Children shorted in IL political payback
22 July, 2008
From the files of “Coulda Seen That One Comin’”…
Illinois distributed $20,000 grants to 89 organizations to assist with after-school tutoring for the 2007-08 school year. Unfortunately, a Chicago Tribune investigation of 48 of the grant recipients found that about half of those 48 organizations were not running programs, and a third were under the care of a person with less-than-stellar financial histories.
All of the questionable projects share the same sponsor: West Side Sen. Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago), who awarded many grants to campaign workers and donors, the investigation found.
The state board tried to tighten the grant process after the Tribune first raised questions about it two years ago. But lawmakers and education officials have continued to award the grants.
The oversight remains so feeble, in fact, that education officials in three cases handed out money to programs where felons, one a convicted murderer, worked with children. The state contract bars such convicts from doing so.
Education officials also didn’t heed red flags in the applications. Grantees promised to tutor on a “dailey bases” and teach “fluenty in speaking.” Another wrote that he’d pay himself $475 a month for a year to tutor children. When state officials e-mailed back that the grant lasted only six months, he replied that he’d pay himself $950 a month.
In some cases, the grantees provided instruction so unorthodox that it’s difficult to determine the educational value. The Al Malik Temple for Universal Truth spent its $20,000 grant to teach children how their birth date and name influence their destiny.
…
According to interviews with recipients, Hendon sponsored 44 of the 48 grants reviewed by the Tribune. He said he works hard in Springfield rounding up votes for Blagojevich and Senate Democrats. “I deserve more money,” he said. “I fall on all the swords down there.”
Of the 44 grants Hendon awarded, at least 21 went to people who campaigned for him or donated to his re-election efforts. Hendon said he wasn’t rewarding campaign workers; they just happened to apply.
Senator Hendon, allow me the honor of helping you out with a little Public Service 101. You do not “deserve” taxpayer money. You’re not entitled to it. It is not a prize to deliver to campaign workers. It is entrusted to you by your constituents and the hardworking taxpayers of Illinois to be used for legitimate, worthy, quality programs that benefit the people that pay your salary.
Learn this lesson: Transparency, and a competitive bidding process, is necessary in ALL instances where tax dollars are used.
This scandal is getting scant attention by the mainstream media but it appears that Chairman of the US Senate Budget Committee U.S. Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) got a sweetheart deal from the mortgage firm Countrywide. This scandal comes as a blow to Conrad who has always campaigned on his ethics and honesty. I guess Kent Conrad is just like every other Washington politician!
According to news reports Conrad, appears to have changed his story numerous times about his ties to the CEO of Countrywide and the kickbacks he received on his mortgage.
Fellow Democrats Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Chris Dodd (D-CT) are caught up in the same scandal.
North Dakota’s finest political blog, sayanythingblog, has been on top of this scandal since it broke. I encourage you to read each of these posts and become informed.
The Case for Kent Conrad’s Resignation
Conrad Doesn’t Even Beleive His Own Story About How He Got His Mortgage
Kent Conrad Friend of Angelo
Kent Conrad Changes His Story on the Mortgage Scandal AGAIN
Did Kent Conrad’s VIP Loan Violate Senate Ethics Rules?
Senators as Confused, Victimized Borrowers?
Kent Conrad’s Countrywide Mortgage Deceptions Making National News
More on Kent Conrad’s VIP Loan from Countrywide Mortgage CEO Angelo Mozilo
Kent Conrad Lies About Never having Met Angelo Mozilo
Kent Conrad Benefits from Unethical “Sweatheart” Loan Deal From Subprime Lender
The story has gotten some attention on Fox News. This clip is courtesy of sevenload.com
Link: sevenload.com
This just proves that you do not need to be from a big state to have politicians with ethical lapses in judgment.
OK Auditor: GUILTY
16 June, 2008
The corruption trial and political career of Auditor Jeff McMahan and his wife, Lori, came to a close Saturday with a guilty verdict on three of the eight felony counts. Each will likely to serve time for accepting cash, trips, jewelry, and campaign contributions from Steve Phipps (the Tony Rezko of Oklahoma) in exchange for favorable treatment for Phipps’ businesses from the Auditor’s office.
Amid threats of impeachment, McMahan stepped down from office today. Talks of replacement Auditors have been circulating widely throughout the state in the last few weeks, with Gary Jones, Republican Party chairman who lost to McMahan in 2002 and 2006, publicly promoting himself for the appointment.
The Oklahoman has the story:
State Republican Party Chairman Gary Jones, who lost to McMahan in statewide elections in 2002 and 2006, has been openly campaigning for the auditor job recently. Jones publicly questioned the financing of McMahan’s campaign during this past election cycle.
“I knew there were some things that had happened that had affected the outcome of the race,” Jones said this afternoon.
Jones said the jury’s verdict shows that McMahan stole the election. He said that puts Henry in a unique position “to fix a wrong” by appointing him as the next state auditor and inspector.
Jones had asked to speak with the governor about the possibility of replacing McMahan before the conviction and said Monday that he will renew his call to Henry to discuss the issue.
Sund didn’t rule out the possibility that Henry could appoint a Republican to the post.
“The bottom line is he’ll pick who is the best person for the job,” regardless of party, Sund said this morning.
However, the three statewide elected officials Henry has appointed in his time in office are all Democrats: Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland, State Treasurer Scott Meacham and Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth.
Another sad day for Oklahoma with more Phipps-fallout likely to come.
If corruption inspires YOU to get involved with your community’s transparency, please visit Sunshine Review to learn how you can help track your tax dollars and hold your officials accountable.
