Category Archives: Illinois

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn Department of Human Rights Tea Party email, Alvin Forbes Sr. forwarded email, Blames Tea Party Glenn Beck Palin

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn Department of Human Rights Tea Party email, Alvin Forbes Sr. forwarded email, Blames Tea Party Glenn Beck Palin

“As usual, the face of Emmanuel Goldstein, the Enemy of the people, had flashed onto the screen. There were hisses here and there among the audience. The little sandyhaired woman gave a squeak of mingled fear and disgust. Goldstein was the renegade and backslider who once, long ago (how long ago, nobody quite remembered), had been one of the leading figures of the party, almost on a level with Big Brother himself, and then had engaged in counterrevolutionary activities , had been condemned to death, and had mysteriously escaped and disappeared. The program of the Two Minutes Hate varied from day to day, but there was none in which Goldstein was not the principal figure. He was the primal traitor, the earliest defiler of the Party’s purity. All subsequent crimes against the Party, all treacheries, acts of sabotage, heresies, deviations, sprang directly out of his teaching. Somewhere or other he was still alive and hatching his conspiracies: perhaps somewhere beyond the sea, under the protection of his foreign paymasters; perhaps even–so it was occasionally rumored–in some hiding place in Oceania itself.”
 

“Goldstein was delivering his usual venomous attack upon the doctrines of the Party–an attack so exaggerated and perverse that a child should have been able to see through it, and yet just plausible enough to fill one with an alarmed feeling that other people, less level-headed than oneself, might be taken in by it. He was abusing Big Brother, he was denouncing the dictatorship of the Party, he was demanding the immediate conclusion of peace with Eurasia, he was advocating freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of thought”…George Orwell, “1984″

From the Chicago Tribune August 29, 2011.

“Anti-tea party e-mail leads to slap on wrist for human rights investigator”

“An investigator for Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn’s human rights agency got a slap on the wrist for forwarding an e-mail before last November’s election that contended the Republican Party had been hijacked by “dangerous, radical hate mongers called the ‘Tea Party.’ ”

The e-mail, sent on a state computer, claimed talk show host Glenn Beck and former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin led the tea party effort to “take down President Obama and the government.”

Following an investigation, officials at the Illinois Department of Human Rights delivered a verbal reprimand to Alvin Forbes Sr. in the spring. The case came to light Monday when the state’s Executive Ethics Commission published the details on its web site.

The pro-Democratic e-mail urged readers to fight at the ballot box against a tea party political coup because “these people hate blacks. They hate Latinos. They hate Muslims and have at times made many anti-Semitic statements. They hate gays. They hate any moderate Republican who might be likely to cooperate with Obama.”

Forbes, 56, of Chicago, said in an interview that the case against him was “petty as hell.” He called the reprimand “bogus,” saying he sent the e-mail accidentally to some of his co-workers. He said his sister had sent it to him.”

Chad Fornoff, executive director of the Executive Ethics Commission, said the violation “was egregious enough to warrant publication” on its web site. The commission can opt not to publish a case unless discipline includes several days’ suspension.

Forbes said he was grilled about the incident by two officials and the executive inspector general’s office reviewed his e-mails back to January 2003. When he learned of the recommendation for discipline, Forbes said, “I’m looking at this thing and thinking, ‘Wow, we’ve got much bigger fish to fry.’ ”

In its explanation, the Human Rights Department noted Forbes was given an oral reprimand for political activity on his state computer and it took into account Forbes had “no prior discipline and his work performance has been good.”

“Even though I may think (the punishment) was not appropriate, it’s the lowest level of discipline that they could initiate,” Forbes said. “And they had to do something to justify what they are doing.””

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-antitea-party-email-leads-to-slap-on-wrist-for-human-rights-investigator-20110829,0,2037071.story

Illinois July Job Losses leads nation, Obama cronies raise taxes and government spending, IL unemployment rate 9.5 percent

Illinois July Job Losses leads nation, Obama cronies raise taxes and government spending,  IL unemployment rate 9.5 percent

As Obama formulates another award winning solution for creating jobs, you know like the Stimulus Bill, Illinois, Obama’s home state, gained recognition recently for having the highest job losses in the nation.

From the Chicago Daily Observer August 23, 2011.

“Illinois Leads Nation in Jobs Losses”

“Nationally, lawmakers and economists are debating what policy changes will help the U.S. progress toward economic recovery. Here in Illinois, residents are getting a harsh lesson of what happens when taxes go up, government spending isn’t reformed and past-due bills continue to go unpaid.

Last week the Bureau of Labor Statistics delivered three pieces of bad news to Illinois:

The number of Illinoisans employed continues to fall.

Illinois lost more jobs during the month of July than any other state in the nation. After losing 7,200 jobs in June, Illinois lost an additional 24,900 non-farm payroll jobs in July.

