Video poker extortion
The intimidating tone of state Rep. Angelo “Skip” Saviano on Dec. 15 betrayed his frustration with communities that, by the scores, say they want no part of legalized video gambling. The setting was a meeting of an Illinois legislative committee and Saviano had a captive listener, Michael Fries, general counsel to the Illinois Gaming Board.
The complete article can be viewed at the Chicago Tribune.
County Commissioner Hopefuls Call for Reform
Four candidates for Cook County commissioner in the 16th District faced off Sunday in Countryside at a forum sponsored by the LaGrange Area League of Women Voters, including incumbent Republican Tony Peraica, Republican Brian Sloan and Democrats Bill Russ and Jeff Tobolski, who answered questions during the 75-minute event.
Peraica, of Riverside, who was first elected to the county board in 2002, was typically blunt. “I’m there to say no,” Peraica said in his opening statement. “I’m there to shine the spotlight on corruption and higher taxes and to fight against it.”
For the complete article, visit the Riverside/Brookfield Landmark website.
Commissioner Murphy, Stroger supporter, used county funds to help her get Democratic votes.
Todd Stroger supporter, Commissioner Joan Patricia Murphy sent out about 10,000 holiday season greeting cards, costing several thousand dollars, and used county funds to pay for it. Watch the Fox Chicago News video, with a link to the entire article below.
Read the entire Fox Chicago News article here.
Larry Dominick In the News Again
We thought you’d be interested in this Fox Chicago News story from last week — involving Cicero Village President Larry Dominick. Yet another troubling story about this politician.
Dominick, of course, has openly pledged campaign cash to defeat Tony Peraica in the 2010 elections. We believe he is teaming up with Melrose Park Mayor Ron Serpico and Todd Stroger to defeat Tony — and are supporting candidates to do just that.
Is it also a coincidence that a resident of Dominick’s town of Cicero has filed a challenge to Tony’s petition signatures to try to knock him off the ballot?
Watch this video below about Larry Dominick:
You are cordially invited…
Reception for Commissioner Tony Peraica
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
5:30 p.m.
Union League Club of Chicago - Crystal Room (65 W. Jackson)
Donation: $100
RSVP: Call Maryanne at 773-735-1700
Guess Whose Teaming Up to Oppose Tony Peraica?
Commissioner Peraica has been an outspoken fighter for honest reform and tax relief in Cook County.
So it’s not secret why opponents of reform want Tony gone.
We’ve already written about the “Two Eddies” who have teamed up to oppose Tony in the past — and will no doubt do it again in 2010 (we already have indications that “Fast Eddie” Vrdolyak is actively recruiting politicians to work against Tony in next year’s elections.”
And McCook Mayor Jeff Tobolski — who is challenging Peraica as a Democrat — has actually bragged about raising big bucks from Melrose Park Village President Ron Serpico and Cicero Mayor Larry Dominick.
Yes, that’s the same Larry Dominick who infamously stationed armed gunmen outside the Cicero polls during his re-election.
And, please, please, please read our prior post on Ron Serpico.
Speaking of Ron Serpico, the bad news just keeps coming for his town of Melrose Park. We previously posted about his former consultant, Anthony Bruno, being charged with federal tax fraud. And we’ve also posted about the conviction of Serpico’s former chief of police, Vito Scavo, on federal corruption charges.
Now, both Scavo and Bruno are in the news again — this time for an alleged scheme to shakedown a local Melrose Park movie theater. The Sun-Times reports:
A high-profile municipal consultant worked with a crooked Melrose Park police chief in the late 1990s to strong-arm a movie theater chain into hiring private guards, federal prosecutors allege.
In a sentencing memo to the court, prosecutors have accused Bruno of a separate crime: working with former Melrose Park Police Chief Vito Scavo in 1999 to extort Cinemark Theatres into hiring security at levels the company did not want. When Cinemark balked, Bruno threatened to hold up a certificate of occupancy the company needed to open the theater, prosecutors say.
Bruno denies any extortion, saying he simply persuaded Cinemark to honor a promise to hire the guards. He also said there’s no proof he knew Scavo intended to supply the guards with Scavo’s own firm. Bruno isn’t charged in connection with the Cinemark allegations. The statute of limitations has expired, officials say.
In June, Scavo was found guilty of strong-arming Kiddieland, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and other places into hiring security firms he owned. The firms operated out of the Melrose Park police station using squad cars and on-duty cops. Scavo is awaiting sentencing.
Just remember that these are the same folks who want to see Tony Peraica defeated next year.
Do you stand with these insiders — or with the side of reform?
All Signs Point to Olympic-Size Bum Deal for Taxpayers
We just ran across this recent story about the massive cost overruns that plague Vancouver — host city for the 2010 Winter Olympics:
Olympic-related construction bills continue to soar over budget for beleaguered Vancouver taxpayers, with some estimates putting the total added costs at close to $45-million. That’s apart from the troubled Millennium Project to house Olympic athletes, which is over its original budget by more than $100-million and has had to have its financing taken over by the city.
Earlier this year, we saw a major government bailout for the 2012 London Olympic Games — which have been plagued by massie cost overruns for years.
How about last year’s Beijing Olympic Games? Well, according to this story, the initial estimates of a cost of 28 to 30 billion yuan was blown away with actual costs exceeding 400 billion yuan.
What’s to make us think Chicago would be able to avoid these Olympic-size cost overruns?
