tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42639508116407319802024-03-12T22:33:12.786-07:00CountyLeaks"Public corruption can sneak into DuPage County if we are not vigilant." - Judge Liam Brennan
CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-79863960412435560042016-02-21T11:54:00.003-08:002016-09-24T17:23:09.246-07:00BFFs of Judge Liam Brennan XOX: Jurisprudence The DuPage Way<h2>
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-size: large;">PART 15 OF COUNTYLEAKS SERIES ON DUPAGE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE...</span></b></i></h2>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Part One</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Part Two</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">Part Three</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">Part Four</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Part Five</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">Part Six</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/now-entering-ring-heavyweight-former.html">Part Seven</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">Part Eight</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/01/round-1-dupage-county-states-attorney.html">Part Nine</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/02/dixon-illinois-redux-dupage-county.html">Part Ten</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/03/november-9-21-2011-was-crucial-evidence.html">Part Eleven</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2015/09/only-you-can-prevent-forest-liars-cross.html">Part Twelve, </a></i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2015/09/more-things-shady-than-trees-dupage.html">Part Thirteen</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2015/09/former-federal-prosecutor-patrick.html">Part Fourteen</a></i></b></span><br />
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "arial";"><i>On Oct. 1, 2015, 18th Circuit Court <a href="http://jrminc.info/brennan/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Elan011r.jpg">Judge Liam Brennan</a> convicted former DuPage County Forest Preserve IT employee David Tepper of 29 felony counts in the most over-charged case in Illinois history. Brennan later sentenced Tepper to 180 days in jail - six days for each felony - and $83,000 in fines for "intent to defraud". Tepper has appealed this conviction. Following are never-reported and under-reported connections of Brennan and a Forest Preserve vendor directly related to this case, and the offices of the State's Attorney and the former Chief Judge. </i></span></b><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial";"><i><br /></i></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">September 18, 2015 - Day Five of the eight-day <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zREOQuaqSVk">criminal trial</a> of a former DuPage County Forest Preserve IT employee David Tepper and former vendor Arif Mahmood - was <i>bizarre</i>. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Employment attorney Leigh Jeter of Clark Baird Smith LLP</b> was appearing as the only witness for the prosecution that day. After introducing her credentials, she explained that she had been hired by the DuPage County Forest Preserve to perform the exit interview of Tepper on Nov. 4, 2011. When asked who attended this exit interview in addition to herself, Jeter supplied names of Tepper and <b>f</b></span></span></span><span style="line-height: 19.6px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>ormer Human Resources Director Laura Capizzano</b>. She also named a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njFuxKzhYLc">fourth person</a>.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Tepper's defense attorney, <a href="http://www.injusticewatch.org/commentary/2016/rejecting-logic-anita-alvarez-embraces-injustice/">Terry Ekl</a>,</b> raised strong objections on various matters. The prosecution sought a recess. <b>Judge Liam Brennan</b> agreed. When the judge, </span>bailiff, court reporter, court secretary, two prosecutors, investigator, defense team, defendants and observers filed in 2 1/2 hours later, the prosecution apologized and announced that they had withdrawn their witness. Day Five was done.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The fourth person Jeter had named still hung in the court room air...</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Vince Durante</b>.</span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Vince Durante - Pot Hole Fixer by Day, Covert IT Investigation Subcontractor by <strike>Night</strike> Day, Too</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njFuxKzhYLc">Vince Durante</a> is the son of </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">local GOP-heavyweight </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Pat Durante</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Pat is perhaps best-known as an aide and gate-keeper of the late U.S. Congressman </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Henry Hyde </b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">(R-Ill. 6) whose name everyone walks under entering <a href="https://irs0.4sqi.net/img/general/240x240/XZS1D1SDMQ3B0AAC5BWBPMRZNYFCCPQFDD2ZXBNP523HULHM.jpg">the court house's front door</a>. Pat was a long-time Board member and former chairman of the </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">DuPage County Republicans</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">. For over 40 years - s</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">ince 1974 - Pat</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> has served as chairman of the <b>Addison Township Republicans</b>, an organization aligned closely with <b>former president of the DuPage Forest Preserve District </b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Dewey Pierotti</b>.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> Pat circulated a candidate petition last fall for Brennan's campaign and <a href="http://www.judgeliambrennan.com/?page_id=13">had endorsed him</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Pat also serves</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> on the <b>Board of Directors of the Regional Transit Authority</b> since his appointment over 20 years ago in 1995 and chairs the RTA's Audit Committee.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">The <a href="http://databases.sj-r.com/salaries/state-of-il/search/?name=durante">State of Illinois database</a> reports that Vincent Durante of DuPage County is an employee of the <b>Illinois Department of Transportation</b> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">as a "technical manager V" with a salary of </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">$98,472.19. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">He was featured in the </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">ABC-7 News</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> Special Segment, </span><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/special_segments&id=8644440" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">"Road Warriors"</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, using high-tech tools to fix potholes. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-aEY1bUE5N2tRRkE/edit?pli=1">Invoices submitted to the Forest Preserve show that Vince</a></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> was also moonlighting during business hours for <b>JRM Consulting, Inc. </b>of Naperville<b> </b>in some capacity -- as freelancer or subcontractor -- to participate in the 2011 "internal investigation" of the IT Department.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Pierotti<b> </b>testified on the stand that he had hired JRM in the summer of 2011 to conduct the $66,000 covert forensic investigation without the knowledge and consent of Board of Commissioners or even <b>Executive Director Brett Manning</b>. Pierotti admitted under oath that he did not trust Manning. <b>Forest Preserve outside attorney Bob Mork</b> was the only other person aware of the investigation when it began, according to Pierotti. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Mork, now deceased, wielded extraordinary power at the District; trial testimony supported that Mork was the go-to guy for signing off all invoices "BM" and answering questions on contract fulfillment of vendors. After Mork died, Pierotti openly disclosed in a board meeting that he and <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1994-08-10/news/9408100098_1_wheaton-political-shakers">former treasurer</a> and current Forest Preserve paid "consultant" <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZzTv0Sb4Zg">Mark the Barber</a></b> had met with Mork on multiple occasions in the weeks and days prior to his death to discuss Forest Preserve business.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">By October or sooner, Pierotti and Mork were in Forest Preserve contract talks with "game changers" <b><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Reverse Spin</a></b>, DuPage County's purveyor of government spin. <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/">Reverse Spin</a> was noted for their extensive tax-paid work for <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/political-campaigns-of-bianchi-and.html">Illinois state's attorneys</a> in pickles.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Forest Preserve commissioners and executive staff were finally told about JRM. Although the report was completed and two IT staff people out of the way, findings still weren't quite ready to be submitted to the <b>DuPage County State's Attorney's office</b>. First, the federally-mandated off-site back-up data and archives contained in equipment owned by Arif Mahmood of Alamach Technology, Inc. <i>had </i>to be seized. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Forest Preserve techies had been unaware of the political apparatus positioning around them, probably never realizing that information buried deep within the off-site data storage drives' megabytes, kilobytes and exabytes was radioactive. Whatever it was, it had to be <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YH5MEyNuIM">urgently and secretly deleted</a>. To make this happen required that they be forced out and simultaneously discredited before they spoke out. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/03/november-9-21-2011-was-crucial-evidence.html">JRM invoices strongly suggest that its subcontractors had destroyed crucial information</a> on Mahmood's equipment during the 12-day period prior to Forest Preserve releasing the report to the State's Attorney. Trial discovery later proved that evidence had been scrubbed. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Prosecution witness and </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">JRM "subcontractor" Mark Broyles</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> admitted under oath during the trial that data had been erased.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Broyles on the stand was risky enough for the prosecution. Inserting Vince Durante's name opened the door for questioning about why he was at Tepper's exit interview, the company he was working for and the name of JRM's owner...</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Jerry Marquardt</b>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b>Marquardt Family Provided Free, Undisclosed Professional Political Consulting on Brennan's Campaign Website and His Fundraiser held at DuPage County Forest Preserve Property, and Circulated and Notarized Brennan's Candidate Petitions During the Forest Preserve IT Case... Meanwhile State's Attorney Bob Berlin Gave Keynote Address at Brennan's Fundraiser during Case</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Jerry Marquardt owns and manages JRM Consulting, Inc. - the company secretly hired by Pierotti and Mork to conduct the convert investigation at the Forest Preserve's IT Department in 2011. </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">No information could be located on-line during this period showing that JRM had expertise or licenses to conduct forensic investigations -- a specialized field usually involving advanced training and certification.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Citizen watchdogs claim there were </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html" style="line-height: normal;">numerous political ties and conflicts of interest</a> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: normal;">surrounding the JRM internal investigation leading to the charges. Questions of fairness and even legitimacy have been raised. </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While JRM findings were used to open the investigation at the State's Attorney's office, their report contained <i>no</i> mention of USA Digital which led to the <i>only</i> convictions in the case.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">JRM has designed government websites for <b><a href="http://www.winfieldtownship.com/SD/Winfield/default.aspx">Winfield Township</a> </b>and the<b> <a href="http://www.bloomingdaletownshipassessor.com/SD/BT/content/default.aspx">Bloomingdale</a>, Milton, Naperville and York Township Assessor's offices</b>. JRM has also been paid <b>$39,493</b> since 1999 for professional political IT consulting projects for Republicans in Illinois, including payment of over <b>$14,000</b> for goods and services by <b>Citizens to Elect Joe Birkett</b>.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">A source inspection reveals that JRM at minimum has provided the JPG's and the RSS feed of Brennan's campaign website**:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><link </span><span class="html-attribute-name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">rel</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">="</span><span class="html-attribute-value" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">shortcut icon</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">" </span><span class="html-attribute-name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">href</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">="</span><a class="html-attribute-value html-resource-link" href="http://jrminc.info/brennan/?attachment_id=238" style="font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">http://</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black;">jrminc</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">.info/</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #444444;">brennan</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">/?attachment_id=238</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">" </span><span class="html-attribute-name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">type</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">="</span><span class="html-attribute-value" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">image/x-icon</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">" /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="html-tag"><span style="background-color: white;"><img </span><span class="html-attribute-name" style="background-color: white;">src</span><span style="background-color: white;">="</span><a class="html-attribute-value html-resource-link" href="http://jrminc.info/brennan/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/brennanheader.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white;">http://</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">jrminc</span><span style="background-color: white;">.info/brennan/wpcontent/uploads/2015/02/</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">brennan</span><span style="background-color: white;">header.jpg</span></a><span style="background-color: white;">" </span><span class="html-attribute-name" style="background-color: white;">alt</span><span style="background-color: white;">="</span><span class="html-attribute-value" style="background-color: white;">Liam Brennan</span><span style="background-color: white;">" /></span></span><span class="html-tag" style="background-color: white;"></a></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="html-tag" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="html-tag"><span class="html-tag"><span style="background-color: white;"><a </span><span class="html-attribute-name" style="background-color: white;">href</span><span style="background-color: white;">="</span><a class="html-attribute-value html-external-link" href="http://jrminc.info/brennan/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Elan011r.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white;">http://</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">jrminc</span><span style="background-color: white;">.info/</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">brennan</span><span style="background-color: white;">/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Elan011r.jpg</span></a><span style="background-color: white;">"></span></span><span class="html-tag" style="background-color: white;"><img <span class="html-attribute-name">class</span>="<span class="html-attribute-value"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="html-tag"><span class="html-tag" style="background-color: white;"><span class="html-attribute-value"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #881280; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="html-tag"><span class="html-tag"><span class="html-attribute-value"><span class="html-attribute-name" style="background-color: white;">src</span><span style="background-color: white;">="</span><a class="html-attribute-value html-resource-link" href="http://jrminc.info/brennan/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Elan011r-200x300.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white;">http://</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">jrminc.info</span><span style="background-color: white;">/</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">brennan</span><span style="background-color: white;">/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Elan011r-200x300.jpg</span></a><span style="background-color: white;">" </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="html-attribute-name" style="font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">alt</span><span style="color: #881280; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">="</span><span class="html-attribute-value" style="font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elan011r</span><span style="color: #881280; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">" </span><span class="html-attribute-name" style="font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">width</span><span style="color: #881280; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">="</span><span class="html-attribute-value" style="font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">200</span><span style="color: #881280; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">" </span><span class="html-attribute-name" style="font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">height</span><span style="color: #881280; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">="</span><span class="html-attribute-value" style="font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">300</span><span style="color: #881280; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">" </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="html-tag" style="font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a </span><span class="html-attribute-name" style="background-color: white;">href</span><span style="background-color: white;">='</span><a class="html-attribute-value html-external-link" href="http://jrminc.info/JMB/?feed=rss2" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white;">http://</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">jrminc</span><span style="background-color: white;">.info/JMB/?feed=rss2</span></a><span style="background-color: white;">'></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">RSS feed</span><span class="html-tag" style="background-color: white; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span class="html-tag" style="background-color: white; font-family: monospace; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"></div></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Although the proxy is hidden, references within the source inspection show that JRM is involved with the website, possibly as webmaster and/or creator. The website was public prior to the trial.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Any </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">work by JRM was not accounted by the judge's campaign</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, neither as an expenditure nor as an in-kind contribution. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">JRM's investigation was mentioned frequently during the trial last fall. A JRM subcontractor was a witness on the stand. There was no disclosure of any website work for the judge during the bench trial.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">Marquardt is a recognized name</a> within the DuPage Republican Party. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Jerry's brother, <b><a href="http://marquardtco.com/about-us/scott-r-marquardt-esq/">Scott Marquardt</a></b>, and Jerry's sister-in-law,</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> <b><a href="http://www.lawm-b.com/Attorneys/Barbara-Skurka.shtml">Barbara Skurka/Marquardt</a></b>, team up at the law firm, <b>Marquardt & Belmonte, PC </b>of Wheaton. Scott and Barbara are former assistant</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> DuPage County State's Attorneys. In fact, all seven attorneys listed at the law firm cut their legal teeth at the</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> same office that</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> prosecuted the Forest Preserve IT cases and the same office where Brennan had been employed</span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">. Consequently, the firm's expertise is criminal defense law. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Scott has </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">represented his brother</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> in Forest Preserve matters related to the IT case.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Scott </span></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">is also a lobbyist at a firm named after the founder and the late father of the brothers, </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Roger C. Marquardt & Co</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. This firm is paid </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">$4,000</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> per month by the </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">DuPage County State's Attorney's office</span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"> </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">for lobbying services</span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">.</b><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">On reports to the <b>Illinois State Board of Elections</b>, </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Barbara</span><b style="line-height: 18px;"> </b><span style="line-height: 18px;">uses one of two last names -- Skurka or Marquardt. There is no hyphenation. Skurka/Marquardt has received $413,525.00 as an established, professional political fundraiser. Her top-paying clients were/are campaigns of DuPage State's attorneys including <b>Jim Ryan</b> and Birkett. </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Since <b>Bob Berlin</b> was appointed State's Attorney, Skurka/Marquardt has been on a retainer for his campaign; currently she is paid $1,500 monthly.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">An invitation to Brennan's fundraising "reception" for April 30, 2015 read: <i>Contact Barb for more information - info@judgeliambrennan.com or call 630-221-9200</i>.** The phone number belongs to the Marquardt lobbying firm. Professional work for organizing this fundraiser was not accounted by Friends of Judge Liam Brennan, neither as an expenditure nor as an in-kind contribution. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Brennan's fundraiser was held at <b><a href="http://www.dupageforest.com/Conservation/Forest_Preserves/Danada.aspx">Danada House</a></b> - property of the DuPage County Forest Preserve - during the period the judge was officiating the Forest Preserve IT criminal case. Public records show that Marquardt's double-client <a href="http://www.campaignsitebuilder.com/news/disp_news.asp?ID=19126&siteid=524">State's Attorney Bob Berlin "spoke very highly of Judge Liam Brennan", his former co-worker, to the 100+ guests</a>. DuPage's top prosecutor circulated a candidate petition for Brennan's campaign in 2015. He is also listed among <a href="http://www.judgeliambrennan.com/?page_id=13">supporters</a> on Brennan's campaign website, although this was not publicly disclosed to the defense. </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Click </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BobBerlin/photos/a.178698432219024.47134.101979393224262/962124453876414/?type=3&theater" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">HERE</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">** for a merry photo on the Citizens for Bob Berlin </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Facebook</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> page featuring long-time chums Berlin and head of the DuPage County Judicial Felony Division Liam Brennan.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Another guest at Brennan's fundraiser was <b>Illinois Supreme Court Justice Bob Thomas</b>. </span></span><a href="http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/media/pressrel/2014/112514.pdf" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">The Illinois Supreme Court announced</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> on Nov. 25, 2014 that Brennan was moving to head the Circuit Court's felony division. Brennan immediately replaced <b>Judge Blanche Fawell </b>whom had been presiding over the IT case for over two years. During this time, <b><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20141201/news/141209874/">sitting Chief </a></b></span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20141201/news/141209874/">Judge John Elsner</a></b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> was negotiating</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> to become the Forest Preserve's contracted attorney for $150,000 upon his retirement on Nov. 28th; on </span><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20141202/news/141209654/" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Dec. 2, 2014, his new contract was confirmed</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">In an August 2015 hearing of the Forest Preserve IT case, Brennan made a point of disclosing that potential witness Forest Preserve President Joe Cantore had </span><a href="http://www.judgeliambrennan.com/?page_id=13" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">endorsed his campaign</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">The judge stated that Cantore's name was on his list of supporters, but that they had never met. T</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">here was no disclosure at the time that Cantore's business, the <b>915 Building Account</b>, had made a $250 contribution to the judge's campaign on May 5, 2015. (Cantore has <a href="http://www.bobberlin.com/?page_id=12">also endorsed Berlin</a> and donated $200 to state's attorney's campaign three weeks before the trial.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In addition to lobbying, Roger C. Marquardt & Co</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. provides other services to clientele, as demonstrated by one of their representatives...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><b>Chip Humes</b>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><b>Brennan's Campaign Statement of Organization Faxed from Roger C. Marquardt & Co. Lobbying Firm to State Board of Elections, Brennan and Berlin's Campaign Chairman John Millner Subcontracts under Marquardt Lobbying Firm, and Marquardt Lobbyist Pulled and Dispersed Candidate Petitions of Brennan's Opposition</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">On Mar. 19, 2015, the Statement of Organization for the campaign "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/judgeliambrennan/photos/pb.1540833632897270.-2207520000.1456949486./1563512240629409/?type=3&theater">Friends of Judge Liam Brennan</a>" was faxed at 3:28 to the Illinois State Board of Elections (ISBOE). The <a href="https://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/CDPdfViewer.aspx?FiledDocID=567090&DocType=Image">top margin of the fax reveals "MARQUARDT"</a> with the <a href="http://www.cata.info/legal/cata_attorneys/">phone number</a> belonging to the lobbying firm. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Former <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Millner">Illinois State Senator John Millner</a></b> is listed as both the chairman of Friends of Judge Liam Brennan <i>and</i> Citizens for Bob Berlin. A <i>Daily Herald</i> article on Roger Marquardt's 2012 death <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120513/news/705139772/">published history of the long friendship of Roger and Millner</a>: <i>Millner remembered his longtime friend as larger-than-life -- the type of person you felt good after talking to. </i>According to the Illinois Secretary of State's <a href="http://www.ilsos.gov/lobbyistsearch/registrationpdf?procID=REG&transType=ANNUAL&year=2015&entityID=1022&webDataXmlId=55258">lobbying registration database</a>, Millner's lobbying firm subcontracts under Roger C. Marquardt & Co.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">Two of three petitions Brennan circulated for his campaign are notarized by </span><b style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://marquardtco.com/about-us/carrie-a-vantilburg/">Carrie Van Tilburg</a>, Client Relationship Specialist</b><span style="color: #444444;"> at the Marquardt lobbying firm. The notarization took place on the same bizarre Day Five of the Forest Preserve IT case. Scott Marquardt also circulated a candidate petition for Brennan's campaign using the same notary.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://chiphumes.com/" style="line-height: 18px;">John "Chip" Humes</a><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">ran for state rep in the 46th district in the 2012 primary, <a href="http://patch.com/illinois/elmhurst/newcomer-launches-bid-for-illinois-house-in-rebolettis-district">supported by Berlin and his Addison Township Republican chair, Pat Durante</a>.</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3487178425246&set=a.1068426757966.2011415.1445005822&type=3&theater" style="line-height: 18px;">Humes</a><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">is a co-owner of his family's business,</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><b style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/aboutus/staff_member.cfm?stf_id=13203&fh_id=12521">Humes Funeral Home</a></b><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">of Addison, and</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3662636411586&set=pb.1445005822.-2207520000.1374858030.&type=3&theater" style="line-height: 18px;">a lobbyist at Roger C. Marquardt & Co</a><span style="line-height: 18px;">. <a href="http://cdn.patch.com/users/39804/2011/08/T800x600/473ed5f8db4ba54b5f0d83d7820495fc.jpg">Humes</a> and his family support Brennan.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">ISBOE records also show that on Nov. 23, 2015, <a href="https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/CandDetail.aspx?CandidateID=21060&ElectionID=50">Humes requested the petitions</a> of Brennan's <b>Republican challenger Thomas Laz</b>. On Nov. 30th, <a href="https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/CandDetail.aspx?CandidateID=21133&ElectionID=50">Humes <i>twice</i> requested the petitions</a> of <b>Democratic candidate Jennifer Shilakis Wiesner</b> r</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">unning against Brennan - </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">at 9:34 am and again at 10:02 am. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">These petitions quickly made their way to ballot objectors <b>former <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DuPageYRs/posts/793402930805473">DuPage Young Republican</a> President </b></span><b style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">Matthew Pike</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> of Lombard and </span><b style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">Joan Brennan</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> of Addison. (Humes did <i>not</i> request the petitions of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/judgeliambrennan/photos/a.1541994979447802.1073741828.1540833632897270/1555505528096747/?type=3&theater">Brennan</a>.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Ballot objection hearings were held Jan. 20th </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">at the </span><b style="line-height: 18px;">DuPage County Election Commission</b><span style="line-height: 18px;">. </span><b style="line-height: 18px;">Commission contracted attorney and former DuPage County Asst. State's Attorney Pat Bond</b><span style="line-height: 18px;">, shown </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BobBerlin/photos/pb.101979393224262.-2207520000.1351004327./117298875025647/?type=1&theater" style="line-height: 18px;">HERE</a><span style="line-height: 18px;"> in a photo with Scott Marquardt and Berlin, has contributed over $200,000 to DuPage Republicans. From 2011 through 2013, the Marquardt lobbying firm represented the Election Commission. </span><b style="line-height: 18px;">Bond, Dickson & Assoc. staff attorney Sean Conway</b><span style="line-height: 18px;"> notarized Brennan's Statement of Candidacy on Nov. 19, 2015 -- a courtesy the firm has historically provided to DuPage Republican candidates.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Bond did not preside at the hearings. Instead, the Commission asked a new face to step in as hearing officer...</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>John Z. Toscas</b>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>DuPage County Election Commission Booted Brennan Challengers off Ballot after Recommendations of Hearing Officer Politically-Connected with Scott Marquardt and Commission Attorney</b></span></span></div>
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On May 7, 2013, attorney John Z. Toscas was <a href="http://www.bensenville.il.us/Archive/ViewFile/Item/1154">appointed Hearing Officer for of Bensenville</a>. That same evening, Pat Bond was reappointed as Village attorney. Marquardt & Belmonte, PC was appointed as Village prosecutors. All these attorneys have contributed to <b>Bensenville Village President Frank Soto</b>'s political campaign.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">Toscas had reportedly never served as a hearing officer for a ballot dispute or any electoral matter. However, he knows what it feels like to be a candidate.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">During his 2015 race for mayor of the Village of Crestwood, Ill., Bond had contributed $500 and Marquardt & Belmonte had donated $150 to the Taxpayer's Relief Party, which dispersed funding to three candidates including Toscas. In Toscas' 2015 race for Village trustee, Bond gave $1,000, while Scott Marquardt, Bill Belmonte and Roger C. Marquardt & Co. gave $1,250 collectively to the New Leadership Party supporting Toscas and four other candidates.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">The Commission's decision making to hire Toscas was not public. Toscas recommended to the DuPage County Election Commission that both Brennan's opponents Laz and Wiesner be removed from the ballot. They agreed. Election commissioners are appointed by <b>DuPage County Board Chairman <a href="https://www.facebook.com/judgeliambrennan/photos/a.1541994979447802.1073741828.1540833632897270/1569541466693153/?type=3&theater">Dan Cronin</a></b> <i>without</i> County Board approval. Annual pay for commissioners is $28,000. Cronin is <a href="http://www.judgeliambrennan.com/?page_id=13">listed as the <i>first</i> supporter of Brennan's campaign</a> under "elected county officials". </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">(Update: Friends of Judge Liam Brennan in their D2 quarterly report showed payments to the attorneys representing the objectors - <a href="https://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/ItemizedExpend.aspx?FiledDocID=609489&ExpenditureType=Expenditures&Archived=True&OrderBy=LastorOnlyName-AtoZ&ItemizedExpendFrom=D2Quarterly.aspx">$24,244.88 to Odelson & Sterk, Ltd. on 3/11/16</a> and <a href="https://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/ItemizedExpend.aspx?FiledDocID=609489&ExpenditureType=Expenditures&Archived=True&OrderBy=LastorOnlyName-AtoZ&ItemizedExpendFrom=D2Quarterly.aspx">$20,739.46 to Laduzinsky & Assoc. on 3/25/16</a>.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">In October, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/judgeliambrennan/photos/a.1541994979447802.1073741828.1540833632897270/1569541466693153/?type=3&theater">Cronin</a> appointed <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lwfiredist/photos/pcb.957381337713502/957381091046860/?type=3&theater">Jamie Lowe</a></b> as a commissioner. At the time of the appointment, Lowe resigned as <a href="http://patch.com/illinois/naperville/lisle-township-gop-announces-new-leadership">chairman of the Lisle Township Republican Party</a>. In 2015, all DuPage Township Republican chairs had endorsed Brennan. Lowe and Brennan had attended <a href="http://www.campaignsitebuilder.com/news/disp_news.asp?ID=19439&siteid=524">multiple Republican functions</a> together. Brennan's campaign had donated $250 to Lowe's township. Lowe did not recuse himself from the ballot objection hearings, nor did he make disclosures. He voted <i>twice </i>to remove Brennan's opponents.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">Earlier this month, DuPage County Circuit Court Judge Bonnie Wheaton affirmed the decision on Laz, but overturned the decision on Wiesner. (Update: </span><span style="color: #444444;">Joan Brennan filed an appeal with the </span><b style="color: #444444;">Illinois Second District Appellate Court</b><span style="color: #444444;">, which agreed with Wheaton's decision for Wiesner to remain on the ballot.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">Tax payers paid Toscas $3,217.50 for the ballot hearings and $3,802.50 for the Circuit Court appeals. (Toscas' bill for the appeal to District 2 has not yet been made public.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b>Nine Years Ago...Brennan in Car with Radostits and Kendall after Leaving Oak Brook Restaurant</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">On May 11, 2007, <b>DuPage County prosecutor </b></span></span><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; font-family: "georgia"; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>Jane Radostits </b>was killed in a crash while driving a county car speeding on Winfield Road south of Roosevelt Road in Winfield. The collision also seriously injured another driver. Radostits' blood alcohol was three times the legal limit for intoxication.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; font-family: "georgia"; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Earlier that day, according to <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2007-05-26/news/0705251288_1_seat-belt-report-prosecutors">news articles following the release of the Sheriff's 32-page report</a>, Radostits and her supervisor <b>Deputy Chief Assistant State's Attorney Jeffrey Kendall</b> made plans to meet an Oak Brook restaurant </span></span><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; color: #444444; font-family: "georgia"; line-height: 20px;">after a bomb threat required evacuation of the state's attorney's office.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;">Kendall called co-worker <b>Liam Brennan</b> to invite him and other prosecutors to join them. As many as six assistant state's attorneys and a secretary eventually gathered at the restaurant, including the future state's attorney, Bob Berlin, and <b>David Imielski</b> whom would later work at Marquardt & Belmonte, PC. With the exception of Berlin whom reportedly left within 15 minutes, most of the group stayed at the eatery for several hours.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;">Radostits consumed three or four drinks served in a martini-style glass and possibly a light beer. The report did not mention if the other prosecutors were drinking, the media published. Around 3 pm, Kendall left the restaurant with Radostits and fellow prosecutors Brennan and Brian Perkins. They reached the county office at 3:30 and the prosecutors went their separate ways. Fifteen minutes later, Radostits was driving her own county-owned vehicle when the crash took place.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;">Kendall resigned shortly after the accident and took a position as partner with criminal <b>DuPage defense attorney Ernie DiBenedetto</b>. <b><a href="http://www.dklegalsite.com/Attorneys/">DiBenedetto & Kendall</a></b> is the firm representing Mark McDonald in the Forest Preserve IT case, presided by Brennan. The firm contributed $2000 to Brennan last May, and Kendall donated an additional $500 in June. $10,000 has been donated to Citizens of Bob Berlin by the firm. Click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BobBerlin/photos/pb.101979393224262.-2207520000.1456080196./331728086916057/?type=3&theater">HERE</a>** for a jovial photo of DiBenedetto at the golf course at Berlin's fundraiser.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;">A year after the accident, Brennan was appointed associate judge. He is now head of the felony division and <a href="http://www.totaldui.com/blog/court-drops-drunk-driving-charges-against-lucky-chicago-judge/">routinely presides over DUI cases</a>. Brennan is <a href="http://databases.sj-r.com/salaries/state-of-il/search/?name=brennan">paid $188,051.14</a> annually.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;">** <i>In anticipation of links disappearing after publication, screen shots and photocopies have been made to preserve documentation. There is history of public records being destroyed... </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><b>CountyLeaks Asks:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Is it impossible to have a fair trial in DuPage County?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Exactly who is guilty of "intent to defraud" or "defraud" here?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Will the back-up of a back-up appear during appeal process or civil lawsuit?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Shouldn't the judge during a bench trial of a collective 180 felony counts where he was weighing the credibility of witnesses - eventually convicting someone for his intent to defraud based on failures to disclose - <u>have made some disclosures himself</u>?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Shouldn't the judge during a bench trial of a collective 180 felony counts where he was weighing the credibility of witnesses have disclosed to the defense that top prosecutor endorsed him and was the keynote speaker at his fundraiser held at Forest Preserve property while the case was ongoing? After all, the judge was compelled to disclose that potential witness Joe Cantore had endorsed him? Why stop there? </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Shouldn't the judge during a bench trial where he was weighing the credibility of witnesses have disclosed to the defense that the company that had conducted the covert investigation of the Forest Preserve's IT Department - which opened the door to a broader investigation - and had destroyed crucial evidence prior to trial was providing free professional political services for his campaign?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Shouldn't the judge during a bench trial where he was weighing the credibility of witnesses have disclosed to the defense that his campaign committee's statement of organization was faxed from the office of Roger C. Marquardt's lobbying firm while the case was ongoing - the firm belonging to the Marquardt family which represents the State's Attorney's office?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Shouldn't the judge during a bench trial where he was weighing the credibility of witnesses have disclosed to the defense that he had swung over to the Marquardt lobbying firm to have two of his campaign petitions notarized by a staff person in the middle of the trial? </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Shouldn't the judge during a bench trial where he was weighing the credibility of witnesses have disclosed to the defense that the sister-in-law of the owner of JRM was providing free political services for his political campaign while the case was ongoing?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i><strike>Shouldn't the judge during a bench trial disclosed to the defense that he had been close friends of Jeffrey Kendall of the firm representing Mark McDonald?</strike> Scratch that...the defense already knew... Did defense inform their client?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Shouldn't the judge's campaign committee have disclosed all these professional political services of the Marquardt family as in-kind contributions or expenditures to the Illinois State Board of Elections?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Did Pat Durante instruct the prosecution to keep his son's name out of the trial?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>So, at what point does any of this become problematic?</i></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Legal scholars, is there <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/oak-brook/news/ct-dob-decero-sentenced-tl-0225-20160219-story.html">a conflict of interest of criminal cases</a> of Marquardt & Belmonte while the Marquardt family provides free professional political campaign work </i></span></span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;">for the judge heading the entire felony division of the 18th Circuit Court? </i><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;">Why was it such a big deal for IDS to disclose subcontractors in contracts, when other Forest Preserve vendors, including JRM, were not required to do so? Did Mork ever subcontract Reverse Spin for advance work?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;">How is Chip Humes related to the Marquardts?</i></div>
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;">Should DuPage County prosecutors be crowing about justice being served?</i></div>
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;">Why was Judge Blanche Fawell yanked from this case after two years and replaced by Brennan? Was it ethical for a sitting chief judge to make this shift while negotiating to be the $150,000 attorney for the Forest Preserve?</i></div>
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i>Were the wrong guys investigated and prosecuted?</i></span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;">Why were JRM subcontractors asked to destroy evidence prior to the JRM Report going to the State's Attorney's office? Why didn't the State's Attorney's office immediately demand that all records be preserved at the Forest Preserve during the investigation and prosecution? And, once the State's Attorney's office learned that JRM had destroyed crucial evidence, why didn't they big deal it?</i></div>
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;">What information **had** to be destroyed in the Forest Preserve archives and **why**?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;">Why would IDOT pot-hole fixer Vince Durante - a JRM subcontractor with no authority and no background in human resources - be allowed to participate in the exit interview of David Tepper? </i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;">Did Reverse Spin cook this entire scheme up?</i></i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;"><i style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px;">Did <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1zZa0Hl6vs">Mark the Barber</a> ever trim Brennan's hair?</i></i></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: #fbfcfc; line-height: 20px;"><i>Is there a back-up of the back-up?</i></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-52475954386469664812015-09-27T21:52:00.000-07:002016-02-18T12:56:27.679-08:00Former Federal Prosecutor Patrick Collins Points Finger at Asst. State's Attorney: "MR. TATARELIS HAD THE GALL TO CROSS-EXAMINE OUR EXPERT WITNESSES! ...IT'S INSULTING!"<h2>
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-size: large;">PART 14 OF COUNTYLEAKS SERIES ON DUPAGE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE...</span></b></i></h2>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Part One</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Part Two</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">Part Three</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">Part Four</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Part Five</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">Part Six</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/now-entering-ring-heavyweight-former.html">Part Seven</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">Part Eight</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/01/round-1-dupage-county-states-attorney.html">Part Nine</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/02/dixon-illinois-redux-dupage-county.html">Part Ten</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/03/november-9-21-2011-was-crucial-evidence.html">Part Eleven</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2015/09/only-you-can-prevent-forest-liars-cross.html">Part Twelve, </a></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2015/09/more-things-shady-than-trees-dupage.html">Part Thirteen</a></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"MR. TATARELIS HAD THE GALL TO CROSS-EXAMINE OUR EXPERT WITNESSES! ...IT'S
INSULTING!" thundered Patrick Collins last Wednesday while pointing at Assistant State's Attorney Ken Tatarelis, </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">during closing arguments </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">of DuPage's eight-day criminal trial</span> in Wheaton before Judge Liam Brennan. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The case involves two former employees of the DuPage County Forest Preserve's IT Department, Mark McDonald and David Tepper, and the former IT vendor, Arif Mahmood. The Forest Preserve conducted a secret investigation of the men in 2011 and later brought their findings to authorities. In 2012, the men were charged with a collective 317 felony indictments. </span>(McDonald's trial was rescheduled to Oct. 22nd due to
health issues.) Judge Brennan's decision for Tepper and Mahmood is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 1st, at 9 am.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Collins,
a former federal prosecutor now a defense attorney, was referring to
three IT expert forensic witnesses testifying on behalf of his client,
Mahmood, who was originally charged with 40 felony counts and was
still left with two. Expert witnesses had analyzed data in Mahmood's
possession, <i>and</i> what was left at Forest Preserve headquarters which turned out to be...<i>nothing</i>. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Deliberate and Secret Destruction of Public Records Admitted in Court Room</b> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The cause of Collins' outburst was that the State had never sought to preserve evidence at the Forest Preserve, yet grilled the IT witnesses on the scraps left behind. These witnesses cost the defense tens of thousands of dollars. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There wasn't any computer data left at the Forest Preserve for the State to preserve by the time they got the case. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Eighteen months ago, <i>CountyLeaks</i> reported the data on Mahmood's equipment -- the federally-mandated off-site back-up of the Forest Preserve's computer data -- was likely destroyed deliberately shortly after the Forest Preserve's hired contractor for the covert internal investigation, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">JRM Consulting, Inc.</a><span style="color: black;">, </span>picked up the equipment on Nov. 9, 2011. Invoices submitted by JRM to the Forest Preserve show subcontractors billing extensive work immediately after the transition, prior to the findings going to the State's Attorney on Nov. 21st. The State's witness, a JRM subcontractor, admitted during the trial that data had been erased. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a 2013 brief, Collins wrote: <i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/03/november-9-21-2011-was-crucial-evidence.html">Quite simply, the FPDDC's failure to preserve the most crucial evidence in the case</a> has destroyed any meaningful opportunity Mahmood has to defend himself against the charges alleged.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even
Judge Brennan had remarked in a recent hearing that failure of making a
mirror image of the data as "flabbergasting". <a href="http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/media/pressrel/2014/112514.pdf">The Illinois Supreme Court announced</a> on Nov. 25, 2014 that Brennan was moving to head the Circuit Court's felony division. Brennan replaced Judge Blanche Fawell who had been presiding over the IT case for over two years. During this time, Former Chief <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20141201/news/141209874/">Judge John Elsner was negotiating</a> to become the Forest Preserve's contracted attorney for $150,000 upon his retirement on Nov. 28th; on <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20141202/news/141209654/">Dec. 2nd, his new contract was confirmed</a>. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The State apparently didn't mind about records preservation. In January 2012 -- <i>while</i> the State's Attorney was conducting their criminal investigation -- the <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">Forest Preserve Board authorized the destruction of 815 cubic feet of records</a>. </span></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Former Forest Preserve President </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="st">Duilio "Dewey" Pierotti <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Testified </span>He <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">d</span>id N<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">OT</span> T<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">RUST</span> E<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">xecutive Director Brent Manning</span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The deliberate destruction of evidence by the Forest Preserve was perhaps the most compelling revelation of the trial. Another unveiling over the past two weeks was that former Forest Preserve President </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="st">Duilio "Dewey" Pierotti did<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <i>not</i></span> trust his former executive director, Brent Manning. So much so, th<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">at Pierotti kept the true intention of the JRM investigation away from Manning, masking it simply as a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n "I<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">T Review". <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The very day Manning went on an extended medical leave in July <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2011</span>, JRM subcontractors went to work.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="st">Pierotti's testimony <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">contra<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">dicted his <a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/illinois-outdoors/2012/05/brent-manning-to-retire-from-dupage-county-fpd/">glowing remarks to the press</a> in 2012 upon Manning's <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">abrupt "</span>retirement"<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">: <i>We've worked very closely over the past 10 years, and I consider our relationship to be more than merely an employer-employee relationship. I will truly miss his input and our di<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">scussions.</span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="st"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Aside from <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the president</span> and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the Forest Preserve's contracted attorney, no one at the Forest Preserve knew about<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> the investigation<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, according to testimony</span>.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The Board<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> only initially approved $18,000 for JRM, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">after being told it was just a review. T<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">president unlawfully authorized expanding the no-bid contract amount to $<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">66<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">,000 for <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">politically-connected JRM</a>, a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">lthough they were not licensed to</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">conduct an investigation</span>. The Boar<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">d rubber<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>stamped the approval for payment in December 2011 -- <i>after</i> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>the fact</i> when the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"true" scope of the c<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">overt investigation was revealed.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="st"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The president</span> a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">lso at that time ushered in political operatives Reverse Spin, now </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="st"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/">Delos Communications</a><i>, </i>for a <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111124/news/711249912/">$48,000 no-bid contract for 24/7 communications</a>, despite the Forest Preserve already having a six-person PR department. Reverse Spin <a href="http://illinoistimes.com/article-permalink-5214.html">specializes in smear campaigns</a> and is closely associated with <a href="http://www.factcheck.org/2015/07/obama-rouhani-photo-is-not-real/">Restoration PAC</a>, Rick "Swift Boat" Reed, former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan and former <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/ilsaap-vice-chairman-joe-birkett.html">DuPage State's Attorney Joe Birkett</a>. The Board asked no questions about the well-known operatives and, again, rubber stamped the no-bid contract. The lack of work product of Reverse Spin over the next year suggests that the contract may have been retroactive payment for earlier work, possibly during the JRM "investigation".</span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="st">Judge Brennan stated that a trial is a "a truth-seeking" process.</span> One truth from the past two weeks rang out clear and strong: The remedy for the allegations against McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood did not belong in a court room. The remedy belonged in a board room. A long time ago.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>DuPage County Forest Preserve Board Failed...Again and Again</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For years, the <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-02-18/news/8701130316_1_commission-crime-syndicate-land-acquisition-committee">top administration</a> of the DuPage County Forest Preserve has reeked more than a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcYsO890YJY">pile of manure</a> at Danada Equestrian Center on a windy day. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Incompetent. Dysfunctional. Politicized. Over-paid. Secret. Corrupt. Questionable projects with questionable high billings. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">tightly-knit power structure</a> kept the wrong people in power and still does. The Board consists of seven elected officials -- commissioners representing six districts and a president. These part-time positions are highly compensated -- in 2011, $53,500 annual salary for commissioners and $112,000 for president* -- with benefits including pension eligibility and outstanding health care with premiums a whopping $100 per month.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Forest Preserve's out-dated procurement process was flawed. From 1988 through 2011, it had <i>never </i>been amended. Procurement policy was never a big deal at the Forest Preserve, no doubt by design. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was <i>not</i> a requirement to disclose subcontractors. Even JRM was not required to disclose their subcontractors, such as <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">IDOT manager Vince Durante who is the son of DuPage GOP heavyweight Pat Durante</a>, nor their owners, in writing.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A tedious portion of the trial focused on the approval process of invoices at the time of the allegations, starting with the Finance Department all the way to Board approval of payments.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Changes were later made by staff requiring more signatures for high
expenditures. Pierotti admitted that flaws existed, saying: <i>We put in checks and balances that should have been in place before this happened.</i> Too little, too late for McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nothing has changed with the Board approval of payments since the IT investigation began in 2011. A Commissioner on the witness stand admitted that she doesn't often question the expenditures for payment. <i>Why not?</i> In fact, why not assign each commissioner a stack of invoices to review and initialize every month? Maybe they'd be more accountable instead of placing all the blame on someone lower on the food chain. Maybe they'd actually earn a little of their inflated salaries and benefits. Maybe none of this would have happened in the first place.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's called due diligence.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As early as 2006, citizens were demanding that Board meeting minutes be more complete, up-to-date, and that meetings be televised. Finally, after years of public pressure, Board meetings are televised. If Board minutes had been more complete, recorded and preserved sooner, that ambiguous paragraph in March 2009 minutes would not have undergone agonizing interpretation and head scratching during the trial. (The judge, weary of dissection, joked that he had that paragraph memorized. Citizen watchdogs feel his pain.)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ethics were
such a low priority at the Forest Preserve that they didn't bother
appointing an Ethics Commission until 2013 -- 10 years after the ethics
laws were enacted in Illinois. When they finally did get around to it,
cronies were appointed as commissioners..."ethics rules
cannot be entrusted to anyone outside the circle, of course". The Forest Preserve
had the option to amend and strengthen the <a href="http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/government/ethics_ordinance.html">state's model ethics ordinance</a>, customizing it to address specific concerns. They chose not to, even after the IT eruption. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Double, Triple, Quadruple and Quintuple Standards</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ordinances and rules found in dusty employee handbooks are meaningless unless they're enforced for everyone, fairly and not selectively. That means board presidents can't hire their sons-in-law. That means a commissioner can't pull strings to have her daughter hired as a security officer. That means you can't sick a security officer on a citizen seeking public information. That means you cannot hire your <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">campaign guy into a high-paying position</a> as finance director. That means you can't charge a former employee with felonies for violating two-week-old policy revisions. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If it comes out that broken rules in DuPage County employee handbooks are criminal offenses, the State's Attorney and Sheriff must request significant increases in their 2016 budgets to handle the multitude of violators. <i>Hear Ye, Hear Ye</i> -- let's start with infringers found in the offices of the State's Attorney and Sheriff. That alone should keep the 4th floor of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zREOQuaqSVk">Henry J. Hyde Judicial Office Facility</a> buzzing for a few years.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pierotti admitted, under oath, before God, that he didn't trust his $175,000<span style="background-color: white;"> </span>executive director and kept him in the dark, yet allowed him to stay another full year. In fact, Pierotti chose not to inform Commissioners about the true purpose of JRM. Pierotti <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130513/news/705139934/">"did not trust anyone"</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
Forest Preserve has only had one executive director for about <span style="background-color: white;">six months
</span>since Manning "retired" over three years ago. During this period, Pierotti even appointed himself as executive director. <i>No kidding</i>. He had neither legal authority nor board approval. And briefly, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140819/news/140818324/">John Lapinski</a>, a trial court administrator for the DuPage Chief Judge's office, was even approved to serve as executive director after <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh13Xd2loto">interviews conducted in the kitchen</a> of his neighbor, Joe Cantore, then a commissioner and now the Forest Preserve president. Later Lapinski changed his mind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And then there's Mark the Barber...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There were and are worse problems at the Forest Preserve than McDonald, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unfzfe8f9NI">Tepper</a> and Mahmood. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Guys in the IT
department didn't exactly have role models in this culture of
unrestraint. No one probably would have ever noticed the geeks until an
invoice crossed someone's desk in February 2011, prompting the
hand-written message: <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html"><i>Are all users on Archiving?</i></a>
For some reason, this was a problem. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The techies were blissfully
oblivious of the political apparatus positioning around them, probably
never realizing that information buried deep within the database's
megabytes, kilobytes and exabytes was radioactive. Whatever it was, it had to be urgently and secretly deleted. To make this happen required that they be forced out, then discredited before they spoke out. That's the Reverse Spin.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>P.S. Regarding Statements of Economic Interest...</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally, prosecutors also brought up McDonald's failure to report anything on his statements of economic interest -- mandated signed disclosure forms filed with the County -- as an example of concealment. Their charge would seem more genuine if the prosecutors' former boss, Joe Birkett, now an Illinois Second District Appellate Court judge, hadn't stated in 2009 that it was a "<a href="http://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=310316">poorly worded statute"</a> and omission was "<a href="http://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=310316">probably a mistake that's made thousands of times a year by city, county and state employees.</a>" </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>CountyLeaks'</i> Closing Thoughts</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Something here absolutely does belong in a court room. This time, there must be a <i>real</i> investigation outside of DuPage County of the <i>real</i> criminals. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>CountyLeaks</i> receives an astronomic number of hits. I often wonder who might be out there reading this blog? I wonder if by placing words in the right combination, could one of those hits make a difference? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I write, I can see the eclipse shining through my window, coinciding with the biggest, brightest moon of the year, the supermoon.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Martin Luther King said, "The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We wait for Thursday, Oct. 1st, 9 am, Room 4012...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>* In 2013, the Forest Preserve Board voted to lower their salaries - $50,000 for Commissioners and $75,000 for President. Pension eligibility and health care coverage remain unchanged.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-75865721889112275252015-09-19T15:37:00.000-07:002016-01-28T09:30:51.142-08:00More Things Shady than the Trees: DuPage State's Attorney Bob Berlin Attends Big Forest Preserve Political Fundraiser During 317+ Felony Indictment Trial of Agency's Former IT Staff<h2>
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-size: large;">PART 13 OF COUNTYLEAKS SERIES ON DUPAGE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE...</span></b></i></h2>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Part One</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Part Two</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">Part Three</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">Part Four</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Part Five</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">Part Six</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/now-entering-ring-heavyweight-former.html">Part Seven</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">Part Eight</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/01/round-1-dupage-county-states-attorney.html">Part Nine</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/02/dixon-illinois-redux-dupage-county.html">Part Ten</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/03/november-9-21-2011-was-crucial-evidence.html">Part Eleven</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2015/09/only-you-can-prevent-forest-liars-cross.html">Part Twelve</a></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Four years after the JRM's "secret investigation"of the <b>DuPage County Forest Preserve</b> IT Department, three years after arrests, and nearly three years after 317+ indictments were collectively passed down, the "speedy" trial of the former Forest Preserve IT staffer David Tepper, and the former contracted Forest Preserve vendor Arif Mahmood, finished its first week at the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zREOQuaqSVk"><b>Henry J. Hyde Judicial Office Facility</b></a> in Wheaton before Judge Liam Brennan. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Former DuPage County Forest Preserve IT Director Mark McDonald is included in the charges and was originally scheduled to be tried with Tepper and Mahmood. McDonald's trial was rescheduled to Oct. 22nd due to health issues.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">DuPage County State's Attorney <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=484540358301495&set=a.484539424968255.1073741825.101979393224262&type=1&theater">Bob Berlin</a></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> has publicly endorsed Brennan, as heard at <a href="http://www.campaignsitebuilder.com/news/disp_news.asp?ID=19126&siteid=524">the judge's fundraiser</a> <i>and</i> as seen on the <a href="http://www.judgeliambrennan.com/?page_id=13">judge's campaign website</a>. </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=484540358301495&set=a.484539424968255.1073741825.101979393224262&type=1&theater">Berlin</a></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> has not observed the county's biggest criminal trial, according to </span><i style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">CountyLeaks'</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> sources. Immediately after work, however, Berlin </span><i style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">did </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">attend the </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/203444093082662/photos/a.519846484775753.1073741827.203444093082662/888751207885277/?type=1&theater" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">fundraiser</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> of </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">DuPage County Forest Preserve District 4 Commissioner <a href="http://www.dupageforest.com/About_Us/Board_of_Commissioners/Commissioners/Commissioner_Tim_Whelan_%E2%80%94_District_4.aspx">Tim Whelan</a></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> on Thursday, Sept. 17th, held at </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.dupageforest.com/StJamesFarm/">St. James Farm</a> </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in Warrenville.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://www.dupageforest.com/StJamesFarm/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">St. James Farm</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> is the crown jewel of what </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">former DuPage County Forest Preserve Executive Director Brent Manning</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> referred to as the Forest Preserve's "fabulous facilities" while on the witness stand last week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
A fundraiser location for congressional candidate and <b>DuPage County Board District 5 Member </b><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="https://www.dupageco.org/CountyBoard/Khouri/">Tonia Khouri</a></b></span><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b> </b>was recently moved <a href="http://www.theherald-news.com/2015/08/14/khouri-fundraiser-moved-to-plainfield-restaurant/ar8wnwc/">after concerns were raised</a> by the </span><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b>Plainfield Township Park District </b>that one of their facilities would be used for political soliciting.* </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="line-height: 21px;"><i>(*For readers outside DuPage County who may be confused: It is a common and accepted practice for Republicans, <a href="http://www.campaignsitebuilder.com/news/disp_news.asp?ID=19126&siteid=524">including the judiciary</a>, to use public facilities in DuPage County for political fundraisers. Plainfield is located in Will County where different standards apply. </i>CountyLeaks <i>could not find any such policy for the DuPage County Forest Preserve. There is no inference of any violation.</i><i>)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="line-height: 21px;">Joining <b>DuPage County State's Attorney <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=484540358301495&set=a.484539424968255.1073741825.101979393224262&type=1&theater">Bob Berlin</a></b> at Thursday's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/203444093082662/photos/a.519846484775753.1073741827.203444093082662/888751207885277/?type=1&theater">fundraiser</a> for </span><b>DuPage County Forest Preserve District 4 Commissioner <a href="http://www.dupageforest.com/About_Us/Board_of_Commissioners/Commissioners/Commissioner_Tim_Whelan_%E2%80%94_District_4.aspx">Tim Whelan</a> </b>were: <b>DuPage County Forest Preserve President, Former DuPage County Forest Preserve District 2 Commissioner, "special guest" and potential trial star witness <a href="http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/2015/09/14/trial-begins-for-pair-accused-of-taking-money-from-dupage-forest-preserve-district/auejtwh/">Joe Cantore</a>, </b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage County Forest Preserve District 1 Commissioner <a href="http://www.dupageforest.com/About_Us/Board_of_Commissioners/Commissioners/Commissioner_Marsha_Murphy_%E2%80%94_District_1.aspx">Marsha Murphy</a>, </b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage County Forest Preserve District 2 Commissioner<a href="http://www.dupageforest.com/About_Us/Board_of_Commissioners/Commissioners/Commissioner_Jeffrey_Redick_%E2%80%94_District_2.aspx"> Jeff Redick</a>, </b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage County Forest Preserve District 3 Commissioner and trial witness <a href="http://www.dupageforest.com/About_Us/Board_of_Commissioners/Commissioners/Commissioner_Linda_Painter_%E2%80%94_District_3.aspx">Linda Painter</a>, </b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage County Forest Preserve District 6 Commissioner <a href="http://www.dupageforest.com/Board_of_Commissioners/Commissioners/Commissioner_Al_Murphy_%E2%80%94_District_6/">Al Murphy</a>, </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <span style="background-color: yellow;">Retired DuPage County Chief Judge John Elsner who upon retirement immediately became the Forest Preserve's contracted attorney for $150,000 (in addition to his pension)</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">. </span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><a href="http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/media/pressrel/2014/112514.pdf">The <b>Illinois Supreme Court</b> announced</a>
on Nov. 25, 2014 that <b>Judge Liam Brennan</b> was moving to head the DuPage Circuit Court's
felony division. Almost immediately, Brennan replaced <b>Judge Blanche
Fawell</b> who had been presiding over the Forest Preserve IT case for over two years.