The Illinois unemployment rate, which rose to 9.5 percent, now exceeds the national rate.
“The policies currently in place – higher taxes, more spending, and unreformed liabilities – are clearly not working for those who are struggling to make ends meet,” said Kristina Rasmussen, executive vice president at the Illinois Policy Institute. “A great starting place for lawmakers eager to create an atmosphere of job growth would be to repeal the recent income tax increase, which robs families and businesses of resources they could put to better use.””

Read more:

http://www.cdobs.com/archive/featured/illinois-leads-nation-in-jobs-losses/

Blagojevich prosecutors oppose retrial, Deny allegations of bias, Blagojevich 158 page motion, Prosecution 133 page motion

Blagojevich prosecutors oppose retrial, Deny allegations of bias, Blagojevich 158 page motion, Prosecution 133 page motion

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

“Will Obama be thrown under the bus”

From the Chicago Tribune August 23, 2011.

“Blagojevich prosecutors deny allegations of bias”

“Responding to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s motion to dismiss his June conviction on public corruption charges, federal prosecutors in a filing late Monday rejected  allegations of bias, saying trial decisions were focused on facts and evidence relevant to the charges.

Blagojevich filed a 158-page motion in late July, saying his case should be dismissed because of alleged widespread judicial and prosecutorial bias against him.

“In reality, there was no bias, manipulation, or unfairness on the part of the prosecution, judge or jury. Defendant was fairly convicted by a jury of his peers based on overwhelming evidence, and his post-trial motions therefore should be denied,” prosecutors said in their filing.

U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel, the judge at trial, will eventually rule on whether to dismiss the case. While that outcome would appear highly unlikely, the defense filing offered a glimpse of the likely issues that Blagojevich’s lawyers will target in an eventual appeal with a federal appellate court.

A federal jury convicted Blagojevich in June on 17 of 20 wire fraud, bribery, attempted extortion and conspiracy counts, including allegations he tried to sell the U.S. Senate seat left open by Barack Obama’s election to president in 2008.

The former governor was also convicted at his first trial last summer on a single count of lying to the FBI. The jury, however, deadlocked on all the other counts, setting the stage for the retrial. Blagojevich is set to be sentenced Oct. 6.

The government, in the 133-page motion, dealt with some of the more headline-grabbing allegations made by the defense, including the idea that there were missing phone calls amid the numerous wiretaps the government presented as evidence during the trial.

One of those calls involving former Blagojevich chief of staff John Harris, the government said, was simply not recorded and therefore not available.

“The likely reasons why the call was not intercepted are that Harris took the call on a non-wiretapped phone line, or that the call took place during a time his phone line was not being monitored,” the motion reads. “As the records provided to the defense make clear, there was no break in the wiretaps and no deletion of recordings that would account for this call not being recorded,” the government said of one of the calls.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-blagojevich-prosecutors-deny-allegations-of-bias-20110823,0,2667746.story

Anita Mahajan pleads guilty, Blagojevich and Obama ties, Mutual Bank President Amrish Mahajan wife, Rezko Obama land purchase

Anita Mahajan pleads guilty, Blagojevich and Obama ties, Mutual Bank President Amrish Mahajan wife, Rezko Obama land purchase

“Why did Mutual Bank fire whistleblower Kenneth J Connor after he
challenged the appraisal on the land purchased by Rita Rezko, just
prior to the land sale to Obama?”…Citizen Wells

“Why do 3 supporters own Obama’s home?”…World Net Daily

***  UPDATE  BELOW  ***

From the Chicago Tribune August 21, 2011

“Contractor with Blagojevich links to plead guilty”

“A former state contractor with close ties to ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich
plans to enter a guilty plea Monday, more than four years after she
was charged with bilking the state out of $2 million for drug tests
that were never performed, said a source with knowledge of the case.

Anita Mahajan, the wife of a major Blagojevich fundraiser, was charged
in May 2007 with theft and fraud, based on allegations that her
company, K.K. Bio-Science, submitted bogus bills for drug screenings
for clients of the Illinois Department of Children and Family
Services.

Elections Prosecutors also accused Mahajan of laundering money taken
from the alleged fraud and using it to buy properties in Chicago and
New York.”

“Mahajan is the wife of Amrish Mahajan, a former head of the defunct
Mutual Bank of Harvey who was called “Uncle Amrish” by Blagojevich’s
children. He held events for Blagojevich and raised at least $500,000
for the former governor’s campaigns. The Mahajans also hired Patricia
Blagojevich for several real estate deals that netted the former first
lady more than $113,000 in commissions.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-contractor-with-links-to-blagojevich-to-plead-guilty-20110821,0,3818451.story

The Chicago Tribune has left out the important tie to Barack Obama.

From Citizen Wells May 9, 2010.

