2Feb/13

Chicago Review Press: Do they ignore the facts?

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Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief

 

Since the release of the book "Golden," by authors and Chicago Tribune reporters John Chase and Jeff Coen, serious questions have been raised about the honesty of the book's claims.

IP2P has received information from several sources that lead us to conclude this: Someone is not telling the truth about the claims made in the Chicago Review Press publication.

These public assertions lead us to that conclusion:

(1) The man who warned Rod Blagojevich that the feds were recording him, Tribune reporter John Chase, was a co-author of the book.

(2) Chase and Coen claim, in their book, to have listened to, and read, the transcripts of all the Blagojevich wiretaps...that have never been made public.

(3) The U.S. Attorney's Office insists the wiretap tapes and transcripts were provided to no one - including Chase and Coen.  Even though Chase and Coen insist that the USAO did provide the material.

(4) Prior to Chicago Review Press publishing "Golden," a credible source made attempts to provide important information to the publisher that would have helped insure that their book was factual.

U.S. Attorney's Office claims author's of Blagojevich book "Golden" lying

(5) To date, Cynthia Sherry and the Chicago Review Press have refused to answer basic questions that a publisher should expect from the media: (A) Did Chicago Review Press fact-check the book they published as non-fiction? (B) Did the authors actually have access to the tapes and transcripts of the Blagojevich wiretaps that were not made public?

From: (Redacted)

To: csherry

Sent: 2013-02-01 21:00:02 +0000

Subject: Fwd: Publishing False Information

Ms. Cynthia Sherry

Did The Chicago Review Press verify that John Chase and Jeff Coen actually possessed and listened to all the Blagojevich wiretap tape recordings and read transcripts that were never made public, per their claim in the book you published titled "Golden" ?

If you did verify, please explain how.

(Name redacted)

-----Original Message-----

From: (Redacted)

To: csherry

Sent: 2012-12-08 23:15:43 +0000

Subject: Publishing False Information

Ms. Cynthia Sherry

The U.S. Attorney's Office Northern Dist. of Illinois has just gone on the record saying that John Chase and Jeff Coen are not telling the truth about having access to tapes a transcripts of the Blagojevich wiretaps that were never made public.

Ms. Sherry,  as publisher of Chase and Coen's book "Golden" you can clearly understand the ramifications if this is true.

Did Chase and Coen publish false information?  The USAO says yes.
Ms. Sherry, what do you say?

(Name redacted)

All of this begs the question: Was Chicago Review Press so concerned with telling the authors' version of the Blagojevich story that they ignored the facts?

Listen to Cynthia Sherry explain Chicago Review Press promotion of progressive  writings and social justice.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/299785-1

At IP2P we ask this: Did the truth about the Blagojevich case not work for their progressive agenda?

More on this soon............  

 

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29Jan/13

Robert Blagojevich dodged going to prison

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Hugo Floriani,  Investigative Reporter

Jesse Jackson Jr. was not the only one saved when John Chase called the Blagojevich camp and warned them that the feds were listening.

Remember, it was Robert Blagojevich that would have been caught on surveillance tapes, meeting with Jackson's money man, Raguveer Nayak.  Chase not only saved Jesse Jackson, Jr. from prison, he also saved Robert Blagojevich.

Hold that thought. We'll come back to it later.

November 21, 2012: Within hours of Jesse Jr's resignation from Congress, Robert Blagojevich expressed his disappointment.  He felt he likely would never be able to clear his own name.

Why is that? you ask.

Well, R. Blagojevich assumed there'd be no ethics committee investigation of Jesse Jackson Jr's attempt to buy the U.S. Senate seat his brother, then Governor Rod  Blagojevich, was selling.

Robert was right.  The DC pols didn't want to investigate that attempted transaction.

However, there's nothing to stop Robert Blagojevich from making his case to the public.

That is, if Robert truly believes his name could be cleared.

Robert Blagojevich has all the FBI wiretap tapes that brother Rod and his attorneys have.

Robert has listened to all the government's wiretaps, and, as of today, he hasn't expressed any disagreement with Chase and Coen's assertion that the contents of the tapes show his brother is guilty.

Furthermore, Robert, Rod, and their respective attorneys have remained silent, while Chicago Tribune reporters Chase and Coen assert that the Blagojevich defense was built on a house of lies.

