Thursday, May 28, 2009
News / Clout City The latest federal indictment
Posted by Mick Dumke on 05.28.09 at 04:59 PM
I’m starting to understand why senator Roland Burris keeps saying he didn’t do anything wrong as if he actually believes it.
Just a little while ago U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald stood before reporters and offered details of the latest federal indictment of a local politician. This time it was west-side alderman Isaac Carothers being placed squarely on the hot seat and accused of bribery.
“I think I’ll start my story by saying, ‘Federal authorities confirmed today that Arenda Troutman was right: most aldermen are hos,’” said the reporter sitting next to me.
The feds didn’t put it in those exact terms, but they did allege that Carothers helped developer Calvin Boender negotiate with the city for a zoning change that helped Boender make at least $3 million selling portions of an old west-side rail yard. In return, Boender allegedly set Carothers up with White Sox playoff tickets, meals, campaign contributions, and $40,000 worth of improvements to his house that included fresh paint, new windows and doors, and a new air-conditioning system.
Carothers may bitch and moan about the Daley administration from time to time, and he’s great at asking pointed questions during City Council hearings. But he’s fundamentally a mayoral loyalist who as chair of the council’s police and fire committee has helped thwart any serious legislative oversight of the police department.
He was born into bare-knuckles west side politics—his grandfather was a ward committeeman and his father was an alderman who eventually was convicted of accepting bribes. And while the west side isn’t the machine powerhouse it once was, Carothers still has a ward organization comprised in part of government workers, and it’s delivered for him and for neighboring alderman Emma Mitts.
Among the favors allegedly given to Carothers in return for his zoning help were donations to Carothers and to “Candidate A”—described as a Carothers relative who ran for Congress in 2004. That would be his aunt Anita Rivkin-Carothers. The problem with the contributions, according to the feds, was that Boender allegedly had somebody else make them on his behalf so he could conceal the source: “Defendant Boender directed an employee of [his company] to make a $1,500 donation to the New 29th Ward Democratic Organization and reimbursed that employee for that contribution,” the indictment says.
Which brings me back to Senator Burris, who was recorded saying that he’d love to help former Governor Blagojevich with some money but had the good sense to suspect it would look bad while he was seeking a Senate appointment. “If I do that I guarantee you that that will get out … and then Rod and I both gonna catch hell."
Maybe, then, he could do some fund-raising a less direct way: “And my law partner, we were gonna try to do something at the law firm,” Burris said. “I might be able to do this in the name of Tim Wright.”
Fitzgerald thundered today against “straw donations,” which are against the law, even by the otherwise relaxed standards of Illinois. What he declined to talk about is how common this kind of arrangement is.
So I’ll say it: it’s really common. Just like offering gifts for a zoning change or a business license, or even as a chit that might have to be called in sometime later, it’s the way things have been done around here for ages.
Anyone tempted to give or take a bribe, “even if it’s $5, should take notice today,” Fitzgerald said, “because the consequences are serious.”
That’s why it’s best to try to do the right and wise thing: keep your name out of it and don’t get caught.
Comments (19)
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The official story is that the Daley Administration was hesitant to approve a residential project for Galewood Yards. I would bet that what really happened was that Carothers smelled out Boender as a big, desperate fish he could string along, and arranged to create a "problem" that conveniently, only Big Ike could solve. Daley's staunch ally mysteriously profits from a vague, illogical objection, but $40K later, suddenly Daley's concerns go away. What a coincidence!
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Alderman Carothers was no different than Mell, Banks, Doherty,Madigan,Allen,Daley,Laurino,......and all the other white Elected Officials. The problem is , he is black. The White power in this City loves when a Black Politician gets nailed. They can go to bed at night saying, see those Negros are always stealing, thats why we vote for Mayor Daley. US Attorney Fitzgerald should use some of that energy to go after the BIG GREEN MONSTER ! Just like a narco cop, they can bust the little guys all day, it's the big guys they need to catch! I liked Alderman Carothers, he was for the working guy. He told me that back in 2003, he also told me you can't beat Daley. he was right on both counts. But i didn't realize we had a sold out US Attorney that sleeps with Mayor Daley.
So the "Man" took down Alderman Ike today just like they are taking down Todd Stroger and Roland Burris, the system is corrupt, they let others steal millions but take down these guys so they can give their friends those spots (run Forrest Run, Alexi Baby, Lisa,Lisa) Yes, sir, all you've gotta be is white in America, to get whatever you want. Gobbledy-gook!