“Kenneth J Conner whistleblower lawsuit”

“9.  In June, 2005, Mutual Bank President and CEO Amrish Mahajan and
other Mutual Bank officers approved a loan to Rita Malki Rezko (Rita
Rezko) which was guaranteed by Antonin Rezko so that Rita Rezko could
purchase a 9,090 square foot vacant parcel of real estate at 5050 S.
Greenwood Avenue, Chicago. As part of the Mutual Bank loan
underwriting process, Mutual Bank obtained a real estate appraisal
from Adams Valuation Corporation (Adams Appraisal) which purported to
provide an opinion of value of the subject 5050 S. Greenwood real
estate (the collateral for the Rezko loan) at $ 68.76 per square foot.
A copy of the Adams Appraisal is attached as Exhibit C. In June, 2005,
Rita Rezko closed on the purchase of the 5050 S. Greenwood property at
a purchase price of $ 625,000.00 along with the loan from Mutual Bank
in the amount of $ 500,000.00 with Mutual bank obtaining a first
mortgage lien position on the Greenwood vacant parcel.”

“10.  On or about January 4, 2006, Rita Rezko entered into an
agreement with Senator Barack and Michelle Obama (Obamas) to sell a
ten-foot strip of the 5050 S. Greenwood property to the Obamas. A copy
of the Obama/Rita Rezko contract is attached as Exhibit D. As a result
of that transaction, the Rezkos requested that Mutual Bank release
it’s first collateral position to the ten-foot strip parcel
transferred to the Obamas. In that same general time frame, Richard
Barth, Mutual Bank Senior VP of construction lending and James Murphy,
Mutual Bank Senior VP Internal Auditor/Risk Manager, requested that
Conner perform an appraisal review of the Adams Appraisal attached
hereto as Exhibit C.”

“11.  In late 2005 or early 2006, Conner performed an appraisal review
of the Adams Appraisal (Exhibit C) per the directive of Richard Barth
and James Murphy. Conner prepared a written Appraisal Review report
(ARR) opining that the Adams Appraisal overvalued the Greenwood lot by
a minimum of $ 125,000.00 and that a reasonable and fair valuation for
Mutual Banks’s underwriting purposes should be no greater than $
500,000.00 for the entire 5050 S. Greenwood parcel as originally
purchased by Rita Rezko. In that same general time frame an appraisal
was performed for the 5050 S. Greenwood property by Howard B. Richter,
MAI which valued the 5050 S. Greenwood property at $ 54.00 per square
foot but then discounted the ten-foot strip being transferred by Rita
Rezko to the Obamas by fifty percent, as the ten-foot strip was
unbuildable standing alone…The valuation by the Richter Appraisal for
the 5050 S. Greenwood lot was substantially to Conner’s ARR
valuation.”

“12.  Conner notified Richard Barth and James Murphy orally of his ARR
findings and Conner’s ARR was filed in the “Rezko 5050 Greenwood” loan
file at Mutual Bank.”

“13.  In addition to Conner’s ARR stating that the Adams Appraisal
overvalued the 5050 S. Greenwood property, Conner had reported on
other occasions that Adams Valuation Corporation had overvalued real
estate subject to Mutual Bank loan underwriting valuation.”

“14.  On or about October 19, 2006, Mutual Bank received a Grand Jury
Subpoena (GJS) requiring Mutual Bank to produce the Rezko 5050
Greenwood loan file, as well as a Rita Rezko Riverside District
Development LLC checking account and loan file. Electronic mail
(email) communications about the subpoena were circulated to Mutual
Bank officers and attorneys, including Amrish Mahajan, James Murphy
and Conner. A copy of an October 19, 2006 email string pertaining to
the Rezko GJS is attached as Exhibit F. On information and belief,
Conner’s ARR was removed from the Rezko 5050 Greenwood loan file prior
to the submission of that file pursuant to the GJS, and in it’s place
Mutual bank submitted an appraisal checklist which was purportedly
dated “06/15/05″ from Senior VP James P. Murphy (Murphy Checklist). A
copy of the Murphy Checklist is attached as Exhibit G.”

“16.  In 2007, Conner observed that his ARR of the 5050 S. Greenwood
property was not in the Rezko 5050 Greenwood loan file and in it’s
place was the Murphy Checklist purportedly dated “06/15/2005.”…On June
18, 2007, Conner sent an email to James Murphy which provides, in
part, “I spent time trying to track down work of mine that should be
in a particular high profile loan file, though it is not–having been
replaced by a checklist.””

“17.  In October, 2007, Conner had various communications with Mutual
Bank’s Human Resources Department representative, Lana Schlabach. In
an email communication of October 15, 2007, Conner directly referenced
“Resentment over my mentioned discovery of the removal/replacement of
an appraisal review that I conducted. That appraisal review contained
substantial observations and suggestions. The transaction and parties
involved were high profile in the media.I am under the impression that
the FBI has since looked at the file.””

“18.  On October 23, 2007, eight days after Conner’s October 15, 2007
email to Schlabach attached as Exhibit J, Mutual Bank terminated
Conner’s employment for pretextual reasons.”

Read more:

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2010/05/09/blagojevich-trial-obama-and-rezko-blagojevich-defense-subpoena-2006-chicago-suntimes-article-obama-lies-obama-rezko-ties-kenneth-j-conner-whistleblower-lawsuit/

***  UPDATE  3:05PM August 22, 2011 ***

Anita Mahajan received probation and $200,000 in fines and restitution.