Remember, the entire Blagojevich entourage was screaming that "the tapes would set them free," if only everyone could hear them.

In their book "Golden," Chase and Coen claim they listened to all the wiretap tapes, and that there is nothing there that suggest Rod or Robert are innocent of attempting to sell a U.S. Senate seat.

So, in a nutshell:

In the past.

The Blagojevich brothers and their attorney's repeatedly professed that proof of their innocence is captured on the government's tapes.  And that, if the public were allowed to hear the tapes, the brothers would be found innocent.

Present day.

(1) John Chase and Jeff Coen claim that the Blago's and their attorney's were lying.

(2) The Blago brothers and their attorneys are not disputing Chase and Coen's claims.

Conclusion:

The Blago's and their attorney's lied about what's on the tapes.


So, what will the Brothers and their attorney's want you to believe next? (coming soon)

Questions:

(1) What was captured on roughly 400 hours of recorded Blago wiretap conversations?

(2) Why can't we hear them?

(3) Why are the Blagojevich's and the U.S. Attorney's Office hiding behind a phony protective order?

Developing  story...... 

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14Dec/12

Rod Blagojevich to be released from prison

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Thomas Barton, Investigative Reporter

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All indications are that the former governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich will be set free mid 2013.

This is being done in the usual Chicago Way - smoke and mirrors narrative put out by the Chicago media to deceive the public, while deals are made in the back-room.

The deafening silence you hear from Rod Blagojevich's legal team in the midst of John Chase and Jeff Coen running around town saying that they have listened to the never made public wiretap tapes, and that there is nothing on them, says it all, the deal is done.

This is the same legal team that consumed Blago's $3,000,000. campaign fund in his first trial, running around town screaming the tapes will prove Blago's innocent if only the people could hear them all.

Listen to what Sam Adam Jr. had to say on Dec 8, 2011, no doubt before the back-room negotiations were concluded.

Did Sam Adam, Jr. mean, if only John Chase and Jeff Coen could hear them his client would be exonerated?

And Mr. Sheldon Sorosky - aren't you in the process of an appeal for Blago?

How does John Chase and Jeff Coen, running around town claiming there is nothing on any of the government wiretap recordings of Blago that exonerates him, not concern you as his attorney?

Sheldon aren't you the least bit curious how John Chase and Jeff Coen got their hands on the non-public tapes and transcripts?

And then there's Rod's loving partner in crime and Dick Mell's daughter Patti, why is she silent on the matter?

Could it be because recently her husband has publicly asked her out on a date next August, and that she has stated she believes this will be the last holiday season he spends in prison?

So, Patti believes her husband is going to serve approximately 1 year of a 14 year sentence, at a time when Chase and Coen are claiming the tapes do not point to anything other than Blago's guilt.

There will be time for us to address how the "Blagojevich Show" got to this point, and what can be done to stop this back-room deal and insure that justice is served by Blago paying his debt to society behind bars.

However, what should be most concerning to honest law-abiding citizens at the moment is, why is the government involved in this back-room deal with Blago?

Most of all.  Why are we expected to take John Chase and Jeff Coen's word for anything?

Didn't the USAO just call them liars?

Time for the public to hear the tapes and read the transcripts that everyone keeps talking about.

Time for some honest answers.

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12Dec/12

Hey Chicago Tribune, what kinda Journalism is that?

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Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief

The traditional rules of journalism apparently don't apply to the Chicago Tribune.  Now it's the rules of "Forward Journalism" that they follow.

For example:

Basic rule #1 - When you get the inside scoop on a wiretap the government's running on a sitting governor, you don't make a decision at 10:20 p.m. to derail the government's investigation, while, at the same time, flushing the biggest news story of the year down the drain with a John Chase phone call warning Gov. Blagojevich that the feds are listening.

Unless you "report" for the Chicago Tribune.

Basic rule # 2 - When you write the self-described definitive book about the Rod Blagojevich affair, as reporters John Chase and Jeff Coen claim to have, and the U.S. Attorney's office publicly takes issue with the honesty of your claims, you back up your story with evidence that supports your words.