History, for one. Just look at recent examples of major projects here in the Windy City.
Take, for example, Millenium Park. It’s certainly a nice place to visit — but the project was completed 4 years past its deadline and cost about three times as much as originally budgeted. Taxpayers foot the bill for $270 million of those cost overruns.
And what about Mayor Daley’s proposed CTA “Super Station” at the Block 37 site in Chicago’s Loop? Here’s a quick update on the status of that boondoggle:
After spending $213 million, the City of Chicago has decided to suspend indefinitely construction of an underground “super station” for express train service to and from the city’s major airports and downtown.
To build the station as originally planned, total spending would be about $320 million, more than $100 million over budget, according to city officials. Skeptics say the estimate of an additional $100 million may be low, noting the city has repeatedly underestimated costs on major projects ranging from football stadium renovations to park construction.
The experience of other major Olympic host cities, combined with the City of Chicago’s track record of botched budgets and deadlines for other projects, doesn’t bode well for any taxpayers hoping to avoid footing the bill for the 2016 Olympic Games.
All the more troubling given today’s news about the City of Chicago’s budget woes.
Despite Mayor Daley’s and Pat Ryan’s cheerleading for the 2016 Games … all signs point to a bum deal for the Chicago (and Cook County and Illinois) taxpayers.
Alderman Ed Burke Is Against Cook County Jobs
Filed under: Economic Growth, Reform, Spending, Uncategorized
Union-sponsored blog Progress Illinois crows today about a Sun-Times article in which Ald. Ed Burke states his opposition to building a new Wal-Mart in Chicago.
For a primer/refresher on Ed Burke, please read here.
In short, Burke said he’s withholding support for a new Wal-Mart until the company backs the Big Labor-backed “Card Check” bill pending in Congress. That bill would rob American workers’ right to a secret ballot in union organizing elections.
In addition to being undemocratic, that bill would no doubt cost good-paying jobs.
Of course, at the same time unions attack the job-producing Wal-Mart … they outsource their “picketing” work lowly-paid temporary workers.
But, mind you, Burke’s motivation is anything but high-minded. It’s purely political. He is the uber-insider on the Chicago City Council (who has worked hard to unseat Tony Peraica, the host of this blog) who works hard to take care of his political contributors…even if its at taxpayer expense.
According to State Board of Elections reports, his semi-annual campaign finance report for only the last half of 2008 shows $17,000 in campaign contributions for labor. The Burnham Committee, of which Burke is an officer and which contributed $150,000 to his campaign committee in 2008, received about $9,000 in labor contributions during 2008.
Burke has obviously decided to stand with his labor backers — rather than these Chicago citizens who know that Wal-Mart will bring much-needed jobs during an economic crisis.
Part III of Red County’s Interview with Tony Peraica
Here is Part III of Red County’s six-part video interview with Commissioner Peraica. Please view Part I and Part II.
“Two Eddies” Aim for 16th District Domination
Filed under: Campaign News, Corruption, Reform, Uncategorized
Longtime Chicago Alderman Ed Burke was in the news this week — this time for helping “friends with city deals.”
To those familiar with Cook County politics and corruption, this story about Burke was no surprise. During his career, he has been far from a model of clean and honest government.
The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform describes Burke as a “career patron of Governor Rod Blagojevich.”
He has also long been a close political ally of uber-insider Ed Vrdolyak, who last year magically beat corruption charges in federal court after being indicted on fraud and bribery charges. Burke’s and Vrdolyak’s political alliance goes back to the “Council Wars” of the early 1980’s, when the two formed an opposition group — called “The Eddie’s” — to oppose Mayor Harold Washington’s policies, proposals and political organization.
The “Two Eddies” also share something else in common: they both vehemently oppose the reform efforts of Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-16th).
Well, Burke’s opposition to Peraica most likely stems from him “sticking up” for his buddy Vrdolyak, a political power broker in Cicero and other Western Suburbs located within Peraica’s 16th District. Peraica has long tussled with Vrdolyak on behalf of the taxpayers — thus making Vrdolyak a political enemy.
And when Eddie V. is your enemy — so is Eddie B.
So, in 2006 the dynamic duo teamed up to try to defeat Peraica. Vrdolyak (specifically, the “Vrdolyak Law Group”) was the largest contributor to Michael LaPidus, who opposed Peraica in the Republican Primary for Lyons Township GOP Committeeman.
And Burke — through various political entities — ensured that William Gomolinski — Peraica’s Democratic opponent for the 16th District commissioner’s seat — was well-funded.
How well-funded? Well, according to State Board of Election reports, “The Burnham Committee” (a political committee of which Ed Burke is chairman) contributed $7,000 to “Friends of William E. Gomolinski” on 11/17/06.
The Burnham Committee previously made a $1,000 contribution to Gomolinski’s campaign fund on 3/22/06.
Also on 11/17/06, Friends of Edward M. Burke contributed $1,500 to the “Gomolinski Campaign Fund.”
So, the double-team was apparent: Eddie V. hit Peraica in the Primary … Eddie B. hit him hard in the General Election.
What will the 2010 election cycle hold? That remains to be seen. But with Vrdolyak having avoided jail time, the Vrdolyak-backed LaPidus already stirring up trouble in Lyons Township, and Ald. Burke still freely engaging in his shenanigans, it stands to reason that the “Two Eddies” will once again make a play to take over the 16th District.
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