Obama thrown under bus by Democrats or Daniel Frawley or Tony Rezko or Rod Blagojevich or Stuart Levine or William Cellini, Obama exits 2012 race?

Obama thrown under bus by Democrats or Daniel Frawley or Tony Rezko or Rod Blagojevich or Stuart Levine or William Cellini, Obama exits 2012 race?

“Why has the mainstream media avoided coverage of the William Cellini
trial? Why are Chicago news stories being scrubbed or
altered?”…Citizen Wells

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

“Will Obama be thrown under the bus”

From Citizen Wells June 27, 2011.

“I am not certain if Obama controls the Democrat party and they are
concerned about 2012. Will the Democrats throw Obama under the bus?”

Read more:

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/obama-under-the-bus-democrat-party-or-rezko-or-cellini-too-late-for-blagojevich/

From the Chicago Daily Observer August 18, 2011.

“Something strange is afoot in a Presidential campaign. To be specific,
something odd is going on within President Barack Obama’s reelection
campaign.

It’s enough to make a person wonder if — with the President’s approval
numbers now at an all time low — there’s an escape plan being hatched
for the 44th President.

Consider Obama’s remarks in June on the Today Show when he said his
family is “not invested” in a second term. He told the interviewer “If
I said, you know guys, I want to do something different, they’d be
fine with that.”

Realize that everything that is said in interviews is planned and
rehearsed in the White House. Nothing is just off- the- cuff in White
House interviews. The same is true with White House spokespeople.

So consider what Obama’s campaign spokesperson (and former press
secretary) Robert Gibbs said this month. On the same day that Obama’s
approval numbers dipped to their lowest, Gibbs said Obama is “quite
comfortable” being a one-term president in order to address issues he
is concerned about.

The two comments are not merely coincidental. They are planned,
formulated, tested and have a goal in mind. Is that goal to make
President Obama appear to be less ambitious for power? Is it to make
more people rise up and support the President? The answer is a “no” to
both theories.

No President who is campaigning for reelection suggests – or has his
spokespeople suggest – that he doesn’t need another term. Can you
remember another President, in the midst of a reelection, suggesting
that he doesn’t need another term?”

Read more:

http://www.cdobs.com/archive/featured/something-strange-afoot-in-the-obama-campaign/

Commenter Bessie, who has been correct about Daniel Frawley news,
placed the following comment on Citizen Wells and on the Chicago Daily
Observer.
“Frawley’s sentencing date has been postponed again, this time at his
request….Don’t worry though he has the best sentencing lawyer in the
country Jeffrey Steinbech and he’s working “pro-bono”.”
What is going on with Daniel Frawley?

From Citizen Wells August 3, 2011.

“Has Daniel Frawley been talking to the Feds? Apparently Frawley will
be sentenced on August 24, 2011. This comes after his sentencing
hearing was suddenly delayed recently. A Chicago SunTimes article
dated July 11, 2011 indicated that Frawley has been cooperating with
the Feds.

“UPDATE: After this story was published Monday morning, U.S. District
Judge Ronald A. Guzman canceled Daniel T. Frawley’s sentencing
hearing, which had been scheduled for Tuesday. Court records did not
indicate why Guzman did this. Frawley’s sentencing had not been
re-scheduled.
Daniel T. Frawley once teamed with Tony Rezko — the political fixer
who’s now in jail — in what turned out to be a doomed effort to open a
training school for Iraqi security forces in western Illinois. Now,
Frawley faces a federal prison stretch of his own.

On Tuesday, the 60-year-old onetime Chicago cop is set to appear
before a federal judge for sentencing after pleading guilty in
February in a $4.4 million bank fraud.

The scheme appears to have no connection to Rezko, the Wilmette
businessman who was once a prolific campaign fund-raiser for
politicians including the current president, Barack Obama, and the
recently convicted former governor, Rod Blagojevich.

Still, federal prosecutors are seeking a reduced sentence for Frawley
— of a year and a half in prison, rather than the 35 years he could
face — apparently because Frawley has been secretly cooperating since
at least 2006 in their investigation of Rezko, who was found guilty in
June 2008 of having used his clout with the Blagojevich administration
to enrich himself and his business associates.

Details about Frawley’s cooperation with the U.S. attorney’s office,
the FBI and the Illinois attorney general’s office can be gleaned from
a 65-page court deposition he gave seven months ago…”

“Frawley: “Yes, I had a conversation with Mr. Weaver where he
instructed me not to cooperate.”
Frawley: “I was on the phone, making a phone call to Tony Rezko. I had
a luncheon engagement with him.”

“George was outside of the room where I was making the telephone call,
and the purpose of the call was for me to keep my luncheon engagement
with Tony Rezko and to go over and to record Tony Rezko.”

“George saw and heard me on the phone, came running in and went like
this [demonstrating]: Cut it,”

Franklin: “For the record, the deponent is crossing his hands across
his throat.”

Konicek: “And Tony Rezko was where when you were speaking to him?”