Unless you work for the Chicago Tribune

Basic rule #3 -  When the honesty of reporters is challenged by the U.S. government, the Editor stands by his or her reporters, or excepts responsibility for their mistakes and makes the appropriate changes to protect the integrity of the newspaper.

Unless you're an Editor at the Chicago Tribune.

Ever since the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District of Illinois went on the record disputing claims made by Chase and Coen, the two Tribune reporters have been mute, refusing to comment.

Not only are they not responding to troubling accusations from the USAO, Tribune editor Gerould Kern, and the publisher of "Golden," the Chicago Review Press, are, also, hunkered down refusing to comment.

So is that the new style of "Forward Journalism"?

We, at IP2P, subscribe to the American traditional rules of journalism. We call for honest answers from the Tribune, on behalf of the citizens of Chicago, and Illinois.

They deserve the truth

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10Dec/12

U.S. Attorney’s Office claims author’s of Blagojevich book “Golden” lying

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Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief

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Comments from the spokesperson at the U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) of the Northern District of Illinois take the position that Chicago Tribune reporters John Chase and Jeff Coen are lying about their special access to wiretap tapes and transcripts from the Blagojevich investigation - tapes and transcripts that were never made public.

The USAO refuses to comment on whether or not the Chicago Tribune was given advance notice of Blagojevich's arrest.

So, why are Chase and Coen making false claims about their access to the Blago files?

Not only is the USAO disputing Chase and Coen's depiction of their exclusive access to evidence, IP2P has received evidence that Chicago Review Press, the publisher of "Golden,"  was cautioned to be diligent in their pre-publishing fact-checking of the reporters' book.

All indications are that the publishing company did not thoroughly fact-check the book. We wonder: Why that didn't happen?

Unfortunately, Chicago Review Press spokesperson, Cynthia Sherry, was unavailable for comment

____________________________________________________________________________________

-----Original Message-----

From: (Redacted)

To: csherry

Cc: jen

Sent: 2012-08-19 19:19:54 +0000

Subject:Fwd: Fact check "Golden: How Rod Blagojevich Talked Himself Out of the Governor's Office and Into Prison,"

Ms. Cynthia Sherry

As a person of considerable first hand knowledge concerning John Chase's and the Chicago Tribune's role in the investigation and trials of Rod Blagojevich and Tony Rezko. Knowledge including but not limited to John Chase's and the Tribune's cooperation with the U.S. Attorney and their intentional distortion of the facts in their newspaper. I extend to you my offer below.

(Name redacted)

-----Original Message-----

From: (Redacted)

To: sbetz

Cc: daisybuchman, jen

Sent: 2012-08-15 16:10:36 +0000

Subject: Fact check "Golden: How Rod Blagojevich Talked Himself Out of the Governor's Office and Into Prison,"

Sue

My offer to fact check the Jeff Coen and John Chase book  "Golden: How Rod Blagojevich Talked Himself Out of the Governor's Office and Into Prison,"  still stands.  As we discussed, you do not want to put yourself in a position of publishing false information when verification from someone who has first hand knowledge is readily available to you.  If you get me an advanced copy of the book to review, it may save both Chicago Review press and IPG a great deal of embarrassment.

(Name redacted)

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: (Redacted)

To:sbetz,daisybuchman

Sent:Sun Apr 3 06:35:58 UTC 2011

Subject: Chicago Review Press clients John Chase and Jeff Coen

Sue

I will follow up with you on the discussion we had, and provide you with more details soon. I hope the inside information I provided helps you. If you have any question feel free to call me.
(Name redacted)

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: (Redacted)

To: "Jen Wisnowski"

Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 2:58:03 PM

Subject: Fwd: Jeff Coen on Blago (Attention Jen Wisnowski )

Jen,

I think you might be missing the larger picture here, perhaps this email below will help you understand the gravity of the agreement John Chase and Jeff Coen have entered into with you and Independent Publishers Group.  While I do not know the particulars of your contract,  I feel confident it is that I can help you. I believe It will be very difficult if not impossible for Jeff Coen or John Chase to deliver a book based on the facts, due to legal reason's.  Jen, perhaps this should be of concern for IPG? Please advise
(Name redacted)

 

From: (Redacted)

