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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12May/12

Rezko’s partner testifies against the Feds?

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Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief, Illinois PayToPlay

For the moment, Illinois PayToPlay is going to let this provocative document created by Daniel T Frawley speak for itself.

But we do want to suggest that reporting on allegations of corruption, involving government officials tied to the Rezko investigation, does not fit the the current political agenda of the Chicago Sun Times or the Chicago Tribune.

Could that be because Chicago is a "Sanctuary City" for corrupt government officials?

For the lucky politicrooks allowed to set-up shop in Chicago, there's a blanket of protection provided in large part by the two major dailies. Who protects the honest citizen?

Perhaps in 7-8 years, when it's politicly expedient, the Chicago Sun-Times will be all over this Frawley story.

From: "Ernie Souchak" <address withheld>
To: "John Barron" <jbarron@suntimes.com>, "Andrew Herrmann" <aherrmann@suntimes.com>, "Gerould Kern" <gkern@tribune.com>
Cc: "Tim Novak" <tnovak@suntimes.com>, "Carol Marin" <cmarin@suntimes.com>, "Chris Fusco" <cfusco@suntimes.com>, "Dave McKinney" <dmckinney@suntimes.com>, "John Chase" <jchase@tribune.com>, "Jeff Coen" <JCoen@tribune.com>, "John Kass" <jskass@tribune.com>, "Eric Zorn" <ericzorn@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 7:38:17 PM
Subject: Rezko's partner testifies against the Feds ?
 
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:
Date: Thu, May 10, 2012 at 7:19 PM
Subject: Fwd: FYI
To: Ernie Souchak<address withheld>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dan Frawley <email address withheld>
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 7:07 AM
Subject: Fwd: FYI
To: robert XXXXX <Bob Cooley's email address withheld>

  

 1) The USAO told Tom Durkin during Tom’s meeting with Fitzgerald, Shapiro, Ridgeway and FBI agent Jay Hagstrom that I was considered a fully co-operating witness until 2008.

The USAO was told in 2008 that I tipped him (Rezko) off that I was recording Rezko and the USAO had co-oberating evidence and because of this declination was off the table.

Tom mentioned this to me in Tom’s email to me re: the meeting at 219 South Dearborn.

1) Tom called me and asked me about the incident and I had no recollection. I did not because it did not seem important at the time and I will explain later. I went and met with Sam Doerger as well as speaking to him on the phone about it. Sam suggested I ask Jay, I did.

2) I met with Jay at the FBI office in Lisle. Jay did not give me all the details but let me know almost 99% the incident happened before Jay was assigned to the case and it happened at Tony’s office in the Sears Tower on July 3rd the year Sam retired.

                             SEARS TOWER MEETING WITH TONY JULY 3rd

1) I met with Sam Doerger and Mary Beth King at a Chinese restaurant on Jackson Blvd. July Fourth. During that meeting Mary Beth and Sam informed me they wanted me to wear a wire and record Tony in his office on the 95th story of THE SEARS TOWER. I told the agents of a prior meeting at the Sears Tower. (I will explain later)

2) The USAO wanted me to walk through a metal detector with metal on, bad idea.

4) Agent King to said Sam that this operation had disaster written all over it. Sam agreed and thought we should not do the taping that day. The agents were under pressure to tape Tony by the USAO.

5) I told the agents there were at least 3 levels of security of the tower

A) No one was allowed in with out having a pass and checking in with the security desk. The desk called Tony’s office to confirm the visit, I also let the agents know most of the time Rezko sent someone down from Rezmar to escort me to the office.

B) The seconded line was a metal detector everybody had to pass through

C) The third line, which I did not have, enough information about was an automatic glass door entrance that set of a green light to allow the visitor to pass. I did not know how this glass door operated or what its function was. I suggested the agents let me go over to the SEARS TOWER let me observe the security and try later that week. I was told, “No”. I then said give me a ten minute head start and let me at least get a look at it and I would figure a way through the system for the recording device.

D) The agents settled on a plan to send Mary Beth King in ahead of me. Mary Beth would gain entrance by going up to a law firm at sears Tower and then meet me on another floor and hand me the devise.