Frawley: “He was on the other end of the phone. I don’t recall where he was.”
Konicek: “I’m assuming the information is about the payments made by
Rezko to Obama, so we know we’re talking about the right conversation,
right?”

Konicek: “Am I correct it was about Obama being paid by Rezko?”

Frawley: “I’m not answering that question, based upon my attorney’s
instructions.”

Konicek: “But on March 13, 2006, you’ve already indentified for me
being at 219 South Dearborn. You’re talking to Tony rezko on the
phone, and Mr. Weaver makes this gesture to you, right?”

Frawley: “Mr. Weaver made the gesture and told me to get off the
phone, to end the phone call.”
Konicek: “Okay. And then where were you instructed not to cooperate?”

Frawley: “In the same building, at 219 South Dearborn….in a different room.”
Konicek: “Did you bring to Mr. Weaver in Hinsdale a statement showing
payment to Tony Rezko in the amount of $ 1.5 million?”
Konicek: “Are you going to answer?”

Frawley: “No.”

Konicek: “Are you asserting your Fifth Amendment privilege?”

Frawley: “Yes.””

Read more:

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/daniel-frawley-sentencing-august-24-2011-frawley-talking-for-lighter-sentence-daniel-frawley-throwing-rezko-and-obama-under-bus/

The US Justice Department has been protecting Obama before and after the appointment of Eric Holder as Attorney General. Holder is under increased scrutiny and increasingly Obama appears to be unelectable. Will the Democrats throw Obama or allow Obama to be thrown under the bus? Or will Obama exit on his own?

Daniel Frawley sentencing scheduled for August 24, 2011, Judge Ronald A. Guzman, Frawley deposition links Rezko Obama money

Daniel Frawley sentencing scheduled for August 24, 2011, Judge Ronald A. Guzman, Frawley deposition links Rezko Obama money

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

“Why did Mutual Bank fire whistleblower Kenneth J Connor after he challenged the appraisal on the land purchased by Rita Rezko, just prior to the land sale to Obama?”…Citizen Wells

“Why do 3 supporters own Obama’s home?”…World Net Daily

Daily Calendar   

Wednesday, August 24, 2011  (As of 08/17/11 at 07:47:49 AM 

Honorable Ronald A. Guzman                  Courtroom 1219 (RAG)

1:11-cr-00056   USA v. Frawley                         10:30   Sentencing     

From Citizen Wells August 3, 2011.

“Has Daniel Frawley been talking to the Feds? Apparently Frawley will be sentenced on August 24, 2011. This comes after his sentencing hearing was suddenly delayed recently. A Chicago SunTimes article dated July 11, 2011 indicated that Frawley has been cooperating with the Feds.

“UPDATE: After this story was published Monday morning, U.S. District Judge Ronald A. Guzman canceled Daniel T. Frawley’s sentencing hearing, which had been scheduled for Tuesday. Court records did not indicate why Guzman did this. Frawley’s sentencing had not been re-scheduled.
Daniel T. Frawley once teamed with Tony Rezko — the political fixer who’s now in jail — in what turned out to be a doomed effort to open a training school for Iraqi security forces in western Illinois. Now, Frawley faces a federal prison stretch of his own.

On Tuesday, the 60-year-old onetime Chicago cop is set to appear before a federal judge for sentencing after pleading guilty in February in a $4.4 million bank fraud.

The scheme appears to have no connection to Rezko, the Wilmette businessman who was once a prolific campaign fund-raiser for politicians including the current president, Barack Obama, and the recently convicted former governor, Rod Blagojevich.

Still, federal prosecutors are seeking a reduced sentence for Frawley — of a year and a half in prison, rather than the 35 years he could face — apparently because Frawley has been secretly cooperating since at least 2006 in their investigation of Rezko, who was found guilty in June 2008 of having used his clout with the Blagojevich administration to enrich himself and his business associates.

Details about Frawley’s cooperation with the U.S. attorney’s office, the FBI and the Illinois attorney general’s office can be gleaned from a 65-page court deposition he gave seven months ago in a legal-malpractice lawsuit that he filed against his former longtime lawyer, George Weaver. In the lawsuit, Frawley accuses Weaver of having overbilled him and telling him to “withhold certain information from the government” when he was cooperating with authorities.

That sworn statement, given Dec. 1, 2010, is posted at suntimes.com/news/watchdogs. In it, Frawley talks about three meetings he’s had with law enforcement authorities since 2006. The deposition outlines how he secretly recorded Rezko, and it raises a new and unsubstantiated question about Rezko’s once-close relationship with Obama — an issue that dogged the then-U.S. senator during his presidential campaign four years ago.”

“More compelling passages from the Daniel Frawley deposition were presented at Citizen Wells on July 15, 2011.

“Attorneys Franklin & Schutte represent Frawley, plaintiff.

Attorney Konicek represents George Weaver, defendant.

Frawley: “George told me that he had a meeting at his office on LaSalle Street with Dan Mahru, with some people from First Bank–I didn’t know how many at the time–and himself. And George instructed me not to attend.”