To: Chase, John

Sent: Thu Dec 17 20:10:27 2009

Subject: The Chicago Tribune

John

do you have any comments

(Name redacted)

To whom it may concern John Thomas was a mole for the FBI in the case in Illinois against Tony Rezko and others.  The Chicago Tribune was aware of the fact and chose not to write a story about him at the behest of Patrick Fitzgerald (U.S Attorney Northern Dist IL). The Tribune eventually wrote a story about John Thomas, however the story they wrote was not accurate.  My source at the Chicago Tribune claims that when Patrick Fiztgerald asked the Chicago Tribune to sit on the Thomas story, claiming it could put his life in danger, the Chicago Tribune refused.  The Chicago Tribune told Mr Fitzgerald that they were going to run the story anyway.  It was only when Patrick Fitzgerald told the Chicago Tribune that if they ran the story that it would affect the Presidential election did the Chicago Tribune agree not to run the story.  My source at the Chicago Tribune confirmed this meant Obama. My source also informed me of other information that would be of interest to the people of Illinois that was not being reported in the Chicago Tribune.

----- Original Message -----

From: "Jen Wisnowski"

To: (Redacted)

Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 1:00:00 PM

Subject: RE: Jeff Coen on Blago (Attention Jen Wisnowski )

Hi, (Name redacted), Thank you for your email. Sorry to have missed your phone call earlier today; unfortunately a few meetings have kept meaway from my desk today, but our customer service department let me know youcalled.  At this point, I'm afraid I can be oflittle help as we don't have any materials at this stage. But please feel freeto get in touch with Jeff Coen and John Chase directly about it.

Thanks again, Jen

Jen Wisnowski
Publicity Manager
Independent Publishers Group
814 N. Franklin St.
Chicago, IL 60610
312.337.0747 ext. 227
312.337.1807 faxwww.ipgbook.com

Expert distribution services for innovative publishers

 

From: (Redacted)

Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 1:01PM

To: Jen Wisnowski

Subject:Fwd: Jeff Coen on Blago(Attention Jen Wisnowski )

Jen,

As we discussed, not only would you like them to submit a book that is worth reading, it is important that it is accurate.That is where I can help you.

(Name redacted)

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: (Redacted)

To: "Jeff Coen" <JCoen@tribune.com>

Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 2:07:19 PM

Subject: Jeff Coen on Blago

Jeff,

How is the Blagojevich book that you are writing with John Chase coming? Have you figured out how you are going to get around the sticky problem below, and the problem the Tribune's involvement in the John Thomas scandal presents for you, as well as all the other obstacles we discussed? My offer to help still stands, please advise.

(Name Redacted)

-----Forwarded Message -----

From: (Redacted)

To: "John Chase" <jchase@tribune.com>

Cc: "Gerould Kern" <gkern@tribune.com>, "John Kass" <jskass@tribune.com>,"Eric Zorn" <ericzorn@gmail.com>

Sent: Saturday, March 26, 2011 7:02:15 PM

Subject: Our most recent conversation 3/25/11

John,

Recapping our conversation yesterday, I want to give you yet another opportunity to answer the following questions. (1)  Who informed you that the FBI was recording Rod Blagojevich, and when were you informed? (2)  Who informed you that John Wyma was cooperating with the U.S. Attorney's Office and when were you informed? John, you expressed in our conversation yesterday that you will not reveal your source involving the recordings and John Wyma's co-operation.  Furthermore, you informed me that I can speak to the Chicago Tribune attorney's about this issue, and that you already have spoken to them regarding this issue.  Your stated position is that this is a first amendment case, and I would have to take you to court. John, as we discussed yesterday a crime was committed by the person or persons that leaked this information that originated within the U.S.D.O.J., and was under seal. Ultimately, you will not have the protection of our 1st amendment in this case. Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with Patrick Fitzgerald's opinion on the subject as it related to one of your colleagues, Judith Miller (New York Times Reporter) If your position has not changed, please let me know the names and contact information of the attorney's that you consulted with at the Tribune, so that they may be contacted.

(Name Redacted)

cc Gerould Kern

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8Dec/12

Sun Times suddenly awakens from Trotter coma

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Annabel KentChicago Media Critic

 

Isn’t it amazing!