E) Mary Beth was unsuccessful. The law firm would not allow her into the Tower. I entered the tower and received permission from security and Tony to enter the Rezmar 95th floor office. I saw Mary Beth in the vestibule of the building after I received permission to enter. I could tell Mary Beth looked disconcerted. I walked past Mary Beth and dropped my AMX card and handed it to her as if she had dropped it. Mary Beth told me she could not get up to the law offices but she would try another way and meet me on another floor.

F) I went to the scheduled meeting floor and waited for 15 minute, when Mary Beth did not appear I had to go to Tony’s office. I could not just have waited indefinitely; they were expecting me because security notified Rezmar that I was on my way

            I AM 99% SURE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED/I NEVER THUGHT ABOUT IT UNTIL TOM ASKED ME AFTER HIS MEETING WITH FITZGERALD BECAUSE EVERYTHING WENT WRONG AND THE AGENTS Were AGAINST THE MEETING FROM THE START AND I WAS NOT RECORDED

 1) I met with Tony in his office, by this time the FBI had been called by the Chief of Security of the Sears Tower asking what was Agent Mary Beth King doing in the Sears Tower with Dan Frawley, the jig was up and the whole thing was an avoidable disaster caused by the USAO not the agents who wanted to wait. I had no device when I met with tony and for all I knew he was aware I was with the FBI & had a recorder. I SHOT THE BREEZE ABOUT NOTHING BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE A RECORDING DEVICE.

2) Tony asked me to take out my cell phone and disassemble it, Tony was afraid it was a recording.

3) I think that is when I handed Tony a note saying I was wiring him, which I was not and then ate the note. I thought it would work to our advantage and Tony would trust me and be more forth coming in meetings when he thought he was not recorded. The plan worked. Tony met with me for another 2 years.

4) I left the Tower and met Sam and Mary Beth, who were waiting in my Tahoe. The agents were frantic. The agents received a call to go immediately upon my return to 55 West Monroe to meet with the USAU because the head of Sears Tower Security called the FBI and was livid about what was happening. The agents never asked me what had happened they were so distraught and worried: 1) That something had happened to me 2) the whole investigation was blown 3) I would never be able to record Rezko again. 4) I never mentioned what happened in Rezko’s office because of the need of the agents were in such a hurry to get to Monroe St. that I was never debriefed. I dropped them off and it never crossed my mind and I was not asked until Tom met with Shapiro

Had I not regained Tony’s confidence that day and continued meeting with him for an additional 2 years I would not have been able to get the following would never have come to fruition?

A) Buddy Wilkins and the second set of Papa John’s books the FBI had no idea about and then later had me obtain and the FBI copied.

I) Tony plead guilty to defrauding GE Credit because of this

II) Al Chaib plead guilty based on this evidence, until then Chaib had been non-co-operative and was changing defense lawyers regularly.

III) Jack Lavin (Now Pat Quinn’s Chief of Staff) moved a line item of $3 million dollars from Panda into Papa John’s Pizza in order for Tony to get the GE loan

III) Buddy Wilkins was being bribed by Joe Duffy to withhold information from Carolyn and the grand jury! Duffy bribing Wilkins is no exaggeration. Wilkins was offered immunity to testify and Murphy advised Wilkins to turn the immunity down I was living at Maureen’s house and Maureen heard the recorded conversations with Wilkins regarding the withholding information from the grand Jury. Jay Hagstrom was aghast and knew a former USAO was bribing a grand jury witness.

Gene Murphy was Buddy’s attorney, Rezko was paying Murphy. Murphy would brief Duffy and his partners about Wilkins meetings with the FMI and USAO. Murphy would give Rezko’s attorney’s information before it Murphy gave it to his client Wilkins; this was confirmed to Wilkins by Murphy’s legal secretary Diane.

V) USUA Carolyn McNiven used my information to have Murphy removed as Buddy’s attorney as a conflict of interest.

VI) Richard Friedman the bribery and co-operation replaced Murphy with Tony’s attorney’s continued until I got the information on tape that Carolyn wanted. !) The FBI arrested buddy in North Carolina. 2) Buddy was taken back into custody and returned to Chicago. 3) Buddy testified truthfully in front of a grand jury. 4) Buddy was not prosecuted.