During this time, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20141201/news/141209874/">Elsner was negotiating</a> to become the Forest Preserve's contracted attorney. </span></span></span><br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage County Election Commission Attorney <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=117298875025647&set=pb.101979393224262.-2207520000.1351004327&type=1&theater">Pat Bond</a>, DuPage County <span style="background-color: black;">____________________________</span>, </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> DuPage County <span style="background-color: black;"> </span> </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">were</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">also <a href="http://www.campaignsitebuilder.com/news/disp_news.asp?ID=19273&siteid=524">among the 75 guests</a> exercising their First Amendment rights. Conspic<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">uous<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ly absent was <b>former</b> <b>DuPage County Forest Preserve Pres<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ident </span></b></span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="st">and trial witness <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrfY7RNaBjw">Duilio "Dewey" Pierotti</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Republican supporters feasted on chicken (fried and roasted options), cole slaw, a "very tasty" potato salad, and an assortment of cookies including coconut bars. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzT1kO_-xbQ">Tour rides in carts pulled by a tractor</a> were also available. <i>CountyLeaks </i>is pleased to report that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpEXEm-zP3Q">a good time was had by all</a>.*</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(*For readers outside DuPage County who may be confused: It is a common, accepted <strike>and required</strike> practice for all DuPage County Republican officials to support each other <strike>financially</strike>. The <a href="http://www.campaignsitebuilder.com/news/disp_news.asp?ID=19126&siteid=524">State's Attorney and judiciary</a> are particularly <strike>strong-armed</strike> cordi<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ally </span>encouraged to participate. <strike>No conflict of interest, no favoritism, and no conspiracy are suggested. Campaign contributions, job promotions and raises should not be construed as bribes <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">or</span> kick<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>backs.</strike> Think of this as nothing more than <a href="http://img.blu-raydefinition.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/picnic.png?1902c1">clean wholesome activity</a>, not unlike a typical <a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ef/29/da/ef29da4d710b0362375e8d7a750aec1f.jpg">church social function</a>.</i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 21px;">)</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 21px;"><b>CountyLeaks Asks:</b></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 21px;">What is the recipe for that potato salad?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-27164242798325171042015-09-07T15:50:00.001-07:002015-09-20T16:46:51.699-07:00ONLY YOU Can Prevent Forest Liars: Cross-Examination of the All-Star Witnesses in the DuPage County Forest Preserve IT Case<h2>
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-size: large;">PART TWELVE OF COUNTYLEAKS SERIES ON DUPAGE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE...</span></b></i></h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Part One</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Part Two</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">Part Three</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">Part Four</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Part Five</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">Part Six</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/now-entering-ring-heavyweight-former.html">Part Seven</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">Part Eight</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/01/round-1-dupage-county-states-attorney.html">Part Nine</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/02/dixon-illinois-redux-dupage-county.html">Part Ten</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/03/november-9-21-2011-was-crucial-evidence.html">Part Eleven</a></i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Four years after the JRM's "investigation", three years after arrests, and nearly three years after 317 indictments were collectively passed down, the criminal bench trial of the former DuPage County Forest Preserve IT staff Mark McDonald and David Tepper, and the former contracted Forest Preserve vendor Arif Mahmood is scheduled to begin Sept. 14th at the Henry J. Hyde Judicial Office Facility in Wheaton before Judge Liam Brennan.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">The majority of f</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">elony charges listed<span style="font-size: small;"> against <span style="font-size: small;">McDonald and Tepper include "acc<span style="font-size: small;">epting a kickback," "<span style="font-size: small;">unlawful participation," "official mis<span style="font-size: small;">condu<span style="font-size: small;">ct -- performing a forbidden act<span style="font-size: small;">,<span style="font-size: small;">" and <span style="font-size: small;">"theft by deception with intent to deprive."<span style="font-size: small;"> Charges against Mahmood con<span style="font-size: small;">si<span style="font-size: small;">st mostly of "acc<span style="font-size: small;">epting a kickback" with one count each of <span style="font-size: small;">"<span style="font-size: small;">theft by <span style="font-size: small;">deception with intent<span style="font-size: small;"> to deprive" and "official mis<span style="font-size: small;">conduct -- accepting bribe to influence public officials, public employees, juror or witness." </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Former federal prosecutor <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/storyimage/DA/20130722/news/707229714/AR/0/AR-707229714.jpg&updated=201307221710&MaxW=800&maxH=800&updated=201307221710&noborder">Patrick Collins</a> is defending Mr. Mahmood.</span><br />
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Now that the trial is about to launch, this blogger cannot resist ruminating about potential witnesses and what they'll probably be asked under cross-examination. <i>CountyLeaks </i>sought the professional opinion of highly-acclaimed, bulldog criminal defense expert <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVry0LPyKRo">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup</a> (not in good standing at the DuPage Bar Association, unfortunately). Here's a sample of what we can expect next week:</span><br />
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<b>Witness # 1 DuPage County Forest Preserve President Joe Cantore</b></span><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Mr. President, included in the charges is that the Forest Preserve Board and administration were unaware that employee David Tepper also owned and managed the small IT consulting firm, IDS. In fact, this is the basis of the alleged fraud scheme. How is this possible when you yourself had hired David and IDS for side work for you while you were a Forest Preserve commissioner?</i></span><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Mr. President, is this your signature on a check to IDS? This check? And this check? How 'bout this check?</i></span><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i><a href="http://redgage-photos.s3.amazonaws.com/jpale/snuffy%20wheres%20the%20beef.jpg">No further questions, your honor</a>. I request a directed verdict from the court. I do not need to call any more witnesses, your honor, but since we're all here...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Witness # 2 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Former DuPage County Forest Preserve President Dewey Pierotti</b></span><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Mr. Pierotti, why wasn't this entire matter handed over to law enforcement from Day One or even Forest Preserve security? Is it because it first had to be delicately controlled internally, ie: all evidence against you and your buddies shredded first?</i></span><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mr. Pierotti, please stop staring down at the table and look at me. </i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did you <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVZh4WcdC3s">freak out</a> when you learned that the 2009 emails following the Oak Meadows clubhouse fire were archived off-site at Arif's company, Alamach Technologies, Inc.?</i><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>In your position, surely you were informed of the Forest Preserve's sophisticated alarm system with battery backup for purposes of code and insurance. How often was this system tested? Was it connected with the computer system in the Forest Preserve's IT department? So let's say, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdIF1lrIxXc">hypothetically speaking of course</a>, that if the alarm system had been disabled prior to the Oak Meadows clubhouse fire, that information would have been and captured in the database that was immediately wiped clean after obtaining Arif's equipment, prior to the matter going to the State's Attorney?</i></span><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Was this covert investigation cooked up because Mark, David and Arif were obstacles in destroying damning evidence still floating around following the Oak Meadows fire? Were they in the way in more ways than one? What was the total reimbursement from the insurance company again?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>So this was all about gaining access to the evidence you wanted destroyed, and if it meant that the very men who were in charge of maintaining and protecting Forest Preserve information would be wrongfully investigated and indicted to protect yourself and your cronies, so be it? </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Your honor, I request a recess to allow the witness to compose himself. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnfflRNpwKA">Should we call 911</a>?</i></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Witness # 3 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Former DuPage County Forest Preserve Executive Director Brent Manning</b></span><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mr. Manning, <a href="http://www.bettergov.org/forest_preserve_probe_blooms_but_not_everyone_feels_the_gloom/">a</a></i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.bettergov.org/forest_preserve_probe_blooms_but_not_everyone_feels_the_gloom/">s executive director</a>, you approved all invoices prior to payment. Is this your handwriting on the invoice for Alamach Technologies stamped Feb. 3, 2011, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">"Are all users on Archiving?"</a> Please explain why this could be a concern at that time and why this started this sham...</i><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Yes, we know it's a beautiful day at the Forest Preserve. Uh...no need to address the court like a radio announcer, Mr. Manning. Back to the invoice... </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Were you aware in advance of the secret internal investigation beginning on the same day you left for an extended medical leave on July 27, 2011? Please elaborate on the connection between "Are all users on Archiving" on the Alamach invoice and the investigation which shortly followed. Take your time...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Did you have anything to do about telling Mark to specifically destroy the 2009 emails on or before Oct. 26, 2011, which led him to <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/03/november-9-21-2011-was-crucial-evidence.html">send the snarky email</a> seeking permission from the state first before destroying public records (as required by law)?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Two months after the Forest Preserve handed the investigation over to the State's Attorney, </i>o</span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">n Jan. 12, 2012, you signed the request to the state to</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 19.6px;"><i> <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/New_Zealand_cicada_song.ogg" style="color: #7d181e;">dispose of 815 cubic feet of records</a></i></span><span style="color: #444444; font-style: italic; line-height: 19.6px;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; line-height: 19.6px;">-- the size of 10 ft. by 10 ft. by 8 ft. room jammed to the ceiling. Did it ever occur to you that it might not be a good idea to destroy public records during a criminal investigation? Did you run this past the prosecutors or did they ever mention to you guys not to destroy any potential evidence? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>As executive director, why didn't you have a <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">chain of custody for Arif's equipment</a> containing what would be described as the most crucial evidence of the case?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Please explain why you abruptly resigned in May 2012. Was that a beautiful day at the Forest Preserve?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Witness # 4 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Former DuPage Forest Preserve Human Resources Director Laura Capizzano</b></span><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Ms. Capizzano, i</i><i>f the Forest Preserve never had a policy on moonlighting, why are we here? </i></span><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>David Tepper was fired for moonlighting, yet you hired Troy Clampit to work in the same IT department. Clampit was a well-known political campaign vendor for DuPage Republicans, including elected officials at the Forest Preserve, and conducted side business well into six figures while at the Forest Preserve. You stated publicly in a Board meeting that it "wasn't a conflict". Thank you in advance for explaining the double standard. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>When you opened an investigation of an employee of a suspected wrongdoing, did you usually keep it "top secret" or was it a good practice to notify the employee -- especially one in charge of maintaining expensive, sensitive and significant equipment and information -- and place that employee on paid leave pending the outcome of the investigation?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Witness # 5 </b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage Forest Preserve Finance Director, Overseer of DuPage Forest Preserve Human Resources and IT Departments & Paid Treasurer of DuPage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin...<a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html?zx=6cf8448b0753237f">Jack Hogan</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Mr. Hogan, do you see any conflict of interest in your employment at the Forest Preserve and your employment with State's Attorney Bob Berlin during this investigation and prosecution?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>As overseer of the Forest Preserve's Human Resources Department, why haven't you prepared a policy on the abhorrent practice of moonlighting? Oh wait, that would mean you could no longer serve as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=484540358301495&set=a.484539424968255.1073741825.101979393224262&type=1&theater">treasurer for the prosecutors' boss</a>...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As overseer of the Forest Preserve's IT department, please describe for the court the policy on data archiving and disaster recovery. Is the Forest Preserve in compliance with federal and state laws for records retention? Do you have a backup of the backup?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>What expertise do you have in Human Resources and IT, or are <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html?zx=6cf8448b0753237f">political connections all that matter</a>? Are you <a href="http://www.standbyformindcontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Flounder.jpeg">being groomed to be the next executive director</a> or is Mark the Barber more qualified?</i></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Witness # 6 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Current DuPage County Forest Preserve Executive Director <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/02/dixon-illinois-redux-dupage-county.html">Mark the Barber</a></b></span><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1zZa0Hl6vs">Mark the Barber</a>...may I call you Mark? No? Fine, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EQyS4Pbmw8">Mark the Barber</a>, how is it that you're running the show at the Forest Preserve these days? After all, you have none of the education or experience required for the position of executive director. <a href="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1106935!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/andy4n-4-web.jpg">Barber College</a> isn't here on the list. How does this work and how are you compensated?</i></span><br />
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Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Because you were given full access to the Forest Preserve, a privilege denied to even the Commissioners, and you seem to be everywhere, explain your role in this debacle starting from Day One.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Mr. Pierotti publicly stated that you and he met with the contracted agency attorney several times at length, shortly before his death in 2012. Mr. Pierotti said that Forest Preserve matters were discussed. Tell the court what was discussed about this IT case, as there was no attorney-client privilege because you were a third party at that time and not executive director. Take your time, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk4i7OKWSJw">Mark the Barber</a>.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <i>Oh I nearly forgot I was in DuPage County...</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I must make my obligatory contribution to the judge's campaign. Would you mind passing this brown bag as I've heard you provided this service along with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjnveOPkLq4">hot towel shaves and shoe shines</a>. Thanks. Hmm...think I could use a trim around the ears?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Witness # 7 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>JRM Consulting Owner, DuPage Republican Campaign Worker & Forest Preserve IT "Investigator" <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">Jerry Marquardt</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Mr. Marquardt, with no license to conduct an investigation or providing Mark and David the true nature of why you were poking around, why were <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">performing clandestine work</a> at the Forest Preserve? Did anyone mention to you that this was.....<a href="http://img.thesun.co.uk/aidemitlum/archive/01176/crim_1176840a.jpg">illegal</a>?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What other investigations had you handled prior to the Forest Preserve, after all, forensics investigations is a specialized field usually involving advanced training and certification, or are <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">political connections all that matter</a>? </i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What character at the Forest Preserve brought you in and how did they present the project to you?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Just so we are clear, your brother, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=117298875025647&set=pb.101979393224262.-2207520000.1351004327&type=1&theater">Scott Marquardt</a>, is your personal attorney as well as a former DuPage County prosecutor and the paid lobbyist of the DuPage County prosecutor of the three men on trial today, correct?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Your honor, do you require a chart to keep all the political ties between the Forest Preserve and the State's Attorney's office straight?</i></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Witness # 8 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Technical Manager at the Illinois Department of Transportation, JRM Consulting's Moonlighting Subcontractor & Son of DuPage GOP Heavyweight, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Vince Durante</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Mr. Durante, how did you juggle your day job as a road warrior at the Illinois Department of Transportation while working as a subcontractor of JRM Consulting, particularly during regular business hours? Did you inform IDOT of your moonlighting adventures?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Why is it okay for you to moonlight and not David Tepper? </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>How much were you paid for the Forest Preserve IT covert investigation? Were you taking vacation days, sick days or personal days from IDOT?</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>What forensics qualifications do you possess to work on secret internal investigations or are <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">political connections all that matter</a>? </i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What human resources qualifications do you possess to be included in the <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/03/november-9-21-2011-was-crucial-evidence.html">personal and confidential exit interview</a> of one of the defendants?</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Witness # 9 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>JRM Consulting's Mysterious Subcontractor "<a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/03/november-9-21-2011-was-crucial-evidence.html">James Y</a>"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Mr. Y,</i> w<i>hat specifically were your instructions with Arif's equipment of Nov. 10, 2011 - the day after Alamach handed over the equipment? What did you do <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/03/november-9-21-2011-was-crucial-evidence.html">during those 9.5 hours</a>, specifically? Were you instructed to remove all data from Arif's computer equipment? Did you make a backup before wiping the servers? Who told you to scrub?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Do you have a copy of the invoice you prepared for JRM? Apparently <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">JRM's copy was destroyed</a>...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>What did JRM tell you as the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YH5MEyNuIM">burning necessity</a> to work on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011 for 8.5 hours? Did you overhear anyone mentioning something going to the State's Attorney's office the next morning?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Witness # 10 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Senior Web Developer at RTA of Northeastern Illinois, Owner of DuPage Republican Campaign Firm <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2lSp7_DeNw">Genesis One</a> Designs & Former DuPage County Forest Preserve IT Staffer <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html?zx=6e67094d86bf2f23">Troy Clampit</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Mr. Clampit, what qualifications did you have to begin working for the Forest Preserve's IT department in March 2011, or are political connections all that mattered?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>What was your role in the covert investigation of Mark and David?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <i>According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, your firm, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2lSp7_DeNw">Genesis One</a>, at one point was billing two and half times your salary while you were employed full-time at the Forest Preserve. How did you swing that when most calls and arrangements must be made during business hours?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <i>Have you ever played golf at Oak Meadows?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>*cell phone ringing*</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Your honor, I object. A witness should not be allowed to conduct political campaign work while on the stand. I had to leave my cell phone in the car. </i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the name of God, do your duty.</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Witness # 11 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Former DuPage County Board Member, Former DuPage County Election Commission Board Chairman & Retired Director of Golf Operations at DuPage County Forest Preserve Dean Westrom</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Mr. Westrom, p</i><i>lease provide the court with a history of your efforts to have a new Oak Meadows clubhouse built within the same foot-print of the clubhouse that burned down...Were you and your close ally, Commissioner Mike Formento, crushed in 2008 that you couldn't get Board approval for a new clubhouse?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i>
Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>What is your explanation of why the alarm system didn't work for the Oak Meadows Clubhouse fire in 2009...that would be the sophisticated alarm system, probably with a battery backup, that was no doubt tested regularly to meet the code? If it was...say...disabled prior to the fire, would that be captured in the Forest Preserve database, excuse me, the database that was wiped clean prior to the investigation going to the State's Attorney's office? Would Mark McDonald or David Tepper have detailed knowledge of the Forest Preserve's computerized alarm system? Name all people who had access to the Oak Meadows Clubhouse's alarm system shortly before the fire...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Explain how you secretly arranged to have petitions circulated calling for your dream to come true - the erection of a new Oak Meadows clubhouse - just weeks after the fire... Don't look so shocked, Mr. Westrom. Proceed...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i>
Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Why didn't Dewey present you with a <a href="https://austintatiouscakes.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/sues-cakes-018.jpg">sheet cake</a> when you retired? Make a wild guess... Does your hasty retirement in February 2011 have any connection with that </i><i>invoice for Alamach Technologies stamped Feb. 3, 2011, "Are all users on Archiving?" </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i>
Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Why would you "retire" from a cushy job as golf operations director with inflated pay and benefits, then post your resume on Linked In? Was retirement too boring?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Witness # 12 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Former DuPage County Election Commission Spokesperson & DuPage County Forest Preserve Contracted 24/7 Republican Political Operative <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9FJiDFVoOo">Dan Curry</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Mr. Curry, this entire miscarriage of justice has that certain je ne sais quoi.</i><i> Were you <a href="http://crooksandliars.com/files/primary_image/15/04/a00024.jpg">the architect</a>? Get any tips from your ol' <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbWcdaeYrsI">Swift Boater pal</a>?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i>
Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>What character from the Forest Preserve brought you in for <a href="http://tsanewsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/DamageControl.png">damage control</a>? Was pitching Reverse Spin and starting <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/">a new company with a fresh name</a> an example of your damage control expertise?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Tell us about your long history of working closely with the DuPage State's Attorney's office, starting with Jim Ryan...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i>
Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>When exactly <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnc0pOjr1qY">did you begin plotting</a>, I mean <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9FJiDFVoOo">consulting</a>, on this matter? Did a third party, say an attorney, pay you prior to your Forest Preserve contract in November 2011? After all, you've worked </i><i>surreptitiously for attorneys, right?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i>
Atty. Backup Ofthebackup: <i>Was it your inspiration for the Forest Preserve to release the JRM Report to the media prior to sending it to the citizen who had formally sought an opinion of the Illinois Attorney General's office? Was it your brilliant connivance</i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to have Commissioner Murphy's daughter <a href="https://watchdog.knightlab.com/suburbs/no-sunshine-in-the-forest">go out to the citizen's private property</a>, in full <a href="http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/police-woman-point-blank-4151532.jpg">Forest Preserve uniform and armed</a>, to check things out...three times in one week?</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
<b>CountyLeaks Asks:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
<i>Were the <a href="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1LI81cWh3Fs/maxresdefault.jpg">wrong guys</a> investigated and indicted in this case?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-86546341973689549242015-07-15T08:45:00.000-07:002015-07-21T16:06:09.484-07:00ALERT: CNN's Death Row Stories this Sunday: Paris, IL Unsolved Murders <h3>
<span style="color: #660000;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></i></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Widespread Illinois Corruption & Cover-Up of the Unsolved 1986 Paris, IL Murders of Dyke and Karen Rhoads on </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CNN Death Row Stories</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, Sunday, July 19th, 9 pm Central Time...</span></i></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CountyLeaks <i>has published never-reported information on the role the Illinois State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's office, its former Board of Governors and the Illinois State's Attorneys Association in protecting wealthy and powerful individuals. </i></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watch the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/07/13/cnn-death-row-stories-murder-in-paris-7-19-15.cnn-creative-marketing">trailer</a> for <i>CNN Death Row Stories: Murder in Paris</i> to air Sunday, July 19th, 9 pm Central Time...</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FEATURING:</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">International spokesperson for abolishing the death penalty, Randy Steidl, who was wrongfully convicted for the 1986 Paris murders and imprisoned for 17 years, including Death Row. People certainly deserved to be behind bars, but NEVER Randy Steidl and Herb Whitlock.</span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">Courageous former Illinois State Police Lt. Michale Callahan who refused to give up in pursuit of truth and justice. Callahan tells his compelling story in <span style="color: black;"><i><a href="http://www.toopoliticallysensitive.com/">Too Politically Sensitive</a></i></span>.<i> </i></span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Click on the titles to read these past </i>CountyLeaks<i> stories for crucial and radioactive background to Sunday's program:</i></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/who-is-countyleaks.html">Who is CountyLeaks?</a></b> </i>This explains why I started this blog. I could not accept that the same "game changing" political operative was simultaneously working for/with the wealthy and powerful <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njFuxKzhYLc">"He Who Cannot Be Named"</a>, the Illinois State's Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor office, defense attorneys for the Paris murders wrongful conviction lawsuits, the political campaigns of several top state's attorneys in Illinois, and a government agency in DuPage County. Truly, this stuff cannot be made up.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/06/below-radar-in-edgar-county-mutual.html"><b>Below the Radar in Edgar County </b> </a></i>If you only have time to read one <i>CountyLeaks</i> story before watching Sunday's program, this is it. This article looks at the history of the Illinois State's Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor's office's involvement in protecting certain individuals and ultimately themselves, even if it meant placing innocent people under perpetual investigation and allowing the real killer or killers to roam freely. Why did ILSAAP's executive director approve of their contracted political operative to work simultaneously for his government agency AND <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njFuxKzhYLc">"He Who Cannot Be Named"</a> who was featured prominently in Callahan's <i>Too Politically Sensitive</i>?<i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/shadowy-illinois-state-attorneys.html">Shadowy Illinois State's Attorneys Association</a></i> </b>The Edgar County prosecutor of the Paris murders was at one time the president of this association, a quasi-public organization supported by tax dollars and directly connected with the Illinois State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutors office, yet not subject to the Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act. This is the go-to organization for filing amicus curiae "friend of the court" briefs supporting interests of state prosecutors, past and present. <i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/state-agency-or-prosecutorial.html">State Agency or Prosecutorial Fraternity</a></i></b> Learn how your tax dollars<i> </i>supported the never-ending corruption and cover-up of the Paris murders. <i>When will someone investigate THEM?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/illinois-office-of-state-attorneys_09.html"><b>ILSAAP Approved Amicus Curiae Supporting Payment to Defend Former Paris, IL Prosecutor </b> </a></i>More than two decades *after* the wrongful-convictions of the Paris murders, ILSAAP supported tax-funded legal fees for the former Edgar County prosecutor. <i>Was it all hitting too close to home? Could they imagine themselves in the same position one day?</i><i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/09/targeting-david-protess-six-years-ardc.html">Targeting David Protess Six Years</a></b> </i>Read how the DuPage County Brotherhood began a orchestrated and documented smear campaign a decade ago against Northwestern University's Innocence Project and its well-known former director, David Protess, and former Illinois State Police Lt. Michale Callahan. It will make you think twice about taking a stand against the rich and powerful. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/10/same-tech-firm-examined-computers-in.html">Same Tech Firm Examined Computers in High-Profile Cases </a></b></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Protek<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"> International, Inc., a Clarendon Hills-based firm specializing in
investigations and advisory services related to cyber crime, inspected
evidence from the computer hard drive of the operative hired by </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njFuxKzhYLc">"He Who Cannot Be Named" </a>in the Steidl-Whitlock wrongful prosecution lawsuit. Incredibly, the owner of Protek had close ties with the defense attorneys -- so close, he was working under the same roof and shingle -- and had worked with the operative at former Illlinois Attorney General Jim Ryan's office. These relationships were never disclosed to the plaintiffs and their attorneys.</span><br />
CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-18401656008090795022014-03-06T13:47:00.000-08:002015-09-21T07:15:09.697-07:00November 9-21, 2011 - Was Crucial Evidence of the Criminal IT Case Intentionally Destroyed by DuPage Forest Preserve during these Twelve Days?<h2>
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-size: large;">PART ELEVEN OF COUNTYLEAKS SERIES ON DUPAGE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE...</span></b></i></h2>
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Part One</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Part Two</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">Part Three</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">Part Four</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Part Five</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">Part Six</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/now-entering-ring-heavyweight-former.html">Part Seven</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">Part Eight</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/01/round-1-dupage-county-states-attorney.html">Part Nine</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/02/dixon-illinois-redux-dupage-county.html">Part Ten</a></i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On Nov. 9, 2o11, an undisclosed subcontractor of <b>JRM Consulting, Inc.</b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> was sent by the </span></span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Forest Preserve District of DuPage County </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(FPDDC) </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to pick up equipment from </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alamach Technology, Inc. </b><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Under contract, Alamach</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> had provided all IT archives, email back-up, and disaster recovery for the FPDDC off-site in compliance with the <a href="http://www.itworld.com/security/55954/law-requires-email-archiving">Federal Regulations on Civil Procedures </a>and the <a href="http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/hr_5005_enr.pdf">2002 Homeland Security Act</a>. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This equipment contained data that would be described as "the most crucial evidence in the case" of <b>Arif Mahmood</b>, former owner of<b> </b></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alamach. Mahmood</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> would later be charged with 37 felony counts in alleged scheme to steal from the FPDDC. Also charged in this case were t</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">he District's former director of its</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">IT department, <b>Mark McDonald</b>, and the department manager, <b>David Tepper</b>, each</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"> with 142 felony counts</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111124/news/711249912" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">JRM had been paid $66,000 by the FPDDC</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> in 2011 to conduct a secret internal forensic investigation of its IT department. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On Dec. 3, 2013, Mahmood's attorney,<b> former federal prosecutor Patrick Collins</b>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/01/round-1-dupage-county-states-attorney.html">filed a motion to dismiss his client's case</a> at the <b>Henry J. Hyde Judicial Office Facility</b> in Wheaton. Collins wrote:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Quite simply, the FPDDC's failure to preserve the most crucial evidence in the case has destroyed any meaningful opportunity Mahmood has to defend himself against the charges alleged. Because of this clear and irreparable violation of Mahmood's right to due process, the Court should dismiss the indictment as to Mahmood.</i></blockquote>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Citizen watchdogs take it to another level, claiming that the off-site archives may have contained incriminating information of an individual or individuals connected with the FPDDC. This information, they allege, may have been at the heart of the 2011 covert internal investigation. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Watchdogs say such damning material would explain: </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- why events related this story went into motion following a Feb. 2, 2011 purchase order to pay Alamach for off-site email migration had the hand-written question: <i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">Are all users on Archiving</a>? </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- why the State's Attorney's office wasn't brought in on Day One</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- why a politically-connected IT vendor with no license </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to conduct forensic criminal investigations was contracted to conduct the covert i</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">nvestigation</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- why <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local/chicago_news&id=9463940">political strategists</a> with close ties to </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">elected Republican officials in DuPage County</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> were contracted to handle crisis communications six days prior to alerting the State's Attorney's office</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- why two IT subcontractors billed 18.5 hours the day after Mahmood's equipment containing off-site archives was seized</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- and, why crucial evidence was destroyed, perhaps intentionally prior to alerting law enforcement.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Watchdogs wonder if individuals at the FPDDC had something to hide, </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">if it had to do with the 2009 emails, and </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">if McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood were in the way.</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Turn Off Cell Phone for "Full and Undivided Attention"</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The FPDDC could not request IT staff to delete public records without raising questions or being told that do so required permission from the State followed by a waiting period.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/RIM%20Corresp%20re%20email.pdf" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></a>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">According to an email released through FOIA</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, McDonald had apparently been told on or before Oct. 26, 2011 to </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">specifically delete all 2009 administrative emails. <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-E9jvx_KwiqbnNheVltdFVkZk0/edit">The previous day</a>,</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> former <b>FPDDC Director Brett Manning</b> returned after an extended leave. That morning, McDonald </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">wrote to <b>FPDDC</b></span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> staff person, Linda Klett,</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> requesting her to seek permission to do so from the State:</span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(<i>click image to enlarge</i>)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nov. 4, 2011 was D-Day at the Forest Preserve. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">JRM organized a Transition Timeline with military precision to such an extreme that events were broken into five-minute increments with directions that cell phones be turned off for "full and undivided attention". McDonald and Tepper were to be called into meetings at 8:00 am and 8:05 am, respectively. "Law enforcement" was in position to escort the two IT men and to prevent any attempts to access to the system. Conspicuously omitted from the micro-management were steps to preserve evidence, create mirror images, and to adhere to a chain of custody.</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>JRM Transition Timeline Nov. 4-7, 2011</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(<i>click images to enlarge</i>)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpd0DC2AgLKLjRn8rmLWLCquOJ_yVaC2P4kgpmT-RZtqAIJnkm6qsL655krLWJmF8Cc9MtQZ9w9Qd-FgR-Y-ArkWZjES-OB63-rX_XoFhnIMt8mwiyrpQSbkxBi93zhvz-zblE15b6XI/s1600/Action+Timeline+1+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpd0DC2AgLKLjRn8rmLWLCquOJ_yVaC2P4kgpmT-RZtqAIJnkm6qsL655krLWJmF8Cc9MtQZ9w9Qd-FgR-Y-ArkWZjES-OB63-rX_XoFhnIMt8mwiyrpQSbkxBi93zhvz-zblE15b6XI/s1600/Action+Timeline+1+001.jpg" width="145" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU1MrgT7OcV5ymru6obuv-MEqlYyxXdso0NadywWPIHDu5MzGdhc46iRb0mDVfA5C1TZGmfZg9lz2aWMjXd2dlRYEAwdXHsnBT2_4sqfdvGigFSjJCEotbgnmdMGpNyJm4EsnAE0zQvk/s1600/Action+Timeline+2+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU1MrgT7OcV5ymru6obuv-MEqlYyxXdso0NadywWPIHDu5MzGdhc46iRb0mDVfA5C1TZGmfZg9lz2aWMjXd2dlRYEAwdXHsnBT2_4sqfdvGigFSjJCEotbgnmdMGpNyJm4EsnAE0zQvk/s1600/Action+Timeline+2+001.jpg" width="145" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07ZjH4ZlXaP3L3SPEIVz6bMQChEsBnYG3Ek0IVLkMfXPqTn0dZJsjm1LQ0ff0f-UcOfAQmeRBY-3X68OJIpJAgV8BRUGfDgsrhItpr4wsGq9avLvZymd8hPSvdAPepsd1Iv6dMuM_n_Y/s1600/Action+Timeline+3+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07ZjH4ZlXaP3L3SPEIVz6bMQChEsBnYG3Ek0IVLkMfXPqTn0dZJsjm1LQ0ff0f-UcOfAQmeRBY-3X68OJIpJAgV8BRUGfDgsrhItpr4wsGq9avLvZymd8hPSvdAPepsd1Iv6dMuM_n_Y/s1600/Action+Timeline+3+001.jpg" width="145" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7rgGDuC2e9z4nJ-URsft2NVBX4T2hJD-vjJgVunNRJCpUNuDk1piQZtRrUBj5tCCIq1ZapgWezVuvADi5jsjfXjCOUzlO6lqofFz60tcvHe4rz18ZhR196SYTGb9G2agC-GcTe-hZSY/s1600/Action+Timeline+4+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7rgGDuC2e9z4nJ-URsft2NVBX4T2hJD-vjJgVunNRJCpUNuDk1piQZtRrUBj5tCCIq1ZapgWezVuvADi5jsjfXjCOUzlO6lqofFz60tcvHe4rz18ZhR196SYTGb9G2agC-GcTe-hZSY/s1600/Action+Timeline+4+001.jpg" width="145" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">JRM Consulting, including its subcontractor, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Vince Durante, son of</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <b>local GOP heavyweight and RTA Board Member Pat Durante</b></span></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">, participated in these exit interviews. Durante was moonlighting during regular business hours from his full-time job as a </span><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/special_segments&id=8644440" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">technical manager at the <b>Illinois Department of Transportation</b></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. JRM also unveiled a new subcontractor -- <b>James Y</b>. JRM Consulting billed 70.25 hours this day at $150 per hour.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exit interviews took place, IT Department passwords were yielded and changed, McDonald and Tepper were locked out and escorted</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> by law enforcement, and IT vendor </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kinsey & Kinsey, Inc.</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> was brought in to fulfill the role of management during the transition. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The FPDDC could no longer assert that secrecy was required, that McDonald and Tepper with their "superior knowledge of computer systems" could destroy evidence, and that this taxpayer-funded investigation was about the protection of public funds. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The <a href="https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130513/news/705139934/"><i>Daily Herald</i> reported later</a>: </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"The district acted immediately, quickly and responsibly," forest preserve district spokeswoman Sue Olafson said. "As soon as it heard there were some issues, the district took that information to the state's attorney's office."</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yet, it would be another <i>17 days</i> before the State's Attorney's office would be notified. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There was still some unfinished work.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The D-Day's Transition Timeline hit a snag: the off-site equipment belonging to Mahmood could not be seized as quickly as anticipated. Public records show that a transition agreement had to be signed by Mahmood. <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B69eaEu5cQmhUS15OWFYNDI1aEU/edit">Cordial correspondence</a> between <b>former FPDDC attorney Bob Mork </b>and Mahmood's former attorney took place between Nov. 4th - 8th in an effort to obtain the equipment.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Watchdogs look at <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-aEY1bUE5N2tRRkE/preview?pli=1">JRM invoices</a> and assert that the most significant events have been overlooked, occurring from the moment Mahmood's equipment was seized on Nov. 9th to the moment the JRM Report was submitted to the State's Attorney's office on Nov. 21st. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two years later, these twelve days could be the crux of a motion filed by Mahmood's attorney. <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/01/round-1-dupage-county-states-attorney.html"><i>The most crucial evidence had been destroyed</i></a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Twelve Days in November </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Nov. 9, 2011: </b>FPDDC executes a transition agreement under which Alamach is lead to believe they are assisting with an investigation and that equipment will be returned. FPDDC thanks Alamach for their cooperation.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">According to attorney correspondence and JRM invoices, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B69eaEu5cQmhUS15OWFYNDI1aEU/edit?usp=sharing">Alamach equipment containing District archives was handed over to a JRM subcontractor</a>, <b>Mark Broyles</b>. Broyles bills 8.75 hours for procuring off-site equipment.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">N</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">o chain of custody for this evidence of work product was included in FOIA responses. A chain of custody </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">refers to "the chronological documentation or paper trail</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">, showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of physical or electronic evidence</span>"<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">The FPDDC did not alert the State's Attorney's office.</span></span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b>
<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nov. 10, 2011: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">JRM subcontractors appear to </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YH5MEyNuIM" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">immediately attack server equipment</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> with apparently no effort to preserve data or create mirror images. Stand up of DPM servers. "James Y.", a JRM subcontractor who first arrived at the FPDDC on D-Day, and Broyles each bill 9.25 hours for a total of 18.5 hours setting up a DPM servers. Broyles works an additional three hours this day updating the final report.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The FPDDC did not alert the State's Attorney's office.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Nov. 15, 2011: </b>Forest Preserve IT Director Mark McDonald was officially terminated. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">McDonald had been suspended on Nov 4th "pending a full investigation." His termination less than two weeks later indicates that the "full investigation" was completed on this day.</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The District's Board unanimously approve the $48,000 contract of <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111124/news/711249912/"><b>Reverse Spin</b></a>, who described themselves as <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4263950811640731980#editor/target=post;postID=2029314178509679332;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=36;src=postname">political strategists</a> in their one-page proposal submitted to the District in October. The strategists assured they would be available 24/7 for crisis communications. At the time, the District had six staff people in its public relations department. For years, <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local/chicago_news&id=9463940">Reverse Spin</a> had close ties with the DuPage County State's Attorney's office, including its spokesperson, <b>Paul Darrah</b>. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The FPDDC did not alert the State's Attorney's office.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Nov. 20, 2011:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On a Sunday, James Y. bills 8.5 hours for troubleshooting offline virtual servers.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The FPDDC did not alert the State's Attorney's office.</span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b>
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nov. 21, 2011:</b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The JRM Assessment Report is completed with no substantial changes from the Oct. 30th draft version. The FPDDC submits the report to the DuPage County State's Attorney's office.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It would be nine days before the State's Attorney would open an investigation.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>CountyLeaks Asks Many Questions:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YH5MEyNuIM">Mahmood's equipment scrubbed</a> on Nov. 10, 2011? If not, when was it wiped clean? Obviously before a <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/01/round-1-dupage-county-states-attorney.html">forensics expert examined it in October 2013</a>... Who performed this task? Was it specifically assigned?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why was there no mention in the D-Day Transition Timeline to preserve data, to create mirror images and to observe a strict chain of custody of evidence? At least those cell phones were turned off at 8:05 am...</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is there a back-up of the back-up? </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Did some people at FPDDC fear that McDonald and Tepper knew something and would blow the whistle on them all? Can they still blow the whistle? </i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Why wasn't law enforcement brought in on Day One? Why, why, why???</span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Isn't the reason for an internal investigation usually about damage control?</i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If McDonald and Tepper were considered such suspicious characters that would warrant a covert internal forensic investigation, why weren't they placed on administrative leave right away? Why allow them to continue to have access to the system for months? Is it because this was never about McDonald and Tepper?</i></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why wasn't the State's Attorney's office brought in on Nov. 4, 2011? There would be no substantial changes to the draft of the JRM Report to when it was submitted 17 days later. Is it because they first needed to remove the defendants' ability to defend themselves by wiping the system clean? Or more importantly, did they need to make sure that all incriminating evidence against an individual or individuals at the FPDDC had to disappear and QUICK? They couldn't risk turning the case over to the State's Attorney's office in the unlikely event there would be an order to preserve all evidence? </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why didn't the State's Attorney's office seek an immediate order to preserve all paper and electronic data during a criminal investigation? </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Who was in charge of the IT Department from <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1579427989" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Nov 4-21</span></span>? Who was the interim IT Director? </i></span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Who is responsible for the destruction of records? </i><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is the reason why the State's Attorney's office diminishes <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YH5MEyNuIM">Mahmood's equipment being scrubbed</a> because they know the subject is <a href="http://www.ehs.psu.edu/images/rad_sign02.gif">radioactive</a></i></span></span><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>?</i></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Again, is there a back-up of the back-up?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Was a politically-connected-rent-a-cop IT firm with no forensics licensing exactly the right people for this sensitive operation of cherry picking and data destruction?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Who is James Y and what is his expertise? Why did JRM bring him in on Nov. 4, 2011 --the original date Mahmood's equipment was to be seized? Did James Y know he was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YH5MEyNuIM">hired to mess with equipment</a> that contained evidence for a criminal investigation and prosecution? Was James Y just a geek hired because no one working for JRM or in the IT department knew how to set up DPM servers?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>As a courtesy, wouldn't it have been easier and quicker for the FPDDC to simply tell the State's Attorney's office, Patrick Collins, and Judge Fawell that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YH5MEyNuIM">JRM had been paid to scrub Mahmood's equipment in 2011</a>, so there was <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/01/round-1-dupage-county-states-attorney.html">no need to pay and schedule for a forensics expert</a> to drop by? How long did this stall the IT case? This alone should explain what we're dealing with here...</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>So <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">what else is being destroyed at the FPDDC</a> as the months and years go by? </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>If evidence of Mahmood's vast work product doesn't matter to the Court and the State's Attorney's office, perhaps the FPDDC's destruction of incriminating evidence will matter to the Feds?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Again, is there a back-up of the back-up?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why did the FPDDC keep Mahmood's equipment and why is it still in use? Legal scholars, was Mahmood's equipment stolen by the FPDDC?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Should it be filed under "really?" that JRM began its covert internal forensic investigation the very day Manning began a three-month leave? When the cat's away... </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Did FPDDC Director Brett Manning's return from a personal leave on Oct. 25, 2011 have anything to do with McDonald's email the next morning about seeking permission to delete 2009 administrative emails? Who told McDonald to delete emails?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Was the FPDDC freaking out between Nov. 4-9, 2011 while they waited to obtain Mahmood's equipment? After all, it deviated from</i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> the anal Transition Timeline... What kind of <a href="http://freakyts.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/i-have-a-sick-and-twisted-mind-wanna-be-friends.jpg?w=640">sick and twisted mind</a> came up with this timeline?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Legal scholars,</i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> does a guy who cites the Illinois Local Records Act when told to get rid of the 2009 emails strike you as someone who might pose a threat in the illegal destruction of public records? Is this the type of insubordination which gets a person fired at the Forest Preserve?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, Reverse Spin's contract began Nov. 15, 2011? Is it possible the political strategists were slithering behind the scenes for the FPDDC weeks or months earlier, perhaps as a subcontractor for an attorney? After all, Reverse Spin had done the low crawl with defense attorney <b>Terry Ekl </b>during the criminal trials of <b>McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi</b>... Did FPDDC attorneys ever pay Reverse Spin?</i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Does the FPDDC IT case parallel with the Dalby IT case in McHenry County, particularly the part where <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/10/same-tech-firm-examined-computers-in.html">a politically-connected IT firm is paid</a> to check under the hood of Dalby's computer before anything is turned over to law enforcement? To contract Reverse Spin to put out fires before a fire had even started?</i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why was Reverse Spin contracted to conduct crisis communications? Was the FPDDC in a crisis? Or would it have been more accurate to say damage control? Why does a government agency require the services of professional spinners? Isn't it a bit embarrassing for public checks to be written out to Reverse Spin?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why did<b> Dean Westrom</b> suddenly "retire" 12 days after the Feb. 3, 2011 <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-bFBHMFBKTE9RcGs/edit">Are-all-users-on-Archiving purchase order</a>? Why didn't <a href="http://natgeotv.com.au/content/cache/525x800/natgeosnap/17437.jpg">Dewey</a> present Dean with <a href="http://austintatiouscakes.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/sues-cakes-018.jpg">a sheet cake</a> at a Board meeting? Why retire early from a well-paying, cushy dream job of <a href="http://www.back9network.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Rodney_Dance_Caddyshack1.gif">managing golf courses</a> -- with outstanding benefits? Why does <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dean-westrom/25/936/20a">Dean's LinkedIn page</a> state: </i></span><span style="line-height: 15.600000381469727px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">would like to pursue the opportunity to work for a private firm, part time<i>? </i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Had an individual or individuals become a liability? Did it have anything to do with the 2009 emails that needed to be urgently</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> destroyed without permission from the State</i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">? Hmm...what <a href="http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-194735345.html">event took place in 2009</a>?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Again, is there a back-up of the back-up?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>On a scale of 1 to 10, h</i></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>ow bizarre was it</i></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> for Vince Durante to take a day off from his <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/special_segments&id=8644440">IDOT managerial position to fix pot holes</a> to attend personal and confidential</i></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> exit interviews of McDonald and Tepper? Can McDonald and Tepper attend Vince's exit interview? Are <a href="http://www.bettergov.org/somethings_fishy_at_state_agency/">State employees allowed to work for pay on a paid day off</a> from a State job?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>What about all the other work Vince performed for JRM on work days? Is this the reason <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ef334a1mMw">the Chicago area is plagued with so many potholes</a>? Are the road warriors who should be fixing them moonlighting on covert internal investigations? Ho ho, i</i></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>s </i>CountyLeaks</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">onto something big?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>So why exactly was </i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html"><b>Troy Clampit</b> hired by the FPDDC in 2011</a>? Did he possess </i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://rampageproductions.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/computer-geek.gif">IT skills required</a> in the job posting? (Oh wait a minute...there was no job posting! He just appeared on the scene... My bad..,) </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i></span>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why did the FPDDC hire Troy as a IT project analyst when he didn't even have a two-year college degree? Why did tax payers reimburse him for a college course in astronomy?</i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Was Troy the</i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> first <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-vote2cronin20100202133514,0,1584093.photo">politically-connected IT guy</a> hired to snoop around at the FPDDC</i></span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">? How did that work out? </i><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How did Troy find time for his day job while billing so much political work at<b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2lSp7_DeNw">Genesis One</a></b>? </i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did the Durante family assist Troy in attaining his new job as "senior web architect" at the RTA for $71,000 -- a $41,000 increase from when he was first hired at the FPDDC two years earlier? After all, Troy and Vince had spent quality time together on the covert internal forensic investigation, Troy had done plenty of work for <b>DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin</b>, the <b>Addison Township Republican Organization</b> and <b>DuPage County Republicans</b> via Genesis One, and ol' man <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Pat Durante sits on the RTA Board</a>... </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The job requirements for Troy's new RTA position called for a BS or MS degree and certifications, none of which Troy had. Another political hire? Did Cronin put in <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-vote2cronin20100202133514,0,1584093.photo">a good word for his campaign broker</a>? <a href="http://natgeotv.com.au/content/cache/525x800/natgeosnap/17437.jpg">Dewey</a>? Did they need to take very good care of Troy?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Was Troy's application for the RTA position <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">one month after a </a></i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">CountyLeaks</a><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html"> article was published</a> reactionary?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is this really about</i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> IT guys or is it about something else, something worse? </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why were the three IT guys held to higher and different standards than FPDDC executives and board members? After all, check how much has been paid for all IT contracts since the end of 2011...</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Were McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood in the way?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Are the piled-on indictments a tactic</i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to spook defendants into copping a plea? Were 317 felony indictments just not nutty enough? </i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Are the 321 (and counting)</i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> felony indictments used to distract and muddy up what is really a simple story of self preservation by records destruction?</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is this case no different than one where paper records containing incriminating evidence were locked in a warehouse and someone needed those records to disappear? Could this be described as gaining access to the warehouse, seizing the records and having a bonfire the next day, then notifying authorities that the warehouse guards were paid too much and should be investigated? To gain access would be to circumvent the guards and blame them with something so everyone is too distracted to ask the right questions and to realize what really had happened? Voila -- the ultimate reverse spin?</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A</i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">t what point does a lie repeated often enough become the truth?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Was this IT case never meant to go beyond perpetual investigation?</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> Did it go forward only when the Illinois Attorney General's office forced</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> the State's Attorney's office</i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to show its hand? If the State's Attorney's office used a criminal investigation as the excuse to not release Alamach invoices under FOIA, then there actually had to be a case? Would this explain the lack of a bill of particulars and no injunction to preserve evidence? Just asking...</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>How much is this mess costing DuPage County taxpayers? How much MORE will it cost if these three defendants file a federal lawsuit against the Forest Preserve?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Now that <b>FPDDC Financial Director Jack Hogan</b> has been given a huge raise, will he now finally begin producing detailed monthly financial reports? </i></span></div>
CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-35823449639551792222014-02-13T08:46:00.000-08:002014-02-27T10:38:24.396-08:00Dixon, Illinois Redux? DuPage County Forest Preserve Mocks The Gipper -- Trust, but Don't Verify<h2>
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-size: large;">PART TEN OF COUNTYLEAKS SERIES ON DUPAGE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE...</span></b></i></h2>
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Part One</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Part Two</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">Part Three</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">Part Four</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Part Five</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">Part Six</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/now-entering-ring-heavyweight-former.html">Part Seven</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">Part Eight</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2014/01/round-1-dupage-county-states-attorney.html">Part Nine</a></i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The day before <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120905/news/709059509/print/">the widely-publicized arrests of two former IT employees and a vendor</a> of the <b>Forest Preserve District of DuPage County </b>in September 2012, a vote was taken by the entity's board on the following:</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Whereas the Board of Commissioners have determined that using <b>Wheaton Bank & Trust</b> will enhance the FPDDC's ability to properly, efficiently and timely manage the FPDDC's assets.</span></em><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="background-color: white;">
<em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Whereas The Board of Commissioners of the FPDDC have determined that using Wheaton Bank & Trust as its primary depository and to transfer all of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County's assets from <b>JP Morgan Chase</b> to Wheaton Bank & Trust." </span></em></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Ordinance 12-445 was passed unanimously and quietly. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The District subsequently moved a reported $250 million to Wheaton Bank & Trust, increasing the <a href="http://banktracker.investigativereportingworkshop.org/banks/illinois/wheaton/wheaton-bank-trust/">bank's total assets by one-third to $761 million</a>. J.P. Morgan Chase, in contrast, has <a href="http://banktracker.investigativereportingworkshop.org/banks/ohio/columbus/jpmorgan-chase-bank-national-association/">total assets of nearly $2 trillion</a>. No requests for qualifications were sent out to multiple banks.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Forest Preserve Financial Director Jack Hogan</a></b> reported that the transfer would save $130,000 annually in fees. Citizen watchdogs, however, ask if the decision had more to do with District's ties to the financial institution. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In June 2012, less than three months prior to the transfer, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120615/news/706159775/print/">the Board approved a three-member evaluation committee</a> to seek bids on an outside consultant to study the entire operation of the District. One of three selected to serve on the committee was <b>Robert Hutchinson</b>, president of Wheaton Bank & Trust and a board member of <a href="http://www.theconservationfoundation.org/" style="font-weight: bold;">The Conservation Foundation</a>, headquartered in Naperville. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hutchinson was president of Wheaton Bank & Trust from 2006 </span><a href="http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2013/05/20/548478/10033409/en/Wintrust-Financial-Announces-New-President-for-Wheaton-Bank-Trust-Company.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">until last year</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fcfaf6; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">The evaluation committee did not meet in open and did not keep minutes of their meetings. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last year, the District created its first <b>Ethics Commission</b>. Among the three members is <b>Jim Carr</b>, former mayor of Wheaton and a 2010 candidate for the Forest Preserve Board. Carr serves on the <b><a href="http://www.wheatonbank.com/who-we-are/bank-directors">Board of Directors of Wheaton Bank & Trust</a></b>, holding the District's assets.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Watchdogs also question the exact amount of the cash assets, as no detailed monthly financial reports are submitted to the Board. The most recent monthly report of the District was a single page. The <b><a href="http://www.treasurer.il.gov/programs/illinois-funds/pdf/municipaltreasmanual.pdf">Illinois Municipal Code</a> </b>mandates:</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"At the end of every month, and oftener if required by the corporate authorities, the municipal treasurer shall render an account under oath to the corporate authorities or to an officer designated by ordinance showing the state of the treasury at the date of the account and the balance of money in the treasury.</i></span></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"The treasurer shall accompany the account with a statement of all money received into the treasury, and on what account together with all warrants redeemed and paid by the treasurer." </i></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>DuPage Forest Preserve Commissioner Marsha Murphy</b> was named the Board's treasurer in 2008. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From 2004 to 2007, <b>Mark Kauffman</b>, often referred to as <b>"<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1zZa0Hl6vs">Mark the Barber</a>"</b>, held the position of treasurer. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The <i><a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-10-01/news/9910010332_1_election-board-primary-next-march-appointment">Chicago Tribune</a></i> described him: </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Kauffman is the owner of Sheridan's Barber Shop, in downtown Wheaton, where customers include many of the county's politicians and judges. The shop has developed a reputation over the years as a place for political talk as well as trims and snips.</i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The <i><a href="http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-157884456.html">Daily Herald</a> </i>described him: <i>Most days of the week, Mark Kauffman holds court in his Wheaton barber shop, joking with customers and taking a little off the top. On Mondays, as DuPage County Forest Preserve District treasurer, he handles finances for a government with a $175 million annual budget and $285 million in investments representing 913,000 people. It's an odd juxtaposition, but one forest preserve President Dewey Pierotti likes.</i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i></i></span></span></span>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At the time of Kauffman's "abrupt" resignation, the </span><a href="http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-164341338.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Daily Herald</i> reported</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> that some DuPage leaders questioned his qualifications and impartiality. He remains a familiar face at the District and continues to receive special board packets and regularly attends Board meetings sitting in the same chair. He also appears to have access to District offices not allowed to the public.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In 2007, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"><span style="color: #444444;">under recommendation from Treasurer <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ENxNkJnD4oxIH8VDYDn9vqWnMphyphenhyphenIkXxverGNTgZ97Wwf0kHFYcW76E-kZa5-XyignHGOW6WU149l3_oJohvLHCT82thD6Smf8Z9_hmwIoDC2Xn7Zp1XwoYgJ_PLfXRY1ZxrnrM7e8Q/s1600/fl-floydsmacnearpink.jpg">Mark the Barber</a>, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the Board approved the implementation of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Dynamics_GP">Great Plains Dynamics</a>, a computerized financial management system, contracted with the services of <b>Kinsey & Kinsey</b> of Glen Ellyn to install and maintain. Microsoft boasts that the system </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">allows easy creation and consolidation of financial statements".</span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Kinsey was hired to serve as interim director of the IT Department after </span><b style="color: #444444;">former IT Director Mark McDonald</b><span style="color: #444444;"> was terminated in November 2011 </span></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">and served in this capacity through May 2013. Kinsey & Kinsey billed over</span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">$287,000</span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">for the 18-month part-time role of interim IT Director. Since Jan 2008, Kinsey & Kinsey has been paid over</span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">$440,000</span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">for providing no-bid consulting services to the Forest Preserve.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shortly after Kinsey took over the IT Department, and shortly after the findings of the covert investigation by <b><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">JRM Consulting</a> </b>was turned over to the <b>DuPage County State's Attorney</b>, the Forest Preserve submitted a <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">request to the <b>Illinois Local Records Commission</b></a> for permission to destroy 815 cubic feet of public records, including the <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/New_Zealand_cicada_song.ogg">destruction of electronic records, logs and email</a>. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The topic of the Forest Preserve's cash assets is timely as there has been numerous public remarks by DuPage government officials of returning the Forest Preserve back to the County, the way it had been a decade ago -- reviving last year's<a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130222/news/702229736/print"> legislative effort by <b>State Rep. Dennis Reboletti</b></a>. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Watchdogs speculate that the County is interested in this initiative to control the Forest Preserve's cash assets and to use a portion of the entity's 25,000 acres for storm water retention. It remains unknown if high-ranking DuPage government officials have seen detailed financial information unavailable to Forest Preserve commissioners and the public.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The Letter</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One month prior to the covert internal investigation of <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">two staff members in the IT department and vendor</a>, <b>DuPage United </b>-- <a href="http://www.dupageunited.org/">a large and influential nonprofit organization seeking to improve the quality of life in DuPage County</a> -- had some questions about the District's finances. They arranged</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> a formal meeting in May 2011 with </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">District President Dewey Pierotti</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He stood them up.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Five months later, DuPage United requested to meet with the District's finance director <b>Carol Hoffman</b>.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She refused, as well as the interim and current finance director, Jack Hogan.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Two months later, dozens of DuPage United leaders requested answers </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to questions via public comment and correspondence.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By February 2012, the group was still waiting... </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, they sent <a href="http://www.dupageunited.org/resources/openletter.pdf">an open letter to Pierotti</a>. They wrote: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Perhaps what appears to be excessive spending and reserves can be explained, but your lack of response to constituents raises red flags</i>.</span></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b>
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Red Flags</b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Citizen watchdogs acknowledge that while the DuPage Forest Preserve's finances may be in perfect order with documentation -- </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">somewhere</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> -- to back it all up, the District also exhibits the </span><a href="http://www.wccfighter.com/FinancialStatementFraudRedFlags.html" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">disturbing criteria of red flags</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, including:</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white;">
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Abrupt transfer of $250 million in cash assets from JP Morgan Chase to Wheaton Bank & Trust.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The hiring a new auditor, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wolf & Associates</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">No detailed monthly financial statements or treasurer reports submitted to the Board.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Refusal to meet or correspond with concerned citizens to discuss finances.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Lack of internal controls. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Small, tight-knit Finance Department run by District President Dewey Pierotti''s </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">political campaign treasurer</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"A senior executive possessing low ethical standards... (Most executives with ethical weaknesses also exhibit very noticeable signs of aggressiveness in almost everything they do.)".</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Overly domineering, disrespectful or abusive management style". </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Secretive or distinctly evasive attitude regarding critical financial information".</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Complex or unstable organizational structure".</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>CountyLeaks Asks:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is anyone thinking three words -- DuPage Water Commission?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Or perhaps two words -- <a href="http://www.bettergov.org/corruption_pays/">Dixon, Illinois</a>?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Simple question: Does the Forest Preserve have $250 million in cash assets or not? </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Have high-ranking DuPage government officials kicked the tires of the Forest Preserve?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>I</i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">s it true that the Forest Preserve's IT department for years has been completely separate from the entity's Finance Department's database? If yes, why? </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is Dewey secretly in favor of returning the Forest Preserve to the County while pretending not to be in public? Does he hope that the County will inherit the criminal IT case mess and share the pressure when the federal civil rights lawsuit is filed? Does he hope that possible financial issues will become murky in the transition? </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Isn't it true that Dewey was long-time buddies with Bob Hutchinson, Mike Del Galdo and John Dalicandro -- the three guys selected to serve on the evaluation committee to approve a consulting firm? Did he ever stand them up?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is there a dot on the board room table where Dewey has been coached to fixate and meditate during negative public comment? What's with all that <a href="http://natgeotv.com.au/content/cache/525x800/natgeosnap/17437.jpg">cheek puffing</a>, blowing and pill popping? Did he enroll in a Lamaze class to learn how to breathe to ease the agony of citizens speaking truth to power or is that what the pills are for? </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Does anyone in particular come to mind when reading <a href="http://www.wccfighter.com/FinancialStatementFraudRedFlags.html">the personality alert category of red flags</a>?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Will the Forest Preserve IT staff pull the turn-the-microphone-off-at-the-public-statement-podium trick again? Ha, ha...good one!</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why isn't Dewey spending his golden years at <a href="http://www.back9network.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Rodney_Dance_Caddyshack1.gif">a golf course near his Florida condo</a> instead of dealing with all this crap? Is it not quite cold enough?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is it an Open Meetings Act violation or just rude for Forest Preserve attorney Jim Knippen to constantly whisper to Dewey during board meetings?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>What is with <a href="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1106935!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/andy4n-4-web.jpg">Mark the Barber</a>? </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Does <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EQyS4Pbmw8">Mark the Barber</a> always claim the same chair -- The Barber's Chair -- in the audience at board meetings because it's rigged up to buzz Dewey? What would happen if a citizen stole The Barber's Chair while he was wandering around in the restricted areas before meetings? </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>What qualified <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk4i7OKWSJw">Mark the Barber</a> to be treasurer of </i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">a "$175 million annual budget and $285 million in investments representing 913,000 people"? <strike>Was all that covered in barber college?</strike></i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #444444;">On a scale of 1 to 10, how spooky is it that both <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-fPZ_HS0CXus/T5r8mFmr66I/AAAAAAAAM64/J9Vp9zLNSRI/w900/homers-barbershop-quartet-04%255B1%255D.jpg">Mark the Barber</a> and Dean Westrom were <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1PH_Y8Xn4g">former chairmen of the DuPage County Election Commission</a>?</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i></span>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWRZut6klgE">Mark the Barber</a> being paid by the Forest Preserve? Or does he just have a deep affection for <a href="http://www.stageandcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Jonathan-Lee-Cunningham-with-Audrey-II-in-LITTLE-SHOP-OF-HORRORS-at-Theatre-at-the-Center.jpg">the flora</a> and <a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/2508181955/squirrel_head_squirrel.jpg">the fauna</a>?</span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Marsha, Marsha, Marsha...why aren't you fulfilling the duties of treasurer? </span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Will reminiscing about the good ol' days of passing envelopes when Pate ran the county and the Illinois Senate make all these troubles go away? </i>CountyLeaks<i> feels so much better...</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Can we expect another perky press release updating the Blanding's turtle habitat at the Dragonfly Marsh exhibit to distract us from cash assets? </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Should <a href="http://natgeotv.com.au/content/cache/525x800/natgeosnap/17437.jpg">this photo</a> be added to the gallery in the Forest Preserve's board room?</i></span><br />
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CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-37727788375230620112014-01-22T12:57:00.001-08:002015-09-08T13:18:54.907-07:00Round 1: DuPage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin on the Ropes -- Former Federal Prosecutor Patrick Collins Files Motion to Dismiss All Charges<h2>
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">PART NINE OF COUNTYLEAKS SERIES ON DUPAGE FOREST PRESERVE TECH CRIMINAL CASE...</span></b></i></h2>
<span style="color: #660000;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Part One</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Part Two</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">Part Three</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">Part Four</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Part Five</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">Part Six</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/now-entering-ring-heavyweight-former.html">Part Seven</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/marquardt-brothers-weve-got-your.html">Part Eight</a></i></b></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b>
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Former federal prosecutor Patrick Collins </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">has</span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">filed a motion at the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Henry J. Hyde Judicial Office Facility </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of Wheaton</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to dismiss the case against</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Arif Mahmood </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">f</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">or his <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-TFpLRHhlZ3kyZFk/edit">alleged involvement in a scheme of stealing $150,000</a> from the</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Forest Preserve District of DuPage County (FPDDC)</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">In November 2012, the District's former director of its</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">IT department, <b>Mark McDonald</b>, and the department manager, <b>David Tepper</b>, were </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">each indicted with 140 felony counts, while </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Mahmood, who worked for <b>Alamach Technology, Inc.</b>, an IT vendor for the District, was charged with 37 count</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">s, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">in the alleged theft scheme</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">In an eight-page memorandum, Collins requested the Court to dismiss the case due to apparent failure to preserve "crucial evidence" for his client "</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to defend himself against the charges alleged"</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Excerpts from the memorandum:</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Pursuant to a written agreement with the FPDDC, Mahmood reluctantly complied and (he understood, temporarily) turned over all the computer equipment, and its fruits, to the FPDDC. The FPDDC, through its agents and its computer expert, hand-picked by the president of the FPDDC, took possession of the computer equipment in furtherance of the pending law enforcement investigation.</i></span> </blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Stunningly, and as recently acknowledged by the FPDDC, neither the FPDDC, its expert, nor law enforcement took </i>any<i> steps to preserve the equipment, nor did any of them make a mirror image of equipment so that it could be utilized for the criminal case.</i></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT0957tUqLtbKbEqMrQn74kBlggltqv44k8UxCUgmINQbzEw9khwgoUhP_S1duW-LypCAx1DDPQa56kzOwD2EQwRriSs176GpP84f9tPW546tDkccM1_iiYYKm_Zm3c9hXWytjIuqiwkA/s1600/Collins+1+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT0957tUqLtbKbEqMrQn74kBlggltqv44k8UxCUgmINQbzEw9khwgoUhP_S1duW-LypCAx1DDPQa56kzOwD2EQwRriSs176GpP84f9tPW546tDkccM1_iiYYKm_Zm3c9hXWytjIuqiwkA/s1600/Collins+1+001.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>(Scroll to end of article to read entire motion)</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">The response by the FPDDC was quite disturbing: at a basic level, even after multiple inquiries, the FPDDC has been unable to confirm that they possess the computer equipment that was seized from Mahmood. Second, contrary to basic forensic procedures, the FPDDC has acknowledged that none of the computer devices were preserved and no forensic images or backups were made. Finally, after a forensic assessment by Mahmood's expert of certain computer equipment that </span></i><span style="color: #444444;">may be</span><i style="color: #444444;"> the computer equipment at issue, it appears that all the equipment at issue was put back in service by the FPDDC, thereby destroying any possibility of analyzing what Alamach, and its subcontractor, did under the terms of the contracts.</i></span> </blockquote>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>As a result of the FPDDC's actions and inactions, the computer equipment has been irretrievably tainted for use in this criminal proceeding.</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Quite simply, the FPDDC's failure to preserve the most crucial evidence in the case has destroyed any meaningful opportunity Mahmood has to defend himself against the charges alleged. Because of this clear and irreparable violation of Mahmood's right to due process, the Court should dismiss the indictment as to Mahmood.</i></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">At a Dec. 6th hearing, </span></span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">DuPage County Judge Blanche Hill Fawell </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">ordered the state to respond to Collins' motion by Jan. 24th.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 16px;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Related to the potential destruction of evidence in this same case, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html"><i>CountyLeaks </i>reported in November 2012</a></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"> that the Forest Preserve </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sought permission from the State to <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/New_Zealand_cicada_song.ogg">dispose of 815 cubic feet of records</a></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> during the criminal investigation.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nearly 28 months after losing their Forest Preserve jobs and contract, 16 months after their arrests and 14 months after their indictments of 317 the felony counts</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, the <b>DuPage County State's Attorney's office</b> still has not produced <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">a </a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">bill of particulars -- the formal, detailed, written complaint of charges</a> </span><a href="http://law.onecle.com/illinois/725ilcs5/111-6.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(725 ILCS 5/111-6)</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Judge Fawell ordered the State to produce a bill of particulars last spring.<b> </b></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">After a series of delays over months -- a flood, attorney vacations, attorney non-appearance, and the judge testifying in another criminal case -- <b>DuPage County Asst. State's Attorney Ken Tatarelis</b> requested more time at the December hearing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Defense attorneys <b>Terry Ekl</b> and </span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Ernie DiBenedett</b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>o </b>represent Tepper and McDonald respectively.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Collins is a partner in </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Perkins Coie LLP</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">'s litigation practice. He previously worked for the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">United States Department of Justice</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"> as an assistant U.S. Attorney, where he led the trial and conviction of former <b>Illinois Governor George Ryan</b> on charges of racketeering and fraud. Judge Fawell disclosed to Mahmood that Collins was the prosecutor against her brother-in-law. <a href="http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/May-2004/The-Fawell-Affair/"><b>Scott Fawell</b>, once a top aide to George Ryan</a>, was imprisoned for 4 1/2 years.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Calling for urgent ethical reform following the felony charges against former <b>Illinois Governor R</b></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>od Blagojevich</b></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">, </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Illinois Governor Pat Quinn</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"> appointed Collins in 2009 to chair the</span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"> Illinois Reform Commission</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">The former federal prosecutor later authored, </span></span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Challenging-Culture-Corruption-Game-Changing-Illinois/dp/0879464240">Challenging the Culture of Corruption: Game Changing Reform for Illinois</a>. </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">Collins</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"> </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">outlined four specific necessary reforms: passing true campaign finance reform to eliminate "pay to play" politics; creating a fair and competitive election process; enhancing corruption-fighting tools to state law enforcement; and improving voter access and participation to encourage citizen participation in elections and governance.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">In 2010, Collins was selected by the <i><b>Chicago Law Bulletin</b></i> as one of Chicago's "Top Ten" attorneys of the decade.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">This is not Collins' first encounter with a DuPage prosecutor. <b>Former DuPage County State's Attorney</b> <b>Joe Birkett </b>had testified before Collins and the Illinois Reform Commission on <a href="http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/reformnow/Documents/press%20releases/Joseph%20Birkett%20Submission%20to%20IRC.pdf">his ideas to combat public corruption</a>. </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Details are explained in </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><i>CountyLeaks' </i>all-time most</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"> popular post, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/tweets-twits-tax-dollars-joe-birkett.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">"Tweets, Twits & Tax Dollars: Joe Birkett for Illinois, Proven Leader? Proven Corruption Buster?"</a><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>CountyLeaks Asks:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why didn't the DuPage State's Attorney's office order on Day One that all data, equipment and documents at the Forest Preserve be preserved? </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Has the DuPage State's Attorney's office begun an investigation into conspiracy and obstruction of justice for the destruction of data and equipment before and during a criminal investigation or will Berlin turn that over to the FBI due to a conflict of interest?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why would the Alamach equipment and its back-up data -- evidence of work product in a potential criminal case -- be turned over to a guy freelancing for JRM? Why not an authority? </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Is there a back-up of the back-up?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></i></span>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is it legal for an unlicensed firm to conduct a secret "internal investigation" without first providing notice to the employees? Just checking...</i><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why is the Forest Preserve using Mahmood's equipment? </i></span><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why is defense attorney Terry Ekl such <a href="http://indulgy.net/G1/o4/d7/237494580319093371SpskIgFRc.jpg">a pootie cat</a> on this case when he's been just the opposite in <a href="https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130107/news/701079707/print">the Lou Bianchi case</a>? Has he written a check yet in 2014 to Citizens for Bob Berlin (via<a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html"> JRM's sister-in-law</a> and then to be reported by <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Forest Preserve Financial Director Jack Hogan</a>, of course)?</i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">In reviewing and investigating this case, did it influence the State's Attorney's office for the owner of JRM to be the brother of their lobbyist and the brother-in-law of the state's attorney's paid campaign fundraiser? Or is it like everything else </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">CountyLeaks</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> <i>reports, pure happenstance?</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Will the State seek yet another continuance on the bill of particulars on Jan. 24th? If yes, will a defense attorney object? Or will he just</i></span></span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> sign another check to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=484540358301495&set=a.484539424968255.1073741825.101979393224262&type=1&theater">Citizens for Bob Berlin</a>?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Regardless of the legality, should a state's attorney accept campaign contributions from defense attorneys particularly when both are parties in ongoing cases? Why does Berlin's campaign need so much cash when he's never faced opposition and the next election is over three years from now? Are the DuPage Democrats that spooky?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />Does <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Vince Durante</a> still moonlight for JRM while working for IDOT management?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">How did <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Troy Clampit</a> land <a href="http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Troy-Clampit/2102673153">a job at the RTA</a>? Could it be a patronage job through RTA Board member Pat Durante, father of Vince? </i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Does Forest Preserve Commissioner Joe Cantore still hire Forest Preserve IT staff to do side work for his personal business?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Is Reverse Spin still assisting the Forest Preserve behind the scenes, perhaps as a subcontractor?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is this about conspiracy and obstruction of justice or just <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/New_Zealand_cicada_song.ogg">Felix-Unger-on-steroids housekeeping</a>?</i><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks Recommends:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://projects.medillwatchdog.org/suburbs/no-sunshine-in-the-forest"><i>Medill Watchdog's</i> "No Sunshine in the Forest"</a></span></span><br />
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Following is the Memorandum in Support of Defendant Arif Mahmood's Motion to Dismiss Indictment. To enlarge, click or double-click the image:</b><br />
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b>CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-37511739437649164402013-07-26T04:35:00.000-07:002016-03-03T07:06:14.694-08:00Marquardt Bros. -- We've Got Your Back<h4>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Lobbyist for DuPage County State's Attorney's Office is Attorney & Brother of Forest Preserve's IT Covert Forensic Investigator</i></span></h4>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #444444;">PART EIGHT OF COUNTYLEAKS SERIES...</span></b></i></h4>
<span style="color: #660000;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Part One</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Part Two</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">Part Three</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">Part Four</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Part Five</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">Part Six</a>, </i></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/now-entering-ring-heavyweight-former.html">Part Seven</a></i></b></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Scott Marquardt </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">of the Wheaton-based law firm, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Marquardt & Belmonte, P.C.</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, represented </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">JRM, Inc.</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> in matters related with the company's secret "internal investigation" of the </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage County Forest Preserve District</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'s information technology (IT) department. JRM is an IT firm owned by </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jerry Marquardt </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">of Naperville, the attorney's brother. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Scott is also a lobbyist at a firm named after the founder and the late father of the brothers, <b>Roger C. Marquardt & Co</b>. This firm is paid <b>$4,000</b> per month by the <b>DuPage County State's Attorney's office </b>for lobbying services<b>.</b> Scott's wife, <b>Barbara Skurka/Marquardt</b>, has been paid <b>$48,000</b> as a consultant for </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=484540358301495&set=a.484539424968255.1073741825.101979393224262&type=1&theater">Citizens for Bob Berlin</a></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, the political campaign for the State's Attorney.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Findings from JRM were given to the State's Attorney's office in 2011. A year later, the District's former director of its</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">IT department, <b>Mark McDonald</b>, and the department manager, <b>David Tepper</b>, were </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">each charged with 140 felony counts, while a third man, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><b>Arif Mahmood</b>, who worked for <b>Alamach Technology, Inc.</b>, an IT vendor for the District, was charged with 37 count</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">s, in an alleged scheme stealing $150,000 from the Forest Preserve.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Citizen watchdogs claim there are </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">numerous political ties, conflicts of interest and a lack of legitimacy</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> surrounding the internal investigation leading to the charges.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a letter last month concerning Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests handled by the </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Forest Preserve's attorney, Jim Knippen </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">of Wheaton, Marquardt stated that his firm represents JRM. After explaining that JRM has previously complied with FOIA requests, the letter reads: "JRM, Inc. is no longer in possession of any other emails." And, "Please be advised that JRM., Inc. will no longer be maintaining copies of these documents as it is not required by law or its contract with FPD to do so." </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(To enlarge, click the image.)</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111124/news/711249912">JRM was paid $66,000 by the Forest Preserve</a> in 2011. Per the IT firm's contract, Resolution No. 11-313, all records and documents from the internal investigation are property of the Forest Preserve.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">CountyLeaks</i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> reported last November that no injunction had been sought to preserve all records pertaining to this case in "</span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Hark -- Is that the Buzz of Cicadas or a Shredder?</a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> Did the DuPage Forest Preserve Shred a Truckload of Records During a Criminal Investigation?"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Nine months later, it appears <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/New_Zealand_cicada_song.ogg">nothing has changed</a>.</span></span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Alamach</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> provided IT data storage, disaster recovery and e-mail backup for the Forest Preserve off-site in compliance with the <a href="http://www.itworld.com/security/55954/law-requires-email-archiving">Federal Regulations on Civil Procedures </a>and the <a href="http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/hr_5005_enr.pdf">2002 Homeland Security Act</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">D</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">ata stored on <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B69eaEu5cQmhUS15OWFYNDI1aEU/edit?usp=sharing">Alamach equipment was handed over to a JRM subcontractor</a> late in 2011; no chain of custody for this evidence of work product was included in FOIA responses. A chain of custody </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">refers to "the chronological documentation or paper trail</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">, showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of physical or electronic evidence</span>"<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Because there had been such a long battle to obtain the Alamach records from the Forest Preserve via FOIA, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NMZk6BD0lA">even going so far as police intimidation</a>, citizen watchdogs believe one of two things -- either it was all a muscle-flexing game or there must be something in the records worth hiding.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Early</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> February 2011, </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-bFBHMFBKTE9RcGs/edit" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a purchase order for $17,400 for e-mail migration</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> got the attention of somebody at the Forest Preserve. A hand-written note on the p.o. reads, "Are all users on Archiving?" Watchdogs point out that a series of events that year at the Forest Preserve followed the penned question. </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">(Click <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-E9jvx_KwiqbnNheVltdFVkZk0/edit">HERE</a> for an in-depth timeline.)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Former Alamach owner, Arif Mahmood, had been represented by attorney </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tim Martin </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">of Wheaton-based </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Martin & Kent, LLC</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. Martin was a law partner of Scott Marquardt at the former <b>Marquardt Martin Kallas & Belmonte, P.C. </b>of Wheaton. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last month, Martin contributed <b>$1,000</b> to Citizens for Bob Berlin. In 2002, he had loaned <b>$100,000</b> to the campaign of <b>former DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett </b>who was running for <b>Illinois Attorney General </b>against <b>Lisa Madigan</b>. This is in addition to <b>$17,700</b> Martin gave to Birkett's campaign.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Also writing recent checks to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=484540358301495&set=a.484539424968255.1073741825.101979393224262&type=1&theater">Citizens for Bob Berlin</a> were Tepper's attorney, <b>Terry Ekl </b>of Lisle-based <b>Ekl, Williams & Provenzale, LLC</b>, and McDonald's attorney, <b>Ernie DiBenedetto</b> of Clarendon Hills-based <b>DiBenedetto & Kendall, PC</b>. Three days after the last hearing on this case, Ekl gave <b>$1,500</b> for a total of <b>$7,250</b>; Dibenedetto gave <b>$1,000</b> for a total of <b>$5,500</b>.</span></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">s </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the only outlet so far to report on Mahmood's new legal counsel -- </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/now-entering-ring-heavyweight-former.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">former federal prosecutor <b>Patrick Collins</b></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, now a partner in </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Perkins Coie, LLP</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> in Chicago.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Collins made headlines this past week for his invitation to <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-07-22/news/chi-metra-patrick-collins-0130722_1_metra-probe-board-member-metra-ceo-alex-clifford">conduct an internal investigation at <b>Metra</b></a>; Collins didn't accept due to a potential conflict of interest at his law firm.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The next hearing is scheduled Aug. 19th at the <b>Henry J. Hyde Judicial Office Facility</b> in Wheaton -- n</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">early two years after the defendants lost their Forest Preserve jobs and contract, 11 months after the arrests and nine months after the indictments of 317 felony counts.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The DuPage County State's Attorney's office still has not produced <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">a </a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">bill of particulars -- the formal, detailed, written complaint of charges </a>-- as required by law </span><a href="http://law.onecle.com/illinois/725ilcs5/111-6.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(725 ILCS 5/111-6)</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite the involvement of the <b>FBI</b> in the later stages of the investigation, no federal charges were brought against the former Forest Preserve employees and vendor.</span></span><br />
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Additional Background</b><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">In July 2011, JRM Consulting, Inc. of Naperville was contracted to conduct<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">an audit of the IT Department. Unknown to the public and not mentioned in </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">their</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> contract was the true scope of work -- to conduct an "internal computer forensics investigation" at the Forest Preserve. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> The results of the months-long investigation were presented to the State's Attorney's office in November 2011.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">No information can be located on-line showing that JRM has expertise or licenses to conduct forensic investigations -- a specialized field usually involving advanced training and certification. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">JRM has been paid <b>$38,000</b> since 1999 for political consulting in Illinois, including payment of over <b>$14,000</b> for goods and services by Citizens to Elect Joe Birkett; former State's Attorney Birkett stepped down in November 2010 to accept an appointment to the <b>Illinois Appellate Court, District 2</b>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />Jerry's brother, Scott, and his sister-in-law,</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> Barbara Skurka/Marquardt, team up at the law firm, Marquardt & Belmonte. Scott and Barbara are former assistant</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> DuPage County State's Attorneys. In fact, all seven attorneys listed at the law firm cut their legal teeth at the</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> same office that</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> i</span>s </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">prosecuting </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood</span><span style="line-height: 18px;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">On reports to the <b>Illinois State Board of Elections</b>, </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Barbara</span><b style="line-height: 18px;"> </b><span style="line-height: 18px;">uses one of two last names -- Skurka or Marquardt. There is no hyphenation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Skurka/Marquardt is paid by the campaign of State's Attorney Bob Berlin</span><span style="line-height: 18px;">. Since February 2011, </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Skurka/Marquardt has received <b>$48,000</b> from Citizens for Bob Berlin for consulting, reportedly for fundraising. She currently receives a monthly payment of <b>$1,000</b> from the campaign. Berlin has never faced opposition and the next election is over three years away.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">Further, Skurka/Marquardt is listed as the board president and brunch chair of the </span><a href="http://www.fdccc.org/board-members-2/" style="line-height: 18px;">Friends of the DuPage County Children's Center</a><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">, a non-profit organization supporting the </span><a href="https://www.dupageco.org/States_Attorney/Childrens_Center/2068/" style="line-height: 18px;">Children's Advocacy Center</a><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"> of the State's Attorney's office.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">The Berlin campaign's paid treasurer is <b>Finance Director of the Forest Preserve Jack Hogan</b>. Citizens for Bob Berlin have paid Hogan over <b>$6,000</b> since February 2011. </span><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">Despite the on-going investigation at the Forest Preserve, which includes allegations of financial mismanagement by former staff, Hogan remains as the paid treasurer for the prosecutor's campaign.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">Hogan was also the paid campaign treasurer of <a href="http://chiphumes.com/"><b>John "Chip" Humes</b></a> who ran for state rep in the 46th district in the 2012 primary. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3487178425246&set=a.1068426757966.2011415.1445005822&type=3&theater">Humes</a> is a co-owner of his family's business, <b><a href="http://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/aboutus/staff_member.cfm?stf_id=13203&fh_id=12521">Humes Funeral Home</a></b> of Addison, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3662636411586&set=pb.1445005822.-2207520000.1374858030.&type=3&theater">a lobbyist at Roger C. Marquardt & Co</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">Skurka/Marquardt, Hogan and the Forest Preserve's political strategists contracted specifically for crisis communications regarding the IT "internal investigation", <b>Reverse Spin</b>, were also paid for extensive political work for <span style="line-height: 18px;">former DuPage State's Attorneys Joe Birkett and <b>Jim Ryan</b>. On various campaigns, Skurka/Marquardt has been paid a total of <b>$384,000</b>, Hogan <b>$104,000</b> and Reverse Spin/Curry Public Strategies <b>$260,000</b>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">One former assistant state's attorney who worked at the Marquardt & Belmonte law firm and Roger C. Marquardt & Co. lobbying firm -- </span><b style="line-height: 18px;">Rick Veenstra</b><span style="line-height: 18px;"> of Addison -- has returned to the law enforcer's office as the <b>Deputy Chief of the Civil Bureau and manager of its Governmental Affairs and Special Litigation Division</b>. Among Veenstra's duties is to advise the <b>DuPage County Ethics Commission</b>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Last February, Marquardt & Belmonte associate <b>Daniel Hanlon </b>was appointed as <b>Ethics Advisor</b> of the DuPage County Ethics Commission; Hanlon </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">is also a former DuPage County assistant state's attorney.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Click </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=117298875025647&set=pb.101979393224262.-2207520000.1351004327&type=1&theater" style="line-height: 18px;">HERE</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> for a photo of Marquardt</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">with his lobbying clientele --</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> DuPage County State's Attorney </span><span style="color: #444444;">Bob Berlin</span><b style="color: #444444;"> </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and <b>Pat Bond</b>, attorney for the <b>DuPage County Election Commission</b>. These two government entities have paid Marquardt a total of <b>$7,000</b> monthly for lobbying efforts for several years. </span><br />
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According to the <b>Illinois Office of the Secretary of State</b> website, Roger C. Marquardt & Co. are lobbyists for a variety of clients including <b>College of DuPage</b>, <b>Naperville</b>,<b> West Chicago</b>,<b> Wood Dale</b>,<b> Lombard</b>,<b> Hanover Park</b>,<b> Loyola University</b>,<b> Illinois High School Association</b>,<b> Waste Management of Illinois</b>,<b> Illinois Funeral Directors Association </b>and the <b>Better Government Association</b>.</span><br />
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<b style="line-height: 18px;">CountyLeaks Asks</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><i>How many more ties between the Forest Preserve and the State's Attorney's office must be reported before someone other than </i>CountyLeaks<i> finally remarks, "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAmsi05P9Uw">Houston, we have a problem</a>"?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Is this justice, DuPage style?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Would it be quicker just to list who isn't a friend of the State's Attorney's office?</i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Who in the Marquardt family owns and receives money from the Roger C. Marquardt & Co. lobbying firm?</i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Why does JRM require an attorney to respond to Forest Preserve FOIA requests? Why does the Forest Preserve require an attorney to respond to FOIA requests? Why is everyone lawyered up?</i></span></span></span><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">In reviewing and investigating this case, did it influence the State's Attorney's office for the owner of JRM to be the brother of their lobbyist and the brother-in-law of the state's attorney's paid campaign fundraiser? Or is it like everything else </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">CountyLeaks</span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> reports, pure happenstance?</i><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Legal scholars, in his letter to Forest Preserve attorney Jim Knippen</i></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>, why did Scott Marquardt make a point to write, </i></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Please be advised that JRM., Inc. will no longer be maintaining copies of these documents as it is not required by law or its contract with FPD to do so"? Were the copies simply taking up too much space on a flash drive?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Is it any wonder that attorneys and state's attorneys try so hard to be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is it legal for an unlicensed firm to conduct a secret "internal investigation" without first providing notice to the employees?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why would the Alamach equipment and its back-up data -- evidence of work product in a potential criminal case -- be turned over to a guy freelancing for JRM? Why not an authority? </i></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Is there a back-up of the back-up?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Will the State seek yet another continuance on the bill of particulars on Aug. 19th? If yes, will a defense attorney object? Or will he just</i></span></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> sign another check to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=484540358301495&set=a.484539424968255.1073741825.101979393224262&type=1&theater">Citizens for Bob Berlin</a>?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>When a defense attorney loans $100,000 to a state's attorney and contributes yet another $17,700 to him, does <a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/p480x480/544884_349093255138082_1864651352_n.jpg">he expect anything in return</a>? Or is this hypothetical too preposterous?</i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><i><br />Did Barbara Skurka/Marquardt assist with the fundraiser held two weeks ago for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=484540358301495&set=a.484539424968255.1073741825.101979393224262&type=1&theater">Citizens for Bob Berlin</a> where the campaign received checks from Ekl and DiBenedetto on the same day?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Ethics scholars, when you find yourselves indicted with 140 felony counts, would you prefer a defense attorney who had generously contributed to the state's attorney or one who...<a href="http://onpoint.wbur.org/files/2012/05/homer_the_scream.jpg">hadn't</a>?</i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Regardless of the legality, should a state's attorney accept campaign contributions from defense attorneys particularly when both are parties in ongoing cases? Why does Berlin's campaign need so much cash when he's never faced opposition and the next election is over three years from now? Are the DuPage Democrats that spooky?</i></span></span></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Is this really about McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood? Or is this all about someone else?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">When did it become fashionable to refer to lobbyists as "legislative consultants"? Did Reverse Spin come up with that one?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Is Reverse Spin still working for the Forest Preserve, perhaps as a subcontractor?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Do the appointees for the Forest Preserve's newly formed Ethics Commission realize they signed up for a full-time gig?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks Recommends:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://projects.medillwatchdog.org/suburbs/no-sunshine-in-the-forest"><i>Medill Watchdog's</i> "No Sunshine in the Forest"</a></span></span></div>
CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-41795797461871229882013-07-12T17:24:00.001-07:002015-09-08T13:17:57.983-07:00Now Entering the Ring -- Heavyweight Former Federal Prosecutor Patrick Collins vs. Featherweight DuPage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin<h4>
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #444444;">PART SEVEN OF COUNTYLEAKS SERIES...</span></b></i></h4>
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Part One</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Part Two</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">Part Three</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">Part Four</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Part Five</a>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">Part Six</a></i></b><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Chicago attorney Patrick Collins</b>, famous for leading the federal prosecution which placed <b>former Illinois Governor George Ryan</b> in an orange jumpsuit for racketeering and fraud, will be representing <b>Arif Mahmood</b>, a defendant charged with 37 counts for his alleged involvement in a scheme of stealing $150,000 from the <b>Forest Preserve District of DuPage County</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Last November, the District's former director of its</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">IT department, <b>Mark McDonald</b>, and the department manager, <b>David Tepper</b>, were </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">each indicted with 140 felony counts, while </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Mahmood, who worked for <b>Alamach Technology, Inc.</b>, an IT vendor for the District, was charged with 37 count</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">s, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">in the alleged theft scheme</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nearly two years after losing their Forest Preserve jobs and contract, ten months after their arrests and eight months after their indictments of 317 felony counts</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, the <b>DuPage County State's Attorney's office</b> still has not produced <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">a </a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/six-months-later-in-dupage-forest.html">bill of particulars -- the formal, detailed, written complaint of charges </a>-- as required by law </span><a href="http://law.onecle.com/illinois/725ilcs5/111-6.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(725 ILCS 5/111-6)</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>DuPage County Judge Blanche Hill Fawell </b></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://was%20given%2060%20days%20to%20provide%20the%20written%20charges./">ordered on May 13th that the State produce a bill of particulars</a> at the hearing scheduled for today </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">at the </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Henry J. Hyde Judicial Office Facility </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of Wheaton</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">. After a series of delays over months -- a flood, attorney vacations, attorney non-appearance, and the judge testifying in another criminal case -- <b>DuPage County Asst. State's Attorney Ken Tatarelis</b> requested more time. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #444444;">The state was granted a five-week extension until Aug. 19th, as there were no objections from defense attorneys <b>Terry Ekl</b> and </span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Ernie DiBenedett</b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>o</b>, representing Tepper and McDonald respectively.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Collins was prepared to begin representing Mahmood in this morning's hearing. However, Mahmood's first attorney, <b>Timothy Martin </b>of Wheaton-based<b> Martin & Kent, LLC</b><span style="line-height: 16px;">, had not yet withdrawn from the case. Reportedly, attempts to contact Martin today prior to the hearing were unsuccessful.</span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Collins is a partner in </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Perkins Coie LLP</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">'s litigation practice. He previously worked for the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">United States Department of Justice</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"> as an assistant U.S. Attorney, where he led the trial and conviction of former Illinois Governor George Ryan on charges of racketeering and fraud. Calling for urgent ethical reform, </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Illinois Governor Pat Quinn</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"> appointed Collins in 2009 to chair the</span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"> Illinois Reform Commission</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">The former federal prosecutor later authored, </span></span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Challenging-Culture-Corruption-Game-Changing-Illinois/dp/0879464240">Challenging the Culture of Corruption: Game Changing Reform for Illinois</a>. </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">Collins</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"> </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">outlined four specific necessary reforms: passing true campaign finance reform to eliminate "pay to play" politics; creating a fair and competitive election process; enhancing corruption-fighting tools to state law enforcement; and improving voter access and participation to encourage citizen participation in elections and governance.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">In 2010, Collins was selected by the <i><b>Chicago Law Bulletin</b></i> as one of Chicago's "Top Ten" attorneys of the decade.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">This will not be Collins' first encounter with a DuPage prosecutor. <b>Former DuPage County State's Attorney</b> <b>Joe Birkett </b>had testified before Collins and the Illinois Reform Commission in April 2009 on <a href="http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/reformnow/Documents/press%20releases/Joseph%20Birkett%20Submission%20to%20IRC.pdf">his ideas to combat public corruption</a>. Live play-by-plays of Birkett's testimony were Tweeted to Birkett's campaign Twitter site from the back of the room while Collins and other commissioners listened. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Birkett's paid campaign worker and <a href="https://twitter.com/dancurry">prolific Tweeter</a>, <b>Dan Curry</b> of <b>Reverse Spin</b>, later billed the <b>Illinois State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor </b>for accompanying Birkett to this hearing. Unlike Collins, Reverse Spin is <i>not</i> in favor of campaign finance reform.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Birkett now serves on the bench of the <b>Second District Illinois Appellate Court </b>in Elgin. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Details are explained in </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><i>CountyLeaks' </i>all-time most</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"> popular post, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/tweets-twits-tax-dollars-joe-birkett.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">"Tweets, Twits & Tax Dollars: Joe Birkett for Illinois, Proven Leader? Proven Corruption Buster?"</a></span><br />
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks Recommends:</b><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://projects.medillwatchdog.org/suburbs/no-sunshine-in-the-forest"><i>Medill Watchdog's</i> "No Sunshine in the Forest"</a></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">CountyLeaks Asks: </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Legal scholars, will the Forest Preserve IT scandal become State's Attorney Bob Berlin's Rolando Cruz case?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Will Berlin show up for the next hearing?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Where was attorney Tim Martin today?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Will Pat Collins be allowed to enter the Henry J. Hyde Judicial Office Facility with other attorneys on Aug. 19th or will he be herded in with the cattle and be required to take off his jacket and belt, empty his pockets, pass through the metal detector, and told to take his cell phone back to his car? After all, he fits the p-r-o-f-i-l-e, right?</i><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Will the defendants finally be presented with their written charges on Aug. 19th, just shy of the one-year anniversary of their arrests?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why didn't defense attorneys Terry Ekl and Ernie DiBenedett</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">o vehemently object to the extension today?</span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Why isn't <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikfG4ygAQqeHlq-u8FlAuQ4TlW1tlaGVdtMfaqBLX0aLFOti_3xMiEy47O3vWaQWg11CS6Y36iVm09bdE4g9nMnOGbgnmeufze0G7m3uL359vsLAm5fZMY9SyzprDUVzLCkc1UhqKWYY/s1600/eklconference.jpg">Ekl voicing his outrage in a press conference</a> in front of the court house the way he did for Lou Bianchi? Or is it considered bad form to bark after tything $5,750 to Citizens for Bob Berlin?</span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Is Ekl recommending the <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/history-repeating-itself-amicus-curiae.html">all-for-one-and-one-for-all Three Musketeer strategy</a> for the defendants the way he did for the DuPage Seven? No one copping a plea?</span></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Due to a lack of a bill of particulars, will the DuPage County State's Attorney withdraw the charges and request the classic <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/state-agency-or-prosecutorial.html">Nolle Prosequi without Prejudice</a> where they are allowed to reinstate the case in the future and claim that the defendants are under perpetual investigation?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Or can we expect a press conference where the DuPage County State's Attorney announces that due to statutory flaws, the criminal case could not move forward? That the State's Attorney's office will seek legislation whereby a bill of particulars is no longer necessary? Will the lobbyist for the State's Attorney's office, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=117298875025647&set=pb.101979393224262.-2207520000.1351004327&type=1&theater">Scott Marquardt</a>, assist in pushing this bill through?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>How 'bout <a href="http://redgage-photos.s3.amazonaws.com/jpale/snuffy%20wheres%20the%20beef.jpg">the-dog-ate-the-bill-of-particulars</a> excuse?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Another natural disaster perhaps?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is this the ending...or what <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vO1_mrGcEo">Danny Zuko says, "only the beginning"</a>?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Terry Ekl, Ernie DiBenedett</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">o, Reverse Spin...</span></span></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>déjà vu</i></span></span><i style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"> of the Lou Bianchi case in McHenry County? </span></span></i><br />
<i style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></i>
<i style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">How many cases has Berlin led against any his crony friends? Same number as his "corruption-busting" predecessor? Does it mean that DuPage County = Pleasantville when it comes to public corruption because the state's attorney refuses to attack the power structure that placed him into office? <a href="http://andragroza2013.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/697908ee_pleasantville-helping1.jpg">Everything is peachy</a>?</span></span></i><br />
<i style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></i><i style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Ethics scholars, how many conflicts of interest does it take to become a conflict of interest in DuPage County?</span></span></i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is Reverse Spin still working behind the scenes for the Forest Preserve or State's Attorney's office, perhaps as a subcontractor for an attorney? Does Ekl still have Reverse Spin on speed dial? Knippen?</i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Say...wasn't a Reverse Spin partner a big down-state fundraiser for George Ryan? Didn't he secure money from <a href="http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/099/8/7/HE_WHO_MUST_NOT_BE_NAMED_by_PollyTheArtist.jpg">He Who Must Not Be Named</a>? Weren't those specific contributions to Ryan the basis for the title of Michale Callahan's book, </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.toopoliticallysensitive.com/">Too Politically Sensitive</a></span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">? </i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What's ethically-challenged Reverse Spin up to these days with no governmental contracts? Assisting script writers on Frank Underwood maneuvers for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULwUzF1q5w4">House of Cards</a>? </i><br />
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CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-25158880752390937362013-05-21T06:02:00.001-07:002014-03-07T12:45:19.914-08:00DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin & Brother Tom Cronin -- Attempted Takeover of RNHA Illinois No Longer Behind the Scenes<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">PART FIVE OF A COUNTYLEAKS SERIES...</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>"Eliminating boards and commissions that pay generously for part-time work will both pare down the size of </i></b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>government and help our bottom line." - Chris Hage, Republican candidate for 42nd District Representative of Illinois, February 2012</i></b></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/02/exposed-dupage-county-board-chairman.html">Part One,</a> <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/03/dupage-county-board-chairman-cronins.html">Part Two,</a> <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/03/smoked-out-dupage-county-board-chairman.html">Part Three,</a> <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/03/dupage-county-board-chairman-dan-cronin.html">Part Four</a></b></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Part Five of a <i>CountyLeaks</i> series on numerous ethical and public interest questions surrounding <b>DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin</b>'s reappointment of <a href="http://www.illinoisyr.org/officers/"><b>Federation of Illinois Young Republicans Executive Director Chris Hage</b></a> to the <b>DuPage County Election Commission</b> for $27,500 annually plus health care benefits...</span></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks'</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sources claim that Cronin and Hage have been attempting a</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> behind-the-scenes takeover of the</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <b><a href="http://www.ilrnha.org/">Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois</a> (RNHA)</b> for several years, raising additional concerns of ongoing partisanship and political activism of the electoral board's vice chairman. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The latest development supporting Cronin's involvement was the entrance of his brother, <a href="http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/_internal/cimg!0/ed1rdqmoq8ycdr3bnb8obwm97013vcl">Tom</a>, in a court battle between two Illinois chapters of the RNHA. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A newer "chapter", </span><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Illinois Chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly, </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">is backed by Cronin and Hage. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The established chapter embraces political rival and critic of Dan Cronin, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://rafaelrivadeneira.com/news/cat/campaign/P10/">Rafael Rivadeneira</a></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On Jan. 22, 2013: </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Steve Orlando</b> and the Illinois Chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly v. Rafael Rivadeneira and the Republican National Assembly of Illinois, Inc. </i><a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/files/rnha.pdf" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was filed in the <b>18th District Circuit Court</b></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. The lawsuit's purpose was twofold: a cease and desist demand which would impact the RNHA of Illinois' convention last January and to prohibit use of the RNHA trademark. </span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sources claim that it was no accident the lawsuit was brought to DuPage County. Hage was the <b>former general counsel of the RNHA of Illinois</b>. The plaintiff, Orlando, currently serves as an officer on <b><a href="http://www.illinoisyr.org/officers/">Federation of Illinois Young Republicans</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">with Hage; Orlando is treasurer and Hage is executive director.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Attorney </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/01/orlando-lawsuit-against-rnha-illinois-dismissed.html"><b>Christine Svenson</b></a> had been representing Orlando until she withdrew in February. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Svenson, <b>president of the Illinois Republican National Lawyers' Association</b>, <a href="http://www.votehage.com/endorsements.html">endorsed Hage in his campaign for state rep</a>. Hage is among a <a href="http://www.rnla.org/bio/FindALawyer.asp?Alpha=&State=IL">handful of DuPage County attorneys</a> who belong to Svenson's association.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last month, <a href="http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/_internal/cimg!0/ed1rdqmoq8ycdr3bnb8obwm97013vcl"><b>Chicago attorney</b> <b>Thomas Cronin</b></a> was granted leave to file appearance for the plaintiffs without objection. Sources say he is planning to continue representation. This decision reportedly surprised the established RNHA Illinois, as the DuPage County Board Chairman had appeared to be publicly distancing himself from the attempted takeover. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Among the articles featuring the Cronin brothers pooling together was the <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-04-02/features/9504020025_1_cronin-family-elmhurst-role-models">1995 <i>Chicago Tribune's</i> "Almost Kennedys"</a>. Tom Cronin was campaign manager for <b>Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan </b>in 1994 and </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>DuPage County Board Chairman Gayle Franzen</b>. In 1996, the younger Cronin brother lost to <b>Joe Birkett</b> in the <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-03-15/news/9603150036_1_prosecutor-dupage-county-trial-lawyer">heated primary for <b>DuPage County State's Attorney</b></a>. A twist of fate occurred fourteen years later when newly elected County Board Chairman Dan Cronin had the task of appointing <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-11-27/news/ct-met-cronin-birkett-1128-20101127_1_tom-cronin-joe-birkett-state-s-attorney-joseph-birkett"><b>Birkett's replacement for state's attorney</b></a>. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Chicago attorney Mark Stern</b> <a href="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/0bdd8484e89e7f1545db002ef/files/ResponseRNHA.pdf">filed this brief</a> on behalf of Rivadeneira and the Republican National Assembly of Illinois, Inc. The first part of the lawsuit was dismissed prior to Rivadeneira's RNHA of Illinois' convention last January.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The next hearing for the trade mark is scheduled today in DuPage County at 9 am before </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Judge Bonnie Wheaton</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Citizen watchdogs assert that an election commissioner should give the appearance of impartiality and not have conflicts of interest. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The DuPage County Board Chairman <u>should never have appointed</u></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, watchdogs underline,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">someone to the Election Commission </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">who engages in political maneuvers with him for control of the RNHA Illinois, nor who serves as executive director of the Federation of Illinois Young Republicans.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Previously Reported by CountyLeaks...</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While running in the 2010 Republican primary for state representative, 41st district, the campaign for <a href="http://rafaelrivadeneira.com/news/cat/campaign/P10/">social and fiscal conservative <b>Rafael Rivadeneira</b></a></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sent out a mailer criticizing several Republican leaders for approving tax hikes.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of those leaders was </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Senator Dan Cronin</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> who was running for chairman of the DuPage County Board. </span><a href="http://rafaelrivadeneira.com/docs/blitz2_taxes_web.pdf" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rivadeneira's campaign mailer</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> read: </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Enough is Enough - No Tax Hikes! These candidates and Party leaders call themselves conservative? ...Dan Cronin voted to raise the sales tax to bail out the CTA...</i><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">According to <a href="http://www.championnews.net/blog/2011/02/11/a-look-at-the-recent-controversy-at-the-republican-national-hispanic-assembly/">various reports</a>, Rivadeneira said the mailer and his platform of lower-tax, anti-corruption, anti-establishment, pension-reform, more transparency and accountability didn't sit well with Cronin</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Rivadeneira later led a campaign to be appointed to the Senate opening left by Cronin following the November 2010 election. </span><a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-11-18/news/ct-met-cronin-replacement-1119-20101118_1_sandack-illinois-senate-seat-randy-hultgren" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Downers Grove Mayor Ron Sandack</b> was chosen</a><span style="color: #444444;">. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rivadeneria claims Cronin never called him for an interview.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The story may have ended there had Rivadeneira not been chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois whose leadership seemed too conservative for el good-ol'-boy amigos Cronin and Hage.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Republican leaders wishing to gain or stay in power need support of the RNHA. The reality check would come in the form of 2010 census data showing an upswing of </span><a href="http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/policy-updates/-/blogs/latino-population-growth-drives-metropolitan-chicago%E2%80%99s-population-growth" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Latino population growth in DuPage County and Illinois</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Details of a "goon squad's deployment" against RNHA of Illinois were described by Chicago attorney and conservative writer, </span><a href="http://www.theicfg.com/2011/02/08/state-gop-officials-working-to-push-hispanics-out-of-party/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Doug Ibendahl</a><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">, </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">and </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Champion News'</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><a href="http://www.championnews.net/blog/2011/02/11/a-look-at-the-recent-controversy-at-the-republican-national-hispanic-assembly/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Rick Newton</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hage, who had served as the <b>RNHA of Illinois' general counsel</b>, along with <b>Angel Garcia</b> of the <b>State GOP's Central Committe</b><span style="line-height: 20px;"><b>e</b>, </span></span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.illinoisyr.org/officers/">Steve Orlando</a></b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">, a leader within the <b>Federation of Illinois Young Republicans</b> with Hage, and </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Mark Aguilera</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">, </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">National Committeeman for the RNHA Illinois</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"> and <b>V</b></span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">ice President of the Cook County RNHA</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">, had their own agenda for the RNHA of Illinois convention held in February 2011 -- overriding the parliamentarian and hijacking the event.</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.59375px;">Olga Pereira</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.59375px;">, who had just been elected </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.59375px;">Second Vice-Chair of the RNHA of Illinois</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.59375px;">, summarized her account in a </span><a href="http://ilrnha.org/uploads/Pereira_Letter_021511.pdf" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.59375px;">letter addressed to various authorities</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.59375px;">, alleging threat and intimidation by </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.59375px;">former DuPage County Assistant State's Attorney</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.59375px;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.59375px;">Hage</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.59375px;"> in retaliation of support for Rivadeneira.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3HMMLiYHYU">stranger-than-fiction YouTube clip</a> with nearly 4,000 hits orbits of</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_Hall_Putsch">blundered RNHA putsch</a></span> at the <b>Comfort Inn</b> in <b><a href="http://reaganhome.org/">Dixon, the boyhood hometown </a>of both Hage and The Gipper</b></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Police were called to escort Hage and the insurgency away. The revolutionaries' attempt to appear spontaneous was stymied by seeking refuge in their <a href="http://www.theabsurdreport.com/2011/the-illinois-gop/">reserved room at <b>Dixon's Loveland Community House</b></a>.</span><br />
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<a href="http://ilrnha.org/blog/rnha-national-orlando-loses-rivadeneira-wins-charter-revoked/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The saga continued</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last March, the newly formed</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/01/competing-hispanic-gop-organization-announces-its-illinois-state-convention.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Illinois Chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly (RNHA)</b></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, not to be confused with the </span><a href="http://www.ilrnha.org/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Republican National Hispanic Assembly (RNHA) of Illinois</b></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, hosted a convention in Dan Cronin's hometown of Elmhurst.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Listings of <a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/01/competing-hispanic-gop-organization-announces-its-illinois-state-convention.html">convention speakers</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/424021774344605/?ref=22">"official" event registrants</a> showed a gathering of political supporters of both Cronin and Hage, including: <b><a href="http://www.illinoisyr.org/officers/">Steve Orlando</a>; Angel Garcia</b>; <b>Mark Aguilera</b>; <a href="http://www.yrnf.com/nationalleadership/elected-officers/"><b>Rick Veenstra</b></a>, co-chair of the <b>Young Republicans National Federation</b> and a <b>DuPage County Asst. State's Attorney</b> and </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Deputy Chief of the Civil Bureau,</b> <b>manager of the State's Attorney's Governmental Affairs and Special Litigation Division</b>, and advisor/conduit to numerous DuPage County boards and commissions including the <b>Election Commission</b> and the <b>Ethics Commission</b>; and <b><a href="http://www.evelynforwheaton.org/">Evelyn Pacino Sanguinetti</a>, councilwoman at-large, City of Wheaton</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Despite the posturing of the newer RNHA Illinois chapter supported by Cronin and Hage, the <a href="http://www.rnha.org/">national organization</a> continues to recognize the established RNHA chapter with </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rivadeneira</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></i><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Make a difference. Attend the next board meetings of the DuPage County Election Commission and the DuPage County Board and voice your opinions in public comment:</b></i></span><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></i><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #990000;">DuPage County Election Commission - Thursday, May 23rd, 5 pm, 421 County Farm Road, Wheaton</span></i><br />
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">DuPage County Board - Tuesday, May 28th, 7 pm, 421 County Farm Road, Wheaton</i></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks Asks:</b></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If Dan Cronin hopes to distance himself from the RNHA of Illinois takeover, is it a good strategy to have his own hermano represent the plaintiffs? </span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Will Dan Cronin's hermano continue to represent the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Illinois Chapter of the RNHA? Or will another political ally be selected?</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Who is paying Dan Cronin's hermano?</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is this truly DuPage's version of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9hjOOkzvtE">Camelot</a>?</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With Hage on the Election Commission, will Rivadeneira ever get a place on a DuPage ballot again? Will the staples used on petitions pass inspection?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Does Cronin think it's okay for an election commissioner to be participating in these political activities? If yes, why?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is it true that DuPage County Election Commission Vice Chair Hage prepared the lawsuit against Rivadeneira and the RNHA of Illinois filed in DuPage County in January? Or did he just help to prepare it with Christine Svenson? Again, is this all okay with Cronin as long as no one in his circle gets caught? </span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Ay ay ay, what would the Asst. State's Attorney advisor recommend to the DuPage County Ethics Commission about all this? No wait -- Rick Veenstra also supports the RNHA Illinois - Whatever with Cronin and Hage</i></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">! Phew, once again the bases are covered! Yes! (Btw...is the photo of the wedding party showing Hage as his groomsman on Veenstra's fireplace mantel?)</span></i></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Where is the line here between politics and good government? Should someone serving on the Election Commission be held to a higher standard than those serving on other boards, especially if that person is also an attorney? Is the Election Commission a good place for Cronin to put cronies? Is nothing sacred?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is Cronin paying back Hage for his RNHA dirty work by appointing him to the Election Commission for $27,500 plus health care benefits?</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why did Citizens for Dan Cronin pay Hage $1,250 on Oct. 1, 2009 for legal assistance? Why did the lawyer lawyer-up?</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because Hage holds such deep convictions against government boards and commissions paying generously for part-time work, should Cronin put him out of his misery and abolish his salary and benefits for his Election Commission position? Or would this draw too much attention to Cronin's own bloated salary for his part-time work on a Board while he maintains his law firm partnership? </span></i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Como un río que fluye al mar </i></span></span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">amor, así es mi amor, </span></i></span><br />
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444; text-align: center;">algunas cosas están destinadas a pasar...</span></i><br />
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CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-70450303420280884612013-04-17T03:14:00.002-07:002013-04-21T10:43:24.329-07:00Six Months Later in the DuPage Forest Preserve IT Criminal Case -- 317 Felony Counts of Nothing in Particular<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #444444;">PART SIX OF A COUNTYLEAKS SERIES...</span></b></i><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">Part One</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">Part Two</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">Part Three</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/hark-is-that-buzz-of-cicadas-or.html">Part Four</a>, </i></b><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Part Five</a></i></b><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nearly six months after filing 317 felony counts against two former Information Technology (IT) department employees of the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage Forest Preserve District</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and a former vendor, the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage County State's Attorney's office</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> has yet to produce the bill of particulars -- the formal, detailed, written complaint of charges -- as required by law </span><a href="http://law.onecle.com/illinois/725ilcs5/111-6.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(725 ILCS 5/111-6)</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Citizen watchdogs speculate that this delay involves <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html">the numerous political ties and lack of legitimacy</a> of those behind the "secret internal investigation" initiated by the Forest Preserve -- a move which may have been prompted by a purchase order epiphany, as <i>CountyLeaks</i> questions today. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Findings from this "investigation" were presented to the State's Attorney's office in November 2011. The bill of particulars would likely rely heavily on these findings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">T</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">he District's former director of its</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">IT department, <b>Mark McDonald</b>, and the department manager, <b>David Tepper</b>, were </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">each charged with 140 felony counts, while a third man, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><b>Arif Mahmood</b>, who worked for <b>Alamach Technology, Inc.</b>, an IT vendor for the District, was charged with 37 count</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">s, in an alleged scheme stealing $150,000 from the Forest Preserve.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html"><i>CountyLeaks </i>was first to report</a> on the staggering number of charges handed down by a grand jury on Halloween 2012</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Lending perspective to these numbers, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><b>former Gov. George Ryan</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"> had 18 felony indictments in 2003 and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><b>former Gov. Rod Blagojevich</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"> had "only" 16 counts in 2009. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Yet there was no customary press conference immediately following the grand jury's 317 felony counts. Three days earlier, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html"><i>CountyLeaks</i> explained at length the political ties</a> between the Forest Preserve, JRM Consulting and the State's Attorney's office. <i>CountyLeaks</i> found the felony indictments during periodic searches on <a href="https://www.dupagecase.com/Clerk/allsearch.do">the court clerk's website</a> after the well-reported <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120905/news/709059509/print/">arrests in September</a>.</span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">The majority of f</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">elony charges listed<span style="font-size: small;"> against <span style="font-size: small;">McDonald and Tepper include "acc<span style="font-size: small;">epting a kickback," "<span style="font-size: small;">unlawful participation," "official mis<span style="font-size: small;">condu<span style="font-size: small;">ct -- performing a forbidden act<span style="font-size: small;">,<span style="font-size: small;">" and <span style="font-size: small;">"theft by deception with intent to deprive."<span style="font-size: small;"> Charges against Mahmood con<span style="font-size: small;">si<span style="font-size: small;">st mostly of "acc<span style="font-size: small;">epting a kickback" with one count each of <span style="font-size: small;">"<span style="font-size: small;">theft by <span style="font-size: small;">deception with intent<span style="font-size: small;"> to deprive" and "official mis<span style="font-size: small;">conduct -- accepting bribe to influence public officials, public employees, juror or witness." </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Supe</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">rseding indictment charges of "conspiracy" were also issued for <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">t</span>heft<span style="font-size: small;">, <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">u</span>nlawful </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">participation</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">, and kickbacks </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">between Feb. 25, 2010 and Oct. 25, 2011 "at and within DuPage County." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Despite the 149 "accepting kickback" felony counts, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">there are no charges of providing kickbacks</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">, suggesting that at least one other party has yet to be disclosed.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-QzdFc0szRmN4anM/edit">Click HERE for felony counts against Mark McDonald </a></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-QzdFc0szRmN4anM/edit"><b>Case #2012CF001735</b></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-V0tzZzY2blpxOG8/edit"><span style="color: #444444;">Click HERE for felony counts against David Tepper</span></a></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-V0tzZzY2blpxOG8/edit">Case #2012CF001736</a></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-TFpLRHhlZ3kyZFk/edit"><span style="color: #444444;">Click HERE for felony counts against Arif Mahmood</span></a></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-TFpLRHhlZ3kyZFk/edit">Case # 2012CF001737</a></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Illinois, New York and Virginia require a bill of particulars in criminal proceedings, if requested. The Illinois Code of Criminal Procedure reads: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>When an indictment, information or complaint charges an offense in accordance with the provisions of Section 111-3 of this Code but fails to specify the particulars of the offense sufficiently to enable the defendant to prepare his defense the court may, on written motion of the defendant, require the State's Attorney to furnish the defendant with a Bill of Particulars containing such particulars as may be necessary for the preparation of the defense. At the trial of the cause the State's evidence shall be confined to the particulars of the bill</i></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <a href="http://law.onecle.com/illinois/725ilcs5/111-6.html">(725 ILCS<span style="color: #444444;"><i> </i></span>5/111-6)</a></span></span>.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These formal, detailed charges must be produced: <i>within a reasonable time after arraignment and shall specify the particulars of the offense necessary to enable the defendant to prepare his defense</i> <a href="http://law.onecle.com/illinois/725ilcs5/114-2.html">(725 ILCS 5/114-2)</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug75diEyiA0">bill of particulars</a> is <i>the </i>case. Without one, the entire case could be dismissed. Some attorneys claim the State's Attorney' office has maxed out the "reasonable time" frame and that their request for oral argument to not produce one six months later "unheard of".</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next hearing is scheduled for April 18th.</span></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: monospace; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;">"Are All Users on Archiving?"</span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For years, citizens had been demanding answers from the Forest Preserve and <a href="http://www.dupageunited.org/resources/openletter.pdf">not always getting them</a> -- especially answers regarding the District's finances. By the end of 2011 when news of the the internal investigation of the IT department broke, the frustration intensified into the perfect storm. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Added to the list of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) demands were a</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ll invoices and payment records of<b> Alamach Technology, Inc.</b>, owned by Arif Mahmood, who was under investigation and would later be indicted for 37 felony counts. The Forest Preserve refused to release these public records, stating that the invoices and payment records were part of an ongoing criminal investigation. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Citizens disagreed. After all, they said, the Board had been voting regular payments to Alamach for two years, according to meeting packets and minutes. Invoices and purchase orders totaling nearly half a million dollars should not be exempt, they asserted. Several people took the District's FOIA denial to the next level -- the <b>Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor</b> for a review.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Attorney General's office sided with citizens. The <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120603/news/706039873/print/"><i>Daily Herald's</i> Bob Sanchez reported</a> on portions of a May 4, 2012 letter written by <b>Asst. Attorney General Steve Silverman</b>: <i>"...the assertion that disclosure of the records would interfere with the state's attorney's ongoing criminal investigation is largely conclusory and unsupported by facts."</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Instead of sending the records, the District sent a cop.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shortly after the District received the letter, <b>Forest Preserve police officer Kathy Murphy Nowak, </b>daughter of <b>Board Commissioner Marsha Murphy</b>, was dispatched to the home of the citizen who had requested a review -- a decision described as an intimidation tactic. <i>Listen to her story here:</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Forest Preserve then contacted the State's Attorney's office for assistance to deal with the Attorney General's letter, according to attorney invoices. In mid-June, the State's Attorney was granted a temporary restraining order against the Forest Preserve, prohibiting the release of the records. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The DuPage County State's Attorney's office had officially declared war with the Illinois Attorney General's office.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The restraining order was set for status on Oct. 1st -- the exact day and time that McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood were in hearings, each in different court rooms. The TRO was lifted, yet it took another two weeks for the Forest Preserve to respond. Some of the records designated as being part of the "ongoing criminal investigation" had to be dug out of storage.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because there had been such a long battle to obtain the Alamach records, even going so far as police intimidation, citizen watchdogs believed one of two things -- either it was all a muscle-flexing game or there must be something in the records worth hiding.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Early</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> February 2011, </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-bFBHMFBKTE9RcGs/edit" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a purchase order for $17,400 for e-mail migration</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> got the attention of somebody. A hand-written note on the p.o. reads, "Are all users on Archiving?" </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Watchdogs wondered: </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did someone who once believed that information which had been deleted have concerns when learning it still existed off-site? If yes, what would this information be?</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeq32K2ygTnnRiBzaqIcQY9h9D11qprZYEG2chEBlJNKkgCQjJRrZHA1P5up8CNuqYY5n3gCN4n2L-fIuT8tqkzNPR2foh62a8887GU4ynd0jdXuyChG8AZ5J3T5MTbwevj_3ETjj0kBg/s1600/Purchase+Order+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeq32K2ygTnnRiBzaqIcQY9h9D11qprZYEG2chEBlJNKkgCQjJRrZHA1P5up8CNuqYY5n3gCN4n2L-fIuT8tqkzNPR2foh62a8887GU4ynd0jdXuyChG8AZ5J3T5MTbwevj_3ETjj0kBg/s400/Purchase+Order+001.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This simple five-word question and its timing may provide a clue for a string of detached events before, during and after February 2011. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>(Click <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-E9jvx_KwiqbnNheVltdFVkZk0/edit">HERE</a> for an in-depth timeline.)</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">During the next 12 months after the termination of McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood, the District would quickly take possession of Alamach's server and all of its data; destroy and dispose public records during a criminal investigation and prosecution; hire a new finance director; retain a PR spin firm with close ties to the State's Attorney's office; accept the abrupt resignation of the District's executive director and then pay him $50,000; bring in a new financial auditor; contract a new attorney to provide legal advice; move all of their $250+ million in reserve funds and investments to the Wheaton Bank; fail to present monthly and quarterly treasurer's financial reports for Board approval; refuse to meet with concerned citizens; intimidate, harass and interrogate citizens and volunteers; and deny FOIA requests for records relating to the Alamach matter.</span></div>
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<b style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Background on McDonald, Tepper & Mahmood</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444;"><code style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><b><br /></b></span></code>
</span></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Prior to his termination in November 2011, Mark McDonald had served as director of the Forest Preserve's IT department for nearly a decade. David Tepper, who was the department's manager, had been reporting directly to McDonald for five years until his resignation the same month.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While McDonald was working at the Forest Preserve, he needed help overhauling the entire IT server system; McDonald contracted Tepper from <strong>Integrated Design Solutions (IDS)</strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span> Eventually Tepper was employed by the District. <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120905/news/709059509/print/" target="_blank">According to the <i>Daily Herald</i></a>, the Forest Preserve says it does not have equipment billed six years ago by IDS before Tepper was on staff. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">McDonald and Tepper worked side jobs under the assumed name</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span><strong style="font-family: Georgia;">IDS</strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">after Tepper joined the IT staff.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">IDS obtained subcontract work from </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Alamach Technologies, Inc. of Carol Stream</b>, owned by </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Arif Mahmood</b></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">, who once worked for Microsoft</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">. Beginning in December 2009, Alamach directly assisted in the overhaul. This state-of-the-art IT project was described in a <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Windows-Server-2008-R2-Enterprise/Forest-Preserve-District-of-DuPage-County/Forest-Preserve-Reduces-Costs-by-20-000-a-Year-Trims-IT-Work-with-Switch-to-Hyper-V/4000009091"><i>Microsoft Case Studies</i> article</a>: <i>By switching from VMware ESX to the Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system with Hyper-V technology, the District was able to expand its use of virtualization, consolidate 35 physical servers to 5, and reduce server costs by 15 percent annually. It has also eliminated VMware licensing of U.S. $20,000 a year.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">In addition, Alamach</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> provided IT data storage, disaster recovery and e-mail backup for the Forest Preserve off-site in compliance with the <a href="http://www.itworld.com/security/55954/law-requires-email-archiving">Federal Regulations on Civil Procedures </a>and the <a href="http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/hr_5005_enr.pdf">2002 Homeland Security Act</a>, billing $12,000 monthly beginning in December 2010. (The first purchase order for this work has the hand-written question: <i>Are all users on Archiving?</i>) </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alamach is accused of over-billing and providing kick-backs to Tepper and McDonald through IDS for this portion of the work.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After signed off by the finance department and executive director, monthly invoices from Alamach were approved for payment by the Forest Preserve Board for 22 consecutive months from January 2010 to October 2011, including the duration of the "secret investigation", totaling $488,000.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>CountyLeaks Asks Many Questions:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Legal scholars, will DuPage County be setting legal precedent by having the first criminal trial in Illinois move forward without a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug75diEyiA0">bill of particulars</a>? What will the verdict be? Guilty as <u>not</u> charged?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Or, if the State's Attorney's office fails to produce the <a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsqeiwxtXO1r1t3kio1_500.png">bill of particulars</a>, will the entire case get tossed out? To avoid embarrassment, will the State's Attorney's office make a last-ditch effort for someone...anyone...to cop a plea?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why did the Forest Preserve pile on with a civil lawsuit without any bill of particulars and before a verdict?</i></span></span><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is Tepper's attorney urging the three defendants to stick close together using the same winning DuPage Seven strategy? Not only did those defendants go free, but Tepper's attorney and Joe Birkett helped secure free legal expenses -- paid in advance by taxpayers. None of DuPage Seven had incentive to break the chain and when it was all over, the defendants received promotions, appointments and neat stuff. All for one and one for all! (Required reading assignment for legal scholars everywhere <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/history-repeating-itself-amicus-curiae.html">HERE</a>.)</i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Btw, why are some defense attorneys so quiet instead of their usual style of trying the case in the media? Where are the colorful adjectives?</i></span></span><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Has this become DuPage County State's Attorney Berlin's <a href="http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2009/08/joe-birkett-and-the-nicarico-case.html">Rolando Cruz</a> case? </i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Following the lead of his predecessor, will Berlin be wearing a "D7" pin on his lapel in the court room?</i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Should the State's Attorney's office have handed this case off to Club ILSAAP for special prosecution? Boy, that would have made </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> feel so much better... </i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Seriously guys, a GPS ankle bracelet on McDonald? Really? Then he's charged $300 per month for this "service"? And you wonder what motivates </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">?</i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Who sent Forest Preserve police officer Kathy Murphy Nowak, daughter of Forest Preserve Commissioner Marsha Murphy, to check out the property of a private citizen fighting for the release of Alamach invoices and payment records via FOIA? What secrets are contained on these records? Who at the State's Attorney's office has ties with the Murphy family?</i><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is </i>CountyLeaks' <i>spinning-radar correct in detecting that this case is really about something else, something much bigger than McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood? Because anyone who has followed the Forest Preserve the past decade knows that conflicts of interest, pay-for-play contracts, over-billing and side jobs are no big deal, right? Just part of the culture... </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>In the grand scheme of things, is this about much bigger financial losses...? About those non-existing financial statements...? About the finance department's refusal to meet with DuPage United or even answer their questions...? About Oak Meadows...? </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>And/or is this about the electronic data which had been stored off-site by Alamach? Was any of this data destroyed during the criminal investigation? Was this data "too politically sensitive"? </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Has the State's Attorney's office even bothered to look beyond what was presented to them by the Forest Preserve? </i></span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Are the correct people being investigated and prosecuted here?</i><br />
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<i style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How come no one ever brings up Forest Preserve Commissioner Joe Cantore's former business relationship with one of the defendants working for IDS, only to later claim he didn't know anything about IDS? Or are they saving that gem for the precedent-setting trial with no charges? Surely it was disclosed? Does </i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> have to do ALL the work here? Sheesh...</i><br />
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<i style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How could the Forest Preserve's finance department, executive director and Board sign off on payments to IDS and Alamach for years without ever asking who these guys were? Is it because they already knew? Or were they all born yesterday?</i><br />
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<i style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Does all of this have anything to do with the hand-written question on the purchase order: </i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Are all users on Archiving? <i>Who wrote that question and why?</i></span><br />
<i style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Are all users at the Forest Preserve on email archiving? If so, why are the e-mails between JRM and Forest Preserve employees unable to be located?</span></i><br />
<i style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why did Dean Westrom "retire" suddenly from an awesome Forest Preserve job with decent salary and benefits, yet still markets himself on LinkedIn?</span></i><br />
<i style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why did former Forest Preserve executive director Brent Manning abruptly resign in May 2012 without the 90-day notice required by his contract? Why did the Board of Commissioners need to give Manning a generous parting gift of $50,000?</span></i><br />
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<i style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why didn't the State's Attorney's office order that no public records be destroyed at the Forest Preserve during criminal proceedings, paper or electronic?</i><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Was JRM Consulting licensed by the State to conduct a forensic investigation? </i></span></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Were the subjects of the investigation properly notified they were about to be investigated?</i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Did the "secret internal investigation" process conducted by the Forest Preserve and JRM Consulting comply with all federal and state laws? Were McDonald and Tepper denied due process? Did the State's Attorney's office accept evidence which was obtained illegally?</i></span></span><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did the State mention to the grand jury that JRM Consulting wasn't a licensed investigative firm and that there were multiple political ties among the Forest Preserve, JRM and the State? Or did all that land on the editing room floor before they arrived at the 317 felony counts?</i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why did Pat Durante's son, Vince, play a starring role in the investigation, when he wasn't even an employee of JRM Consulting? What authorized him to have access to equipment and information at the Forest Preserve if he wasn't even an employee of JRM, just a politically-connected freelancer? Did JRM overbill for Durante's services for $150 per hour? Durante is usually paid $39 per hour for his full-time work at IDOT, right?</i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Speaking of the Forest Preserve hiring politically-connected people, what's with <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Troy Clampit in the IT department</a>? Why was he brought in March 2011 shortly before the "secret internal investigation"? How does Clampit juggle his full-time job at the Forest Preserve while doing hundreds of thousands in political work? Did Cronin ask Dewey to find a place for <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-vote2cronin20100202133514,0,1584093.photo">his campaign worker</a> because if the County hired him, it might look bad?</i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By the way, how much is <a href="http://redgage-photos.s3.amazonaws.com/jpale/snuffy%20wheres%20the%20beef.jpg">all this mess</a> costing tax payers? How much more to come? Or does everyone work for free like </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">?</i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Was Reverse Spin brought in for their expertise in deflecting wrong doings of their clientele, while courageously working with bullies in state's attorney's offices to investigate and prosecute others who might expose them? Why would the Forest Preserve require game changers? What was the real crisis? McDonald or Dewey?</i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Does Paul Darrah still have <a href="http://lakecountyeye.blogspot.com/2013/03/q-eye030413.html">Reverse Spin</a> on speed dial?</i>CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-60231815438839534052013-04-10T13:27:00.000-07:002013-08-08T14:08:38.109-07:00CountyLeaks # 1 Read Post<h3>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Legal scholars, yesterday's "T</i></b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>weets, Twits & Tax Dollars: Joe Birkett for Illinois, Proven Leader? Proven Corruption Buster?" just broke the record for most-read post on </i>CountyLeaks<i>! </i></b></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/04/tweets-twits-tax-dollars-joe-birkett.html">READ</a></i></b></span></div>
CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-31352912807126182142013-04-09T03:57:00.000-07:002015-03-06T08:12:16.863-08:00Tweets, Twits & Tax Dollars: Joe Birkett for Illinois, Proven Leader? Proven Corruption Buster?<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>While DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett was serving as Vice Chair of the Board of Governors of the Illinois Office of the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor, he steered contracts to his political consultants. Birkett now sits on the bench of the Second District Illinois Appellate Court, yet questions remain as to who exactly was the tax-paid client -- Club ILSAAP or Birkett for Illinois?</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Four years ago today, the topic in Illinois was ethics.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Top <a href="http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/reformnow/Documents/press%20releases/IRC%20Media%20Advisory%20Chicago%20doc.pdf">public leaders from the state gathered in Chicago to give testimony</a> before the <b>Illinois Reform Commission</b>, established by<b> Illinois Governor Pat Quinn</b> in his "first official act to restore integrity and examine ethics rules and practices in state government". The impeachment of <b>former Governor Rod Blagojevich,</b> following his December 2008 arrest on charges of conspiracy and fraud, prompted action.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Calling for effective enforcement of anti-corruption laws were Quinn himself, <b>Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan</b>, <b>Cook County State's Attorney's Chief of Special Prosecutions Bureau Jack Blakey</b>, <b>Illinois Executive Inspector General James Wright</b>, <b>Illinois Inspector General Jim Burns</b>, <b>best-selling author and Chicago attorney Scott Turow</b>, and <a href="http://www.dupageco.org/States_Attorney/States_Attorney_News/2009/30315/" style="font-weight: bold;">DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett</a>, who was later appointed to serve on the bench of the <b>Second District Illinois Appellate Court </b>in Elgin.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Birkett</span><a href="http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/reformnow/Documents/press%20releases/Joseph%20Birkett%20Submission%20to%20IRC.pdf" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> spoke to the Commissioners of the challenges in fighting public corruption</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, proposed amendments to the official misconduct statute, suggested remedies, and discussed the need for enforcement tools. He quoted </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Albany Law School Professor Michael J. Hutter</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, "Unfortunately, our review of public corruption convictions in the states indicates that there is apparently little correlation between strong laws and integrity -- if a public official wants to violate his or her trust, the laws don't stand in the way."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Also in the room that morning was...</span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">...a <a href="http://www.legistorm.com/person/Daniel_Delos_Curry/30112.html">Tweeter</a>, texting play-by-plays of this speech to the <a href="https://twitter.com/BirkettforIL"><b>Birkett for Illinois Twitter site</b></a> which remains open at the time of this publication. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The following Tweets via Tweetie are posted and time-stamped from <st1:time hour="5" minute="27">5:27 am</st1:time> through <st1:time hour="9" minute="32">9:32 am</st1:time> on <st1:date day="9" month="4" year="2009">April 9, 2009.</st1:date> (<i>Note: T</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>he account was created the previous day; t</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>he <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/how-change-twitter-language-time-zone-6489632.html?cat=15">time zone option hadn't been set up</a> to reflect Central Time. Twitter's default time zone is Pacific Time.</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><st1:time hour="5" minute="57" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>5:57 am</b></st1:time><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thanks to all our new followers. Later today </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">we will</i> <i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">be live tweeting Joe’s testimony before the IL </span></i></span><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Reform Commission.</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><st1:time hour="7" minute="34" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>7:34 am</b></st1:time><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><st1:state style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><st1:place><i>Illinois</i></st1:place></st1:state><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Reform Commission about to begin. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pat Quinn,</i> <i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lisa Madigan and Joe Birkett up first.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">8:</span><st1:time hour="2" minute="0" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">02 am</st1:time></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Madigan says she doesn’t trust </i><st1:place style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><st1:placename><i>Illinois</i></st1:placename><i> </i><st1:placetype><i>State</i></st1:placetype></st1:place><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Police to</i> <i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">investigate Governor’s office.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><st1:time hour="8" minute="57" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>8:57 am</b></st1:time><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">,</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Quinn done. Joe up next.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">9:</span><st1:time hour="1" minute="0" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">01 am</st1:time></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">,</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <span class="apple-style-span">Joe pointed out he prosecuted his first public</span></i><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">corruption</i> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">case more than 25 years ago</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><b><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">9:</span><st1:time hour="5" minute="0" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span">05 am</span></st1:time></b><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">,<i> Joe gave commission list of 40</i> <i>corruption cases</i></span></span><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">prosecuted by his State’s Attorney’s office</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><b><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">9:</span><st1:time hour="7" minute="0" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span">07 am</span></st1:time></b><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">,<i> Joe recommended lengthening statute of </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">limitations in</i> </span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">corruption cases</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><b><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">9:</span><st1:time hour="0" minute="0" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span">12 am</span></st1:time></b><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">,<i> Joe strongly urged increased overhear </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">powers for</i> </span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">county and state prosecutors</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>9:18 am</b>,</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Joe proposed giving whistleblowers powers </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to record</i> <i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">corrupt discussions</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><st1:time hour="9" minute="32" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b>9:32 am</b></span></st1:time><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">,<i> Joe done testifying. Well received by commission.</i></span></span><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Talking to reporters now.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Tweets were later transferred onto the "Birkett for Illinois" website's blog, which is no longer displayed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Citizens to Elect Joe Birkett</b> had been paying <b>Reverse Spin</b> (which renamed itself <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/">Delos Communications</a>) during this period for consulting, according to the <b>Illinois State Board of Elections</b>. The Wheaton-based political consultant is a <a href="https://twitter.com/dancurry">prolific Tweeter</a> with over 9,500 Tweets to date on his site.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Birkett, as <b>vice chairman of the Board of Governors of the Illinois State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor (ILSAAP)</b>, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/ilsaap-vice-chairman-joe-birkett.html">had steered contracts to his political "game changer" consultants, Reverse Spin</a>, in 2007 and 2008.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the April 2009 report submitted to ILSAAP dated May 11, 2009, <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/">Reverse Spin</a> partners wrote about one of the more time-consuming activities of the month: <i>...accompanied DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett to an Illinois Reform Commission hearing where he testified about proposals to increase powers for state prosecutors. </i>A calendar report reads: <i>Date: Apr. 9, 2009, SA/Contact: DuPage County SA, Description: Accompanied SA on appearance before Illinois Reform Commission.</i></span> </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Attached was Reverse Spin's bill to ILSAAP for April 2009: </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">$5,756.34</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Payment was processed by the state the following month.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>(Scroll to the bottom of this post for supportive documentation.)</i></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;">Joe Birkett for Illinois. Proven Leader. Proven Corruption Buster</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;">. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Birkett's political ambitions are no secret.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The DuPage County State's Attorney ran three times for state-wide office -- attorney general in 2002, lieutenant governor in 2006, and again for attorney general in 2009. Birkett was appointed to the Second District Illinois Appellate Court in Elgin in 2010. He finally ran a successful campaign outside of DuPage County to maintain that seat last year.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The justice ran unopposed.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Gearing up to run for attorney general in 2009, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQHM1QqNhnw">Birkett couldn't say enough about Blagojevich's fall from grace</a>. Birkett's former boss, <b>former DuPage County State's Attorney and former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan</b>, lost to Blagojevich in 2002. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reverse Spin partners served on the executive staff of the former attorney general and had actively campaigned for him, as well.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If only Jim Ryan were governor, we heard, none of this would have happened. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 35.25pt;">Birkett’s short-lived 2009 campaign was all about ethics reform. In press conferences, speeches and editorials, he called to restore public trust by fighting public corruption. His slogan was: </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 35.25pt;">Joe Birkett for Illinois. Proven Leader. Proven Corruption Buster</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 35.25pt;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On July 2nd, Birkett officially announced he was running for attorney general. Rumor had it that his 2002 opponent, Lisa Madigan, would be be in a race for governor or the U.S. Senate. Six days later, Madigan announced that she would seek re-election for a third term. Barely a month after the state's attorney threw his hat in the ring, he dropped out, claiming he didn't have the finances.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Birkett had just $84,248.94 in his war chest; Madigan $3,485,138.23. Birkett for Illinois had been aware of this disparity long before 2009. Their one hope was to ignite a grassroots movement, yet with less than $50,000 in 2008, the campaign committee couldn't afford to pay anyone to start the fire.</span><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">has written abundantly about ILSAAP's Board of Governors' vice chairman steering government contracts to his political consultants, raising questions of what the firm was actually doing while being paid tax dollars for the state agency.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some of this work appears to have overlapped from official duties into damage control and image enhancement for the spinner's two political clients -- state's attorneys of DuPage and McHenry Counties. According to Reverse Spin's own activity reports submitted with billing, the bulk of their one-on-one work for ILSAAP was for these two state's attorneys.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The political consultants reported to the agency that they had working "extensively" with the state's attorney from their home county during months when Birkett was making headlines for what could be perceived as positioning himself for a major campaign.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Etc.</b></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Birkett's campaign chairman and treasurer was </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold;">Jack Hogan, financial director of the DuPage Forest Preserve</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Reverse Spin also had a one-year contract with the Forest Preserve starting November 2011 for $48,000. Hogan was paid $500 for accounting fees in 2011 for "YES 2 PCHS," an initiative reportedly led by one of the Reverse Spin partners to build a new high school in Paris, Ill.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Prior to Hogan, Birkett's campaign chairman was the defense attorney for </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">McHenry County State's Attorney</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">former Edgar County State's Attorney</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Reverse Spin </span><a href="http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-5214-public-relations-gone-awry.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">has worked closely with this attorney</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>According to the</i> <a href="http://databases.sj-r.com/salaries/state-of-il/department/judges-of-appellate-court/">State Journal Register<i>'s database</i></a><i>, Birkett currently earns $197,770.71 as an appellate court judge. The </i><a href="http://www.bettergov.org/pension/" style="font-style: italic;"><b>Better Government Association</b>'s database</a><i> shows Jan. 1, 2011 as the pension benefit start date for Birkett receiving $141,652.32 annually for his 29 years of service. Illinois judiciary belong to the </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Judges' Retirement System</b><i> -- not the </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund</b><i>. If these databases are correct, Birkett is receiving </i></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic;">$339,423.03 annually.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>CountyLeaks Asks:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why did Reverse Spin rename its company <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/">Delos Communications</a>?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Did <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/">Reverse Spin</a> Tweet the play-by-plays to Birkett's campaign Twitter site? </i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If not, who in the room did? Did Birkett arrive with an entourage? Or perhaps, there was <a href="http://en.gtwallpaper.com/fondecran/tweety_et_sylvestre/tweety_and_sylvester_10.jpg">a witness in the room observing Reverse Spin</a> with an I-Phone...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Clearly, Birkett's testimony before the Illinois Reform Commission was seen as a political event by the live Tweets to the "Birkett for Illinois" Twitter site and website. So why did Reverse Spin list this campaign event among their Club ILSAAP activities for April 2009 and bill the Illinois taxpayers? Why not bill Citizens for Joe Birkett?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why did Birkett steer Club ILSAAP contracts to his political consultants? Is he applying the same decision-making skills from the bench? Does history matter?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Did having Reverse Spin on contract with Club ILSAAP help stretch Birkett's meager war chest?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is Birkett currently receiving $339,423.03 in salary and pension, in addition to health coverage and yet another pension opportunity?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Did <a href="http://www.legistorm.com/person/Daniel_Delos_Curry/30112.html">Reverse Spin</a> write Birkett's stirring testimony read before the Illinois Reform Commission?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Did Reverse Spin come up with the catchy slogan: </i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;">Joe Birkett for Illinois. Proven Leader. Proven Corruption Buster?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="text-indent: 47px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></span><span style="color: #444444;"><i style="text-indent: 47px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Legal scholars, how much greener would our grass be had Birkett become our attorney general -- the last person on the planet to solve the mystery of Brian Dugan? To once again have the Reverse Spin partners in executive staff positions at the AG's office where they could create policy, influence legislation and help dismiss reviews of potential wrongful convictions which may be deemed <a href="http://www.toopoliticallysensitive.com/">"too politically sensitive"</a>? Everybody sing,"Maybe if <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOElUQjADbo">we think and wish and hope and pray it might come true</a>..."</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Would Reverse Spin have continued performing damage control for <a href="http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-5214-public-relations-gone-awry.html">He Who Must Not Be Named</a> from their executive posts at the AG's office? Cool...</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why was the state of Illinois so eager to settle the federal civil lawsuits of Randy Steidl and Herb Whitlock before the trial scheduled this month? What information had to be kept from the citizens involving </span></i></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-5214-public-relations-gone-awry.html">He Who Must Not Be Named</a>? How is this considered reform in Illinois? Are we all <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QB2Ck00YZ8">feeling much better now</a>? In the spirit of transparency and public trust, shouldn't the state have the court records unsealed? Or would doing so only force embarrassing investigations and criminal charges?</span></i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Should Illinois rethink Club ILSAAP?</span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why did a DuPage County Assistant State's Attorney, under the direction of Birkett, prepare an <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/illinois-office-of-state-attorneys_09.html">amicus curiae "friend of the court" brief</a> on behalf of one of the defendants in Steidl and Whitlock's lawsuits? Who paid for the preparation and court appearance regarding this brief, Illinois tax payers or DuPage County tax payers?</span></i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What was the relationship between the former Edgar County state's attorney and </span></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-5214-public-relations-gone-awry.html">He Who Must Not Be Named</a>? Does this have anything to do with...oh...umm...say...Steidl and Whitlock going to the FBI with allegations of narcotics/arms trafficking and </span></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">money laundering discussed <a href="http://mywabashvalley.com/fulltext?nxd_id=172996">in an interview with WTWO-TV's Patrick Fazio</a>?</span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Legal scholars, is it an effective tool to toss whistle blowers and watchdogs in prison (and place them on death row) who have the audacity to come forward with information on public corruption? How 'bout filing lawsuits against them? Is this noble and courageous? Would that reform Illinois?</i></span></span><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;">Does Birkett still have Reverse Spin on speed dial?</i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Could Birkett, Reverse Spin and Birkett's cronies withstand the tough anti-corruption enforcement tools and official misconduct amendments proposed on April 9, 2009? How 'bout that neat suggestion Birkett had about extending the statute of limitations for public corruption to six years or longer? Or do such proposals only apply to the rest of us? Different standards, right? Gotcha...</span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Speaking of different standards, isn't it interesting that Club ILSAAP and Illinois state's attorneys back pending legislation for the Freedom of Information Act not to apply to them? If this bothers you, contact your state rep or senator ASAP. As Will Rogers said, "Remember, write to your Congressman even if he can't read."</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><i>Readers, please join </i>CountyLeaks<i> in a </i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZP0kU-yo1o" style="font-style: italic;">trip down memory lane where Birkett calls for stricter enforcement of transparency</a>,<i> stating that prosecutors should be able to bring criminal charges against public officials who violate FOIA...</i></span></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Justice Birkett, could you please tell us all the prosecutions of public corruption in DuPage County involving your cronies? Should we set aside 10 seconds or 15 for your response?</span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;"><span style="color: #444444;">What words of wisdom were imparted to DuPage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin sitting at the knee of his predecessor,</span></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://static.boxrec.com/wiki/9/92/Birkett_Joe.jpg"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Obi-Wan Kenobi</i></span></a></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;"><span style="color: #444444;">? Is this wisdom being applied <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">now</a>?</span></i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 47px;"><span style="color: #444444;"> </span></i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>What other activities did Reverse Spin conduct for their political clients DuPage County State's Attorney Birkett and McHenry County State's Attorney Louis Bianchi which may have been billed to the Illinois tax payers? For example, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/06/bianchi-in-daily-herald-campaign-forum.html">did Reverse Spin prep their political client, McHenry County State's Attorney Louis Bianchi</a> for the </i>Daily Herald's<i> campaign forum in 2008 and bill the taxpayers? </i>CountyLeaks<i> has discovered many such examples... Do readers have six hours?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Should there be some state's attorneys in Illinois, past and present, in orange jumpsuits? Some of our governors donned orange, why not some state's attorneys?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why does a government entity require the services of political spinners? Should Illinois procurement laws be amended making it illegal for government entities to contract spinners for smearing whistle blowers and citizen watchdogs? Should it be illegal for government entities to contract spinners more interested in promoting political agendas than providing a public service? </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Or, does </i>CountyLeaks<i> have it all wrong, legal scholars? Maybe Illinois needs more spinners? Help me out, here... Don't be a tease...</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>When will the facts, government documents and connections presented in</i> CountyLeaks<i> be ready for mainstream news? Or are citizens only worthy of information conveyed in the official line of press conferences, news releases and tax-paid spinners and operatives? Is there any correlation with reporting the official line and Illinois being the most corrupt state?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Following are public records of Reverse Spin's Club ILSAAP activity report, billing and payment voucher for April 2009. To enlarge, click or double-click the image:</b><br />
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CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-1842198321475013262013-04-04T18:22:00.002-07:002015-03-05T09:07:58.544-08:00Who is CountyLeaks?<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I work alone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This blog is my view of the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't work as part of any company, firm, organization or party. The only approval I seek is my own.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have never been paid for work associated with this blog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am an incurable insomniac. Other insomniacs may choose to count sheep, drink warm milk or watch TV. I choose to read public records, particularly government documents. To scrutinize documents and make crucial connections, it helps to work without any distractions when the rest of the world is asleep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Journalist I.F. Stone believed that everything we need to know can be found in public records. He would devote endless hours alone in musty basements devouring documents searching for contradictions to the official line. Why waste time hunting down people for a quote or testimony who may or may not tell the truth? I'm not a journalist, yet I relate strongly to Stone's style. And once you get started extricating, it's difficult to stop. It's like a treasure hunt. Imagine if Stone had the internet?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am anonymous because... </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">...I want readers to focus on the message, not me. Most of the people I write about have the kill-the-messenger mentality because that's all they've got. They simply cannot refute the facts backed with documentation. As I approach the two-year anniversary of blogging, no one has ever contacted me to refute the content, publicly or privately.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Due to the highly sensitive nature my material involving corruption of high-level law enforcement in Illinois and those associated with it, my concern for potential retaliation and threats is justified. Unlike the people I write about, I'm not protected by power, influence and money. However, I do have truth. Truth trumps all. Truth paralyzes my subject matter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have called my blogs </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">McHenryLeaks</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> in an attempt to be catchy. The information is actually not a leak because nothing is classified. Instead, it is a presentation of public records. Readers consider them leaks because they're unaware this information is even out there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lately reporters and readers have been asking a lot about my identity and motives. At first I never thought anyone would be interested in my blog, let alone the insomniac, so I never bothered doing a profile. Two years and tens of thousands of hits from over 50 countries later, I'm finally convinced that people are interested. Who in Moldova was reading </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> today?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's how it all started...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One night (morning would be more accurate because it was around 3 am) in August 2008, I read an astonishing article in the <a href="http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-5214-public-relations-gone-awry.html">local news by Dusty Rhodes entitled "Public Relations Gone Awry"</a>. Her information was based from court records, which naturally peaked my interest. In 1986, <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/27/48hours/main3882586.shtml">newlywed couple Dyke and Karen Rhoads of Paris, Ill.</a> were brutally murdered in their bed. Two men who had been wrongfully convicted for those murders filed a federal lawsuit alleging conspiracy by law enforcement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What made this story much different than other wrongful conviction cases was the retaliation against a whistle blower and key witness -- former Illinois State Police L</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ieutenant Michale Callahan -- and</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/09/targeting-david-protess-six-years-ardc.html">David Protess of Medill's Innocence Project</a>. This retaliation included a smear campaign orchestrated by <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/">a public relations spinner</a> with defense attorneys from DuPage County in the wrongful conviction lawsuit. The spinner had a curious collection of clientele and employers -- top law enforcers of Illinois AND a businessman who had been Karen Rhoads' boss at the time of the murders. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The businessman, reportedly worth $75 million, was once considered a person of interest in the case (and would be featured prominently in Callahan's book, <a href="http://www.toopoliticallysensitive.com/"><i>Too Politically Sensitive</i></a>, a year later). The spinner's job was to deflect media attention away from <a href="http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/099/8/7/HE_WHO_MUST_NOT_BE_NAMED_by_PollyTheArtist.jpg">the businessman</a>, as people were beginning to wonder who was actually behind the murders due to the release of the <a href="http://mywabashvalley.com/fulltext?nxd_id=172996">two convicted men from prison</a> and their civil lawsuits. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njFuxKzhYLc">The businessman</a> had paid the spinner $8,000 per month.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I decided to keep a close watch on this spinner and those associated with him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Later, a simple Google search of the spinner's name provided a link to <a href="http://mchenrycountyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/ilsaap-vice-chairman-joe-birkett_25.html">2007 minutes from the Board of Governors</a> of the Illinois State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's office in Springfield. I read the minutes, rubbed my eyes, and reread them. Incredibly, <a href="http://mchenrycountyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/ilsaap-vice-chairman-joe-birkett_25.html">the minutes revealed that the spinner was under contract with ILSAAP</a> and that the person who strongly advocated for the contract was BOG's vice chairman, Joe Birkett. Birkett, at that time, was the DuPage County State's Attorney. According to the copious minutes, Birkett didn't mention that he had paid this spinner for political work on his state-wide campaign the previous year for lieutenant governor and might be hiring him again soon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On-line searches totaling all of 10 minutes showed that the spinner was simultaneously working for ILSAAP, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/political-campaigns-of-bianchi-and.html">the political campaigns of Birkett and McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi</a>, the DuPage County Election Commission, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njFuxKzhYLc">the Paris businessman</a>. ILSAAP was also keeping a cloud of doubt over the two men wrongfully convicted of the Rhoads murders, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/state-agency-or-prosecutorial.html">stating that they were still being investigated</a> -- effectively serving as protection for the defendants in the wrongful conviction lawsuit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Amazing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In 2009, I came across the story of Amy Dalby, a college kid who had once worked for Bianchi in McHenry County. She had been charged with six felony counts for downloading some files proving that she had performed political work for her boss while working at the county. I was struck by the prosecution against this young woman, never realizing there was <i>any</i> connection to the spinner or anything else I had read. Again, I Googled. The special prosecutor, David O'Connor, had worked for ILSAAP. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whenever asked what ILSAAP is, my short answer is: <i>It's a club for state's attorneys</i>. All the state's attorneys I've written about had close ties with "the club".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, I visited ILSAAP's website. Sure enough, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/04/dalby-prosecutor-received-150000-in.html">O'Connor's name popped up again and again as their seminar coordinator</a>. I saw this as a conflict, especially after reading reports that Bianchi had specifically asked for O'Connor to lead the investigation of Dalby. Charges against Dalby were dropped quickly and she petitioned the court for a special prosecutor to investigate her former boss, McHenry County State's Attorney Bianchi. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not your typical college kid...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I soon learned that the spinner working against Callahan, Protess and the Medill Innocence Project, had been actively working for Bianchi. This time, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html">the spinner was being paid by ILSAAP</a>. This time, the smear had been against a college kid. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I kept digging.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I began reading about the art of spinning the law and trying cases in the court of public opinion. One phrase for it is <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/"><i>game changing</i></a>... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A year later, Bianchi was indicted. Judge Joseph McGraw of Winnebago County had been appointed to preside. His name sounded familiar. Another search on ILSAAP's website showed that <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/04/bianchi-judge-received-payments-from.html">McGraw had participated in seminars coordinated by O'Connor</a>, even within the same panel as O'Connor. The "leaks" were coming straight from the agency's own website.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It really bothered me that the judge, Dalby's prosecutor, the spinner, the defense attorney and Bianchi himself all had close ties with Club ILSAAP. It really bothered me that ILSAAP's own special prosecutor, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/state-agency-or-prosecutorial.html">Chuck Colburn, had intervened to request that ILSAAP conduct the investigation of Bianchi</a>, instead of another court-appointed special prosecutor. How long would it have taken ILSAAP to have dismissed the investigation of Bianchi? Five minutes?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And, it really bothered me that ILSAAP had prepared an <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/illinois-office-of-state-attorneys_09.html">an amicus curiae "friend of the court" brief</a> on behalf a former state's attorney who was a defendant in the ongoing wrongful conviction lawsuit for public payment of his legal fees to...Bianchi's attorney. Vice Chairman Birkett led this action; the brief was prepared by DuPage County Asst. State's Attorney Lisa Hoffman.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As the case against Bianchi progressed and became public, the prosecution and the media looked at it from a different perspective. They all stayed within the McHenry County border. I looked more broadly to DuPage, Edgar and Winnebago counties and Springfield. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I believed <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/10/same-tech-firm-examined-computers-in.html">Bianchi had a lot of help from the outside starting in August 2007</a> -- that's when the defense of Bianchi had actually begun, according to my interpretation of public records. That's when ILSAAP held a special meeting and discussed contracting the spinner. And when ILSAAP stopped contracting the spinner in 2009, Bianchi's attorney hired him directly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What I saw was terrifying. To me, the story wasn't just about some campaign work done at a government office. To me, the story was about a conspiracy of high-level officials and law enforcers around the state protecting one of their own, and if that meant putting a college kid in prison, so be it. If that meant keeping a prime suspect of a horrific double homicide in Edgar County free, so be it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After sitting on all this information for several years, I was ready to burst. I was compelled to write and to fill the void. I repeated a verse to myself I had taught to my Sunday School class: <i>And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.</i> John 8:32. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I figured if this college kid had the courage to speak truth to power, the least I could do was blog. So while everyone was sleeping, I </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/04/bianchi-judge-received-payments-from.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">wrote</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/04/dalby-prosecutor-received-150000-in.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">wrote</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shortly after publication, it was a surprise to first see my blog show up in my Google email alert for stories on Bianchi and Dalby. Others must have received similar news alerts, as the hits were rising in the blog stats. This was all new territory to me. I wondered who might be reading it and what they were thinking. I soon learned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In April 2011, the media reported that special prosecutors against Bianchi asked Judge McGraw to step down from the upcoming second trial, alleging the appearance of impropriety. The source of this information? <i>McHenryLeaks</i>. I bolted from my computer chair and stared down at the news report on the screen in disbelief...probably mouth-breathing. Imagine how surreal it was for me to be researching quietly and alone for years, to throw together just a little information on my computer, to click "publish", to wait in silence, and to behold such a thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The outcome wasn't what I expected. It never is. All I can do is put the information out there, wait and wonder. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The public records and government documents never change. </span><br />
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CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-57478115994907225842013-03-28T22:23:00.003-07:002013-07-14T12:17:06.543-07:00DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin & DuPage Election Commission Vice Chair Chris Hage to the 19 por ciento: No puedo evitar enamorarme de ti<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">PART FOUR OF A COUNTYLEAKS SERIES...</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>"Eliminating boards and commissions that pay generously for part-time work will both pare down the size of </i></b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>government and help our bottom line." - Chris Hage, Republican candidate for 42nd District Representative of Illinois, February 2012</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Part Four of a <i>CountyLeaks</i> series on numerous ethical and public interest questions surrounding <b>DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin</b>'s reappointment of <a href="http://www.illinoisyr.org/officers/"><b>Federation of Illinois Young Republicans Executive Director Chris Hage</b></a> to the <b>DuPage County Election Commission</b> for $27,500 annually plus health care benefits...</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This Saturday, the <a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/01/competing-hispanic-gop-organization-announces-its-illinois-state-convention.html"><b>Illinois Chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly (RNHA)</b></a>, not to be confused with the <a href="http://www.ilrnha.org/"><b>Republican National Hispanic Assembly (RNHA) of Illinois</b></a>, will host a convention in Cronin's hometown of Elmhurst featuring <a href="http://www.illinoisrnha.myevent.com/"><b>George P. Bush</b></a>, not to be confused with <a href="http://media.salon.com/2012/11/george_h_w_bush_rect.jpg"><b>George H. W. Bush</b></a> nor <a href="http://www.biography.com/imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/B/George-W-Bush-9232768-1-402.jpg"><b>George W. Bush</b></a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>CountyLeaks'</i> sources claim that Cronin and Hage have been attempting a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRkAq4yzy5Q">behind-the-scenes takeover</a> of the RNHA of Illinois for several years, raising additional concerns of ongoing partisanship and political activism of the electoral board's vice chairman. Citizen watchdogs assert that an election commissioner should give the appearance of impartiality and not have conflicts of interest. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The DuPage County Board Chairman <u>should never have appointed</u></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, watchdogs underline,</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">someone to the Election Commission </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">who has engaged in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81hwc0lUyew">political maneuvers for control of the RNHA</a>.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rivadeneira</b><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> y el zapateado rápido</b><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While running in the 2010 Republican primary for state representative, 41st district, the campaign for <a href="http://rafaelrivadeneira.com/news/cat/campaign/P10/">social and fiscal conservative <b>Rafael Rivadeneira</b></a></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sent out a mailer criticizing several Republican leaders for approving tax hikes. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of those leaders was <b>State Senator Dan Cronin</b> who was running for chairman of the DuPage County Board. <a href="http://rafaelrivadeneira.com/docs/blitz2_taxes_web.pdf">Rivadeneira's campaign mailer</a> read: <i>Enough is Enough - No Tax Hikes! These candidates and Party leaders call themselves conservative? ...Dan Cronin voted to raise the sales tax to bail out the CTA...</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">According to <a href="http://www.championnews.net/blog/2011/02/11/a-look-at-the-recent-controversy-at-the-republican-national-hispanic-assembly/">various reports</a>, Rivadeneira said the mailer and his platform of lower-tax, anti-corruption, anti-establishment, pension-reform, more transparency and accountability didn't sit well with Cronin</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Rivadeneira later led a campaign to be appointed to the Senate opening left by Cronin following the November 2010 election. </span><a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-11-18/news/ct-met-cronin-replacement-1119-20101118_1_sandack-illinois-senate-seat-randy-hultgren" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Downers Grove Mayor Ron Sandack</b> was chosen</a>. <span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rivadeneria claims Cronin never called him for an interview. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The story may have ended there had Rivadeneira not been chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois whose leadership seemed too conservative for el good-ol'-boy amigos Cronin and Hage.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Republican leaders wishing to gain or stay in power need support of the RNHA. The reality check would come in the form of 2010 census data showing an upswing of </span><a href="http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/policy-updates/-/blogs/latino-population-growth-drives-metropolitan-chicago%E2%80%99s-population-growth" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Latino population growth in DuPage County and Illinois</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Later, <a href="http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-10723-latino-voting-soars-in-illinois.html"><i>Capitol Fax's</i> Rich Miller </a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">wrote post-election 2012, "</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">According to exit polling, 81 percent of Illinois Latinos voted for President Obama this past Tuesday.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"> </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That trend presumably resonated all the way down the ticket. DuPage County is now almost 14 percent Latino, which could be why the Democratic Party did so well there this year."</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"If the Republican Party wants to get back into the game, they’d better stop dismissing and attacking Latinos. They simply cannot win contested races in this state if Latinos vote in large numbers and go 81 percent Democratic," Miller concluded.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spooked by the exit polling, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81hwc0lUyew">Illinois Republicans must now romance votes</a></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> of the "19 percent".</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yet any criticism of Rivadeneira and attempts to seize control of the RNHA must be handled delicately with no trace to Republican Party leaders -- particularly one pinning his hopes and dreams on the governor's mansion.</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">Los hombres sabios dicen "</span><span style="text-align: center;">solo los tontos se enamoran tan rápido"</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Details of the "goon squad's deployment" against RNHA of Illinois were described by Chicago attorney and conservative writer, <a href="http://www.theicfg.com/2011/02/08/state-gop-officials-working-to-push-hispanics-out-of-party/">Doug Ibendahl</a><i>, </i>and <i>Champion News'</i> <a href="http://www.championnews.net/blog/2011/02/11/a-look-at-the-recent-controversy-at-the-republican-national-hispanic-assembly/">Rick Newton</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hage, who had served as the <b>RNHA of Illinois' general counsel</b>, along with <b>Angel Garcia</b> of the <b>State GOP's Central Committe</b><span style="line-height: 20px;"><b>e</b>, </span></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.illinoisyr.org/officers/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Steve Orlando</a></b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">, a leader within the <b>Federation of Illinois Young Republicans</b> with Hage, and </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Mark Aguilera</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">, </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">National Committeeman for the RNHA Illinois</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"> and <b>V</b></span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">ice President of the Cook County RNHA</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">, had their own agenda for the RNHA of Illinois convention held in February 2011 -- overriding the parliamentarian and hijacking the event. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.59375px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Olga Pereira</b>, who had just been elected <b>Second Vice-Chair of the RNHA of Illinois</b>, summarized her account in a <a href="http://ilrnha.org/uploads/Pereira_Letter_021511.pdf">letter addressed to various authorities</a>, alleging threat and intimidation by <b>former DuPage County Assistant State's Attorney</b> <b>Hage</b> in retaliation of support for Rivadeneira.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3HMMLiYHYU">stranger-than-fiction YouTube clip</a> with nearly 4,000 hits orbits of</span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_Hall_Putsch">blundered RNHA putsch</a></span></span> at the <b>Comfort Inn</b> in <b><a href="http://reaganhome.org/">Dixon, the boyhood hometown </a>of both Hage and The Gipper</b></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Police were called to escort Hage and the insurgency away. The revolutionaries' attempt to appear spontaneous was stymied by seeking refuge in their <a href="http://www.theabsurdreport.com/2011/the-illinois-gop/">reserved room at <b>Dixon's Loveland Community House</b></a>. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2011/02/rnha-il-2011-convention-updates.html">Play-by-plays</a> sent to <i>Illinois Review</i> before, during and after the turmoil prompted a reader to respond, "This has to be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read in my life..."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://ilrnha.org/blog/rnha-national-orlando-loses-rivadeneira-wins-charter-revoked/">The saga continued</a>...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fast forward to Jan. 22, 2013: <i>Steve Orlando and the Illinois Chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly v. Rafael Rivadeneira and the Republican National Assembly of Illinois, Inc. </i><a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/files/rnha.pdf">was filed in the <b>18th District Circuit Court</b></a>. The lawsuit's purpose was twofold: a cease and desist demand which would impact the RNHA of Illinois' convention last January and to prohibit use of the RNHA trademark. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sources claim that it was no accident the lawsuit was brought to DuPage County. Hage was the <b>former general counsel of the RNHA of Illinois</b>. The plaintiff, Orlando, currently serves as an officer on <b><a href="http://www.illinoisyr.org/officers/">Federation of Illinois Young Republicans</a> </b></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">with Hage; Orlando is treasurer and Hage is executive director.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Attorney </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/01/orlando-lawsuit-against-rnha-illinois-dismissed.html"><b>Christine Svenson</b></a> has made at least one appearance representing Orlando. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Svenson, <b>president of the Illinois Republican National Lawyers' Association</b>, <a href="http://www.votehage.com/endorsements.html">endorsed Hage in his campaign for state rep</a> and has RSVPed to Saturday's convention. Hage is among a <a href="http://www.rnla.org/bio/FindALawyer.asp?Alpha=&State=IL">handful of DuPage County attorneys</a> who belong to Svenson's association.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Chicago attorney Mark Stern</b> <a href="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/0bdd8484e89e7f1545db002ef/files/ResponseRNHA.pdf">filed this brief</a> on behalf of Rivadeneira and the Republican National Assembly of Illinois, Inc. The first part of the lawsuit was dismissed prior to Rivadeneira's RNHA of Illinois' convention last January.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The hearing for the trade mark is scheduled April 8th. An appeal would land in the <b>DuPage-government-friendly Second District Appellate Court </b>in Elgin.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Toma mi mano, toma toda mi vida también</b><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Listings of this weekend's "RNHA Illinois - Whatever" <a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/01/competing-hispanic-gop-organization-announces-its-illinois-state-convention.html">convention speakers</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/424021774344605/?ref=22">"official" event registrants</a> show a gathering of political supporters of both Cronin and Hage, including: <b><a href="http://www.illinoisyr.org/officers/">Steve Orlando</a>; Angel Garcia</b>; <b>Mark Aguilera</b>; <a href="http://www.yrnf.com/nationalleadership/elected-officers/"><b>Rick Veenstra</b></a>, co-chair of the <b>Young Republicans National Federation</b> and a <b>DuPage County Asst. State's Attorney</b> and </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Deputy Chief of the Civil Bureau,</b> <b>manager of the State's Attorney's Governmental Affairs and Special Litigation Division</b>, and advisor/conduit to numerous DuPage County boards and commissions including the <b>Election Commission</b> and the <b>Ethics Commission</b>; and <b><a href="http://www.evelynforwheaton.org/">Evelyn Pacino Sanguinetti</a>, councilwoman at-large, City of Wheaton</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">DuPage County Chairman Cronin and DuPage County Election Commission Vice Chair Chris Hage are attending, as well.</span><br />
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<i style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Make a difference. Attend the next DuPage County Board meeting and voice your opinions in public comment:</b></i><br />
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<i style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">DuPage County Board - Tuesday, April 9th, 10 am - DuPage County Board Meeting, 421 County Farm Road, Wheaton</i><br />
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks Asks:</b><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With Hage on the Election Commission, will Rivadeneira ever get a place on a DuPage ballot again? Will the staples used on petitions pass inspection?</i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Does Cronin think it's okay for an election commissioner to be participating in these political activities? If yes, why?</i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Will <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRkAq4yzy5Q">Cronin instruct political ally Hage</a> to use the kitchen entrance of the Diplomat West Banquet Hall this Saturday and hide behind a potted palm or go <a href="http://pad39a.com/sue/graph/pdb2486.jpg">incognito</a> to dodge CountyLeaks' vast spy network?</i><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Ay ay ay, what would the Asst. State's Attorney advisor recommend to the DuPage County Ethics Commission about all this? No wait -- Rick Veenstra is speaking at Saturday's "RNHA Illinois - Whatever" convention with Cronin</i></span></span><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">! Phew, once again the bases are covered! Yes! (Btw...is the photo of the wedding party showing Hage as his groomsman on Veenstra's fireplace mantel?)</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Are 81% of Latinos in Illinois really Democratic or do they just think Republican candidates are loco?</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is it true that DuPage County Election Commission Vice Chair Hage prepared the lawsuit against Rivadeneira and the RNHA of Illinois filed in DuPage County in January? Or did he just help to prepare it with Christine Svenson? Again, is this all okay with Cronin as long as no one in his circle gets caught? </span></i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why is <a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/01/orlando-lawsuit-against-rnha-illinois-dismissed.html">Christine Svenson</a> representing Steve Orlando and the "RNHA Illinois - Whatever"? Svenson, president of the Illinois Republican National Lawyers' Association, <a href="http://www.votehage.com/endorsements.html">endorsed Hage in his campaign for state rep</a> and has RSVPed to Saturday's convention.</i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Where is the line here between politics and good government? Should someone serving on the Election Commission be held to a higher standard than those serving on other boards, especially if that person is also an attorney? Is the Election Commission a good place for Cronin to put cronies? Is nothing sacred?</i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is <strike>Elvis</strike> Cronin paying back Hage for his RNHA dirty work by appointing him to the Election Commission for $27,500 plus health care benefits?</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you're trying to win the hearts and minds of Latinos, is it a smart strategy to host your political convention on Holy Saturday? </span></i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>¿Podría ser un pecado?</i></span></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Will the "RNHA Illinois - Whatever" Convention scheduled on Holy Saturday observe the Paschal Fast? Instead of politics, will all devout Catholic attendees be absorbed in prayer, reading of Scripture, reflection, attention to the needs of others in preparation for the great Vigil and Easter?</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why did Cronin hold his <a href="http://dupagechairman.com/component/content/article/39-contribute/64-st-paddys-day-corned-beef-a-cabbage-dinner">St. Paddy's Day Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner fundraiser</a> on a Friday during Lent?</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because so many of the registrants of "RNHA Illinois - Whatever" convention also attended Hage's <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/03/smoked-out-dupage-county-board-chairman.html">All Pork & No Bean Counter fundraiser</a>, wouldn't this be a good opportunity to ask around about those undisclosed contributions and expenditures?</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why did Citizens for Dan Cronin pay Hage $1,250 on Oct. 1, 2009 for legal assistance? Why did the lawyer lawyer-up?</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because Hage holds such deep convictions against government boards and commissions paying generously for part-time work, should Cronin put him out of his misery and abolish his salary and benefits for his Election Commission position? Or would this draw too much attention to Cronin's own bloated salary for his part-time work on a Board while he maintains his law firm partnership? </span></i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Como un río que fluye al mar </i></span></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">amor, así es mi amor, </span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">algunas cosas están destinadas a pasar...</span></i><br />