Konicek: “So who said it to you, and where was it said to you?”

Frawley: “Dan Mahru told me that First Bank was agreeable to a settlement.”

Konicek: “In March 13, 2006, you had a conversation with Mr. Weaver where you say he instructed me not to cooperate.”

Frawley: “Yes, I had a conversation with Mr. Weaver where he instructed me not to cooperate.”
Frawley: “I was on the phone, making a phone call to Tony Rezko. I had a luncheon engagement with him.”

“George was outside of the room where I was making the telephone call, and the purpose of the call was for me to keep my luncheon engagement with Tony Rezko and to go over and to record Tony Rezko.”

“George saw and heard me on the phone, came running in and went like this [demonstrating]: Cut it,”

Franklin: “For the record, the deponent is crossing his hands across his throat.”

Konicek: “And Tony Rezko was where when you were speaking to him?”

Frawley: “He was on the other end of the phone. I don’t recall where he was.”
Konicek: “I’m assuming the information is about the payments made by Rezko to Obama, so we know we’re talking about the right conversation, right?”

Konicek: “Am I correct it was about Obama being paid by Rezko?”

Frawley: “I’m not answering that question, based upon my attorney’s instructions.”

Konicek: “But on March 13, 2006, you’ve already indentified for me being at 219 South Dearborn. You’re talking to Tony rezko on the phone, and Mr. Weaver makes this gesture to you, right?”

Frawley: “Mr. Weaver made the gesture and told me to get off the phone, to end the phone call.”
Konicek: “Okay. And then where were you instructed not to cooperate?”

Frawley: “In the same building, at 219 South Dearborn….in a different room.”
Konicek: “Did you bring to Mr. Weaver in Hinsdale a statement showing payment to Tony Rezko in the amount of $ 1.5 million?”
Konicek: “Are you going to answer?”

Frawley: “No.”

Konicek: “Are you asserting your Fifth Amendment privilege?”

Frawley: “Yes.””

Read more:

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/daniel-frawley-sentencing-august-24-2011-frawley-talking-for-lighter-sentence-daniel-frawley-throwing-rezko-and-obama-under-bus/

Tony Rezko sentencing remains October 21, 2011, Rezko not called at Blagojevich trial, William Cellini trial?

Tony Rezko sentencing remains October 21, 2011, Rezko not called at Blagojevich trial, William Cellini trial?

“Why was Obama in constant contact with Tony Rezko in 2004 when Rezko was conspiring with William Cellini to use TRS, Teacher Retirement Fund, assets for political gain and personal enrichment?”…Citizen Wells

“Illinois is Six Degrees of Bill Cellini.”…John Kass, Chicago Tribune

From the Chicago Tribune August 16, 2011.

 “Convicted influence peddler Rezko still on for sentencing just weeks after ex-Gov. Blagojevich”

“A convicted influence peddler remains on track to be sentenced weeks after his one-time benefactor, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Prosecutors said at a status hearing Tuesday that they want to stick with an Oct. 21 sentencing date for Tony Rezko.

The government has portrayed Rezko as the ultimate insider who pulled strings in Blagojevich’s administration.

A jury convicted Rezko in 2008 of squeezing kickbacks from businessmen eager to land state contracts.

The 56-year-old appeared at Tuesday’s hearing in jail clothes and chains binding his ankles. He smiled weakly and waived at relatives on courtroom benches.”

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/sns-ap-il–blagojevichtrial-rezko,0,1617012.story

Why does the Chicago Tribune not mention the William Cellini trial scheduled for October 3, 2011?

William Cellini was mentioned numerous times during the Tony Rezko trial in early 2008. Cellini was indicted in October 2008.

Press release

http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2008/pr1030_01.pdf

Indictment

http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2008/pr1030_01a.pdf

 
Cellini 101

Tony Rezko status hearing, August 11, 2011, Judge Amy J. St. Eve, US District Court

Tony Rezko status hearing, August 11, 2011, Judge Amy J. St. Eve, US District Court

Tony Rezko, convicted of corruption in June of 2008, has a status hearing with  Judge Amy J. St. Eve in US District Court on August 11, 2011.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Honorable Amy J. St. Eve                    Courtroom 1241 (ASE)         

1:05-cr-00691   USA v. Rezko                           09:00   Status Hearing             

http://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/home/DailyCal/1.htm#St.Eve

Joseph Cari sentenced, Blagojevich Rezko Obama Biden ties, Cari pressured by Stuart Levine, John Harris and Alonzo Monk await sentencing

Joseph Cari sentenced, Blagojevich Rezko Obama Biden ties, Cari pressured by Stuart Levine, John Harris and Alonzo Monk await sentencing

“Why did the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, with Obama as chairman, create and push Bill 1332, “Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act,” early in 2003, which reduced the number of members on the Board from 15 to 9, just prior to rigging by Tony Rezko and Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells

“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich

“There is enough corruption in Illinois so that all it takes is someone who is serious about finding it to uncover it. If a U.S. attorney is not finding corruption in Illinois, they’re not seriously looking for it.”…Northwestern Law Professor James Lindgren

From the Chicago Tribune August 9, 2011.