 

State Senator Donne Trotter tries to pack a piece onto an airplane and, presto, those intrepid reporters at the Chicago Sun Times suddently discover all sorts of interesting things about Donne’s Night Doings.  

 

The ink’s hardly dry on his bail paperwork and already those Times journalistic sleuths Natasha Korecki and Chris Fusco have discovered that “The security company employing state Sen. Donne Trotter has been paid more than $350,000 as a subcontractor on a City of Chicago security deal and is represented by a politically powerful lobbying firm run by a onetime top aide to former Mayor Richard M. Daley.  

 

What a shocker!

 

And there are more sudden revelations: “Records show that AllPoints Security and Detective Inc. is represented by Chico & Nunes, a lobbying firm headed by Illinois State Board of Education Chairman Gery Chico. Chico & Nunes is a registered lobbyist with the city and its specialty is certifying businesses to become women- and minority-owned companies. That distinction gives them a leg up to win city business.

 

Is the ubiquitous interlinking of Chicago’s political-interests incestuous, or what?

 

Donne chairs the Illinois Senate Appropriations Committee and he doessomethingmaybe…for a company represented by Gery Chico’s lobby-law firm; he heads the Illinois State Board of Education.

 

What’s next: Jack Lavin on the AllPoints Board of Directors?

Oh, and did we mention that the Executive Director for Business Development and Marketing at AllPoints used to work in the Office of the Mayor of Chicago, in the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, at Cook County Stroger Hospital, and at the Chicago Urban league – all in Public Relations or Communications functions.

But hey, so what?  Everyone not working in their first job has to have worked somewhere else, and the city, county, and state employ a lot of people. A whole lot.

Donne apparently has trouble living on his $90 grand from the Illinois State Treasury so he moonlights as a .25 cal pistol-packing security guard? (Is it okay to laugh out loud at this point?)

 

In the meantime, Illinois ranks 5th place among states with the highest debt-per-capita, at $21,607 per person And the guy who heads the Senate Appropriations Committee is night security guard?  Stop it – you’re killin’ me.

You just can’t make this stuff up – assuming it’s true and Donne’s job responsibilities are not turning off the men’s toilet lights on even-numbered Thursdays, in months with an “r”, during alternate Leap Years.

 

So all of a sudden, the Times discovers Donne’s side job. Plus, the dogged reporters find that The company [AllPointshas made $49,000 in campaign contributions to local and state politicians since 2002, including to Daley, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and $500 to Trotter.

 

They don’t call it “pay-to-play” cause it’s bingo.

 

Donne has been a favorite to take over J.J. Jr.’s job as a member of The United States House of Representatives and the Times just now learns that he moonlights for a security company represented by Gery Chico’s lobbying law firm, and that the company had made contributions to Donne’s campaigns?

 

Wow! It’s as though the reporters at the Sun Times have awaken from a Totter coma.

 

Orwas all this stuff common newsroom knowledge and recent circumstances provided a convenient opportunity to use it – before the Trib did?

 

 

 

 

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5Dec/12

Howdy Doody Time at the Chicago Sun Tribune

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Annabel Kent, Chicago Media Critic

Does anyone really think a Daley would have been indicted, after nearly a decade, for killing David Koschman if there was still a Daley in the Mayor’s Office?

If you do, see me.  I’m selling $100 tickets to the Grand Opening of Al Capone’s recently discovered hideout containing his cache of money and secrets – this time for real.

Does anyone really think those intrepid “Watch Dogs” at the Sun Times – an affiliate of the Chicago newspaper combine we call the Sun Tribune  just decided that, about seven years after Koschman died in a late-night street incident involving a Daley, that the event should be…revisited?

If you do, see me. I’ve trained a Pekingese to sing Irish drinking songs and he rents for only $1,000 a night to entertain at parties – that is, if he’s in the mood to sing.  If not, you’re still out the grand.

And now, on the heels of those two improbabilities come statements from Uncle Bill Daley about his nephew, the recently indicted for manslaughter Richard J. “R.J.” Vanecko.  Innocent until proven guilty, of course.

Uncle Bill said that R.J. is “basically a good kid. The “kid” is 38 years old, by the way.  Uncle Bill added, “The death of the young man was a terrible tragedyThe pain which his family has felt over those years — anyone who has lost a child knows that. It’s irreplaceable pain.”