<br />CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-31865114258171376162013-03-08T03:46:00.001-08:002013-04-16T21:12:06.704-07:00SMOKED OUT: DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin's Pick Chris Hage - All Pork & No Bean Counter Fundraiser<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">PART <span style="font-size: large;">THREE</span> OF A COUNTYLEAKS SERIES...</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>"Eliminating boards and commissions that pay generously for part-time work will both pare down the size of </i></b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>government and help our bottom line." - Chris Hage, Republican candidate for 42nd District Representative of Illinois, February 2012</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Part Three of a <i>CountyLeaks</i> series on numerous ethical and public interest questions surrounding <b>DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin</b>'s reappointment of <a href="http://www.illinoisyr.org/officers/"><b>Federation of Illinois Young Republicans Executive Director Chris Hage</b></a> to the <b>DuPage County Election Commission</b>...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Prior to his Election Commission appointment last July, <a href="https://www.stlbeacon.org/#!/content/13385/the_impossible_dream_steven_sauerberg_takes_on_illinois_sen._dick_durbin" style="line-height: 19px;">political activist</a> and <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/03/dupage-county-board-chairman-cronins.html">paid campaign operative</a> Hage was a candidate in the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Republican 2012 primary race for <b>42nd District Representative of Illinois</b> against </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jeanne Ives</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The <a href="http://wheaton.patch.com/events/chris-hages-1st-annual-winter-ribfest">"First Annual Winter Ribfest"</a> in January 2012 at the <b>DuPage County Forest Preserve</b>-owned <b>Danada House</b> in Wheaton was among Hage's fundraisers promoted during the campaign. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Invitations of this widely-publicized event lured contributors with <b>Q-BBQ</b> ribs and pulled pork. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>David Diersen</b>, writer/editor of <i>GOPUSA Illinois Daily Clips, </i>wrote: <a href="http://www.campaignsitebuilder.com/news/disp_news.asp?ID=16839&siteid=524"><i><b>Justice Joe Birkett </b>spoke very highly</i></a><span style="background-color: white;"><i> of Chris Hage at his outstanding fundraiser at Danada House in Wheaton, Tuesday evening, January 31, 2012. The 100 attendees included <b>Anderson</b>, <b>Cook</b>, <b>Fisher</b>, <b>Galvin</b>, <b>Grogan</b>, <b>Johnson</b>, <b>A. Jorgensen</b>, <b>Kinsella</b>, <b>Kmiecik</b>, <b>McKillip</b>, <b>Mouhelis</b>, <b>Sanguinetti</b>, <b>Veenstra</b>, and <b>Urasky</b>.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yet <i>CountyLeaks</i> cannot locate <i>any</i> expenditures or in-kind contributions directly related to this ribfest fundraiser reported</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Illinois State Board of Elections (ISBOE)</b>, as required by the<b> </b><a href="http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/CampaignDisclosure/PDF/Rules2011.pdf" style="font-weight: bold;">rules and regulations for disclosure</a> of campaign contributions and expenditures.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As an Election Commissioner, Hage routinely makes decisions on candidates' filed paperwork -- one minor mistake could bounce someone off the ballot with <i>no</i> opportunity to correct it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Hage said his past experience as a candidate helps him appreciate the importance of running elections properly. 'It's absolutely critical that people know the rules, can depend on them, and ultimately -- when disputes arise -- can trust that they are administered fairly,' Hage said," as reported by </span><a href="https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120710/news/707109835/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Robert Sanchez of the <i>Daily Herald</i></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, July 10, 2012.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Other candidates -- <b>Dewey Pierotti</b>, <b>Rob Bisceglie</b>, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Peter Roskam</b>, <b>Gwen Henry</b>, <b>Michael McMahon</b>, <b>John Kinsella</b>, <b>Daniel Guerin</b> and <b>Tim Whelan</b> -- have shown payments of $190 to $500 to </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Friends of Danada </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">for <a href="http://www.danadahouse.com/rates.html">rental of the Danada House facility</a> in recent years, according to filings at the ISBOE. No such payment from </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Citizens-for-Chris-Hage/163745823720314" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Citizens for Chris Hage</a> </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">had been</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> reported at the time of this publication.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Danada House is owned by the DuPage County Forest Preserve. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>CountyLeaks</i> could not find the Forest Preserve's policy allowing for use of a public facility for political purposes. Because Friends of Danada is a quasi-public/private organization and thereby </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, rental payments cannot be obtained from the Forest Preserve nor from Friends of Danada.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hage's paid campaign treasurer was <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120228/news/702289831/print/"><b>Forest Preserve Employee and Financial Director Jack Hogan</b></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. At the time of the fundraiser, political strategists <b>Reverse Spin</b> were under contract by the Forest Preserve for $48,000. Both Hage and Dan Curry of Reverse Spin worked closely together in 2006 campaign team of <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/ilsaap-vice-chairman-joe-birkett.html" style="font-weight: bold;">Citizens to Elect Joe Birkett</a> and <b>Citizens for Judy Baar Topinka</b>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hage's campaign chairman was </span><a href="http://wheaton.patch.com/articles/chris-hage-announces-wide-and-strong-help-from-supporters" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold;">Patti Birkett, </a><a href="http://wheaton.patch.com/articles/chris-hage-announces-wide-and-strong-help-from-supporters" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">wife of </a><a href="http://wheaton.patch.com/articles/chris-hage-announces-wide-and-strong-help-from-supporters" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold;">Joe Birkett</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, former </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage County State's Attorney</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and now sitting on the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Illinois District 2 Appellate Court</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At the time of this publication, promotions of that fundraiser still drift on-line -- <a href="http://wheaton.patch.com/events/chris-hages-1st-annual-winter-ribfest">here</a>, <a href="http://votehage.com/PDFs/Hage_BBQ_event_invite_one_page.pdf">here</a>, and <a href="http://www.chicagoyrs.com/node/1886">here</a>. Citizens for Chris Hage enticed contributors with pulled pork and chicken, ribs, mac and bbQ beans from Q-BBQ restaurant in Naperville.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yet, <i>CountyLeaks </i>could not uncover an expenditure, contribution or in-kind contribution at the ISBOE's website associated with Q-BBQ nor its owner, <b>Mike LaPidu</b><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>s</b>, for the food and beverages served to the reported 100 guests, each charged $40. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Q Restaurant Group's LaPidus is active in the <b>Chicago Young Republicans</b>. His name and face pop up in <a href="https://twitter.com/rjveenstra/status/57174606561292289">the same political and social circles</a> with Hage and <b>Rick Veenstra</b>. <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/03/dupage-county-board-chairman-cronins.html"><i>CountyLeaks</i> published the political ties of Hage and Veenstra</a> this week. Veenstra is the <b>Deputy Chief of the Civil Bureau and manager of Governmental Affairs and Special Litigation Division at the DuPage County State's Attorney's office</b>, and </span></span><a href="http://www.yrnf.com/nationalleadership/elected-officers/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">is the elected co-chairman </a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">of the</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Young Republican National Federation</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">The e-mail address of <b>Barbara Skurka/Marquardt</b> was provided for guests to RSVP to Hage's Ribfest. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Skurka/Marquardt had been paid $380,000 for extensive political consulting work, including Citizens to Elect Joe Birkett with Hage, Hogan and Reverse Spin</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">. <b>Citizens to Elect Dan Cronin </b>paid <b>Marquardt Consulting</b> $10,000 in 2010 and Hage $1,500 in 2009.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444;">Although Skurka/Marquardt was compensated well for political consulting work on other campaigns, there are no expenditures listed for her work on </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444;">Citizens to Elect Chris Hage. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">She is married to<b> Scott Marquardt</b>, owner of <b>Marquardt & Co. </b>of Wheaton, a lobbying firm</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> for both the office of DuPage State's Attorney and the Election Commission. As an</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Election Commissioner, Hage approves $3,000 monthly payments to the lobbying firm and gives direction on pending bills in Springfield.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Skurka/Marquardt is also the paid political fundraiser for the campaign of current <b>DuPage County State's Attorney</b> <b>Bob Berlin</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">. Since February 2011, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Skurka/Marquardt has received an estimated $44,000 from <b>Citizens for Bob Berlin</b> for fundraising, despite Berlin never facing opposition. Hage worked together with Veenstra and Berlin as DuPage County assistant state's attorneys.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Cronin said, “...I feel confident that the new leadership team we have installed at the election commission will work in an open, ethical manner that reflects the best interest of DuPage County voters,” </span><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120710/news/707109835/print" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">according to the <i>Daily Herald's</i> Robert Sanchez</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><b>Make a difference. Attend the next meetings of the DuPage County Board and the DuPage County Forest Preserve Board and voice your opinions in public comment:</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Tuesday, Mar. 12th, 10 am - DuPage County Board Meeting, 421 County Farm Road, Wheaton</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #555555; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: darkred; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><i>Tuesday, Mar. 12th, 7 pm - DuPage County Forest Preserve Meeting, 3S580 Naperville Road, Wheaton (the Forest Preserve only meets one evening each quarter)</i></span></span><br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To File a Complaint with the Illinois State Board of Elections for any violations of the Campaign Disclosure Act, click </span></b><b><a href="http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/CampaignDisclosure/PDF/d4.pdf" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HERE</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></b></span><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>CountyLeaks Asks:</b></i><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Is it a conflict of interest for the DuPage County Forest Preserve's Finance Director, Jack Hogan, to be the treasurer for Citizens for Bob Berlin, especially while the State's Attorney's office is prosecuting <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html">317 felony indictments</a> on financial matters at the Forest Preserve?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Did Hage receive use of Danada House for free or did he just fail to report rental of the facility, along with all the food, beverages and promotions for his ribfest? How could such a big event be a complete oversight?</i></span><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Does removing the wedding photo of Veenstra's Facebook site showing that Hage was among his groomsmen suddenly remove the conflict of interest?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>As it appears that Skurka/Marquardt was not compensated for her fundraising services -- services she has been well compensated for in the past -- will Hage pay her back indirectly by approving contracts with the Election Commission's lobbying firm, Marquardt & Co.? (By the way, why does an election board require a lobbying firm?)</i></span><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Should a candidate who omits required expenditures to the Illinois State Board of Elections be allowed to stand in judgement of other candidates with benign errors or their campaign paperwork, ie: a petition signature which doesn't match the voter registration name scribbled 30 years ago?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Will Hage let ALL candidates who make more errors on their paperwork off the hook because of this experience?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anything else unreported by Citizens for Chris Hage?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did Citizens for Bob Berlin farm out the services of Skurka/Marquardt? How did Hage pay for her professional consulting, after all, she charges other candidates for her services? Why does Berlin pay a fundraiser so much when he's never had any opposition?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is it time to change the state statute allowing the DuPage County Election Commission to be an independent, county-wide election board? This law gives the County Board chairman the power to appoint its members without County Board approval. The County Board votes on other appointments of county-funded boards and commissions -- why not the Election Commission?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Explain how a <a href="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1206467.1353625563!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/gallery_635/pillsbury-doughboy.jpg">political activist</a> suddenly becomes unbiased...thanks.</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Should quasi-public/private organizations such as Friends of Danada be exempt from FOIA? Or should officials continue to have places to hide their monkey business?</i></span><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If Cronin truly wanted someone on the Election Commission with previous experience as a candidate for public office, why didn't he just keep <a href="http://p2.la-img.com/549/9238/1859518_1_l.jpg">roller-skating-gorilla-suit-wearing</a> J.P. "Rick" Carney? Not only did Carney have more years of experience as a candidate, he wasn't a loser...</i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Of the 560,718 registered voters in DuPage County, couldn't Cronin have appointed someone more...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqvZQaO_vbAPLDJ2rac123-tHLpB9TKYM4GWuaDQRNIARw9QmHMnEoUR5U2MCR1r2SpypP4rhlLsKlJbb14h76bQEVT_8uYJ2YB1jZ8iSjv-FZQ1tpDUhMgEuvaJ8U-fB5slBF0ZQLqw/s1600/pillsbury_doughboy_wallpaper-1024x1024.jpg">normal</a>?</i>CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-43782879336587851662013-03-03T21:29:00.001-08:002015-03-06T08:16:49.217-08:00DuPage County Board Chairman Cronin's Mandatory Ethics 101 Training Seminar - Too Little, Too Late for Chris Hage<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">PART <span style="font-size: large;">TWO</span> OF A COUNTYLEAKS SERIES...</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>"Eliminating boards and commissions that pay generously for part-time work will both pare down the size of </i></b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>government
and help our bottom line." - Chris Hage, Republican candidate for 42nd
District Representative of Illinois, February 2012</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last week <i>CountyLeaks</i> published, "<a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2013/02/exposed-dupage-county-board-chairman.html">EXPOSED: DuPage County Board Chairman Cronin's Above-And-Beyond-Reproach Appointment of Chris Hage!</a>', </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Part One of a series on numerous ethical and public interest issues surrounding the reappointment of <b>Chris Hage</b> to the <b>DuPage County Election Commission</b> which remain unaddressed.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The same day the <i>CountyLeaks</i> blog story broke, Hage and representatives from other county agencies <a href="http://www.dupageco.org/Content.aspx?id=40312">were attending an ethics training seminar</a> </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">as part of </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cronin's DuPage ACT (Accountability, Consolidation and Transparency) Initiative</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“'We are holding ourselves to a high standard,' county board Chairman Dan Cronin said, 'and we’re making sure that standard applies across the board,'" <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130228/news/702289709/">Robert Sanchez quoted in the <i>Daily Herald</i></a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"Holding Ourselves to a High Standard"</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hage's former co-worker, <b>DuPage County</b> <b>First Assistant State's Attorney <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=116730568415811&set=pb.101979393224262.-2207520000.1362157206&type=3&theater">Nancy Wolfe</a> </b>led his ethics training last week. Not covered in the seminar, apparently, was the responsibility of appointed election board officials to shut down their campaign websites.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At the time of this publication,</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Election Commissioner Hage still has not disabled his "</span><a href="http://www.votehage.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>VoteHage</b></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">", nor his "</span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Citizens-for-Chris-Hage/163745823720314" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Citizens for Chris Hage</b></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">" Facebook site leftover from his Republican 2012 primary race for 42nd District Representative of Illinois against <b>Jeanne Ives</b>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hage even announced his appointment to the Election Commission on his campaign's Facebook site, telling his political campaign followers: </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>I am honored to be Chairman Cronin's choice for the Board of Elections vacancy... There is no doubt that our work on those issues helped in my selection for the Board.</i> </span></span></span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(Check out: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=215388401889389&set=pb.163745823720314.-2207520000.1361880957&type=3&theater">Hage's Facebook photo with <b>Karl Rove</b></a>; he refers to the political strategist as "brilliant".)</i><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Speaking of Facebook, at the time of this publication, </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/251465344956752/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reception with <b>Alberto Gonzalez, Former US Attorney General</b></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> still floats from last summer. It reads: </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Event for <b>Republican National Hispanic Assembly - Illinois Chapter</b>, by Chris Hage</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. The date of the event is July 31, 2012 -- </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">after</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Hage had already been placed on the Election Commission. This fundraiser was held on behalf of the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Illinois Hispanic Republican Coalition</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, an active political committee according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(CountyLeaks <i>FLASH</i>: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3HMMLiYHYU"><i>Don't miss the video orbiting</i></a><i> on the RNHA's state convention in 2011 at the Comfort Inn in Dixon, the boyhood hometown of both Hage and <b><a href="http://reaganhome.org/">The Gipper</a></b>, of a failed coup </i></span><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">d'état </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">at</span></i></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>tempt. 911 was dialed for police to escort former DuPage County Assistant State's Attorney Hage away.</i>)</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hage's campaign committee,<b> Citizens to Elect Chris Hage</b>, remained active the first six months he was serving on the Election Commission. Cronin defended his re-appointment of Hage in a letter: </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">I appointed Chris Hage to the Election Commission last year due in part to his previous experience as a candidate for public office. </span></i></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I feel that this unique knowledge of the electoral process allows Commissioner Hage to make significant contributions in concert with his fellow commissioners.</i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yet it is Hage's experience as a candidate for public office and his "unique knowledge of the electoral process" which has given watchdogs concerns of ethics, conflicts of interest and public trust.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Citizens to Elect Chris Hage was an assembly of connections the candidate had made in DuPage County working as an assistant State's Attorney and his paid campaign activities. Hage's campaign chairman was </span><a href="http://wheaton.patch.com/articles/chris-hage-announces-wide-and-strong-help-from-supporters" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold;">Patti Birkett, wife of Joe Birkett</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, former </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage County State's Attorney</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and now sitting on the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Illinois District 2 Appellate Court</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hage knows the Birkett family well, s</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">tarting when he began working at the State's Attorney's office in 1998. The alliance evolved and the State's Attorney included Asst. State's Attorney Hage on his staff of </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Citizens to Elect Joe Birkett </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for his 2002 campaign for </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Illinois Attorney General</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and again for his 2006 campaign for </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lieutenant Governor</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Birkett's campaign paid Hage $137,454. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hage can thank long-time contracted attorney for the Election Commission, <b>Pat Bond</b>, also a former DuPage County assistant state's attorney, for a chunk of his salary. Bond was among Birkett's most generous individual contributors, writing out checks totaling over $20,000. Bond has exercised $170,000 in free speech to <b>DuPage Republicans</b>. Serving on the Election Commission, Hage has been approving payments to Bond's law firm which totaled $226,949 for 2012 alone. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Through the campaigns of Birkett (and some paid work for former <b>Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan</b>), Hage worked closely with paid political consultant <a href="http://www.legistorm.com/person/Daniel_Delos_Curry/30112.html"><b>Dan Delos Curry</b></a> of <b>Curry Public Strategies</b>, which morphed into <b>Reverse Spin</b>, which changed its name to <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/">Delos Communications</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>CountyLeaks</i> has written extensively about Curry and <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/">Reverse Spin</a>, particularly about Birkett's recommendation to his peers on the <b>Board of Governors of the Illinois State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor</b> to <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/ilsaap-vice-chairman-joe-birkett.html">steer contracts to his undisclosed political strategists</a> from 2007 through 2009 at $48,000 annually. <i>CountyLeaks</i> has reported evidence suggesting that Reverse Spin's tax-paid work for ILSAAP overlapped into Birkett's political campaign. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By the time Hage was appointed to the Election Commission, he was already on good terms with their PR firm -- Reverse Spin. The political strategists had been under contract with the Election Commission since April 2007 for $3,000 per month while simultaneously being paid for consulting on Republican campaigns.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Election Commission Chair Cathy Ficker Terrill</b> <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120802/news/708029729/print/">questioned the need for the PR firm last summer</a>, asking the other Board members if the time had come to end the firm's services. Commissioner Hage insisted on maintaining Reverse Spin, at least until after the November election; <b>Commissioner Art Ludwig</b> agreed. Reverse Spin remained another three months for $9,000 without a contract before resigning. (<a href="http://lakecountyeye.blogspot.com/search?q=reverse+spin">Lake County Eye<i> has been ogling</i></a><i> Reverse Spin's more recent enterprises.</i>)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hage never publicly disclosed to Terrill and Ludwig a potential conflict of interest with his long campaign history and political ally Reverse Spin. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Citizens to Elect Chris Hage also had Wheaton attorney <b>Barbara Skurka/Marquardt </b>onboard with fundraising. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">On reports to the <b>Illinois State Board of Elections</b>, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Barbara</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> uses one of two last names -- Skurka or Marquardt. There is no hyphenation.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Skurka/Marquardt and been paid $380,000 for extensive political work, especially for </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Birkett and Ryan. <b>Citizens to Elect Dan Cronin </b>paid <b>Marquardt Consulting</b> $10,000 in 2010 and Hage $1,500 in 2009.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444;">Although Skurka/Marquardt was compensated well on other campaigns, there are no expenditures listed for her work on </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444;">Citizens to Elect Chris Hage. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444;">RSVP's to two of <a href="http://wheaton.patch.com/events/chris-hages-1st-annual-winter-ribfest">Hage's political fundraisers</a> were directed to her email address. According to David Diersen's <a href="http://www.campaignsitebuilder.com/news/disp_news.asp?ID=16636&siteid=524" style="font-style: italic;">GOPUSA Illinois Daily Clips</a>, one of the guests at the Dec. 12, 2011 fundraiser at the Bank Restaurant in Wheaton was her husband, Scott.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Scott Marquardt</b> is owner of Marquardt & Co. of Wheaton, a lobbying firm</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> for both the office of State's Attorney and the Election Commission. Scott Marquardt and his wife are also former DuPage County assistant state's attorneys, former staff of Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan along with Reverse Spin's Dan Curry, and team up at the law firm, <b>Marquardt & Belmonte</b> of Wheaton.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Skurka/Marquardt is also the paid fundraiser for the campaign of current <b>DuPage County State's Attorney</b> <b>Bob Berlin</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">. Since February 2011, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Skurka/Marquardt has received an estimated $44,000 from <b>Citizens for Bob Berlin</b> for fundraising, despite Berlin never facing opposition. The campaign's paid treasurer is <b>Jack Hogan, finance director of the DuPage Forest Preserve </b>-- the same treasurer Hage, Birkett and Ryan paid for their political campaigns.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Marquardt & Co. are the lobbyists for the Election Commission, yet it appears Hage has never publicly disclosed to Terrill and Ludwig a potential conflict of interest with his long campaign history and alliance with the Marquardts. The Election Commission approves $3,000 monthly payments to the lobbying firm and gives direction on pending bills in Springfield.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Click </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=117298875025647&set=pb.101979393224262.-2207520000.1351004327&type=1&theater" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">HERE</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> for a photo of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">lobbyist</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Scott Marquardt </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">with his clientele DuPage County State's Attorney</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bob Berlin</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and DuPage County Election Commission attorney</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Pat Bond</b></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The conduit between the Election Commission and the State's Attorney's office is <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/rjveenstra"><b>Rick Veenstra</b><span style="color: #444444;"> of Addison.</span><b> </b></a>Veenstra, also a former DuPage County assistant state's attorney, is a former lobbyist with </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Marquardt & Co.</b>, who returned three years ago to</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> the State's Attorney's office as Deputy Chief of the Civil Bureau and manager of its Governmental Affairs and Special Litigation Division. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">For about five minutes, </span><a href="http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=281951" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Veenstra had considered running for the new 8th Congressional District seat</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Veenstra and Hage are old friends. Their names pop up together frequently at Republican events. Veenstra <a href="http://www.yrnf.com/nationalleadership/elected-officers/">is the elected co-chairman </a>of the <b>Young Republican National Federation</b>, while Hage is the <a href="http://www.illinoisyr.org/officers/">executive director </a>of the <b>Federation of Illinois Young Republicans</b>. At the time of this publication, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151009145427202&set=a.10150409227857202.348036.618562201&type=3&theater">Hage appears GQ in a wedding party photo</a> of Veenstra's Facebook site. (<i>UPDATE: This photo was removed after publication.</i>)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">It is unknown if Hage has disclosed his fraternization with Veenstra to Commissioners and how this might affect any complaints brought to the State's Attorney's office concerning the Election Commission.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Veenstra was an instructor in last Tuesday's ethics training seminar in DuPage County.</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Ethics Smethics -- the Bases are Covered</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">A <a href="https://www.dupageco.org/CountyBoard/Ethics/9610/">complaint could be filed</a> with the <b>DuPage County Ethics Commission</b> to decide if any of these connections merit a review or investigation for possible ethics violations.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>What would happen with such a request?</i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Paul Moreschi</b>, also a former DuPage County assistant state's attorney, was appointed as the Ethics Commission's <b>Inspector General</b>. In the <i>Chicago Tribune's</i> July 2011 article, "<a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-07-07/news/ct-met-sheriff-contributions-20110707_1_deputies-campaign-cash-supporters/2">DuPage Sheriff's Campaign Relies Heavily on Deputy Support</a>", Joe Mahr and Christy Gutowski wrote about staff working for the reelection of <b>DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba</b>:</span></span></span></span><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">...By day, Maj. Don Knoll is a top agency administrator who at times has arranged for defense lawyers to see their clients. For the campaign, Knoll personally has called some lawyers and asked for donations, said defense attorney Paul Moreschi and three other lawyers who asked not to be identified.</i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">"I don't even know Zaruba or know if he's good, bad or otherwise, but I like Don Knoll," said Moreschi, who has given at least $640 to Zaruba's campaign since 2003. "He's terribly helpful. If ever I have an issue in the jail where I need to interview a client, he's always there to answer questions and help out. So I don't mind making a small contribution."</i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">Two weeks ago, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130212/news/702129742/">a federal jury returned a $1 million verdict</a> against Zaruba's office for denying a promotion of a deputy due to political favoritism.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Last month, <b>Daniel Hanlon </b>was appointed as <b>Ethics Advisor</b> of the Ethics Commission. He is an associate at <b>Marquardt & Belmonte </b>of Wheaton </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">and </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">is also a former DuPage County assistant state's attorney.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Cronin, also a former DuPage County assistant state's attorney, appointed Moreschi and Hanlon with County Board approval.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Hanlon replaced </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Barbara Preiner</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">, who had held a high position at the Ethics Commission since 2004. Preiner is also a former DuPage County assistant state's attorney and a former <b>Solicitor General</b> in Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan's administration. Preiner represented the state in the famous appeal of <b>Alejandro Hernandez</b> who was wrongfully convicted with <b>Rolando Cruz</b> for the murder of Jeanine Nicarico 30 years ago.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Top-selling novelist and attorney <b>Scott Turow</b> of Chicago represented Hernandez pro bono in this appeal. <b>Thomas Frisbie</b> and <b>Randy Garrett</b> wrote of Turow's experience on pages 326-327 in <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=nysu8RBZz2QC&pg=PA326&lpg=PA326&dq=victims+of+justice+revisited+preiner&source=bl&ots=GCDPQzhdVC&sig=0CnSxZOfx-5DmpxoYo_1UxD8HtU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SA0xUZXOLeis2QXPtYHQCw&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=victims%20of%20justice%20revisited%20preiner&f=false"><i><b>Victims of Justice Revisited</b></i></a>:</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Meanwhile, Turow was getting a taste of DuPage County's hard-nosed litigating style. When DuPage filed a motion, Turow would have five days to respond. DuPage, however, would put the motions in the mail on a Friday. Turow wouldn't get them until Tuesday, and then he would have only one day to answer. Turow would call and supply his Federal Express account number and fax number, but to no avail. DuPage kept mailing the motions on a Friday, and Turow kept worrying that he wouldn't get a motion until it was too late to respond.</i></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The assigned legal counsel for the Ethics Commission is Rick Veenstra. As stated earlier, Veenstra is a <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/rjveenstra">former lobbyist of <b>Marquardt & Co.</b></a> and</span></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><a href="http://www.yrnf.com/nationalleadership/elected-officers/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">is the elected co-chairman </a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">of the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Young Republican National Federation </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">holding</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> a long political alliance with Hage. As legal counsel, Veenstra would likely play a role in the decision-making of the fate of any ethics complaints.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">CountyLeaks Asks:</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/commercials/2005/11/pillsbury-got-milk.jpg">Win a cookie!</a> Without looking, can you correctly guess how many times the above story mentioned "also a former DuPage County assistant state's attorney"?</i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Are readers starting to notice a pattern?</i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why did Reverse Spin change its name to <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/">Delos Communications</a>? They claim it was after the Greek Isle. CountyLeaks says it's after the middle name of one of the <a href="http://www.legistorm.com/person/Daniel_Delos_Curry/30112.html">purveyor's middle name</a>.</i><br />
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did Berlin's campaign ever farm out Skurka/Marquardt to assist Hage? Just asking... Why was she always well paid on other political campaigns, but no expenditures were reported on Citizens to Elect Chris Hage? Why was Berlin paying Skurka/Marquardt so much if he's never faced opposition?</i><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;">Did Hage fail to report to the Illinois State Board of Elections the in-kind political consulting services donated to his campaign by Barbara Skurka/Marquardt? Is this just another "oversight" like failing to report the campaign expenditures for the rental of Danada House and the Q-BBQ for a well-</span><span style="background-color: white;">attended</span><span style="background-color: white;"> fundraiser? Or will Hage pay Skurka back pay by continuing to approve contracts and payments to her Election Commission lobbyist husband?</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">According to the </span><a href="http://www.illinoisyr.org/officers/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><b>Federation of Illinois Young Republicans</b> website</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"> and his own </span><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/christopher-hage/6/775/12a" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">LinkedIn page</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">, Hage continues to serve as executive director of the Federation. At what age does one become an old Republican?</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><i>Would any of these people survive a </i>CountyLeaks<i> Ethics Boot Camp? <a href="http://www.tacomaworld.com/gallery/data/500/neidermeyer.jpg">Drop 'n gimee 20, Hage!</a></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is
it time to change the state statute allowing the DuPage County Election
Commission to be an independent, county-wide election board? This law
gives the County Board chairman the power to appoint its members without
County Board approval. The County Board votes on other appointments of
county-funded boards and commissions -- why not the Election Commission?</i></span></span><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did
it show good judgement for Hage to maintain "Citizens to Elect Chris
Hage" during the first six months he was serving on the Election
Commission? Or don't the first six months matter? </i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why
didn't Cronin tell Hage to shut down his political committee and
websites prior to taking his oath to serve on the Election Commission
last July?</i></span></span><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is
it a conflict for the lobbying firm, Marquardt & Co., to work for
the Election Commission when there are long political ties between Hage
and the Marquardts? (By the way, why does an electoral board require
the services of a lobbying firm?) </i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is
it ethical for the law firm, Bond Dickson & Assoc., to represent
the Election Commission with its long political ties with Hage,
especially when Bond and Hage can gang up and provide almighty legal
perspectives to the Commission? What sorts of things do these guys
discuss behind closed doors? How will we ever know? </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is
it ethical for the State's Attorney's advisor to the DuPage Ethics
Commission, Rick Veenstra, to handle any matters pertaining to the
Election Commission with the abundant political ties between Veenstra
and Hage?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why
didn't Hage mention his long and close political ties with Reverse Spin
when he supported keeping these political strategists at the Election
Commission? Does this demonstrate that Commissioner Hage won't make
future disclosures of his conflicts of interest with candidates and
other issues?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is
it a double standard for Hage to expect other people not to receive
generous compensation for part-time work on boards and commissions,
while receiving generous compensation himself?</i></span></span><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Of the 560,718 registered voters in DuPage County, couldn't Cronin have appointed someone more...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqvZQaO_vbAPLDJ2rac123-tHLpB9TKYM4GWuaDQRNIARw9QmHMnEoUR5U2MCR1r2SpypP4rhlLsKlJbb14h76bQEVT_8uYJ2YB1jZ8iSjv-FZQ1tpDUhMgEuvaJ8U-fB5slBF0ZQLqw/s1600/pillsbury_doughboy_wallpaper-1024x1024.jpg">normal</a>?</i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-22834088243552061972013-02-26T03:27:00.003-08:002013-08-07T13:57:25.711-07:00EXPOSED: DuPage County Board Chairman Cronin's Above-And-Beyond-Reproach Appointment of Chris Hage!<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">PART ONE OF A COUNTYLEAKS SERIES...</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>"Eliminating boards and commissions that pay generously for part-time work will both pare down the size of </i></b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>government and help our bottom line." - Chris Hage, Republican candidate for 42nd District Representative of Illinois, February 2012</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This month <b>DuPage County Board Chairman <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/as-long-as-it-isnt-conflict-let-there.html">Dan Cronin</a></b> reappointed local attorney <b>Chris Hage</b> to serve on the board of the <b>DuPage County Election Commission</b>. A year ago, Hage was a candidate in a "spirited"</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">campaign for the Republican primary slot for 42nd District Representative of Illinois,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> losing hands down to </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jeanne Ives</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cronin first appointed Hage to the Commission last July after the <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120430/news/704309801/">resignation of <b>J.P. "Rick" Carney</b></a> in the well-publicized shake-up following the release of a scathing <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120424/news/704239646/"><b>Crowe Horwath</b> report in April</a>. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Under our administration, this will be an agency above and beyond reproach,” </span><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120424/news/704249711/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cronin told the <i>Daily Herald</i></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hage accepted the position paying $27,500 annually on the Board which meets twice monthly just six months after <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120131/submitted/301319477/">he submitted his candidate profile to the <i>Daily Herald's</i> editorial staff</a>: <i>Eliminating boards and commissions that pay generously for part-time work will both pare down the size of </i><i>government and help our bottom line. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Unlike other County appointments, the <b>DuPage County Board</b> chairman isn't required to seek approval by the County Board for his choices to the Election Commission.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The lack of requirement of a confirming vote doesn't stop County Board members from publicly voicing concerns over Cronin's Commission appointments. In a Board meeting held several weeks ago, an elected County Board member pointed out that Hage had kept his political campaign committee open while serving on the Election Commission and continued to have keep his political websites alive.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cronin responded in a letter cc'ed to all County Board members last week that Hage's political committee had been terminated in January 2013 -- one month earlier. The Chairman added that Hage </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">demonstrates the requisite knowledge, skills and integrity to be an effective advocate for impartial and accurate elections".</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While termination of Hage's political committee was noted, numerous ethical and public trust issues surrounding Hage's appointment remain unaddressed:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>-</b> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://republicannewswatch.com/wp/?p=9469">Republican News Watch</a>'s </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Doug Ibendahl</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> reported that Cronin and Hage share mutual interests in a politically-charged power grab of the <b>Republican National Hispanic Assembly (RNHA) of Illinois</b>. A video circulates of Hage interrupting the RNHA's state convention in 2011 at the Comfort Inn in <a href="http://reaganhome.org/">Dixon, the boyhood hometown </a> of both Hage and Ronald Reagan, in a failed coup </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">d'état </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">at</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">tempt. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3HMMLiYHYU">Police were called to escort </a>former DuPage County Assistant State's Attorney Hage away for his freakish disturbance. <i>(See also: "<a href="http://republicannewswatch.com/wp/?p=9513">Thugs Messed with the Wrong Marine at RNHA of Illinois Convention</a>" by Ibendahl.)</i></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></b>
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">-</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"> According to the </span><a href="http://www.illinoisyr.org/officers/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><b>Federation of Illinois Young Republicans</b> website</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"> and his own </span><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/christopher-hage/6/775/12a" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">LinkedIn page</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">, Hage currently serves as executive director of the Federation. Hage closed down his personal political committee six months after the oath to serve on the Election Commission, but serving as an officer of this organization with an active committee at the ISBOE shows that he is still in the political arena. Hage's specialties listed on his LinkedIn page include political campaigns and political strategy.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>- </b>Will County's </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Steve Orlando</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, who serves as an officer with Hage on the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Federation of Illinois Young Republicans</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, has an ongoing lawsuit filed in DuPage County <a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/files/rnha.pdf">(2013CH265)</a> against </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rafael Rivadeneira</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> of Elmhurst, the head of the "other" </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">RNHA of Illinois </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">organization</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">. Rivadeneira lost his race for <b>DuPage County Board District 2</b> and has been an outspoken critic of Cronin. The lawsuit is the latest maneuver</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><b> </b>by the old guard RNHA (Orlando) to take over the "newer thinking" RNHA (Rivadeneira) with established members. Those close to the case claim it is no accident this lawsuit was filed in DuPage County.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><b>-</b> While Crowe Horwath was polishing its report of the Election Commission, Hage was still a candidate</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> for the Republican primary slot of 42nd District Representative of Illinois and Milton Township Precinct 86 Committeeman, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">losing both races to </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jeanne Ives</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. At the time of this publication, Hage has not disabled his "<a href="http://www.votehage.com/"><b>VoteHage</b></a>" website, nor his "<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Citizens-for-Chris-Hage/163745823720314"><b>Citizens for Chris Hage</b></a>" Facebook page. <i>(Check out: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=215388401889389&set=pb.163745823720314.-2207520000.1361880957&type=3&theater">Hage's Facebook photo with Karl Rove</a>; he refers to the political strategist as "brilliant".)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>-</b> <i>CountyLeaks</i> cannot find <i>any </i>reported political expenditures of <a href="http://wheaton.patch.com/events/chris-hages-1st-annual-winter-ribfest">Hage's ribfest fundraiser at <b>DuPage Forest Preserve-owned Danada House</b></a> held on Jan. 31, 2012. Invitations of this widely-publicized event lured contributors with Q-BBQ ribs and pulled pork. <b>David Diersen</b>, writer/editor of <i>GOPUSA Illinois Daily Clips,</i> reported that there were 100 attendees of this "outstanding" event. Yet, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hage showed <a href="http://www.danadahouse.com/rates.html">no expenditures for rental of Danada House </a>or Q-BBQ, nor in-kind contributions for this event in his required paperwork </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">filed to the </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Illinois State Board of Elections (ISBOE)</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hage's campaign treasurer was <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120228/news/702289831/print/"><b>Jack Hogan</b></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, financial director of the <b>DuPage Forest Preserve</b>. As an Election Commissioner, Hage makes decisions on candidates' filed paperwork -- one minor mistake could bounce someone off the ballot.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><b>-</b> Hage, often </span><a href="https://www.stlbeacon.org/#!/content/13385/the_impossible_dream_steven_sauerberg_takes_on_illinois_sen._dick_durbin" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">described by the media as a political activist</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">, has been paid $178,000 for political work since 2006 on Illinois state campaigns -- mostly by <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/ilsaap-vice-chairman-joe-birkett.html"><b>Citizens to Elect Joe Birkett</b></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">. In 2011, Hage was on the payroll of </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">Brady for Senate, Inc</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">. Hage was also a paid political worker for </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">Steve Sauerberg's U.S. Senate run </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">in 2008</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">. His years as a political operative made close associations with certain Republicans in DuPage County, raising questions of ethics and potential conflicts of interest in his appointed position on the Election Commission.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">CountyLeaks Asks:</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Is it time to change the state statute allowing the DuPage County Election Commission to be an independent, county-wide election board? This law gives the County Board chairman the power to appoint its members without County Board approval. The County Board votes on other appointments of county-funded boards and commissions -- why not the Election Commission?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Last week, the </i>Daily Herald<i> broke the story of bills introduced in Springfield to consolidate the DuPage Forest Preserve back into the County and to reduce the salaries of Commissioners to zero. Again, why not the Election Commission?</i></span></span><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Should anyone who refers to Karl Rove as "brilliant" be allowed to serve in a government position anywhere on the planet?</i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Was this appointment Cronin's way of paying Hage back for his help on the nasty Republican National Hispanic Assembly battles<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">?</span></i></span></span><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With Hage on the Election Commission, will Rivandeneira ever get a place on a DuPage ballot again?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did it show good judgement for Hage to maintain "Citizens to Elect Chris Hage" during the first six months he was serving on the Election Commission? Or don't the first six months matter? Were they just the warm-up act?</i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why didn't Cronin tell Hage to shut down his political committee and websites prior to taking his oath to serve on the Election Commission last July? </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Ethics scholars, if the Federation of Illinois Young Republicans website is correct that Hage is its executive director, isn't it a conflict for Hage to continue serving as an officer of an organization with an active political committee while on the Election Commission? And is everything suddenly okay if he quits the Federation gig? Do the past eight months matter?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>If Cronin truly wanted someone on the Election Commission with previous experience as a candidate for public office, why didn't he just keep roller-skating-gorilla-suit-wearing J.P. "Rick" Carney? Not only did Carney have more years of experience as a candidate, he wasn't a loser...</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>How can someone described as a "political activist" suddenly become impartial? </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>On a scale of 1 to 10, how weird was it for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5PHGYv7iKU">Hage to burst into the convention of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois</a> in a failed coup </i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"><i>d'état </i></span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">attempt and to be escorted out the door of the Comfort Inn by Dixon police? What would The Gipper have said?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What if a thug pulled the same stunt in a DuPage County Board meeting? Would Cronin reward that thug with a part-time position paying $27,500? Why would it be okay in Dixon but not okay in Wheaton?</i><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Will <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y1lc_YTp84">the citizenry form</a> a </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>coup </i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"><i>d'état to remove Hage?</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 21.875px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.875px;">Should </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.875px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">character be an important factor</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.875px;"> in weighing qualifications for appointments?</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.875px;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.875px;">Should public servants -- especially outwardly committed Christians running on a "pro-family" record -- be held to a higher standard of ethics and accountability than other politicians or the average private citizen?</span></i></span><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why didn't Citizens to Elect Chris Hage submit any expenditures or in-kind contributions for its <a href="http://wheaton.patch.com/events/chris-hages-1st-annual-winter-ribfest">ribfest fundraiser at Danada House</a> for a reported 100 attendees at $40 per person? Did the DuPage Forest Preserve provide Danada House for free to Citizens to Elect Hage while charging this space to other candidates? Did none of the 100 attendees eat or drink the advertised pulled pork and chicken, ribs, mac, and beans? Were all food and refreshments returned untouched to Q-BBQ or was this just a cheap ruse to lure contributors? (Surprise!) Did Anne </span></i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Jorgensen have any pulled chicken? </i></span><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Did Bob Grogan eat any beans? How did this work? After all, Diersen reported that the event was "outstanding"...</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Legal scholars, should a candidate who omits required expenditures to the Illinois State Board of Elections be allowed to stand in judgement of other candidates with benign errors in their campaign paperwork, ie: a petition signature which doesn't match the voter registration name scribbled 30 years ago?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Hypocrisy scholars, is it a double standard for Hage to expect other people not to receive generous compensation for part-time work on boards and commissions, while receiving generous compensation himself?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Because Hage's deep convictions include eliminating part-time board and commission positions which pay generously, shouldn't Cronin put the poor guy out of his misery and remove his salary of $27,500?</i></span></span><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How many political connections does Hage need to have before it is considered a conflict of interest for him to serve on the Election Commission? 100? 250?</i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Of the 560,718 registered voters in DuPage County, couldn't Cronin have appointed someone more...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqvZQaO_vbAPLDJ2rac123-tHLpB9TKYM4GWuaDQRNIARw9QmHMnEoUR5U2MCR1r2SpypP4rhlLsKlJbb14h76bQEVT_8uYJ2YB1jZ8iSjv-FZQ1tpDUhMgEuvaJ8U-fB5slBF0ZQLqw/s1600/pillsbury_doughboy_wallpaper-1024x1024.jpg">normal</a>?</i></span></span><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did Hage speed dial his buddy at Reverse Spin about this blog? </i><br />
<br />CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-32304198264256088062012-11-19T08:48:00.000-08:002012-11-22T07:06:21.126-08:00'As Long As It Isn't A Conflict': Let There Be Light on Genesis One & DuPage Forest Preserve<h3>
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-size: large;">PART FIVE OF A COUNTYLEAKS SERIES...</span></b></i></h3>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial;">"</span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial;"><i>We don't stop anyone from supplementing their employment, as long as it isn't a conflict." - Laura Capizzano, Director of HR at Forest Preserve District of DuPage County</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Four months prior to the start of the information technology (IT) "internal investigation" leading to 317 felony indictments so far, the </span><b style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Forest Preserve District of DuPage County</b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> hired <b>Troy Clampit</b>, owner of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2lSp7_DeNw"><b>Genesis One</b></a><b> Designs</b>, a Villa Park-based firm which had supplied nearly $1 million in political campaign support for <b>DuPage Republicans</b> for a decade, including current <b>District President D. "Dewey" Pierotti</b> and <b>District</b> <b>Commissioners Mike Formento, Marsha Murphy </b>and<b> Linda Painter</b>.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clampit was hired first as a "seasonal employee working part-time hours" in the District's IT department in March 2011 according to <i>Daily Herald's</i> Elisabeth Mistretta in February's <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120228/news/702289831/print/">"DuPage Forest Preserve Critics Say New Hires Post Conflict of Interest."</a></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Mistretta reported that <b>District Human Resources Director Laura </b></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Capizzano</b> said that a full-time position became available "partially because the IT department had </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">openings, due to the firing and resignation of two employees."</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since Clampit began working for the Forest Preserve last year, his firm <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2lSp7_DeNw"><b>Genesis One</b></a><b> Designs</b> has been paid close to $130,000 in political campaign work for DuPage Republicans including <b>Citizens for Dan Cronin</b>, the <b>DuPage County Republican Central Committee</b>, the <b>Addison Township Republican Central Committee</b>, the <b>Naperville Township Republican Organization</b>, the <b>Milton Township Republican Central Committee</b>, <b>Citizens to Elect Patrick O'Shea</b> and <b>Citizens for Dennis M. Reboletti</b>. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The District's Transparency Portal shows that Clampit receives $51,297.0</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 13px;">9 as a project analyst and his benefits are $26,213.70. His firm's billings while he's worked for the Forest Preserve are two and a half times his annual salary.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;">We don't stop anyone from supplementing their employment, as long as it isn't a conflict," <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120228/news/702289831/print/">Capizzano was quoted</a>.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2lSp7_DeNw">Genesis One</a> Designs has been paid for ad books, telephone polling, printings, mailings, fundraiser invitations and extensive robo calling and website work over the past 18 months when Clampit's government employment began. <i>(Scroll down to read the entire list of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2lSp7_DeNw">Genesis One</a> Design's $1 million in billings.)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clampit is currently listed as the both the </span><a href="http://www.ip-adress.com/whois/dupageforest.org" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">administrative and technical contacts for the <b>website domain for the Forest Preserve</b></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and </span><a href="http://bgp.he.net/dns/dupageforestgiving.org#_whois" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>DuPage Forest Giving</b></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> through 2013. Simultaneously, he is listed as the registrant and administrator for </span><a href="http://whois.domaintools.com/dupagegop.net" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">dupagegop dot net</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><a href="http://whois.domaintools.com/electcronin.com" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">electcronin dot com</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, <a href="http://www.webboar.com/www/dupagechairman.com">dupagechairman dot com</a>, </span><a href="http://www.webboar.com/www/addisontwpgop.org" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">addisontwpgop dot org</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><a href="http://whois.domaintools.com/napervillerepublicans.net" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">napervillerepublicans dot net</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, and </span><a href="http://www.webboar.com/www/dennisreboletti.com" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">dennisreboletti dot com</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> -- the website domains for the </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage County Republican Central Committee</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Citizens for Dan Cronin</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, <b>DuPage County Chairman Dan Cronin</b>'s personal website, <b>Addison Township Republican Central Committee</b>, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Naperville Township Republican Organization</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Citizens for Dennis M. Reboletti </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">respectively</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In apparent anticipation of a Democratic takeover, Clampit has held website domains since April 2007 for <a href="http://www.webboar.com/www/turndupagecountyred.org">turndupagecountyred dot org</a> and <a href="http://www.webboar.com/www/turndupagered.org">turndupagered dot org</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Citizens for Bob Berlin</b>, the campaign for <b>DuPage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin</b>, whose office is prosecuting the IT investigation, transferred campaign funds supporting four of the organizations which paid <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2lSp7_DeNw">Genesis One</a> Designs while Clampit was working for the District -- $4,200 to the <b>DuPage County Republican Central Committee</b>, $675 to the <b>Addison Township Republican Central Committee</b>, $450 to the <b>Naperville Township Republican Organization</b>, and $310 to the <b>Milton Township Republican Central Committee</b>.</span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;">On Sept. 5th, Paul Biasco reported in the </span><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120905/news/709059509/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>Daily Herald's</i>, "DuPage Forest Preserve Employees Charged in Fraud Scheme,"</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;"> that the former director of information technology department, Mark McDonald, and the department manager, David Tepper, were accused of "stealing more than $100,000 from the district over a six-year period". </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">The article continued that a third man, Arif Mahmood, who worked for Alamach Technology, Inc., an IT vendor for the district, was charged with "being involved in one of the schemes".</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">The men were handed down 317 felony charges collectively</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> on Oct. 31st; to date, <a href="http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/news/16271885-418/forest-preserve-indictment-lists-317-felony-charges.html">Susan Carlman of <i>Sun-Times</i> <i>Media</i> - <i>West Division</i></a> apparently is the only mainstream journalist to have reported on the charges. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">McDonald is </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-QzdFc0szRmN4anM/edit" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">scheduled to appear for his first court appearance</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> tomorrow since being indicted.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks was </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">first to report on the numerous political ties</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> between the Forest Preserve and the DuPage County State's Attorney's office. Doubts have been raised on the fairness and justice of the prosecutions due to allegations of cronyism.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Within an eight-month period before, during and after the IT "internal investigation", the Forest Preserve surrounded itself with politically-and-family connected employees and vendors -- Clampit was hired by the IT department in March 2011; </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">JRM Consulting, Inc.</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, with the assistance of </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Vince Durante</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> was contracted to begin the "investigation" of the IT Department four months later; 24/7 political strategists </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reverse Spin, LLC</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> were contracted last November to handle the "crisis communications" associated with the IT scandal; and roughly the same time, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jack Hogan was hired as the interim finance director</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, later to become permanent</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. (</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Read Parts 1-4 in the CountyLeaks series for details.</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Local citizen watchdogs question the timing of Clampit's "seasonal" hiring despite a reported lack of available funding four months prior to the "internal IT investigation", and his full-time position following slots left by the two former IT employees. Watchdogs also wonder how this employee can moonlight such a high amount of campaign activity without infringing on his full-time District hours.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Above all, they ask: </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">why is he at the Forest Preserve?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">According to a voucher log approved by the Forest Preserve Commissioners on Aug. 7, 2012, a <b>$3,000 tuition reimbursement check was issued by the District to Clampit for </b>"project management/ <b>astronomy</b>".</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Click </span><a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-vote2cronin20100202133514,0,1584093.photo" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">HERE for a <i>Chicago Tribune</i> photo</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> of Clampit teaming up on former </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Senator Dan Cronin</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">'s campaign for DuPage County Board Chairman</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CountyLeaks Asks:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is it legal for an unlicensed firm, ie: JRM Consulting, Inc., to conduct a secret "internal investigation" without first providing "notice" to the employees?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did anyone at the Forest Preserve believe that Clampit was qualified for the job?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Were Dewey Pierotti and the Forest Preserve Board of Commissioners conflicted when they voted to approve a 3% six-month raise for Clampit in July 2012?</i></span></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </i><br />