1) Tony and his wife both left the USA. Tony’s wife left without the FBI knowing and they were very embarrassed about this. I knew because I had a contact at O’Hare who informed me. I am the one who let the USAU know Mrs. Rezko left the USAO to meet Tony.

2) I tracked Tony all over the world for the FBI for 4 months when they did not know where he was. I got info form my contact at Jordanian Airways and I knew the hotels where he stayed and I got to know the hotel staff that gave me all of Tony’s travel plans. I think I also played a role in talking tony into returning to the US.

3) Weaver asked Steve Blanc to handle negotiations of my repayment from Rezko with Rezko’s attorney, Steve thought this was Weaver’s role and not his, but Steve agreed to do so. We now know why Weaver asked Steve.

4) Steve and I were able to get from Tony’s attorney, Howard Adelman the routing of $3,500,000 in funds from a Syrian Bank to a Beruit Bank to a Belgium bank to a Toronto bank to Joe Duffy’s US Client account) (Rezko) bank. Jay Hagstrom told me it was almost impossible for the FBI to get this info in real time and if the USAU had not received the information before the money hit the client account there is nothing the government could do. The USAU used this info to revoke Rezko’s bail

5) I reached an agreement with Adelman for repayment of my loan from Tony Rezko. The USAO approved and Agent Hagstrom told me to go ahead and collect. I was on my way to pick-up 2 certified checks for $375,000 waiting for me at HOWARD ADELMAN’S LAW OFFICE, when I noticed a clause in the contract I thought would put me into a position of working with Tony’s attorney’s. I called my attorney’s and could not reach any of them. I called Jay who said I could collect my money. I called Carolyn. Carolyn was livid and accused me of working both sides of the deal, which was ridiculous. I had the OK, I caught the USAO and FBI error and brought it to their attention, so their case would not be compromised. I was broke the $375,000 would have made a huge difference in my life. As it turns out I should have just taken the money because now they indicted me over another one of their mistakes. THE ORGANIZATION THAT WANTS PEOPLE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY NEVER ACCEPTS ANY OF IT’S OWN

6) THE FIRST SEARS TOWER INCIDENT. I HAD A RECORDING DEVICE ON ME WHEN I MET TONY REZKO AND MIKE RUMAN AT THE REZMAR OFFICES ON ELSTON AVE. UNEXPECTEDLY, TONY AND MIKE AND I GOT IN MIKE’S CAR AND DROVE TO THE SEARS TOWER. I WAS WEARING A WIRE AND HAD TO WALK THROUGH A METAL DETECTOR! I EXCUSED MYSELF WENT TO THE MEN’S ROOM AND DUPMED THE WIRE. I WAS ABLE TO TALK TONY INTO NOT GOING THROUGH THE DETECTOR AND TO HAVE A CONVERSATION IN THE CORNER BAKERY RESTAURANT BECAUSE I WAS NOT FEELING WELL. WHILE TONY WAITED IN LINE TO GET US COFFE I WENT BACK TO THE JOHN, RETRIEVED THE WIRE FROM THE GARBAGE AND RECORDED US.

7) SAM DOERGER COMPLIMENTED ME ON MY FAST THINKING AND TOLD ME NOT TO SHORT SELL MY OWN IDEA’S AND USE MY HEAD.

8)    AFTER THE 2ND SEARS TOWER INCIDENT SAM TOLD ME FROM THEN ON IF THERE WAS SOMETHING I DID NOT WANT TO DO, TO TELL HIM AND HE WOULD GO ALONG WITH IT.

9) I gave this accounting to Tom and Tom said it sounded like too much CLOAK AND DAGGER; well it is Cloak and Dagger

10) For this the USAU indicted me upon Tony’s word and co-oberating evidence, probable that lying bribing cocksucker Joe Duffy former USAO. The USAU indicts me on the word of a man who bribed one of their most important witnesses and they let Joe Duffy walk.

--

Please send all emails to this Gmail address.

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17Apr/12

Pat Quinn, destined to be third in the trifecta of jailed IL governors?