“A federal judge chose not to send a cooperating witness in the prosecution of Rod Blagojevich to prison for his role in trying to shake down an asset management firm, sentencing the former fundraiser on Tuesday to three years of probation.

Joseph Cari, 58, is one of the first notable figures to be sentenced of those who took plea deals and testified against the impeached Illinois governor. Blagojevich’s former chiefs of staff John Harris and Alonzo Monk are among those still awaiting sentencing.

Cari, who pleaded guilty to attempted extortion, told Judge Amy St. Eve just before she sentenced him that he took full responsibility for his actions and was sorry.

“I will live with the shame and pain for the rest of my life,” he said.

A former finance chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Cari described to jurors at Blagojevich’s first corruption trial how the then-governor boasted to him in 2003 about how governors could pressure companies desperate for state business for campaign cash.

Prosecutors decided not to call Cari as part of their streamlined case at the retrial this year, where Blagojevich was convicted of counts including trying to sell or trade President Barack Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat for a high-paying job or campaign donations. Blagojevich is slated to be sentenced Oct. 6.

As part of Cari’s probation, St. Eve said he must remain on home confinement for the first nine months, though he will be able to leave to go to work or even to travel abroad on business. The maximum prison sentence for extortion is 20 years.”

“At Blagojevich’s first trial, Cari told jurors that the governor’s advisers dangled the possibility that he could get law business and other fees from the state if he put his fundraising contacts to work for a possible Blagojevich run for the White House.

Cari said he eventually bowed to pressure from Stuart Levine, a Blagojevich campaign contributor and influential member of the board that governed a multibillion-dollar fund that pays the pensions of Illinois teachers not in Chicago. Levine wanted Cari to call the Virginia-based asset management firm and warn them they would lose an $80 million allocation from the fund if they didn’t hire a consultant they had never met. Cari said that when the head of the management firm asked why, he had a simple answer: “That’s the way they do it in Illinois.””

Read more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-bc-il–blagojevichtrial-cari,0,5737774.story

From Citizen Wells August 26, 2008.

“Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better. Just when you thought the height of lies, deception and corruption had been achieved. Along comes another tie to Tony Rezko and crime and corruption in Chicago and Illinois. We have a balanced ticket in Obama and Biden. They both have ties to Tony Rezko and Joseph Cari.”

“Vice-presidential candidate Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del. (left), has been advised since 1984 by Joseph Cari (right), the Chicago lawyer and onetime mega-fundraiser who has been tied to the Antoin “Tony” Rezko patronage scandal.”

“Chicago lawyer and onetime mega-fundraiser Joseph Cari has advised Biden and his campaigns on and off since 1984, serving in posts as varied as a Senate adviser on crime to the Midwest Political Director for Biden’s aborted 1987 presidential bid. In 2005 Cari helped arrange private meetings for Biden with potential supporters, as the senator explored another run for the White House. He has also worked to raise money for Biden . “

“Cari admitted that in 2004 he helped a Rezko associate by making calls in what turned out to be a kickback scheme. The deal was an offshoot of a complex corruption scheme wrought by Antoin “Tony” Rezko , whose ties to Obama have vexed the White House hopeful . Cari has maintained he did not know the details of that scheme or any other.”

Read more:

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/biden-tied-to-rezko-fraud-figure-abc-news-obama-rezko-biden-joseph-cari-biden-campaign-advisor-fundraiser-chicago-lawyer-more-chicago-corruption-in-obama-team/

From Citizen Wells June 17, 2010.

“Joseph Cari, Democratic National Committee finance chairman, tied to Chicago corruption, is on the witness stand today, Thursday, June 17, 2010. Cari is a two for one witness. He has ties to corruption and Joe Biden.

From the Tony Rezko trial.

April 15, 2008
“Former Democratic fundraiser Joseph Cari testified Tuesday afternoon about a 2003 fundraising trip he took to New York with Gov. Rod Blagojevich, offering some of the most damaging testimony for the governor to emerge from the trial of his fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko.

Cari said the governor told him that he thought it would be easy to raise money for a presidential run because a governor had the ability to raise money by handing out contracts and state business.

Cari said his conversation with Blagojevich took place on a private plane arranged by Stuart Levine, the star witness in the case against Rezko who finished lengthy testimony earlier Tuesday.

Blagojevich told him how happy he was to be governor, Cari said, “but also that he had aspirations beyond the governorship.”

Cari said he discussed with Blagojevich why former President Bill Clinton had been successful running for the office as a sitting governor in Arkansas. Blagojevich told him that it was easier for a governor to make a run than a senator “because a governor had the ability to award contracts,” Cari said. “It was easier to obtain contributions.””

“Cari said he met with Stuart Levine at Rezko’s office in January that year. Rezko said he had the power to award contracts and get consultants hired through the governor’s then-chief of staff, Lon Monk, Cari said.

“Mr. Monk took direction from [Rezko],” Cari told the jury.