<br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Were the elected officials at the Forest Preserve looking out the for best interests of the taxpayers or their individual best interests?</i><br />
<br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How does Clampit handle all emails and calls for Genesis One which must be done durin</i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">g normal business hours? Surely not all communication for $130,000 of business can be done nights and weekends? Does Clampit race to his car on breaks and lunch periods with his cell phone?</span></i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>How many government employees are reading CountyLeaks during work hours?</i></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"> </span></b><br />
<br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">$1 Million in Billings of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2lSp7_DeNw">Genesis One</a> Designs According to Illinois State Board of Elections</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/28/2012 $2,688.00 Ad book Milton Twp Republican
Central Cmte</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/28/2012 $5,273.00 Mailing Citizens for Dennis
M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/27/2012 $1,041.25 web maintenance DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/17/2012 $1,839.28 StationeryAH12 mailing Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/15/2012 $3,086.00 Yard Signs and Walk Cards Friends of Daniel J Kordik</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/24/2012 $3,020.00 Walk Cards Citizens
for Dennis M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/19/2012 $2,734.00 robo calls DuPage County Republican
Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/18/2012 $327.00 Automated Phone Calls Addison Twp Republican Central
Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/27/2012 $1,104.00 Databasevideo license Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/18/2012 $888.00 Website/Fundrais Raffle Ticket Naperville Township Republican
Org</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/30/2012 $246.00 Fundraiser Invitations Addison Twp Republican
Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/24/2012 $1,041.25 Website DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/21/2012 $688.00 Envelopes 2500 Citizens
for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/17/2012 $945.00 Data Base & Web Maintenance Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/29/2012 $1,041.25 Website DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/9/2012 $348.00 Sandack Robo Call Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/31/2012 $821.00 Ad Book final payment Addison Twp Republican Central
Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/31/2012 $990.52 Early Vote mailer Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/31/2012 $19.60 Mailing balance due Addison Twp Republican
Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/30/2012 $2,228.49 Mailing C itizens
for Dennis M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/22/2012 $3,287.00 Robo calls Citizens to Elect Patrick
O'Shea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/22/2012 $2,687.00 Robo Calls Citizens to Elect Patrick
O'Shea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/20/2012 $3,896.37 Noonan Support Ltr Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/12/2012 $288.00 Printing Friends of Humes</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/9/2012 $2,766.00 Fund raising - ad book Naperville Township
Republican Org</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/7/2012 $8,854.06 Support ltr CBC Invites Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/26/2012 $4,800.00 Early Vote Mailing Deposit Addison Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/23/2012 $6,000.00 Mailing deposit Addison
Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/12/2012 $293.88 Website Hosting Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/12/2012 $4,000.00 Ad Book Deposit Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/7/2012 $4,160.00 art design, robo calls,etc. Citizens to Elect Patrick O'Shea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/6/2012 $450.50 Website DuPage Young
Republicans</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/2/2012 $644.46 Stickers, sign add. Citizens to Elect
Patrick O'Shea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/1/2012 $268.00 Printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/27/2012 $1,128.75 Database Mgmt Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/20/2012 $227.00 Mailing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/6/2012 $910.79 Oshea FR Invites Processing Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/28/2011 $240.00 Mailing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/24/2011 $1,041.25 Balance 2006 Adbook printing DuPage County Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/20/2011 $418.00 Fund raising - tickets fliers Naperville Township Republican Org</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/15/2011 $550.00 Website-Database Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/28/2011 $300.00 Website Citizens to Elect Mike
Formento</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/15/2011 $306.00 advertising -stickers Citizens to Elect Patrick
O'Shea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/8/2011 $1,549.29 websiteemail,etc Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/19/2011 $2,876.40 Ad book Milton Twp Republican
Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/13/2011 $909.72 AH11 Invites Citizens
for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/13/2011 $370.00 Website Maintenance Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/7/2011 $1,340.50 web maintenance DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/30/2011 $375.00 Database Mgmt Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/19/2011 $400.00 Consulting Addison Twp Republican Central
Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/17/2011 $1,110.25 Printing Citizens for Dennis M
Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/16/2011 $440.00 Video-Website Mtnce Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/5/2011 $601.25 Website Support Naperville Township
Republican Org</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/18/2011 $297.00 Printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/13/2011 $254.00 Fundraiser Raffle Ticket Print Naperville Township Republican Org</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/6/2011 $1,268.71 Principal payment Citizens
to Elect Robert Schillerstrom</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/29/2011 $316.00 Republican Day DuPage
County Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/29/2011 $121.00 Car Magnets Citizens
for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/29/2011 $600.00 datebase management Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/29/2011 $655.00 Website mntc-3months Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/25/2011 $1,286.28 Polling Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/25/2011 $318.88 Website Maintenance Citizens for Dennis M
Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/10/2011 $298.68 brochure printing York Township
Republican Committeemen Org.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/27/2011 $372.00 Telephone polling Citizens for Ken
Johnson</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/22/2011 $1,340.50 Website DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/17/2011 $263.88 Website Citizens for Donald E
Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/28/2011 $151.40 Website Citizens for Chris
Nybo</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/27/2011 $655.00 Website-Robo Calls Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/8/2011 $412.00 Polling Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/1/2011 $4,835.00 Ad book printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/1/2011 $211.00 Printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/20/2011 $3,182.00 Ad book Naperville Township
Republican Org</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/10/2011 $5,123.00 Database Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/9/2011 $11,390.00 2011 Adbook DuPage County Republican
Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/7/2011 $3,281.52 CBC11 Invitesetc. Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/6/2011 $4,622.24 Lincoln day mailings DuPage County Republican
Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/27/2010 $125.18 Automated Calls Citizens for
Dennis M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/10/2010 $700.00 Printing Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/8/2010 $1,360.00 Website Maintenance etc. Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/2/2010 $2,970.00 Data Base Mgmt Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/18/2010 $892.20 Robo Calls-Video Equip. Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/8/2010 $4,889.01 Printing Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/6/2010 $4,052.68 Printing Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/28/2010 $534.20 Automated Calls Citizens for
Dennis M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/27/2010 $2,517.23 Mailers Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/27/2010 $2,642.40 mailing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/27/2010 $1,251.12 Printing Citizens to Elect
Mike Formento</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/27/2010 $3,151.50 Mail Production & Postage Illinois Republican Party</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/26/2010 $3,095.69 Sample ballots Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/26/2010 $467.32 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/26/2010 $1,300.00 Mailing Citizens for Donald
E Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/25/2010 $6,112.50 Mail Production & Postage Illinois Republican Party</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/22/2010 $443.88 Printing Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/18/2010 $3,546.00 Mail Production & Postage Illinois Republican Party</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/14/2010 $674.34 Automated Calls Citizens for
Dennis M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/13/2010 $3,151.50 Mail Production & Postage Illinois Republican Party</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/10/2010 $3,717.00 mailing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/6/2010 $2,779.00 2010 Ad Book/Directory Milton Twp Republican Central
Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/5/2010 $1,893.00 Printing Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/1/2010 $3,460.58 Robo Calls Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/1/2010 $8,985.00 2010 Adbook DuPage County Republican
Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/30/2010 $1,995.00 Walk Cards Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/30/2010 $3,000.00 Website design/maintenance Citizens to Elect Robert Schillerstrom</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/29/2010 $2,980.00 Walk Cards Citizens for Dennis M
Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/21/2010 $8,985.00 2010 Adbook DuPage County Republican
Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/15/2010 $3,667.00 mailing Citizens for Dennis
M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/13/2010 $285.00 WebsiteFacebkEmail Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/13/2010 $285.00 WebsiteFacebook Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/13/2010 $1,200.00 Database Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/13/2010 $7,649.00 Walkcardsdesign&print Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/11/2010 $8,249.80 printing Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/25/2010 $9,860.00 printing Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/20/2010 $641.64 Printing Brady for Senate Inc</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/10/2010 $570.00 Website Maintenance Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/9/2010 $587.00 NTRO Walk Piece Naperville Township
Republican Org</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/6/2010 $6,000.00 Brochures Citizens to Elect Randy
Ramey</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/22/2010 $4,370.00 Voter database design Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/18/2010 $340.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/16/2010 $165.00 Website Update Naperville
Township Republican Org</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/10/2010 $870.20 Website Development Naperville Township Republican
Org</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/1/2010 $500.00 Website DuPage Young
Republicans</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/30/2010 $2,130.00 Voter database design Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/30/2010 $50.00 Photography Citizens
for Dennis M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/18/2010 $912.00 Update Facebook Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/9/2010 $1,834.00 Judge's night - ad book Italian-American
Political Coalition</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/3/2010 $870.20 Website Development Naperville Township Republican
Org</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/15/2010 $179.40 Office Spam Protection DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/30/2010 $285.00 Website Maintenance Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/14/2010 $298.68 Printing York Township
Republican Committeemen's Org.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/23/2010 $247.00 Lincoln Day video DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/18/2010 $261.40 computer - services Citizens for Chris Nybo</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/17/2010 $2,681.00 Website expenses DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/16/2010 $360.00 Precinct Walkers Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/16/2010 $570.00 Website Maint& FaceBook Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/14/2010 $637.16 Automated calls Citizens for
Dennis M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/8/2010 $4,905.00 Ad Books Addison Twp Republican
Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/19/2010 $134.83 Website services Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/19/2010 $221.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/18/2010 $1,832.00 web page Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/17/2010 $269.66 Website services Citizens for Dennis
M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/13/2010 $323.89 Automated calls Citizens for
Dennis M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/12/2010 $1,000.00 Website maintenance Citizens to Elect Robert
Schillerstrom</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/2/2010 $2,918.20 Robo Calls Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/2/2010 $3,551.00 Web maintenance Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/27/2010 $11,974.38 Endorsement mailers Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/21/2010 $6,729.15 Print & Mail Service Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/20/2010 $1,019.13 computer - services Citizens for Chris Nybo</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/19/2010 $1,765.20 Lombard Officials Postcard Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/19/2010 $11,974.38 Cronin Safety Mailers Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/19/2010 $2,110.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/18/2010 $262.00 computer - services Citizens for Chris Nybo</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/18/2010 $4,000.00 Website maintenance Citizens to Elect Robert
Schillerstrom</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/15/2010 $4,500.00 Precinct Walkers Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/15/2010 $727.42 computer - services Citizens for Chris Nybo</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/13/2010 $735.00 DC Sticky Notes-Newspaper Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/13/2010 $4,000.00 Ziplowitz Poll Citizens for
Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/13/2010 $11,974.38 Mailers Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/11/2010 $2,345.00 Various Web Ads Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/8/2010 $3,742.32 mailing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/8/2010 $4,000.00 Web maintenance Citizens to Elect
Robert Schillerstrom</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/6/2010 $5,592.50 Door Hangers Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/29/2009 $2,062.50 Website Maintenance-2mo Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/16/2009 $7,822.00 Walk Card 170000 pieces Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/10/2009 $19,730.25 Absentee Ballot Mailer Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/4/2009 $2,035.00 Pettion Thank You Post Cards Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/24/2009 $605.00 Bumper Stickers Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/24/2009 $680.96 Friend to Friend Cards Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/24/2009 $789.00 Web GoogleFacebook Bing ads Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/24/2009 $1,435.00 Website Maintenance-2mo Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/17/2009 $950.00 Consulting Services Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/17/2009 $1,485.00 Robo Calls Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/16/2009 $234.10 Supplies for 11/12 Event Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/14/2009 $5,431.25 Web development Citizens to Elect
Robert Schillerstrom</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/13/2009 $3,223.80 Walk Card &Web Ads Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/9/2009 $1,185.00 Benchmark Poll Citizens
for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/28/2009 $2,779.00 printing Milton Twp Republican
Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/20/2009 $876.00 Printing Expense Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/13/2009 $935.00 Robo Calls Citizens
for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/7/2009 $1,900.00 printing Committee for Chris
Kachiroubas</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/6/2009 $1,250.00 computer - services Citizens for Chris Nybo</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/29/2009 $879.00 Internet Advertising Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/18/2009 $2,820.00 Rep Day Materials DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/16/2009 $5,823.00 web development Citizens to Elect
Robert Schillerstrom</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/10/2009 $23,880.00 2009 Adbook DuPage County Republican
Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/8/2009 $1,497.00 Intro Walk Cards Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/8/2009 $2,670.00 Robo Call-Rep Health Care Rally Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/7/2009 $1,440.00 ad - material Citizens
for Dewey Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/31/2009 $2,670.00 Robo-Calls-Rep Headquarters Citizens for Dan Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/21/2009 $1,868.00 Website Design Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/21/2009 $2,640.00 Printing Expense Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/14/2009 $2,000.00 Website Design Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/10/2009 $175.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/30/2009 $1,500.00 computer - services Citizens for Chris Nybo</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/29/2009 $2,226.00 printing Citizens to Elect Robert
Schillerstrom</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/17/2009 $1,285.00 GOP Club Brochures DuPage County Republican
Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/12/2009 $1,000.00 computer - services Citizens for Chris Nybo</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/10/2009 $312.00 Website Design Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/10/2009 $712.00 Website Design Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/16/2009 $985.22 event printing York Township
Republican Committeemen's Org.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/11/2009 $2,388.00 Server Update DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/26/2009 $895.00 Robo Call Citizens
for Naperville Township Republicans</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/5/2009 $355.00 Website DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/16/2009 $1,102.00 automatic phone calling Republican Candidates for Milton
Twp Offices</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/15/2009 $2,202.55 Mailer Citizens for
Naperville Township Republicans</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/9/2009 $688.99 Automated phone calls Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/9/2009 $5,813.00 mailing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/9/2009 $688.89 Automated phone service Addison Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/9/2009 $6,150.00 printing Citizens to Elect
Robert Schillerstrom</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/8/2009 $6,000.00 mailing Citizens for
Naperville Township Republicans</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/1/2009 $688.99 Automated calls Citizens for
Kathryn J Cermak</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/1/2009 $5,503.54 printing Your York Team</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/1/2009 $503.23 Automated phone calls Addison
Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/1/2009 $1,965.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/1/2009 $4,807.78 mailing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/26/2009 $10,240.72 printing Your York Team</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/24/2009 $4,807.78 mailing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/24/2009 $4,340.00 Voter guides Addison Twp Republican Central
Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/19/2009 $1,102.00 automatic phone calling Republican Candidates for Milton
Twp Offices</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/18/2009 $688.99 Automated calls Citizens for
Kathryn J Cermak</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/18/2009 $4,495.00 Ad Books Addison Twp Republican
Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/13/2009 $7,147.61 mailing Your York Team</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/12/2009 $3,690.00 printing Your York Team</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/12/2009 $7,518.78 mailing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/27/2009 $5,032.50 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/18/2009 $2,125.00 Website Design Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/23/2008 $2,000.00 Website Design Citizens for Dan
Cronin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/12/2008 $1,175.00 printing Citizens to Elect
Fred Bucholz</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/12/2008 $1,422.50 printing Committee for Chris
Kachiroubas</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/6/2008 $297.80 Phone Calls Citizens
to Elect Paul Fichtner</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/6/2008 $2,349.53 Automated Phone Calls Citizens for Dennis M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/4/2008 $3,218.50 printing Committee for Chris
Kachiroubas</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/2/2008 $1,274.37 mailing Citizens
for Dennis M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/31/2008 $9,265.98 mailing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/31/2008 $1,274.37 mailing Friends of Marsha
Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/31/2008 $1,568.82 Automated Phone Calls Friends of Marsha Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/30/2008 $465.15 ad - ad book Citizens
to Elect Paul Fichtner</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/29/2008 $465.15 newspaper ad Friends for
Yolanda Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/29/2008 $5,310.97 printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/29/2008 $465.15 ad - ad book Friends
of Marsha Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/27/2008 $44,883.14 printing Committee for Chris
Kachiroubas</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/21/2008 $2,889.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/21/2008 $2,350.00 printing Citizens for Dennis M
Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/20/2008 $5,242.00 printing Citizens to Elect
Fred Bucholz</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/10/2008 $4,010.26 printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/9/2008 $3,976.00 printing Friends of Marsha
Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/9/2008 $1,910.00 printing Citizens for Dennis M
Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/1/2008 $2,615.00 printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/30/2008 $2,615.00 literature Citizens to Elect Paul
Fichtner</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/28/2008 $2,615.00 printing Friends of Marsha
Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/24/2008 $6,083.98 Door Hangers Citizens for Dennis M Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/16/2008 $20,195.00 2008 Adbook DuPage County Republican
Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/14/2008 $908.00 Website DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/12/2008 $5,242.00 printing Committee for Chris
Kachiroubas</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/18/2008 $1,330.00 printing Friends of Marsha
Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/12/2008 $1,330.00 printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/10/2008 $4,292.00 printing Citizens for Dennis M
Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/1/2008 $908.00 Website DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/7/2008 $908.00 Website DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/2/2008 $908.00 Website DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/5/2008 $908.00 Website DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/30/2008 $251.72 printing York Township
Republican Committeemen's Org.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/4/2008 $908.00 Website DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/23/2008 $4,765.00 printing Addison Twp Republican
Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/10/2008 $3,700.00 Website DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/25/2008 $1,582.00 printing Friends for Bowler</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/23/2008 $9,988.20 printing Kane County
Republican Advisory Council</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/17/2008 $3,890.30 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/16/2008 $560.00 mailer Citizens to Elect
Paul Fichtner</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/10/2008 $2,300.00 printing Citizens for Linda
Painter</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/5/2008 $3,770.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/12/2007 $260.60 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/18/2007 $718.49 Golf Outing Program printing York Township Republican Committeemen's
Organization</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/10/2007 $275.00 printing York Township
Republican Committeemen's Org.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/11/2007 $625.00 printing Citizens for Alan
Bolds</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/26/2007 $4,760.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/21/2007 $252.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/3/2007 $350.00 printing Citizens for Alan
Bolds</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/18/2007 $300.00 printing Citizens for Alan
Bolds</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/10/2007 $360.00 printing Citizens for Alan
Bolds</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/9/2006 $979.15 postage & mailer Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/9/2006 $1,623.00 postage & mailer Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/8/2006 $3,556.73 sample ballots Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/4/2006 $979.15 printing Citizens for Dennis M
Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/2/2006 $2,602.15 mailing Citizens for Donald
E Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/26/2006 $2,325.00 printing & mailing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/26/2006 $2,530.00 sample ballots Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/26/2006 $2,325.00 mailing Citizens for Donald
E Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/26/2006 $3,732.00 mailing Citizens for Donald
E Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/19/2006 $1,522.28 postage & printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/18/2006 $1,522.28 postcards - mail Citizens for
Donald E Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/17/2006 $2,233.00 printing Citizens for Donald E
Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/14/2006 $2,233.00 walking cards Friends for
Yolanda Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/12/2006 $1,831.00 printing Citizens for Dennis M
Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/9/2006 $2,577.00 campaign literature Citizens to Elect
Eckhoff</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/29/2006 $695.00 printing Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/20/2006 $625.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Women's Club</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/24/2006 $12,227.50 2006 Adbook print DuPage County
Republican Central Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/2/2006 $12,617.50 Half cost of 2006 Adbook DuPage County Republican Central
Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/9/2006 $609.22 Ad Book Printing York Township
Republican Committeemen's Org.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/10/2006 $175.74 Golf Outing printing York Township Republican
Committeemen's Org.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/18/2006 $195.00 Golf Outing Printing York Township Republican
Committeemen's Org.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/22/2006 $2,178.00 printing Citizens for Donald E
Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/22/2006 $2,969.00 printing Citizens for Donald E
Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/21/2006 $850.00 printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/16/2006 $1,577.00 design and printing service Addison Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/15/2006 $1,190.00 design and printing service Addison Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/9/2006 $2,178.00 mailing Citizens for Donald
E Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/8/2006 $1,190.00 design and printing services Addison Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/3/2006 $377.64 Advertising Ron
Gidwitz for Governor</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/28/2006 $5,143.66 design and printing services Addison Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/28/2006 $2,178.00 mailing Citizens for Donald
E Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/23/2006 $2,861.00 design and printing services Addison Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/18/2006 $262.00 printing Citizens for Donald E
Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/17/2006 $835.00 printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/10/2006 $835.00 printing Citizens for Dennis M
Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/8/2006 $2,207.00 printing Citizens for Donald E
Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">1/22/2006 $265.00 fundraiser ticket printing Addison Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/13/2005 $657.20 printing Citizens for Donald E
Puchalski</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/14/2005 $1,058.00 Printing Services Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/14/2005 $265.00 printing fundraising tickets Addison Twp Republican Women's Club</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">8/1/2005 $120.00 fundraiser invitations Addison Twp Republican
Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/17/2005 $230.00 fundraiser invitations Addison Twp Republican
Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/9/2005 $1,810.92 printing Citizens for Maio</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/10/2005 $830.00 brochure and book printing York Township Republican Committeemen's
Organization</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/29/2005 $1,793.90 fundraiser printing Committee for Chris
Kachiroubas</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/1/2005 $4,652.45 campaign pieces printing Addison Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/26/2005 $7,157.15 voter's guide & sample ballot Addison Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/21/2005 $1,575.00 campaign piece printing Addison Twp Republican Central
Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/15/2005 $6,086.00 ad book and campaign printing Addison Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/12/2005 $225.00 printing Citizens for Sonja M
Peters</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/7/2005 $2,145.00 campaign & fundraiser printing Addison Twp Republican Central
Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/30/2004 $2,107.25 Literature Friends of Marsha Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/29/2004 $3,581.81 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/10/2004 $1,136.00 printing for fund raiser Citizens for Dewey Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/5/2004 $235.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Women's Club</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/14/2004 $277.25 fund raising - advertisement York Township Republican Committeemen's
Organization</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/20/2004 $375.00 printing Friends of Marsha
Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/15/2004 $1,440.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/14/2004 $1,854.00 printing Citizens for Dennis M
Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/20/2004 $3,340.00 Campaign Literature Citizens to Elect Paul
Fichtner</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/18/2004 $993.85 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/14/2004 $6,022.00 election mailers printing Addison Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/10/2004 $9,389.00 printing Citizens for Dennis M
Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/4/2004 $5,378.00 election mailer printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/3/2004 $5,080.50 ad book printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/29/2004 $1,673.00 Literature Friends of Marsha Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/24/2004 $1,880.00 Campaign Cards Citizens to Elect
Paul Fichtner</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/19/2004 $2,448.00 Literature Friends of Marsha Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/12/2004 $2,634.00 printing Friends of Marsha
Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/25/2003 $355.00 banner Citizens for Dennis M
Reboletti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/29/2003 $1,254.00 printing Friends of Marsha
Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/9/2003 $75.00 letterhead Committee
for Chris Kachiroubas</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/24/2003 $369.00 parade banner Committee for
Chris Kachiroubas</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">6/5/2003 $220.00 printing Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/19/2003 $4,815.50 Ad Book printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/27/2003 $265.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">12/6/2002 $265.00 printing Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">11/10/2002 $1,814.10 printing for fund raiser Citizens for Dewey Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/30/2002 $1,720.00 Printing of Hispanic Mailer DuPage County Republican Central
Committee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/29/2002 $2,445.00 Literature Friends of Marsha Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/29/2002 $527.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/24/2002 $714.00 Literature Friends
of Marsha Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/22/2002 $550.00 printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/22/2002 $794.00 printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">10/7/2002 $250.00 Campaign Banner Citizens for Dewey
Pierotti</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/27/2002 $50.00 Artwork Friends
of Marsha Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">9/3/2002 $304.00 printing Friends of Marsha
Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">7/2/2002 $2,569.00 literature printing Citizens for Bob
Biggins</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/4/2002 $813.00 printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/4/2002 $375.00 printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/4/2002 $850.00 printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">5/3/2002 $355.00 printing Friends for Yolanda
Campuzano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/22/2002 $3,265.67 printing Citizens for Maio</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/2/2002 $1,224.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/21/2002 $5,579.00 printing and literature develop Friends of Marsha Murphy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/12/2002 $2,495.00 literature printing Citizens for Bob
Biggins</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2/27/2002 $2,465.00 printing Citizens for Maio</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">4/16/2001 $445.00 printing Addison Twp
Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">3/30/2001 $9,559.00 e Addison
Twp Republican Central Cmte</span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></span>CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-2253174917604410702012-11-12T09:15:00.000-08:002012-11-12T20:34:21.013-08:00Hark - Is That the Buzz of Cicadas or a Shredder? Did the DuPage Forest Preserve Shred a Truckload of Records During the Criminal Investigation?<h3>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: white;">PART FOUR OF A COUNTYLEAKS SERIES...</i></span></span></h3>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Within two months of the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Forest Preserve District of DuPage County</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> presenting its findings of an "internal investigation" of its Information Technology (IT) Department to the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DuPage County State's Attorney's office</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> leading to 317 felony indictments so far, the District sought permission from the State to <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/New_Zealand_cicada_song.ogg"><b>dispose of 815 cubic feet of records</b></a></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> -- the size of 10 ft. by 10 ft. by 8 ft. room jammed to the ceiling.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> "internal investigation" began July 27, 2011 and concluded on Dec. 22, 2011.</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> On Jan. 12, 2012, the <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/New_Zealand_cicada_song.ogg">District requested approval to dispose of records</a> listed as recent as 2010, including the time period under scrutiny starting in 2005.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"> The nature of the records sought for destruction dated 2005 through 2010 embodied administrative files, date/plan books, appointment books, attendance reports, time accounting and receipts.</span></span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b>
<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Former District Executive Director Brett Manning, </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">who was out on leave during most of the "internal investigation", </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">signed off the request; the </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Local Records Commission of the Illinois State Archives</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> office certified the request on Mar. 12th. </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(To enlarge, click on image)</i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCQJZw9rN2ceYRNlss7VXrJhwCXPWPIoDuRIOPFGn1heE6MtxTSZJniBrUnXNnqgHq9zl1eCrOiY-FhsqCP1YnjNiseUETtPpy2CzxhR5BmMgguVdB6bFiTvvTInb0p0Vruua_6XvKB0/s1600/To+the+Shredder+1+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCQJZw9rN2ceYRNlss7VXrJhwCXPWPIoDuRIOPFGn1heE6MtxTSZJniBrUnXNnqgHq9zl1eCrOiY-FhsqCP1YnjNiseUETtPpy2CzxhR5BmMgguVdB6bFiTvvTInb0p0Vruua_6XvKB0/s320/To+the+Shredder+1+001.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyl7Uj_ZC63icCcX1oB9NJY_YMxa8iWgffY9q909XeO4USQQXOggSy_3XoXfxd9Yp-bMf3spkFGS-hG_pD0fKJoZazctoKo3cyT9UVosPL8_PPZ0IgOSXz4PmXmWTsBFE1R2O_cU_I-nU/s1600/To+the+Shredder+2+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyl7Uj_ZC63icCcX1oB9NJY_YMxa8iWgffY9q909XeO4USQQXOggSy_3XoXfxd9Yp-bMf3spkFGS-hG_pD0fKJoZazctoKo3cyT9UVosPL8_PPZ0IgOSXz4PmXmWTsBFE1R2O_cU_I-nU/s320/To+the+Shredder+2+001.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1Hqa0KpD-VoCOR6bTCqehHtJzrytkKXwWzmAJZgEYn_U2Lg4Ijp9N2dHbRxXxZMCJPr0q6ysLy2fF5EGVDrHo3yv8v96Wv0vMEN4s6qXzcw4-eu_aG4_PZ8vQRnhIcSFV9qWL1QB4v8/s1600/To+the+Shredder+3+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1Hqa0KpD-VoCOR6bTCqehHtJzrytkKXwWzmAJZgEYn_U2Lg4Ijp9N2dHbRxXxZMCJPr0q6ysLy2fF5EGVDrHo3yv8v96Wv0vMEN4s6qXzcw4-eu_aG4_PZ8vQRnhIcSFV9qWL1QB4v8/s320/To+the+Shredder+3+001.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is unknown if these <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/New_Zealand_cicada_song.ogg">records had actually been mulched</a>, as there has been no public discussion by the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">District's Board of Commissioners</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. No recent direct payment to a document destruction vendor could be found on the </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">District's "Transparency Portal"</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, nor an injunction by the State's Attorney's office ordering the District to maintain all records throughout the investigation and all proceedings which could follow.</span><br />
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<span style="background-color: white;">While the District routinely requested to dispose of records, a procedure mandated by the <a href="http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=699&ChapterID=11"><b>Illinois Local Records Act</b></a>, local citizen watchdogs are alarmed that the request was made during a criminal investigation when standard practice is to freeze all record destruction -- paper and electronic -- regardless of what the records may contain. A single piece of paper has the power to change everything, they assert.</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Watchdogs are also concerned that data and email back-up files stored on the disaster recovery equipment located off-site at Alamach Technology, Inc., a former IT vendor for the District under investigation, <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/New_Zealand_cicada_song.ogg">may have been altered or swept</a>. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">According to an invoice dated Jan. 18, 2011, Alamach charged the District for "email archive and migration set-up" for 350 users from Nov. 2008 onward. An employee (<i>or was it a subcontractor?</i>) of <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-durante-family-making-of-marriage.html">politically-and-family-connected</a> <b>JRM Consulting, Inc. </b>picked up the data and equipment from Alamach on Nov. 9, 2011 -- 12 days before the District presented their findings to the State's Attorney's office.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-S0pYQjdIa3BYazQ/edit?pli=1" style="line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><b>Click HERE for a timeline of events discussed in this article.</b></a></span><br />
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<a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/11/grand-jury-hands-down-317-felony.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>CountyLeaks </i>was first to report that a grand jury</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> handed down a total of </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">317 felony indic</b><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">tments</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to three men on Oct. 31st related to allegations of a fraud scheme of stealing more than $100,000 from the District over a six-year period.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">T</span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">he District's former director of its</span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">IT department, Mark McDonald, and the department manager, David Tepper, were </span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">each charged with 140 felony counts, while a third man, </span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Arif Mahmood, who worked for Alamach, was charged with 37 count</span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">s.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>DuPage County State's Attorney's Office Assists Forest Preserve District to Halt Freedom of Information Act Requests</b> </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">While the Forest Preserve District was disinterested in protecting all public records from destruction during the the criminal investigation, it was interested in securing <i>some</i> records.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">On Jan. 9th, prior to the District's request for permission to destroy public records, a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request was made to the District for Alamach contracts and payment records. The District denied the request eight days later. A request for review of this denial was made to the <b>Public Access Counselor of the Illinois Attorney General's office</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">The State determined on May 4th that the Alamach contracts and payment records were not exempt from disclosure -- a decision which didn't set well with both the District and the law enforcers. A power struggle ensued.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">Within days of the determination, Forest Preserve Policewoman <b>Kathy Murphy-Nowak</b>, daughter of <b>Commissioner Marsha Murphy </b>of Addison<b>,</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NMZk6BD0lA">came onto the property of the citizen who had made the FOIA request</a>. Altogether, Forest Preserve police came onto the citizen's private property three times over the next week without legitimate cause or a courtesy knock on the door; Murphy-Nowak "visited" twice. <a href="http://www.dupageunited.org/">DuPage United</a>, a non-partisan advocacy group with 50,000 members, invited this citizen as a guest speaker to share her experience with a packed assembly in Glen Ellyn on Nov. 4th.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">And while the State's Attorney's office did not seek a standard injunction that all records be preserved at the District throughout the investigation and proceedings, it did seek a temporary restraining order (TRO) that the Forest Preserve District not release the Alamach information</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"> to the public. On June 14th, the County's top law enforcer had officially entered the boxing ring with the Illinois Attorney General.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">The TRO was quietly lifted on Oct. 1st -- the same date and time McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood appeared in court. The hearings took place simultaneously in four separate court rooms. The Alamach records were finally released on Oct. 12th -- nine months after the initial FOIA request.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 16px;">Yet, this wasn't the end of the TRO's regarding Forest Preserve FOIA's. On Aug. 23rd, a FOIA request to the District was made by another citizen for a copies of recent subpoenas, which was denied seven days later. A request for review was filed on Sept. 10th to the Public Access Counselor of the Illinois Attorney General; the State sent a "further inquiry letter" to the Forest Preserve the following week. On Oct. 19th, the District's attorney responded to the Attorney General's office with a copy of the protective order prohibiting the release of copies of subpoenas by the grand jury.</span><br />
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<b style="line-height: 16px;">CountyLeaks Asks:</b><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><i>Would readers please join </i>CountyLeaks<i> for a primal scream? One, two, three...ARGH!!!</i></span></span><br />
<i style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></i>
<i style="line-height: 16px;">Were the records requested for disposal last January actually destroyed? If yes, how? Were they used to ignite controlled prairie burns? Added to a landfill?</i><br />
<i style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></i>
<i style="line-height: 16px;">Why doesn't the Board of Commissioners discuss <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/New_Zealand_cicada_song.ogg">upcoming mass records disposals</a> in Board meetings?</i><br />
<i style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></i>
<i style="line-height: 16px;">Is it strange that the DuPage State's Attorney is fighting the FOIA battles of the Forest Preserve? Is this yet another conflict of interest?</i><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><i>Why didn't the DuPage State's Attorney's office bother to have all records at the Forest Preserve protected the instant the findings of the "internal investigation" were presented to them on Nov. 21, 2011?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><i>Is it a violation of a citizen's constitutional rights for <b>Forest Preserve Policewoman Kathy Murphy-Nowak</b>, daughter of <b>Commissioner Marsha Murphy</b>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NMZk6BD0lA">to check out the private property of a citizen</a> involved with a FOIA dispute? Who gave this "police intimidation assignment" to Murphy-Nowak?</i></span></span><br />
<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></em>
<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What did the Forest Preserve officials do with all the data and email backup files stored on the disaster recovery equipment located off-site at Alamach? And what information might have been included within that data?</span></em><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is it possible that McDonald and Tepper had to be pushed out of the way to achieve another goal, ie: to protect their own?</span></em></div>
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></em><em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Are McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood the real story here? Or is there something else? Something much bigger perhaps? </span></em><em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is this why the FBI has been sniffing around?</span></em><br />
<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></em>
<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Did any DuPage Forest Preserve officials attend the Enron School of Management?</span></em></div>
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Are there more indictments coming or are 317 nutty enough?</span></em></div>
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Why did the Forest Preserve hire </i><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120228/news/702289831/print/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 16px;"><b>Troy Clampit</b>, owner of <b>Genesis One Designs</b></a><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">, which has printed campaign materials and worked on political websites of </i><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 16px;">President Pierotti</b><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"> and </i><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 16px;">Commissioners Formento, Painter, Murphy</b><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"> and the </i><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 16px;">DuPage County Republican Central Committee</b><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">? Why was Clampit hired to work in the Agency's IT department shortly before the so-called internal investigation by the politically-and-family-connected JRM? Is it like everything else </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">CountyLeaks</span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"> reports -- pure happenstance?</i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><i><b>Troy Clampit </b>has performed nearly $105,000 of political work for DuPage Republicans since he began working for the Forest Preserve in the spring of 2011. Is all this work done after hours and weekends? Just how does that work? Does he call political clients during the day on his cell phone? Of the thousands of IT experts who could have been hired for this position, why Clampit? Did Clampit know <b>Jerry Marquardt</b> prior to their work at the Forest Preserve, after all, they both did IT work for the DuPage County Republican Central Committee?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><i>Would Dewey had entitled this article, "Hark -- Is That the Buzz of Locusts or a Shredder?"?</i></span></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Following are documents pertaining to recent Freedom of Information Act disputes between the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and the Illinois Attorney General's office. To enlarge, click or double-click the image:</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-80121141247663772872012-11-07T23:42:00.000-08:002012-11-11T05:17:52.885-08:00Grand Jury Hands Down 317 Felony Indictments Following Investigation of IT Contracts at Forest Preserve District of DuPage County; Crickets Chirping <h3>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>PART THREE OF A COUNTYLEAKS SERIES...</i></span></span></span></h3>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A grand jury h</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">anded down a total of </span><b>317 felony indic</b><span style="font-size: small;"><b>tments</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> to three men </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">last week following an investigation of information technology (IT</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">) contracts at the </span><b>Forest Preserve District of DuPage County</b>,<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Circuit Court on-line </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">records<span style="font-size: small;"> disclosed.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">T</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">he District's former director of its</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">IT department, Mark McDonald, and the department manager,
David Tepper, were </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">each charged with 140 felony counts, while a third man, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Arif Mahmood, who worked for Alamach Technology, Inc., an IT