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Martin Rivers, Introducing Illinois PayToPlay’s Springfield Correspondent

Is a third Illinois governor in- a-row destined for a trip up-the-river to the Big House?  That’s Blago on the left, on a bad hair day.  Ryan is on the right. Is Pat Quinn, in the middle, the next Illinois governor to do the federal perp walk?

Pat sure looks like “Larry” of “Three Stooges” fame, if he’d let his hair grow out some.

Why could he be next in the conga line of incarcerated Land of Lincoln chief executives?

Well, first of all, here’s what Pat once had to say about “Moe,” AKA Blago:

"He's always been a person who's honest and one of integrity...I have confidence the governor does the right thing all the time."

That’s evidence of complicity, or stupidity.  And Pat’s not stupid.

Then there’s Quinn’s continuing attachment to Antoin Rezko through his current Chief-of-Staff, Jack Lavin.  Quoting the Chicago Tribune, here’s what that extreme-conservative, Republican web site, the Huffington Post, wrote about Lavin:

“Lavin served as Blagojevich's director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity after [convicted fundraiser Tony] Rezko recommended him for the post. Lavin once worked as the chief financial officer for Rezko's food-related business, and took more than $12,000 in donations from Rezko's firm while considering a run for elected office in 2001.”

Back on October 11, 2011, Illinois PayToPlay suggested that the professional journalists in the Chicago media pose these questions to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald:

“Is there any evidence to suggest that, while he was Rezko’s chief bean counter, Jack Lavin moved a $3,000,000 line item from the Panda Restaurant operated by Tony over into his Papa John’s Pizza books in order to help get a loan from GE Capital?

And then, as a follow-up:

Well, if you can’t answer that question, or won’t, then who kept Rezko’s second set of books for his Papa John’s Pizza store? And why have we never heard about that?”

Well, of course, that didn’t happen.

Illinois PayToPlay will soon be releasing information from a confidential informant, identified only as “CI2” (confidential informant #2) in the “Motion For Issuance Of An Arrest Warrant” for Rezko, filed on January 28, 2008 by Patrick Fitzgerald, that contains CI2’s allegation that Rezko’s CFO helped Tony R. cook the Papa John’s books in order to get that loan from G.E. Capital.

As the late Paul Harvey used to say – “Stand by…for more.”

Oh, and by the way, Fitz’s office has known of Lavin’s alleged involvement in the miracle bookkeeping incident for, at least, four years.  And what have the feds done with that information?

Blago’s gone, but has anything really changed in the way the governor’s office down here in Springfield operates?

 

 

 

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11Oct/11

Patrick Fitzgerald: Intrepid Crime Fighter? Or, Politically-Driven Leaker? A Fitz Question for the Chicago Media (Part 8)

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Hugo Floriani, Investigative Reporter

When faced with an opportunity to display their professional inquisitive prowess, reporters from the Chicago dailies generally like to wind-up and lob softball questions to Fitz.

So, maybe they’d welcome a little help framing their queries. Here’s a couple for them…

First a little background: Jack Lavin is Governor Pat Quinn’s Chief of Staff these days. Once upon a time, he served as Blagojevich's director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Tony Rezko recommended him to Dead Meat for the job.  Before that, he was Chief Financial Officer of Rezko Enterprises. That means he handled Tony’s money.  Countin’ it. Movin’ it. That sort of thing.  (Smile for the camera, Jack.)

He’s given some of his own money – a little over $20 grand – to Democrat politicians (much of it to Obama, but also $2K to Jesse Jackson Junior, and $2K to Sen. Barbara Boxer), all through the Big Bundler hisownself, Tony. Hey, not a thing wrong with that.

Given Jack’s past starring role in Rezko Enterprises, maybe some enterprising Chicago reporter might ask Fitz this question:

“Is there any evidence to suggest that, while he was Rezko’s chief bean counter, Jack Lavin moved a $3,000,000 line item from the Panda Restaurant operated by Tony over into his Papa John’s Pizza books in order to help get a loan from GE Capital?”

And then, as a follow-up:

“Well, if you can’t answer that question, or won’t, then who kept Rezko’s second set of books for his Papa John’s Pizza store? And why have we never heard about that?”

Hat tip: C. Mc.

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