The Times’ soberly reminds us that “Daley lost 8-year-old son Richard J. Daley II to a rare lung disease in 1985.” That means, of course, that Uncle Bill’s empathy for the Koschman family is genuinely heartfelt.

But deadly disease, while tragic, particularly when it afflicts a young person, is not a crime.  

The Times article tells us that “The former Commerce secretary said there are advantages to being a member of what’s been Chicago’s most politically powerful family for the past half-century, but also disadvantages.”  

The Times’ quotes from Uncle Bill continue“’I think we’ve been the beneficiaries of enormous opportunity,’ Daley said. ’Every one of us knows that. Everyone knows we were blessed to havesuch great parents and a father who decided to spend his life in public service, as did his son, my brother Rich. And all of us have tried to do it right and live good lives, as everybody does.’”

Did we miss something here? Is David Koschman accused of killing R.J.? Are we supposed to feel sorry for the “good kid” R.J.?  

At the point the Times’ article has fully entered into the Land of Surreal there comes this Uncle Bill quote: Asked if the Daley family tie had hurt or harmed the 38-year-old Vanecko in the Koschman case, Daley said, I’m not going to — you know, he suffers with the fact that he is related.

Oh, really? Thirty-eight year old “Kid” Vanecko suffers with the fact that he’s related to the Daley family?  Is that why he skated on this charge for nearly a decade, because the authorities wanted him to suffer with guilt?

The sad truth is that justice suffered because Vanecko is related to the Daley family.

Makes you wonder: Is all this high jingo a set-up for a plea bargain based on R.J.’s time-served in a prolonged state of mental anguish as he dealt with his unresolved and unacknowledged personal feelings of possible guilt?

Which brings us back to the initial question: Does anyone really think a Daley would have been indicted, after nearly a decade, for killing David Koschman if there was still a Mayor Daley –any first-name Mayor Daley?

Looks like one of the advantages Uncle Bill mentioned of being a member of Chicago’s most politically powerful family is the ability to get away with a charge of manslaughter - that is until a new regime takes over City Hall and gives its dedicated shill media outlet the green light to go after a Daley.

When Rahmbo runs for re-election, he sure doesn’t want to run against a new first-name Daley.

David Koschman and his mother are, of course, the most egregiously damaged victims here, but the by-standing citizens of Crook County are victims, too.  

Because if somebody like David Koschman doesn’t count until the political winds shift – then nobody counts.

It’s Howdy Doody Time in Chicago again, folks.


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30Nov/12

Chicagogate: Cover-up Exposed

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Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief

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Reporters John Chase, Jeff Coen, their employer the ChicagoTribune and the U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) of the Northern District of Illinois are, and have long been, involved in a criminal cover-up.

Chase and Coen have published information they know to be false, both in their newspaper, and in their co-authored, recently-released book entitled Golden.

The spreading of false information is being done with co-operation and guidance from the USAO and Holder’s DoJ. 

ILP2P has received information from a credible source suggesting the involvement of members of the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Oversight Committee in this cover-up.

Furthermore, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr.'s recent resignation is an element of thcover-up.
Conveniently, the Ethics Committee will no longer be investigating Jackson’s attempted purchase of Obama's vacated senate seat. 

Its time for John Chase, Jeff Coen, Jesse Jackson Jr and Patrick Fitzgerald to answer question.

Time to answer to We the People.


Developing.......

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29Nov/12

The Sun Tribune, Chicago’s Newspaper Combine

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Annabel Kent, Chicago Media Critic Chicago Tribune columnist and political satirist John Kass coined the term “combine” to refer to the combination of Illinois pols from both the Democrat and Republican parties who combine their efforts to fleece the Illinois public.

It fits nicely with political reality.

It also fits when applied to the two, big, daily newspapers that represent Chicago’s dead tree media: the Tribune and the Sun Times.

Each has their benefactors and constituency, like the two political parties, but, like the two political parties in Illinois, they really don’t compete against each other.  They combine their efforts to share the market that is Chicagoland’s designated “big” stories.

Take, for example, the David Koschman Case.  The Sun Times resurrected the story about the same time it, coincidentally, became the media shill for the new Rahm Emanuel regime in City Hall.  Their motive?  Discredit the former long-standing Daley regime machine, and, thereby, build up the new, more honest, City Hall bunch in-charge.

