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Alexi Giannoulias has used his family bank at every turn to show how qualified he is to be treasurer. It was Giannoulias who said he has met with “Jaws” Giorango at the bank “a few” times, and described him as “a very nice person” and, according to the Tribune, questioned whether Giorango was really a criminal.
Here’s more about Giorango, from Knight-Ridder’s archives.
From Laws’ 20th-floor condo at 405 N. Wabash Ave., the muscular riverfront skyline spilled into a crosshatched quilt of lights. Here, perched near the Sun-Times building, Laws ran a lucrative arm of the “Circuit,” an upscale prostitution ring that flourished in Chicago and 10 other U.S. cities between 1995 and 2002, federal court papers show.The prostitutes, who charged $350 to $1,000 an hour, stayed in each city a week or two, in swank apartments maintained by madams such as Laws. The Circuit’s midtown Manhattan penthouse was a romper room of cocaine and Viagra, courtesans in slinky eveningwear and pay-for-sex pathos. […]
What sort of man paid for sex on the Circuit? Court records show they included well-connected business executives such as real estate investor and former bookie Michael Giorango, a twice-convicted Chicago bookmaker who reinvented himself as a real estate investor who controlled Miami Beach hotels and more than a dozen Chicago properties.
Federal prosecutors alleged that Giorango promoted the Circuit operation of Miami madam Judy Krueger by encouraging her prostitutes to work from one of his Miami hotels and by using the women to entertain and entice his business associates. “There was a parasitic relationship between (Giorango) and Judy Krueger’s prostitution business,” federal prosecutors wrote in court papers.
Giorango declined to comment. In January, a federal jury in Miami convicted him of violating the Travel Act by using a telephone in interstate commerce to promote Krueger’s operation, according to a Justice Department press release and court records.
From yesterday’s Tribune story.
Broadway Bank lent Giorango and one of his property firms $2.5 million and extended a line of credit allowing him to borrow an additional $2.5 million, Miami-Dade County land records show. Those loans helped him finance his acquisition of the Lorraine Hotel in Miami Beach.
Now, there’s zero evidence that the bank knew what Giorango was doing with his hotel, and, as the Trib says, “the transactions don’t appear to be illegal,” but eyebrows had to rise all over town when Giannoulias said, “I don’t know what the charges are that makes him this huge crime figure.”
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 8:21 am
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Madigan states he wants Mangieri so the ticket isn’t a Chicago only ticket. However, I think the real motivation is to keep a young and ambitious guy out of the way for a Lisa run for Governor in 4 years.
Comment by Schiznitz Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 9:03 am
Who’s running Alexi G’s campaign? It’s a disaster.
Comment by anonymous Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 9:14 am
Let’s see how this works
The Attorney General works to break up the Emerald Casino deal
Alexander take $2,500 from Kevin Flynn of the Emerald Casino debacle.
Alexander sounds like a blue ribbon “reform” candidate to me.
Comment by HeKnowsBarack Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 9:15 am
Amen to the second comment, and this isn’t about Mike Madigan or Lisa Madigan - it’s about a candidate running who’s too young, too inexperienced and should earn this office through some public service and Democratic Party hard work. He’s not ready for “prime time” and never should have been pushed into this race.
Comment by anonymous Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 9:17 am
Let’s see how this works. We have a candidate for treasurer who is being sent down the gangplank toward a big defeat in the fall, with too many unanswered questions about his past, and folks want to make this about Lisa Madigan?
Diversion is a tactic, but won’t work on this one.
Comment by anonymous Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 9:19 am
I had bought into the Alexi crap and had planned to vote for him. But after reading these stories I am switching gears and going with Mangieri. Pissed at myself for going with someone who hasn’t paid his dues, has no experience and just bought all of his political friends. I’m also pissed at the pols that have been backing this kid. I’m from Chicago but I’m also pissed I blew off the arguement about having a downstater on the ticket. It’s easy for us in Chicago to think its not a big deal but all we are doing is erroding any inroads the dems have made downstate over the past few years.