vendor for the district, was charged with 37 count</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">s.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">The charges were handed down on Oct. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;">31st </span>and filed the following day, y<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">et to date, there has been no public announcement of this staggering number of<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>indictments by the DuPage County State's Attorney's office.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Lending perspective to these numbers, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><b>former Gov. George Ryan</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"> had 18 felony indictments in 2003 and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><b>former Gov. Rod Blagojevich</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"> had "only" 16 counts in 2009.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">The majority of f</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">elony charges listed<span style="font-size: small;"> against <span style="font-size: small;">McDonald and Tepper include "acc<span style="font-size: small;">epting a kickback," "<span style="font-size: small;">unlawful participation," "official mis<span style="font-size: small;">condu<span style="font-size: small;">ct - performing a forbidden act<span style="font-size: small;">,<span style="font-size: small;">" and <span style="font-size: small;">"theft by deception with intent to deprive."<span style="font-size: small;"> Charges against Mahmood con<span style="font-size: small;">si<span style="font-size: small;">st mostly of "acc<span style="font-size: small;">epting a kickback" with one count each of <span style="font-size: small;">"<span style="font-size: small;">theft by <span style="font-size: small;">deception with intent<span style="font-size: small;"> to deprive" and "official mis<span style="font-size: small;">conduct - accepting bribe to influence public officials, public employees, juror or witness."</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Supe</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">rseding indictment charges of "conspiracy" were also issued for <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">t</span>heft<span style="font-size: small;">, <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">u</span>nlawful </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">participation</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">, and kickbacks </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">between Feb. 25, 2010 and Oct. 25, 2011 "at and within DuPage County."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Despite the 149 "accepting kickback" felony counts, <b>there are no charges of providing kickbacks</b>, suggesting that at least one other party has yet to be disclosed.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-QzdFc0szRmN4anM/edit">Click HERE for felony counts against Mark McDonald </a></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-QzdFc0szRmN4anM/edit"><b>Case #2012CF001735</b></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-V0tzZzY2blpxOG8/edit">Click HERE for felony counts against David Tepper</a></b></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-V0tzZzY2blpxOG8/edit">Case #2012CF001736</a></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-TFpLRHhlZ3kyZFk/edit" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Click HERE for felony counts against Arif Mahmood</a></b></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-TFpLRHhlZ3kyZFk/edit">Case # 2012CF001737</a></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Additional Background Reported Last Week by <i>CountyLeaks</i>...</b><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Local government citizen watchdogs claim </span></span><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111124/news/711249912/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">vendors contracted by the Forest Preserve District</a><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">to conduct this internal IT investigation and to handle the crisis strategies surrounding the criminal charges have connections with the DuPage State's Attorney's office which are too close for comfort. <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120228/news/702289831/">The District's hiring of a finance director this year</a> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">also bring concerns of a conflict of interest with the County's prosecutor.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>JRM Consulting, Inc. </b>of Naperville, was </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">contracted in 2011 to conduct<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">an audit of the District's IT Department. Unknown to the public and not mentioned in </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">their</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> contract was the true scope of work -- to conduct an "internal computer forensics investigation" at the Forest Preserve. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> The results of the months long investigation was presented to the State's Attorney's office on Nov. 21, 2011.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Invoices submitted to the DuPage Forest Preserve District in 2011 show that </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-aEY1bUE5N2tRRkE/edit?pli=1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Vince Durante</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">, son of local GOP-top brass </span><b>Pat Durante</b></a><b> </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">engaged in the "internal investigation" with JRM which led to the indictments, inflaming more concerns of fairness and justice due to the District's historic political ties with the <b>DuPage State's Attorney's office</b>, as </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">reported in <i>CountyLeaks</i></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">The <a href="http://databases.sj-r.com/salaries/state-of-il/search/?name=durante">State of Illinois database</a> reports that Vincent Durante of DuPage County is also an employee of the <b>Illinois Department of Transportation </b>(IDOT) </span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">as a "technical manager V" with a salary of $81,183.07. He was featured recently in the <i>ABC-7 News</i> Special Segment, <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/special_segments&id=8644440">"Road Warriors"</a>, using high-tech tools to fix potholes. His hourly rate at IDOT averages $39 per hour while JRM billed the Forest Preserve District $150 per hour for Durante's services.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Pat </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Durante</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> has served on the <b>Board of Directors of the Regional Transit Authority</b> since his appointment in 1995 and chairs the RTA's Audit Committee.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Vince Durante worked in some capacity for JRM Consulting. JRM's owner</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> is</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Jerry Marquardt</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">. No information can be located on-line showing that JRM or Durante have expertise or licenses to conduct forensic investigations -- a specialized field usually involving advanced training and certification.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">JRM has been paid $38,000 since 1999 for political consulting in Illinois, including payment of over $14,000 for goods and services by Citizens to Elect </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Joe Birkett</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">; the former state's attorney stepped down in November 2010 to accept an appointment to the Illinois appellate court, District 2.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">The brother of Jerry is <b>Scott Marquardt</b>, owner of Marquardt & Co., of Wheaton. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Marquardt & Co. are lobbyists for both the office of DuPage County State's Attorney and the DuPage County Election Commission. Scott Marquardt and his wife, <b>Barbara Skurka</b>, team up at the law firm, <b>Marquardt & Belmonte</b>, also of Wheaton. Marquardt and Skurka are former assistant</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> DuPage County State's Attorney. In fact, all seven attorneys listed at the firm cut their legal teeth at the</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> same office that</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> i</span>s </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">prosecuting </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">One former assistant state's attorney working at Marquardt & Belmonte law firm and Roger C. Marquardt & Co. -- </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Rick Veenstra</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> of Addison -- has returned to the law enforcer's office as the Deputy Chief of the Civil Bureau and manager of its Governmental Affairs and Special Litigation Division.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">On reports to the Illinois State Board of Elections, </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Barbara Skurka</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> uses one of two last names -- Skurka or Marquardt. There is no hyphenation.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Skurka/Marquardt is reportedly the paid fundraiser for the campaign of current State's Attorney <b>Bob Berlin</b></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">. Since February 2011, </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Skurka/Marquardt has received $40,000 from Citizens for Bob Berlin for consulting. The campaign's paid treasurer is <b>Jack Hogan</b>, finance director of the Forest Preserve.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Skurka/Marquardt, Hogan and the Forest Preserve's contracted political strategists, </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reverse Spin</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, were also paid for extensive political work for </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">former DuPage State's Attorneys <b>Joe Birkett</b> and <b>Jim Ryan</b>; on various campaigns, Skurka/Marquardt has been paid a total of <b>$376,000</b>, Hogan <b>$102,000</b> and Reverse Spin/Curry Public Strategies <b>$260,000</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Click </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=117298875025647&set=pb.101979393224262.-2207520000.1351004327&type=1&theater" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">HERE</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> for a photo of </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">lobbyist</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Scott Marquardt </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">with his clientele DuPage County State's Attorney </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bob Berlin</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and DuPage County Election Commission attorney </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pat Bond</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b>CountyLeaks Asks:</b></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When did the DuPage State's Attorney's office plan to announce the 317 felony indictments? Why wait on unveiling something which had already become public information?</span></em><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why did all the Forest Preserve commissioners approve payments to Alamach month after month after month without asking questions? Does </i>CountyLeaks <i>detect a lack of due diligence? And if the 317 felony indictments had come out just before the election, was there a risk voters might agree with </i>CountyLeaks<i>?</i></span></span><br />
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<i style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Who was providing the kick-backs which McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood are charged with accepting? </i><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Are there more indictments to come or are 317 nutty enough?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Was the grand jury informed of all the political ties of those working against the three men?</i></span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </i><br />
<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></em>
<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What did the Forest Preserve officials do with all the data and email backup files stored on the disaster recovery equipment located off-site at Alamach? And what information might have been included within that data?</span></em><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is it possible that McDonald and Tepper had to be pushed out of the way to achieve another goal, ie: to protect their own?</span></em><br />
<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></em>
<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Are McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood the real story here? Or is there something else? Something much bigger perhaps? </span></em><em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is this why the FBI has been sniffing around?</span></em><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">D</span></em><em style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">id the Forest Preserve's contracted 24/7 political strategists wake up Dewey at 1 am to alert him of this latest blog story?</span></em></div>
CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-63492234365130096602012-11-02T02:48:00.003-07:002015-09-28T19:56:39.019-07:00The Durante Family; The Making of a Marriage Between the DuPage Forest Preserve District & State's Attorney's Office<h3>
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>PART TWO OF A COUNTYLEAKS SERIES...</i></b></h3>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Invoices submitted to the DuPage Forest Preserve District in 2011 show that the son of local GOP-heavyweight <b>Pat Durante</b> engaged in the "internal investigation" which led to recent "fraud scheme" charges against former employees and a vendor, inflaming more concerns of fairness and justice due to the District's historic political ties with the DuPage State's Attorney's office, as </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">reported earlier this week in <i>CountyLeaks</i></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In September 2012, the District's former director of its information technology (IT) department, Mark McDonald, and the department manager, David Tepper, were accused of </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">of "stealing more than $100,000 from the district over a six-year period". </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">A third man, Arif Mahmood, who worked for Alamach Technology, Inc., an IT vendor for the district, was charged with "being involved in one of the schemes", the <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120905/news/709059509/"><i>Daily Herald</i> reported</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Local government citizen watchdogs claim </span></span><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111124/news/711249912/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">vendors contracted by the Forest Preserve District</a> <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">to conduct this internal IT investigation and to handle the crisis strategies surrounding the criminal charges have connections with the DuPage State's Attorney's office which are too close for comfort. <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120228/news/702289831/">The District's hiring of a finance director this year</a> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">also brings concerns of a conflict of interest with the County's prosecutor.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">One of those vendors is <b>JRM Consulting, Inc. </b>of Naperville, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">contracted in 2011 to conduct<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">an audit of the IT Department. Unknown to the public and not mentioned in </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">their</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> contract was the true scope of work -- to conduct an "internal computer forensics investigation" at the Forest Preserve. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> The results of the months long investigation was presented to the State's Attorney's office on Nov. 21st.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Now watchdogs have received <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oqC0zuJ9z-aEY1bUE5N2tRRkE/edit?pli=1">invoices showing that <b>Vince Durante</b>, son of <b>Pat Durante</b></a></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">, was working for JRM in some capacity -- as an employee, freelancer or subcontractor -- to participate in this "internal investigation".</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">The <a href="http://databases.sj-r.com/salaries/state-of-il/search/?name=durante">State of Illinois database</a> reports that Vincent Durante of DuPage County is an employee of the <b>Illinois Department of Transportation</b> </span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">as a "technical manager V" with a salary of $81,183.07. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">He was featured recently in the </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">ABC-7 News</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> Special Segment, </span><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/special_segments&id=8644440" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">"Road Warriors"</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">, using high-tech tools to fix potholes. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">His hourly rate at IDOT averages $39 per hour while JRM billed the Forest Preserve District $150 per hour for Durante's services.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Pat </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Durante</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> has served on the Board of Directors of the <b>Regional Transit Authority</b> since his appointment in 1995 and chairs the RTA's Audit Committee.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Since 1974, </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Pat Durante</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> has served as chairman of the <b>Addison Township Republicans</b>, an organization aligned closely with D. "Dewey" Pierotti, president of the DuPage Forest Preserve District. The organization's website home page features endorsements and photos of Forest Preserve Commissioner </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Marsha Murphy</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">, DuPage County State's Attorney </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Bob Berlin</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> and Berlin's predecessor, </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Joe Birkett</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">, running to maintain his seat on the Illinois Appellate Court, District Two. Berlin and Birkett are unopposed. Under the endorsements is a message from Chairman Durante. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Pat Durante is perhaps best-known as an aide and gate-keeper of the late U.S. Congressman <b>Henry Hyde </b>(R-Ill. 6). He was a long-time Board member of the <b>DuPage County Republicans</b>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">The political figure was also a coordinator in the state-wide campaigns of <b>Jim "Stringini" Ryan</b> for attorney general and governor. The Forest Preserve District's contracted political strategists, <b>Reverse Spin</b>, the District's Finance Director, <b>Jack Hogan</b>, and JRM owner's sister-in-law, <b>Barbara Skurka/Marquardt</b>,<b> </b>were paid by Ryan's gubernatoria</span><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;">l campaigns.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Pat Durante's wife is <b>Kathryn Cermak-Durante</b>, elected supervisor of <b>Addison Township</b>.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DA&Date=20110417&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=704179931&Ref=EP&NewTbl=1&item=1&maxw=178&maxh=248" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" src="http://www.dailyherald.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DA&Date=20110417&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=704179931&Ref=EP&NewTbl=1&item=1&maxw=178&maxh=248" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">Kathryn Cermak-Durante</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Reported earlier this week on <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2012/10/cant-see-forest-for-sleaze-happy-trails.html"><i>CountyLeaks</i>...</a></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">The owner of JRM is</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Jerry Marquardt </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">of Naperville. No information can be located on-line showing that JRM has expertise or licenses to conduct forensic investigations -- a specialized field usually involving advanced training and certification. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">JRM has been paid $38,000 since 1999 for political consulting in Illinois, including payment of over $14,000 for goods and services by Citizens to Elect <b>Joe Birkett</b>; the former state's attorney stepped down in November 2010 to accept an appointment to the Illinois appellate court, District 2.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />The brother of Jerry is <b>Scott Marquardt</b>, owner of Marquardt & Co., of Wheaton. </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Marquardt & Co. are lobbyists for both the office of DuPage County State's Attorney and the DuPage County Election Commission. Scott Marquardt and his wife, <b>Barbara Skurka</b>, team up at the law firm, <b>Marquardt & Belmonte</b>, also of Wheaton. Marquardt and Skurka are former assistant</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> DuPage County State's Attorney. In fact, all seven attorneys listed at the firm cut their legal teeth at the</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> same office that</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> i</span>s </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">prosecuting </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood</span><span style="line-height: 18px;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">One former assistant state's attorney working at Marquardt & Belmonte law firm and Roger C. Marquardt & Co. -- </span><b style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">Rick Veenstra</b><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"> of Addison -- has returned to the law enforcer's office as the Deputy Chief of the Civil Bureau and manager of its Governmental Affairs and Special Litigation Division. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">On reports to the Illinois State Board of Elections, <b>Barbara Skurka</b> uses one of two last names -- Skurka or Marquardt. There is no hyphenation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Skurka/Marquardt is reportedly the paid fundraiser for the campaign of current State's Attorney <b>Bob Berlin</b></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">. Since February 2011, </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Skurka/Marquardt has received $40,000 from Citizens for Bob Berlin for consulting. The campaign's paid treasurer is <b>Jack Hogan</b>, finance director of the Forest Preserve.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">Skurka/Marquardt, Hogan and the Forest Preserve's contracted political strategists, <b>Reverse Spin</b>, were also paid for extensive political work for <span style="line-height: 18px;">former DuPage State's Attorneys <b>Joe Birkett</b> and <b>Jim Ryan</b>; on various campaigns, Skurka/Marquardt has been paid a total of <b>$376,000</b>, Hogan <b>$102,000</b> and Reverse Spin/Curry Public Strategies <b>$260,000</b>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Click </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=117298875025647&set=pb.101979393224262.-2207520000.1351004327&type=1&theater" style="line-height: 18px;">HERE</a> for a photo of <b>lobbyist</b> <b>Scott Marquardt </b>with his clientele DuPage County State's Attorney <b>Bob Berlin</b> and DuPage County Election Commission attorney <b>Pat Bond</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b>CountyLeaks Asks</b><b>:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i>Is Vince Durante a friend of mine or a friend of ours?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i>Why, why, why was Vince Durante part of the "internal investigation"? Is it because he was trusted to perform the job?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i>What are Vince Durante's forensics qualifications or do political connections suffice?</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><i>How could this "internal investigation" possibly be considered independent?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i>Did Vince Durante's position at IDOT have anything to do with his ol' man being a director at the RTA? Or, is it like everything else </i>CountyLeaks<i> reports -- a mere coincidence?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i>Why investigate McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood? Why not all the Forest Preserve Commissioners, president, executive staff (past and present), the vendors, the barber, and the State's Attorney's office itself?</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><i>Does CountyLeaks smell RICO violations?</i></span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">Why did Forest Preserve Policewoman <b>Kathy Murphy-Nowak</b>, daughter of Commissioner <b>Marsha Murphy,</b> come on the property of a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NMZk6BD0lA">citizen who had made Freedom of Information Act requests</a> for Alamach invoices? Gee, how did Murphy-Nowak nail a job at the Forest Preserve? The same way Vince Durante nailed a job at IDOT?</span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">Did the Forest Preserve's contracted 24/7 political strategists wake up the District's president at 3 am to alert him of this story? </span></i><br />
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CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-20293141785096793322012-10-28T22:58:00.001-07:002015-11-18T15:30:19.850-08:00Can't See the Forest for the Sleaze: Happy Trails Between the DuPage County's Forest Preserve District & State's Attorney's Office<b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;">Happy trails to you, until we meet again.</span></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.</span></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Who cares about the clouds when we're together?</span></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.</span></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Happy trails to you, 'til we meet again." </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">-- <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcYsO890YJY">Dale Evans Rogers</a></span></span></span></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Recent "fraud scheme" charges against former employees and a vendor of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County raise disturbing questions of fairness and even legitimacy due to the District's historic cronyism with the DuPage State's Attorney's office. Of the 145 miles of trails at the Forest Preserve, the most consequential is invisible -- leading straight from the District's headquarters on Naperville Road to the law enforcers' office at 503 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">On Sept. 5th, Paul Biasco reported in the </span><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120905/news/709059509/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>Daily Herald's</i>, "DuPage Forest Preserve Employees Charged in Fraud Scheme,"</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> that the former director of information technology department, Mark McDonald, and the department manager, David Tepper, were accused of "stealing more than $100,000 from the district over a six-year period".</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The article continued that a third man, Arif Mahmood, who worked for Alamach Technology, Inc., an IT vendor for the district, was charged with "being involved in one of the schemes".</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Local government citizen watchdogs claim </span></span><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111124/news/711249912/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">vendors contracted by the Forest Preserve District</a> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">to conduct this internal IT investigation and to handle the crisis strategies surrounding the criminal charges have connections with the DuPage State's Attorney's office which are too close for comfort. <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120228/news/702289831/">The District's hiring of a finance director this year</a> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">also bring concerns of a conflict of interest with the County's prosecutor.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">The <i>Daily Herald</i>, in conjunction with the <a href="http://www.bettergov.org/">Better Government Association</a>, published, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120802/news/708029745/">"FBI Joins Probe of DuPage Forest District Contracts,"</a> on Aug. 2nd. "</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">The FBI is 'part of the investigation,' (DuPage Forest Preserve District President) Pierotti said, along with the state's attorney's office," <a href="http://www.bettergov.org/forest_preserve_probe_blooms_but_not_everyone_feels_the_gloom/">Andrew Schroedter</a> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">and Elizabeth Mistretta wrote.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">Despite outcries from citizens over months, the Forest Preserve District continues to have no Ethics Commission, as required by law. The District's ethics policy meets the minimal state standard with no amendments. Click <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAi8tGrF7KI">here</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NMZk6BD0lA">here</a> for the District's reactions to citizens who dare to question the investigation and FBI probe.</span></span><br />
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<b style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">JRM Consulting, Inc. -- Forest Preserve's Contracted Internal Investigators</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">In July 2011, JRM Consulting, Inc. of Naperville was contracted to conduct<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">an audit of the IT Department. Unknown to the public and not mentioned in </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">their</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> contract was the true scope of work -- to conduct an "internal computer forensics investigation" at the Forest Preserve. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> The results of the months long investigation was presented to the State's Attorney's office on Nov. 21st.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The owner of JRM is <b>Jerry Marquardt </b>of Naperville. No information can be located on-line showing that JRM has expertise or licenses to conduct forensic investigations -- a specialized field usually involving advanced training and certification. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">JRM has been paid $38,000 since 1999 for political consulting in Illinois, including payment of over $14,000 for goods and services by Citizens to Elect <b>Joe Birkett</b>; the former state's attorney stepped down in November 2010 to accept an appointment to the Illinois appellate court, District 2.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />The brother of Jerry is <b>Scott Marquardt</b>, owner of Marquardt & Co., of Wheaton. </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Marquardt & Co. are lobbyists for both the office of DuPage County State's Attorney and the DuPage County Election Commission. Scott Marquardt and his wife, <b>Barbara Skurka</b>, team up at the law firm, <b>Marquardt & Belmonte</b>, also of Wheaton. Marquardt and Skurka are former assistant</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> DuPage County State's Attorneys. In fact, all seven attorneys listed at the firm cut their legal teeth at the</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> same office that</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> i</span>s </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">prosecuting </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">McDonald, Tepper and Mahmood</span><span style="line-height: 18px;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">One former assistant state's attorney working at Marquardt & Belmonte law firm and Roger C. Marquardt & Co. -- </span><b style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">Rick Veenstra</b><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"> of Addison -- has returned to the law enforcer's office as the Deputy Chief of the Civil Bureau and manager of its Governmental Affairs and Special Litigation Division.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">On reports to the Illinois State Board of Elections, </span><b style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">Barbara Skurka</b><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"> uses one of two last names -- Skurka or Marquardt. There is no hyphenation.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Skurka/Marquardt is reportedly the paid fundraiser for the campaign of current State's Attorney <b>Bob Berlin</b></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">. Since February 2011, </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Skurka/Marquardt has received $40,000 from Citizens for Bob Berlin for consulting. The campaign's paid treasurer is <b>Jack Hogan</b>, finance director of the Forest Preserve.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">Skurka/Marquardt, Hogan and the Forest Preserve's contracted political strategists, <b>Reverse Spin</b>, were also paid for extensive political work for <span style="line-height: 18px;">former DuPage State's Attorneys <b>Joe Birkett</b> and <b>Jim Ryan</b>; on various campaigns, Skurka/Marquardt has been paid a total of <b>$376,000</b>, Hogan <b>$102,000</b> and Reverse Spin/Curry Public Strategies <b>$260,000</b>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Click </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=117298875025647&set=pb.101979393224262.-2207520000.1351004327&type=1&theater" style="line-height: 18px;">HERE</a> for a photo of <b>lobbyist</b> <b>Scott Marquardt </b>with his clientele DuPage County State's Attorney <b>Bob Berlin</b> and DuPage County Election Commission attorney <b>Pat Bond</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Reverse Spin -- Forest Preserve's Contracted 24/7 Political Strategists</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The Forest Preserve's board voted unanimously to hire Wheaton-based political consultants, <b>Reverse Spin</b>, in November 2011 in a no-bid contract for $48,000. Five of the six commissioners voting were up for re-election in 2012. The firm was brought on the same time the "crisis" of the District's IT scandal became public. Reverse Spin renamed itself <b><a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/">Delos Communications</a></b>, claiming it was after a Greek Isle; coincidentally,the middle name of one of the purveyor's is <a href="http://www.legistorm.com/person/Daniel_Delos_Curry/30112.html">Delos</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Daily Herald's</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, "<a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111124/news/711249912/">DuPage Forest District Paying Consultants $66,000</a>," </span></span></span><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Elizabeth Mistretta wrote, "</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">The forest preserve already employs six-person public relations team, with a combined salary of nearly $400,000 per year and approximately 90 years of combined experience."</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/"><b>Reverse Spin</b></a> described themselves as "<a href="http://www.legistorm.com/person/Daniel_Delos_Curry/30112.html"><b>political strategists</b></a>" in their three-quarter-page proposal and "<b>game changers</b>" on their website. </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">The firm's motto is "control the news".</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Omitted from Reverse Spin's proposal was the disclosure that they were -- and still are -- the voice of the <b>DuPage County Election Commission</b> and had been contracted for two years by the <b>Illinois Office of the State's Attorneys Appellate</b> <b>Prosecutor</b>. (</span><i style="line-height: 18px;">Click on image to enlarge.</i><span style="line-height: 18px;">)</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknkaQ7i4WKZLSZqcqg0oDuIw09aTovYYV7S-GLRz4yczhGYEIkPLH9wGFFQ5bDCSKRKoKJSe70TsxM98SWh4GlTSeTWwAYrPBCNDwjt6cwzd7ZEv75ThChl801zomHGPLC-AXdvGERh4/s1600/Reverse+Spin+Proposal+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknkaQ7i4WKZLSZqcqg0oDuIw09aTovYYV7S-GLRz4yczhGYEIkPLH9wGFFQ5bDCSKRKoKJSe70TsxM98SWh4GlTSeTWwAYrPBCNDwjt6cwzd7ZEv75ThChl801zomHGPLC-AXdvGERh4/s320/Reverse+Spin+Proposal+001.jpg" width="232" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">According to the Illinois State Board of Elections' website, Reverse Spin and its owners, <a href="http://www.legistorm.com/person/Daniel_Delos_Curry/30112.html"><b>Dan Delos Curry</b></a> and attorney <b>John Pearman</b>, were receiving payments along with <b>Skurka/Marquardt </b>from the state-wide political campaigns of former DuPage County State's Attorneys <b>Jim Ryan</b> and <b>Joe Birkett</b>. Reportedly, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6UAYGxiRwU">Curry</a> and Pearman consulted in communications and strategy and <b>Skurka/Marquardt</b> directed fund-raising in these campaigns.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Marquardt & Co. are also lobbyists for the embattled <b>DuPage County Election Commission</b> -- the same Agency which has been paying Reverse Spin $3,000 per month.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">The Forest Preserve's new finance director, <b>Jack Hogan</b>, received payments as treasurer on the same political campaigns of Ryan and Birkett with Reverse Spin and Skurka/Marquardt. In May 2011, Hogan was paid $500 by YES 2 PCHS -- a campaign for a referendum to build a new high school in Paris, Ill. Pearman, who grew up in Paris, played a major role with this initiative. By the end of the year, Hogan and Reverse Spin were both under contract at the Forest Preserve.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>CountyLeaks</i> has reported on Reverse Spin's enigmatic activities involving state's attorneys past and present </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/04/dalby-prosecutor-received-150000-in.html" style="line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/ilsaap-vice-chairman-joe-birkett.html" style="line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/illinois-office-of-state-attorneys.html" style="line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/06/bianchi-in-daily-herald-campaign-forum.html" style="line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/06/below-radar-in-edgar-county-mutual.html" style="line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/09/targeting-david-protess-six-years-ardc.html" style="line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html" style="line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html" style="line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> and </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/10/same-tech-firm-examined-computers-in.html" style="line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">. Ironically, the political strategists were involved with the <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120117/news/701179915/">Forest Preserve's Transparency Portal, newly launched on its website</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">A</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">pparently, Reverse Spin is the go-to firm for delicate matters concerning investigations of governmental staff and state's attorneys. While performing these tasks, Reverse Spin has been closely associated with defense attorneys <b>Terry Ekl</b> and <b>Jim Sotos</b>. Ekl represents David Tepper in the Forest Preserve investigation.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>CountyLeaks</i> has reported on Ekl's representation of state's attorneys past and present </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/history-repeating-itself-amicus-curiae.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/06/below-radar-in-edgar-county-mutual.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/10/same-tech-firm-examined-computers-in.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/11/winnebago-county-judge-joe-mcgraw.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/09/targeting-david-protess-six-years-ardc.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/shadowy-illinois-state-attorneys.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/illinois-office-of-state-attorneys_09.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> and </span><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/09/whose-side-is-he-on-prominent-illinois.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">In 2010, Sotos led the "internal investigation" of financial abuses at Metra; no convictions against governmental staff result from any of Sotos' "internal investigations". Former Metra Chairwoman <b>Carole Doris</b>, who served during the period investigated by Sotos for financial mishandling, was the chief deputy attorney general under Ryan. Prior to this position, she was DuPage County State's Attorney Ryan's deputy chief of the civil division. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">The website designer who is paid along with Skurka/Marquardt and Hogan by Citizens for Bob Berlin is <b>Merc Strategy Group</b>; <b>Curt Mercadante</b> of Morris, Republican candidate for the Grundy County Board, is closely associated with Reverse Spin, as well. Mercadante's firm was paid $31,596 by Friends of Jim Ryan in his 2009-10 gubernatorial primary race -- the same campaign which paid Reverse Spin, Skurka/Marquardt and Hogan. Like Hogan, Merc was paid for services by YES 2 PCHS in 2011. One-third of Merc's paid political work that year was for Citizens for Bob Berlin and YES 2 PCHS.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">A testimonial on Merc Strategy's website reads: <i>"If you want someone who understands New Media and knows how to put it in used for your company, organization or campaign, Curt is the man..." -- </i><b>Dan Curry</b>, Principal, Reverse Spin, LLC.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Curry and Pearman met while working for former Illinois Atty. Gen. <b>Jim Ryan</b>; Curry was Ryan's spokesman and Pearman was chief of policy and legislative affairs. <b>Skurka/Marquardt </b>served as deputy chief of the Medicaid Fraud Bureau in Ryan's attorney general's office during this time.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">In addition to currently receiving $7,000 per month for political consulting in DuPage government, Reverse Spin has recently performed paid campaign work for Lake County Sheriff<b> Mark Curran</b>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Jack Hogan -- Forest Preserve's Finance Director & Paid Campaign Treasurer for Both DuPage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin & </b><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Forest Preserve President D. Dewey Pierotti</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, Forest Preserve Finance Director <b>Jack Hogan</b> has received $5,650 as treasurer for the political campaign of DuPage County State's Attorney <b>Bob Berlin</b> since January 2011. Despite the on-going investigation at the Forest Preserve, which includes allegations of financial mismanagement by former staff, Hogan remains as treasurer for the prosecutor's campaign. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Hogan was listed as both chairman and treasurer of former DuPage County State's Attorney <b>Joe Birkett'</b>s campaign for state-wide office, and treasurer of </span></span><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">former DuPage County State's Attorney <b>Jim Ryan</b>'s bid for governor. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">Along with <b>Barbara Skurka/Marquardt</b>, Hogan has been paid by Citizens for Bob Berlin, Citizens to Elect Joe Birkett and Friends of Jim Ryan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">The finance director has also worked on the same campaigns with the District's contracted political consultants, <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/"><b>Reverse Spin</b></a>, and Skurka/Marquardt, including battles of Ryan and Birkett for state-wide office. In May 2011, Hogan was paid $500 by YES 2 PCHS -- a campaign for a referendum to build a new high school in Paris, Ill. By the end of 2011, Hogan and Reverse Spin were both under contract at the Forest Preserve.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">Hogan is still listed as treasurer in the active campaign for Forest Preserve President <b>D. "Dewey" Pierotti</b>; Hogan was paid $425 by Citizens for Pierotti the year prior to being hired as the Forest Preserve's interim finance director. Forest Preserve Commissioners did not discuss this matter publicly as being a potential conflict of interest.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">In addition, Hogan has received payments from numerous campaigns, such as that of former DuPage County Board Chairman <b>Robert Schillerstrom</b>, and the DuPage County State's Attorney spokesman <b>Paul Darrah</b>, who has commented on the on-going Forest Preserve IT investigation and charges.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">Hogan has received over $102,000 for his paid political work -- mostly for DuPage County Republicans.</span></span><br />
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<b style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">CountyLeaks Asks Many Questions:</span></b></div>
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<i style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Is it possible for Mark McDonald, David Tepper and Arif Mahmood (or anyone else?) to have fair prosecutions and trials in DuPage County?</span></i><br />
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<i style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Why did Reverse Spin rename its company to <a href="http://www.deloscommunications.com/about/">Delos Communications</a>? </span></i><br />
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<i style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Will grand jury indictments be announced just in time for Election Day for incumbents to gallantly appear tough on crime? If yes, will the media give the timing the fisheye?</span></i><br />
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<i style="line-height: 18px;">Why is the FBI sniffing around this so-called investigation?</i></span><br />
<i style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Why should taxpayers be expected to accept and respect the decisions and actions of government entities who obviously see nothing wrong with such off-the-charts conflicts of interest?</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">Why are there no charges against the Forest Preserve President and Commissioners?</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></i><i style="line-height: 18px;">Did the law firm of Marquardt & Belmonte represent the Forest Preserve in the firing of McDonald? If yes, why doesn't the</i><i style="line-height: 18px;"> omniscient Transparency Portal show any payment to this firm?</i></span><br />
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<i style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Where do all these political cronies meet up with governmental officials and law enforcers? DuPage County Republican fundraisers? Cocktail parties? Hot tubs? Do tell...</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Why do Commissioners sit and chew cud at Forest Preserve Board meetings while being paid $53,000 plus generous health and pension benefits? Why did they ALL vote to pay Alamach Technology for YEARS without question? Don't the Commissioners see themselves in a position to challenge Pierotti and influence reform? Do they realize that by rubber-stamping, they are part of the problem? If they signed off the payment month after month after month, how can they place the blame on others?</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Are the Feds looking at violations of RICO -- </i></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"> Act?</span></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Are the contracted political strategists assisting the Forest Preserve commissioners with talking points during their re-election campaigns? Where exactly is the line drawn between political consulting and PR work? Can there even be a line?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><i>Why did the Forest Preserve hire </i><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120228/news/702289831/print/" style="font-style: italic;"><b>Troy Clampit</b>, owner of <b>Genesis One Designs</b></a><i>, which has printed campaign materials and worked on political websites of </i><b style="font-style: italic;">President Pierotti</b><i> and </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Commissioners Formento, Painter, Murphy</b><i> and the </i><b style="font-style: italic;">DuPage County Republican Central Committee</b><i>? Why was Clampit hired to work in the Agency's IT department shortly before the so-called internal investigation by the politically-connected JRM? Is it like everything else </i>CountyLeaks<i> reports -- pure happenstance?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><i><b>Troy Clampit </b>has performed nearly $105,000 of political work for DuPage Republicans since he began working for the Forest Preserve in the spring of 2011. Is all this work done after hours and weekends? Just how does that work? Does he call political clients during the day on his cell phone? Of the thousands of IT experts who could have been hired for this position, why Clampit? Did Clampit know <b>Jerry Marquardt</b> prior to their work at the Forest Preserve, after all, they both did IT work for the DuPage County Republican Central Committee?</i></span></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">Why did Forest Preserve Policewoman <b>Kathy Murphy-Nowak</b>, daughter of Commissioner <b>Marsha Murphy,</b> come on the property of a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NMZk6BD0lA">citizen who had made Freedom of Information Act requests</a> for Alamach invoices? Gee, how did Murphy-Nowak nail a job at the Forest Preserve?</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Why is good Board meeting attendance by Forest Preserve Commissioners such a big deal if all they do when they're there is chew cud? Why was good attendance crucial for Commissioners except for <b>Joe Cantore</b>?</span></i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #444444;">How much longer will the contracted political strategists be paid tax dollars? Why does ANY government entity require political consulting?</span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Legal scholars, how many conflicts of interest or potential conflicts of interest have been pointed out in this article?</span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Why does the Forest Preserve allow its Commissioners to hire Forest Preserve employees to do "side jobs" -- both political and non-political work?</span></span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">How many conflicts of interest are necessary for the investigation, prosecution and trial to be moved out of DuPage County? 50? 100? Infinity?</span></i><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">How long did it take the contracted political strategists to phone their client, President <b>D. Dewey Pierotti Jr.</b>, about this article? </span></i><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">A CountyLeaks Sing-a-Long</span></b><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcYsO890YJY" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Click HERE, crank up the sound, and everyone join in!</span></a></i></b><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;">Happy trails to you, until we meet again.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Who cares about the clouds when we're together?</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Happy trails to you, 'til we meet again." -- Dale Evans Rogers</span></span></i></div>
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CountyLeakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03835509278764975753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263950811640731980.post-86695771736472137432011-11-13T19:16:00.000-08:002013-08-16T14:39:54.276-07:00Winnebago County Judge Joe McGraw Elected Chief Judge; McGraw Acquitted McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi of Criminal Charges Twice in Directed Verdicts<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">Winnebago County Judge Joseph McGraw, who this year ruled in favor of McHenry County State’s Attorney Louis Bianchi in two swift directed verdicts, has been elected </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">to serve as Chief Judge for the 17th Circuit beginning Jan. 1, 2012 by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.illinois17th.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=385&Itemid=125">an unanimous vote of circuit judges in Winnebago and Boone Counties</a><span style="color: #444444;">.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Following Bianchi's first trial last March, Thomas McQueen, special prosecutor of Bianchi, requested that McGraw recuse himself because he had been paid by the Illinois Office of the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor (ILSAAP) -- the same agency which has been involved in multiple other aspects of Bianchi's case. The <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-04-29/news/ct-met-judge-conflict-20110429_1_corruption-case-special-prosecutor-bianchi"><i>Chicago Tribune</i> quoted McGraw,</a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span">"These accusations...when considered in context, do not create even the appearance of impropriety."</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Undaunted by allegations of conflicts of interest, McGraw refused to step down and the following week <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/04/bianchi-judge-to-instruct-may-3-for.html">instructed at another ILSAAP seminar</a> held in Naperville, billing taxpayers $3,125. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59LN2Sl0IppqwfOywpLCaq7Ht4n7S0S4EIEVkTv2tdgy3UFqu0zHACkUhNxJpTX5lvi06t3UDI_WgutC7mf2MTdpEK6DoFvPJMEr9DT7kh8CzwqGl21BSdJSX-omwkW8mWUtPUg-vu40/s1600/Judge+Joseph+McGraw+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59LN2Sl0IppqwfOywpLCaq7Ht4n7S0S4EIEVkTv2tdgy3UFqu0zHACkUhNxJpTX5lvi06t3UDI_WgutC7mf2MTdpEK6DoFvPJMEr9DT7kh8CzwqGl21BSdJSX-omwkW8mWUtPUg-vu40/s320/Judge+Joseph+McGraw+001.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">McGraw acquitted Bianchi in a second directed verdict last August. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Directed verdicts, considered unusual to occur even once, allowed Bianchi defense attorney Terry Ekl to win both trials without presenting any evidence. Bianchi opted for bench trials<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">McGraw, a former assistant state's attorney, <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/04/bianchi-judge-received-payments-from.html">has received $21,529 from ILSAAP</a> for seminar instruction since 2005 according to state documents. Another payment of $3,125 is expected to be made by the entity for seminar work in September 2011.</span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">ILSAAP was created to provide services to state's attorneys including appellate cases, certain drug-related cases and special prosecutions. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1991&ChapterID=54">(725 ILCS 210)</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">The entity's Board of Governors is comprised of nine state's attorneys from around the state. A 2010 <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSKchJwJJnqLd-ly8p4CwfdXFiqXbi9TamUs5y-d6sjY8HmAFVNTMauTl8JBf2hq_txbL_l7wnKOZbmcW2HnU6jpaiQblHbFyqvrdLB-zcMvuQmPA9eDRCJwcAted0cNL23IT3BaerGE/s1600/ILSAAP+LINEUP.jpg">photo of Bianchi standing with ILSAAP executive staff and members of the Board of Governors</a> has been in rotation on the home page of the entity's website since early this year.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">The <span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.state.il.us/court/SupremeCourt/Rules/Art_I/ArtI.htm#Judicial_Conduct">Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct</a> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">guides judges to avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><b>McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi's ILSAAP Connections</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><i> </i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://mchenrycountyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/04/bianchis-judge-receives-payments-from_16.html"><i>McHenryLeaks/CountyLeaks </i>was the first outlet to publish that McGraw had received roughly $20,000 from (ILSAAP) in recent years</a> for instructing seminars.<span class="Apple-style-span"> Multiple potential conflicts of interest with those associated with Bianchi and ILSAAP have been discovered by <i>CountyLeaks</i> in government records, many of which have never been addressed in mainstream news. (<i>Click titles in sidebars on the right.</i>)</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">McGraw was part of a <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tqUbar1qJL8W_tXgfrcIZ-sidfxJV3JQLavhC3nwO6xfb3p6GDQyCwB9FEaxRnDkJXQdMkVkqe7axdLC9sgefXFdKl7H0586iulPkes2YDDwjJWQ0ooVbSK00r-7wIdiA-PZVs5r-7M/s1600/001.jpg">three-person panel discussion</a> on pre-trial motions with David O'Connor of Orland Park on Oct. 25, 2010 -- three days after McGraw's first hearing involving Bianchi.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">O'Connor was the special prosecutor specifically requested by Bianchi in 2007 to investigate Amy Dalby, a former employee of the state's attorney's office and a key witness against Bianchi in the case before McGraw in the first trial held last March. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">ILSAAP training seminars are coordinated by <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/04/dalby-prosecutor-received-150000-in.html">O'Connor who has had over $150,000 in contracts with ILSAAP</a> since 2007.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">McHenry County is currently represented by ILSAAP's special prosecutor, Chuck Colburn, in oversight and objections of bills submitted by outside special prosecutors in the same cases McGraw presided. </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">A <a href="http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/countyboard/MtgDocs/201101/011111lj/5_3.pdf">resolution passed by the McHenry County Board</a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">in January reads that the county pays</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"> ILSAAP $30,000 annually for services to the office of the state's attorney.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">From the beginning, Bianchi and the McHenry County Board had made public their preference to have ILSAAP handle any investigation of Bianchi.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://67.151.102.2/story/?id=313821">The <i>Daily Herald</i> published on Aug. 14, 2009, "Judge: McHenry Co. Can Intervene in Special Prosecutor Request."</a> Chuck Keeshan wrote, "...Graham balked at Bianchi's suggestion that the county use the Illinois Appellate Prosecutor's office, leaving the call up to the board instead. 'The county may or may not want to pursue this,' the judge said. 'Or they may have their own (lawyer) in mind.'"</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Two weeks later, Keeshan reported in the <i>Daily Herald </i>that in "a letter to Graham, County Board Chairman Ken Koehler said board members discussed the case last week and their consensus was to retain the Illinois Appellate Prosecutor's office, which has agreed to represent the county free of charge."</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Bianchi's attorney, Terry Ekl, was sitting next to Colburn in the McHenry County court room on Sept. 4, 2009 when ILSAAP was intervening on petitions to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Bianchi. (<a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/state-agency-or-prosecutorial.html">Colburn signed a motion in 2008</a> which may have served as legal protection for another client of Ekl's.)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">That morning, Colburn attempted to have the petitions dismissed until Judge Gordon Graham cut him off. Petitioner attorneys told Graham that the spokesperson for ILSAAP had simultaneously worked on Bianchi's political campaign.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">After oral arguments, Graham decided to appoint a special prosecutor himself.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The ILSAAP spokesperson referred to in court that day was Reverse Spin. A <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html">top priority for ILSAAP starting on the first day of the vendor's contract</a> in October 2007 was to work one-on-one with Bianchi. The following month, Bianchi requested O'Connor to investigate Dalby.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/political-campaigns-of-bianchi-and.html">Reverse Spin, who distinguish themselves as "game changers", was working simultaneously for Bianchi's political campaign in 2008 while under contract with ILSAAP</a>. <i>CountyLeaks</i> revealed that <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/06/bianchi-in-daily-herald-campaign-forum.html">Bianchi was in the <i>Daily Herald's</i> editorial campaign forum the day after Reverse Spin had provided tax-paid press assistance to the state's attorney</a> according to the monthly activity report submitted by the vendor with an invoice.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Although Reverse Spin's contract with ILSAAP ended in 2009, the vendor continued to support Bianchi with damage control via Ekl following the indictments. <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/06/below-radar-in-edgar-county-mutual.html">Reverse Spin had also worked extensively with Ekl on a high-profile federal civil lawsuit involving ILSAAP</a>. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Legal bills submitted to the McHenry County Board by Ekl, however, do not reflect any work by the vendor. It remains unknown who paid Reverse Spin in 2010 and 2011. Public payment of Bianchi's legal bills remains undecided<i>.</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">In September 2010, ILSAAP's Board of Governors approved an <a href="http://countyleaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/illinois-office-of-state-attorneys_09.html">amicus curiae brief </a>on behalf of former Edgar County State's Attorney Michael McFatridge. The brief supports public payment of McFatridge's legal bills in the before-mentioned federal civil lawsuit; Ekl serves as his attorney. Bianchi was indicted 12 days prior to this Board meeting.</span></div>
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While ILSAAP agreed to be a "friend of the court" supporting McFatridge's public payment of legal fees (to Ekl), it has taken an adversarial position on the bills of Bianchi's special prosecutors Henry Tonigan and Thomas McQueen.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span">In September, the <a href="http://www.firstelectricnewspaper.com/2011/09/no-word-yet-on-who-gets-bill-for_19.html"><i>First Electric Newspaper</i> featured quotes on Bianchi's legal bills</a> by Iain Johnston. The article identified Johnston as a "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">John Marshall Law School Adjunct Professor and Illinois Special Assistant Attorney General". Johnston told <i>FEN</i> that another agency, such as the Illinois Attorney General's office or ILSAAP, might foot the bill. Apparently Johnston did not disclose to <i>FEN</i> that Ekl was his co-defense team member in the ongoing federal civil lawsuit nor that ILSAAP has a vested interest in this case.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.firstelectricnewspaper.com/2011/02/judge-questions-bianchi-communications.html"><i>First Electric Newspaper </i>also published that Judge Graham questioned communications between ILSAAP and Ekl</a> in a February 2011 hearing regarding ILSAAP's representation of McHenry County's financial interests in the Bianchi cases. <i>FEN'</i>s Pete Gonigam reported on Graham's discussion of ILSAAP director Patrick Delfino, adding "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">Colburn said he thought Delfino had received the transcript from Bianchi defense attorney Terry Ekl. '</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">Obviously Mr. Ekl represents Mr. Bianchi,' said Graham. 'They're providing you information.' '</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">I suggest there was an </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">ex-parte</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"> (non-public) communication,' s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">aid Graham but he didn't take that thread any further."</span><b style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"> </b><br />
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<b style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">House Bill Empowers ILSAAP to Investigate Future State's Attorneys</b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><b> </b> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Fueled by the prosecution of Bianchi, McHenry County State Representatives Michael Tryon and Jack Franks and State Senator Althoff are close to passing <a href="http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=2558&GAID=11&GA=97&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=59859&SessionID=84">HB2558</a>, a bill they sponsored granting ILSAAP considerably more power. The bill would give state agencies including ILSAAP first dibs to future special prosecutions in Illinois, limit fees paid to special prosecutors, and allow counties to participate in the scope of investigations by a special prosecutor and scrutinize their invoices.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">The bill, under the inconspicuous description "Local Government-Tech", has received unanimous support in both the Illinois House and Senate to date. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">CountyLeaks asks</b><b><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">:</span></span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Exactly what is McGraw's definition of the appearance of impropriety?</i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i>As a seminar coordinator for ILSAAP, did O'Connor extend the invitation to McGraw to be a paid instructor? If yes, how was it ethical for Amy Dalby's prosecutor to be doing this and for Judge McGraw to accept? Isn't it remotely problematic that O'Connor and McGraw were on the same panel of seminar together three days after McGraw's first hearing together on Bianchi?</i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Does the McHenry County Board care at all about all the conflicts of interest among ILSAAP, McGraw, Bianchi, Ekl, O'Connor and Reverse Spin? Does anyone?</i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i>If the McHenry County Board pays Terry Ekl, will the Board also pay the attorney's fees of Amy Dalby? Remember her? The felony charges against her were so weak, they were dropped immediately... </i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Is ILSAAP pulling all the stops in McHenry County to create the legislative milestone of HB2558 giving themselves more power? Is it an abuse of power and improper for them to use ongoing litigation to achieve this goal, after all, the bill is sponsored by legislators from McHenry County?</i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Reverse Spin lists among its specialties: setting up and running grassroots campaigns. Did the proprietors of Reverse Spin play any role in urging Bianchi supporters to write letters to the editor and to legislators which would initiate HB2558?</i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Following is the state voucher showing a $3,125 payment to Judge Joseph McGraw from ILSAAP for seminar work the week after he refused to step down from the second Bianchi case. To enlarge, click or double-click the image: </b></span></span><br />
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