In the meantime, Koschman Case Special Prosecutor Dan Webb has, to date, billed $585,000 while conducting an alleged investigation into the incident that happened over 8 years ago. It’s just another charade for the benefit of the Cubs, Bears and Sox fans.  (A better use of that money, and much more, would have been to give it to Mrs. Koschman for the wrongful death of her son.)

Then there’s thalleged Frawley-McMaholawsuit that the Times reported – only to have it vanish from view in a couple of days, like a mole that sticks its head up from its hole, and then ducks back down. Just another effort to smear a former Daley crony. It went nowhere – just where it was intended to go.

On the other side, there’s the Trib’s involvement in the Blago Saga when one of its reporters tips off Blago that his phone is bugged by the feds. Then, behold, out comes a book by two Trib reporters that reveals the paper received special, privileged information from the US Attorney’s Office.  (Even going back to the original tip-off to Blago, you suppose?)  

So did you hear the Sun Times cry “Foul,” and “Hey, how’d the Trib get special treatment?”Where’s ours?” No you didn’t – and you won’t.

Why not? Because the two papers are not competitors. It’s a combine arrangement.

They each get their share, play their designated role, and maintain the pretense of an independent, competitive newspaper environment where the truth comes out as eager reporters hustle to scoop each other on the next big story. The stuff of Hollywood movies.

In true life, the newspaper combine matches the political combine that Kass has long highlighted.

And it works, both for the pols and for the newspaper editors and reporters.

Why: Because the suckers keep reading the dead trees thinking they’re getting “the news,when what they’re really getting is the news the combine wants them to get.

Get it?

[hat tip: John “Combine” Kass]

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28Nov/12

When will the Chicago Sun Times get their copies of the Blagojevich tapes and transcripts?

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Thomas Barton, Investigative Reporter

When is the Department of Justice going to give other news outlets access to the Blago tapes and transcripts-startng with the Chicago Sun Times? They deserve a copy, don't they?

After all, the feds gave copies to John Chase and Jeff Coen of the Chicago Tribune.

 

In-fact, according to an article published by the Indiana University School of Journalism, Jeff Coen revealed that the Tribune had access to wiretap tapes and transcripts before Blagojevich's second trial in 2011.  Quoting from that journal:

 

"Even though they were working on the book outside their day jobs, the two said the Tribune required that if any information surfaced that could be considered breaking news, they had an obligation to bring it before the newspaper first. For example, as current Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was running for office, the pair’s editors wanted to know the two had turned up anything about Emanuel as they researched their book.

 

'We got all the tapes for this project now, but even before that, I had to go get Rahm-specific tapes to try to make sure we wouldn’t get beat on something, Coen said. We were kind of working both jobs at the same time.' "

 

So far, ILP2P has not succeeded in securing our copies. But it’s is only a matter of time; the feds wouldn't just give them to only the Trib - would they?

 

We wonder – are other news outlets around the country, and in Chicago, experiencing trouble getting their copies, too?

 

They must be, or we’d be reading the transcripts in their newspapers, or be hearing the tapes on their local or national TV and radio programs.

 

There’s nothing stopping the Chicago Tribune from making the tapes, and transcripts, available to the public. At least, nothing legally preventing that from happening.

 

So why is the Trib stashing the Blago tapes in a vault like the Tribune owned LATimes did with the Rashid Khalidi tape?

 

Why don’t you ask Tribune Editor Gerould Kern:  Email  ctc-editor@tribune.com  Tel  312-222-5555

                                                              

Those concerned about preserving the fourth estate should demand the same access to the Blago files that the feds granted Chase and Coen.  

 

If you believe that, tell it to the spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago:  Samborn contact info here:  Email  randall.samborn@usdoj.gov Tel 312-353-5318   Cell  312 613-6700

 

And, ask Congressman Darrell Issa’s office if it’s even legal for the feds to only give access to the tapes & transcripts to the Trib:

                                      Email   ca49interndo@mail.house.gov

                                      Ca        760-599-5000

                                      Wash    202-225-3906 

All they can say is…nothing.  And that alone will tell you something.

 


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