Comment by anon Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 9:54 am
I don’t begrudge Alexi for running and just because you have money doesn’t mean you couldn’t be a good candidate — However, for those of us you have served the public and those of us you have seen what public service means to the citizens of Illinois I would hope you would cast your vote for Paul Mangieri — and ask all your family and friends to do so. Paul has a proven track record of public service as Knox County States Attornery and service to our country as a JAG officer. Those of us who’ve been there know that at times public service is trying at best - but Paul has kept going — knowing that good people can make a difference for all! We need people like this leading our party and working for all citizens of the state.
Comment by anon Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 10:03 am
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha… Alexi G. is no threat to Lisa Madigan’s ambition to be Governor — there are soooooooo many more people who constitute a threat to Lisa than Alexi. There is no way Alexi will ever be Governor.
Comment by Just Observing Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 10:41 am
I voted for Alexi because I am Greek. I also voted for Maragos. If you’re a Greek Democrat and didn’t vote for them, you better not go to the Independence Day Parade, because you have betrayed your people.
Comment by Moustaki Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 10:52 am
Can someone explain to me why prostitution is illegal? Is that not the dumbest law ever thought of? How about if 2 people are engaged in a voluntary transaction, the government stays out of it? Neither party believes in the free market any more. Too bad the Libertarians have no political acumen whatsoever, else they might win a few offices and enact smart policies.
I’m voting for Alexi because prostitution should be legal, and any one who helps subvert this dumb law will get my vote and contribution.
Comment by Smart Man Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 10:59 am
Hey, did you hear that Barack Obama endorsed Giannoulias? I really don’t think Alexi’s doing enough to make that known.
Comment by I Can be Straight Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 11:01 am
Mangieri might be a nice guy — but he is a JOKE of a candidate. If he is such a worthy candidate, how come the party couldn’t get him elected against a retired IDOT engineer in the race for an open State Senate seat (which he also spent nearly $1 million on)?
Mangieri is a weak, weak, weak, weak candidate, no matter how many times someone reminds us he served in the JAG corps.
As for all these questions on Alexi’s ethics, also extremely weak. Just like the post admits, there is no evidence of wrongdoing or the bank financing illegal activities, and there has been no, NONE, zero federal, state or local investigation into or action against the Bank’s loans.
Robert Grant, the FBI’s special agent in charge in Chicago, has called Illinois one of the most corrupt states in the nation. As I read all the comments on Alexi the last few days, I am struck at the absurdity of people questioning the ethics of someone who has done nothing wrong, especially when he is going against the recommendation of those who have presided over, benefited from and rely on a bankrupt and corrupt system.
Keep going DPI minions, maybe if Mangieri wins there will be a job or loan in it for you guys somewhere (after all, by his own admission, he does need a deputy treasurer that knows more than him).
Comment by John 3:16 Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 11:47 am
My vote is for Alexi. The DPI is afraid because their candidate is weak so they are finding anything they can to discredit him. I am ashamed of being called a Democrat because of how low the DPI as sunk. SHAME ON YOU.
Comment by Arthedis Friday, Mar 17, 06 @ 6:21 pm
Yes. lets not give candidates Like Giannoulias a chance. Lets keep electing more seasoned politicains like Mayor Daley (hired truck scandal. asphalt scandal, fixed hiring scandals, bid rigging scandals….gee but lets keep voting for him or maybe we need a more seasoned politician like George Ryan….. enough said!!!!!
When will the voters of Chicago and Illinois learn. Seems like the press are afraid of people like these…..or they sleep with this type of candidate. Gee our mayor has cost us millions of taxpayers money but yet he’s not touched. Hmmmm makes me wonder……
Comment by anon Thursday, Mar 30, 06 @ 6:24 am
When you guys come up with something that Giannnoulias has done wrong, then maybe I will change my vote. Until then stay the course kid the real crooks in government are afraid of you. The old time politicians know with you it won’t be business as usual.
Comment by Fedup Thursday, Mar 30, 06 @ 6:30 am