McMahan: FBI agents are liars- I did nothing wrong
13 June, 2008
There was more news from the trial of OK state Auditor Jeff McMahan in today’s Oklahoman. McMahan proclaimed his innocence when he took the stand in his own defense yesterday, claiming the FBI agents were not telling the truth.
And add a little thwarting of democracy to the rap sheet:
Much of the auditor’s two hours under cross-examination focused on the $77,600 Phipps admitted giving Jeff McMahan’s 2002 campaign through “straw donors” to avoid the $5,000 contribution limit.
Line by line, contributor by phony contributor, Guthrie went over Jeff McMahan’s 2002 campaign contribution reports, making him acknowledge all 46 contributions that Phipps made were illegal.
“You stole that election, didn’t you?” Guthrie asked.
“I didn’t think I was stealing anything at the time,” Jeff McMahan said.
He said he felt uncomfortable with many of the contributions he received that year, including a $5,000 donation from former state Sen. Gene Stipe, whom the auditor referred to as “a bad man.” He said he didn’t return the contribution because he was told his campaign needed the money.
Hey, McMahan, even if you close your eyes really tight and say “Sally Jesse Raphael” 40 times backwards, the Feds will still be at your doorstep if you take dirty money. Can someone PLEASE tell me why Oklahoman taxpayers are STILL paying this guy’s salary?
Defense claims OK Auditor unable to track household cash
11 June, 2008
The trial of OK Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan and his wife continues this week with Lori McMahan taking the stand. In her testimony, Mrs. McMahan claimed she took large sums of money, trips, and expensive jewelry from Steve Phipps without her husband’s knowledge. Steve Phipps had business interests regulated by McMahan’s State Auditor office.
The Oklahoman reports that Lori McMahan testified that Phipps gave her the following:
- $10,000 in cash late in 2002
- $5,000 on Oct 22, 2002
- cash for campaign signs
- trip to New Orleans with Mr. and Mrs. Phipps and another couple
- expensive jewelry on at least two occasions
- trip to New Orleans in October 2004
- at least $3,000 to attend the 2004 DNC Convention
- more than $100,000 in illegal contributions to the auditor’s 2002 campaign
I would understand if Jeff McMahan didn’t see an extra few hundred dollars slip into their household budget, or if he missed some of his wife’s new jewelry. However, how could he miss piles of cash plus two trips to New Orleans, plus a trip to the DNC convention, plus the new jewelry? He’s the state AUDITOR AND INSPECTOR. He should have used his business skills to take a cursory look at his own household budget and campaign account.
This case is a breathtaking example of why Oklahoma needs more transparency and needs term limits for statewide elected officials.
And remember: Jeff McMahan is STILL receiving a paycheck from honest, hardworking OK taxpayers.
The Oklahoman has more here.
Corruption and Voter Registration
8 June, 2008
There are few abuses that boil my blood more than improper or fraudulent voter registration. Signing citizens up to cast their inaugural ballot is a sacred privilege that too many groups do not respect. Not only are these cesspools of corruption bilking deserving candidates out of winning elections, but they are also defrauding all voters, and even all citizens, out of a free and fair election system.
Louisiana
The group “Voting Is Power” has a goal of signing up 70,000 new Democrat voters before November 2008.
The Times Picayune has the story:
While Voting Is Power has sent in batches of applications for months, registrars have begun to see a disturbing pattern of misinformation on the forms, including duplicates, cards filled out with different colors of ink, or using the names of pets or dead people. In Jefferson, DiMarco sensed something amiss when a new registration card recently crossed his desk.
The card, partially filled out, had his name and listed his office’s post office box on Citrus Boulevard as the address. It also listed him as a male, a Democrat and African-American.
“And I can tell you I’m only one of those,” said DiMarco, who is white and Republican…”
Kansas
Kansas Meadowlark rants about the ease voters in Kansas and Missouri have in duplicate voting. KS Gov. Sebelius recently vetoed a photo ID bill that would have addressed these concerns. Meadowlark also writes about this issue here and here.
California
Sec of State Debra Bowen prosecutes for voter reg fraud. Twelve people have been charged with the offense- nine have plead guilty.
Missouri
Eight ACORN reps plead guilty to voter registration fraud in St. Louis.
More on this topic to come…
OK Auditor corruption trial begins next week
1 June, 2008
What happens when the guy elected to monitor the ethics of others in state government is accused of shady business practices himself? Well, if you are Oklahoma’s State Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan, you have a corruption trial that begins Monday and face up to 8-10 years in prison.
The indictment alleges that McMahan and his wife took trips, cash, and gifts from Oklahoman businessman Steve Phipps in exchange for favorable treatment of Phipps’ businesses. The Oklahoman has the full back story.
Today’s Tulsa World includes this nugget:
A felony conviction also would result in McMahan’s automatic removal from office and an end to his $109,000 annual salary. He is still collecting his pay although he hasn’t worked at his office since his January indictment. (emphasis mine)
Ironically, the first words on McMahan’s website are “Protecting Your Tax Dollars.” I think pushing a corrupt politician off the taxpayer dime is the first step in this mission. The second would be for Mr. McMahan to repay taxpayers for all of his salary, convicted or not. As state Auditor and Inspector, the minimum requirement is to run an honest and independent shop. If he failed so profoundly at that simple requisite, taxpayers should reclaim the entire amount lost. Recovering that cash will certainly be a lot easier than recovering voters’ faith in public officials.
Red Oklahoma shares my outrage.