Rezko illustrated his clout by picking up the phone and apparently calling Monk in front of him, Cari said.”

“Cari said he was a go-between for one of his partners at HealthPoint and tried to follow Levine’s orders to have a finder’s fee paid on an $80 million allocation for JER from the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System.

When the arrangement was delayed, Cari said, he spoke to a JER executive who was shepherding the TRS deal and told her what Levine had communicated to him. If JER didn’t hire the consultant that had been named, the allocation would be pulled.

“I unequivocally told her that,” Cari testified.

The governor and the people around him selected law firms, investment firms and consultants that were used in such arrangements, Cari said he told the executive.

“This has been the history of Illinois and this is the way in Illinois that it’s done,” he said.””

Read more:

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2010/06/17/blagojevich-trial-joseph-cari-two-for-one-witness-cari-tied-to-chicago-corruption-and-joe-biden-joseph-cari-testimony-june-17-2010/

Illinois School Spends $120k For Chief of Equity And Social Justice, Cuts Crossing Guards, Let them know we are outraged, Spend money on education

Illinois School Spends $120k For Chief of Equity And Social Justice, Cuts Crossing Guards, Let them know we are outraged, Spend money on education

When I began the Citizen Wells blog in January of 2008, one of the subjects that I intended to address was education, or lack thereof, in the US. I have been watching a disturbing trend in public education of employing too many non front line employees, teachers, and more assistant principals, psychologist types and school resource officers, police. I grew up in NC when people had some damn sense. We had a principal, no assistant in my grade school (not small) and a principal and one assistant in my junior high and high school. My high school had over 2 thousand students.

We are spending too much on education for diminished results.

I heard Glenn Beck on his radio show talk about a Illinois school system that hired a “Chief of Equity And Social Justice” and cut crossing guards.

From The Blaze August 5, 2011.

“Illinois School Cuts Crossing Guards, But Spends $120k For ‘Chief of Equity And Social Justice’”
“•Financial crisis forces the second-largest Illinois School district (U46) to cut budgets for student transportation, physical education, art, and even crossing guards.
•School Superintendent gets appointed to Dept Of Ed commission on “Equity in Education”
•Three months later, the budget-strapped U46 School District announces $120,000 job for “Chief of Equity & Social Justice”
•Residents and parents protest, yet the School Board approves the new position without a single dissenting vote.
The U46 School District in Elgin, Illinois is the second largest school system in the state and U46 has dealt with the same financial strain facing many districts around the country. Budgets have been cut to the bone, programs like physical education and art have been eliminated, but that did not prevent the school board from hiring Ushma Shah as “Chief of Equity & Social Justice,” at a cost of $120,000 a year (plus another $12,450 in benefits).

As might be expected, parents who have watched their children’s classroom become increasingly overcrowded are not pleased. Many residents believe the money allocated to “Equity and Social Justice” would be better spent hiring teachers — or crossing guards. Two days ago the Daily Herald revealed that the school district, in cost cutting moves, had reduced the number of bus stops for high school students and also decided against spending just over $13,000 to pay for two crossing guards near an elementary school.

So, recapping: U46 has cut funds for student transportation and crossing guards, while allocating over $120,000 for a newly created position — the chief of equity and social justice.
The question remains, what is the job of a chief of equity and social justice? CBS Radio in Chicago reports that the role of the chief will be “to overcome the district’s educational gaps and foster racial equity.” (Huh?)

The official online job listing for the position states the following “position goals”:

Develop and communicate the vision, mission, goals and measurable outcomes for equity, closure of the achievement gap, and culturally responsive teaching in School District U-46.  Work with Superintendent and Cabinet to drive and infuse equity into all aspects of the District.  Accountable for developing and implementing “proof of concepts” models for closing the achievement gap in support of the District’s Accountability for Continuous Improvement Plan, Destination 2015.  Member of Superintendent’s Cabinet advising District leadership regarding current and future equity and social justice issues and needs of the District.

Coincidentally enough, in March of this year, the man who created the position, U46′s Superintendent Jose Torres, was appointed to a high profile Department of Education commission to study “equity and excellence in education.” And it should also surprise no one that the department does offer training in “social justice” and “equity”.  The Dept. of Ed website attempts to offer clarity on the purpose of this program:

The purpose of this program is to award grants (cooperative agreements) to operate ten regional equity assistance centers to provide technical assistance and training, at the request of school boards and other responsible governmental agencies, on issues related to equity in education to ensure that all children, regardless of race, gender, or national origin, have equal access to quality education and the opportunity to develop high academic standards in reading, math and other core subject areas.

Huh? Does that mean the Illinois program is one of 10 being set up around the country? If so, where are the other nine “Chiefs of Equity and Social Justice?” A quick search of the Internet did not turn up another one. . . yet.”

 Read more:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/illinois-school-hires-social-justice-chief-for-120k/

My heart goes out to the parents and students in Illinois School district (U46). I hope that this story is spread far and wide and that you have success in fixing this absurd situation.