year?
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