The only Resturant in the Park. Park Dist employee sleeps with Park Grill owner, gets knocked up, Park grill gets spot in Millinium Park. Its owned by every irish gangster in Chicago. What does the US attorney do? N-O-T-H-I-N-G !!! MSS Inspections owned by Mayor Daleys son , gets millions in taxpayer work, even though we pay for a City Department to do the same work. What does the US Attorney do- N-O-T-H-I-N-G !!! Robert Venecko, Mayor daleys nephew, raids pension funds, because Union pension board is bought out by Daley- What does US Attorney do- N-O-T-H-I-N-G !!!! Patrick Fitzgerald, your colors are starting to show!!! White!
The Negroes and the Dagoes show off their bling because they are stupid and have low self esteem. Driving big cars with no money trying to impress. The Irish hid the money and give it to charity.
Is Coco a little guy? Chicago is hiring 10 new laborers for the water department. Coco, go back to work shoveling dirt, we are starving.
The Irish give to the Catholic Church, because the irish priest are the ones fondling the little boys.The irish have ruined this State,City, and County. (Daley,Madigan,Joyce) selfish slobs! When the Italians had the Unions and Politics-No one was laid off and there were good quality jobs! The irish took over the Unions and we have Private contractors paying Mexicans $7.00 per hour. The Italians would have put a bomb in a burrito to get rid of that problem!
Coco and Louise, Nice selection bias. Apparently Laski, Bloom, Sorich, Slatterly, Boyle, Ryan, Fawell, Bauer, Kelly, Cellini, , Fast Eddie, Blago and others I can't remember must've really all been black. Is that it?
Who Runs this City,County and State? I know / you know and so does the US Attorney. Nothing gets done unless the Daley(Pastors/Stroger/jacksons-run Harlem), Madigan(Dorothy Brown black tool) and Joyce(Sheehans,Dart,Hynes under boss's) crime family say so, everyone else is expendable.
How much time did fast Eddie get? Blogo went down only because he went against the Machine. Why did the US Attorney conduct a drug raid on a sitting Governor? Daley's relatives have committed daylight robberies ...where are the indictments? Greylord took down everyone execpt the ring master Ed Burke. John Daley forced every Hire truck to buy insurance from his Bridgeport based firm. Maggot Daley ran a non-for profit out of city hall 80% of the funds collected went for Administrative expenses ,even though Chicago Matters used city Hall offices and equipment for free. Patrick Daley ran a sham company with a sham city contract.
It looks to me like George Ryan and Blago are pretty damned white. Here's a crazy idea for the race conspiracy theorists: Don't do stupid s*** like have evidence of your corruption installed on your house, morons. This is exactly what Rod is gonna fry for, the house renovations - you can't delete a new porch or new windows like emails. It's true that just because Daley hasn't been stupid enough to take envelopes of cash doesn't mean he's innocent. He is certainly pulling the strings. But when are people going to stop giving their aldermen a free pass because they're black or latino? Time to grow up and start taking responsibility for electing these people. If you folks want your wards to get a fair shake, start electing some honest people and not these leftover boodlers from the 1800s.
Oh how all the closet bigots come out to proclaim how it's only people of color getting caught. Good grief. What about Sorich, Gov Ryan, Blago...the list goes on? They must have had Michael Jackson disease. Ridiculous myopic vision. And who cares what color a crook is...catch 'em all. "A sold out US attorney that sleeps with Mayor Daley"? Are you for real? I bet Daley would argue that point. Another great article from our next Royko: Mick "Muckraker" Dumke! Keep it up and I'll keep feeding you!
Some have a reading comprehension problem. Nobody is saying Ike should not go to jail,because he is Black. The US Attorney looks like he is protecting Daley and the top Machine characters. YES! occassionally a Rezko or Blogo will be thrown under the bus,but the real cogs of the Machine go untouched. Why wasn't Pat or John Daley investigated,by Fitz. FBI Agents race to get Daley's autograph,when he attended Fitzgerald's wedding. Maybe these things and others are coincidences. The Machine like the Mob will occassionally throw a Sorich, or Tadin under the bus to preserve the illusion of Democracy. The main ring master Daley and his immediate family will go untouched. I hope Ike Carothers gets the same cell his Father had,but I want Daley to reside in the next cell.
I have to admit that I have been disappointed in Fitzgerald recently. Perhaps it is difficult to get the goods on His Highness, Her Highness and the princes. Or, Fitz has been told to lay off the Royal Family by Barack and Bush since they are good friends with His Highness. Many of us are anxious to see them go to jail-what's fair is fair. While many voters seem pretty disgusted with the current situation, it is difficult to trust our fellow citizens to vote His Highness out of office.
