There have been several reports of a Thursday morning FBI raid, at a camping trailer owned by the daughter of a former SW side politician. The trailer is located at Apple Canyon Lake in Jo Davies County. The special agents spent the entire day at the site. It is unknown if the raid is connected to other FBI activity related to the investigation of corruption.
Around Memorial Day there were rumors as to a simple and routine investigation going on. Those rumors have now evolved into stories and eye-witness accounts of FBI agents raiding offices and houses of those fondly referred to as "political operatives" all over the city and southwest suburbs. The FBI activity has been so intense during the past two weeks, that I would say if they haven't visited you by now, you're not really a political operative.
Armed with manners, good graces and search warrants, these agents have collected cell-phones, Apple watches, laptops, memory sticks, briefcases, etc. They move fast, grabbing the lightweight articles, leaving the bulky desk-tops behind. One gets the impression that they know exactly what
they are looking for, and of course they are getting it.
Who the object of this heightened scrutiny is must be left to the imagination, as I have been wrong before. I presume time will tell.
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| The FBI has just raided a house at 103d and S. California Ave. No idea who's house it is or why. Details to follow. Raid began at 7:30 P.M. UPDATE: Raid was at a house belonging to an associate of some politician.
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
The FBI executed a search warrant last month at the home of a former top political operative for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, according to a report.
It was unclear what federal agents were looking for or what they found in the raid on the Far South Side home of Kevin Quinn, according to the Chicago Tribune.
It also was not clear whether the feds’ investigation was related to any of Quinn’s work with Madigan’s political organization.
Quinn, whose older brother is Chicago Ald. Marty Quinn (13th), has not been charged with a crime.
Madigan fired Kevin Quinn in February 2018, the day before political consultant Alaina Hampton went public with accusations that Quinn stalked her with barrages of unwanted text messages and phone calls in pursuit of a romantic and sexual relationship.
At the time, Madigan called Hampton “a courageous woman” for bringing the allegations to his attention. The accusations rocked Madigan’s political organization in one of the most damaging #MeToo allegations to hit Illinois politics.
Since then, Hampton has filed a federal lawsuit against the powerful Illinois House speaker’s political committee and the state Democratic party, accusing Madigan of not doing enough to stop Quinn from harassing her.
Among many of his rebuttals laid out in a 14-page account of his “truth” about the allegations, Kevin Quinn said he believed he was actually fired because of a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge stemming from what he called a “nasty and bitter divorce” — not Hampton’s allegations.
Kevin Quinn’s brother, Marty Quinn, saw his share of the scandal when he was accused of playing a pivotal go-between role between his brother and Hampton. She accused Marty Quinn, her political mentor, of choosing to “protect Kevin instead of me,” giving her no choice but to leave Madigan’s political organization.
Meanwhile, in January, a 19-year-old DePaul University freshman trying to unseat Marty Quinn filed a federal civil rights lawsuit accusing him and Madigan of using fraud and intimidation to try to muscle the student off the ballot.
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Saturday, July 13, 2019
BUMPED UP.... another FBI Raid
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Raid is probably connected to another raid occurring last week at Beverly CC where the FBI went out onto the course and took a golfer's phone.
ReplyDeleteI’m betting on the wife who lived in the house.
DeleteThis whole thing is starting to shape up real nice. By the time these investigations are over, a lot of Chicago household names will either be forever shamed or imprisoned. Let's place bets on who the FBI gets to role over first??
DeleteOnly one problem with the whole scenario....when one political hack leaves another takes its place.…..
DeleteHow bout it. We should replace the current system with a dictatorship.
DeleteIts July 1. Did the FBI surge end at months end? Did they get what they came looking for?
DeleteI have no sympathy for anyone connected to Mike or Lisa Madigan.
ReplyDeleteMike controls our local politicians. Lisa did nothing about political corruption.
Uh oh CHONGO!!
ReplyDeleteHeard FBI pulled over a SW side political type on Central Ave this morning and took his phone. Not good. It's getting dangerous to carry a phone these days.
ReplyDeleteIt was at 47th and Central. They took his apple watch too.
DeleteWhy are they doing that?
DeleteThey are hot after somebody. Real hot after somebody big.
DeleteRaid was ald. O'shea ward superintendent house
ReplyDeleteNot a chance, 19th warders are up and up.
DeleteMatt O'Shea is the cleanest Ald. in the history of Chicago.
DeleteI agree Murphy. The neighborhood is lucky to have him. Tired of the empty heads, some of whom live in a neighboring suburb, sling mud on him for doing a damn good job. Some people are only happy being unhappy.
DeleteWe are lucky to have him, as are the 1st Responders in our neighborhood, and the families of all of the people whose benefits, wakes and funerals he attends.
People think it’s an easy job, but it’s not. Try going to the Jewel to pick up a few things and getting bombarded by Debbie Downers. You and I don’t have that problem. We get our things and go. Even when he’s not working, he really is.
Thank you Matt.
Rumors say it seems there has been a surge of FBI activity these past few weeks. I would say they have brought agents in from other parts of the country to deal with whatever the problem is.
ReplyDeleteMore reports about cell phone confiscations last night.
DeleteI heard the same. Got a Garbage guy’s phone late last night. They’re trying to hang the super. Guy was collecting more than garbage, if you know what I mean.
DeleteA byproduct of all this activity is probably the airing of guilt by those that have done wrong. Fearing that their misdeeds have been detected, they are retaining lawyers and setting up meetings with FBI agents, with the objective being "lets make a deal". I would bet this operation is turning into an incredible treasure trove of information for the FBI. If you think you may be the object of somebody spilling their guts, it may be best if you make a deal for yourself now.
ReplyDeleteIf you think your cell phone # could be in the phone of one of these operatives change your number now.
DeleteWho does this include? How far does the net go? Stick to politicians or is something else at play here?
DeleteBe careful.
Sounds like the "G" finally learned how when Madigan gets you the job you have to pay him 10% of you salary in tickets or else. Isn't that a kick back?
ReplyDeleteIt depends on what you mean by the word kick-back.
DeleteCould the "Almighty High Sheriff Dart" and his little brother be far behind??
ReplyDeleteOne could only hope.
Don't know anything about the little brother but the sheriff should be fine.
DeleteI agree to a point regarding Matt O'Shea. He has been very responsive to the residents here and has worked very hard to maintain good race relations among other thorny issues.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, it is not fair to malign people who are not happy with many things going on with the city and by extension, our own Ward. Democrats in the city and state have become less and less open to the honest complaints about how our city is run. Taxes keep getting higher while controversial issues like abortion, legalizing pot, expanding gambling sail right through into law. We are watched and photographed by video cameras and in our cars and basically the quality of life seems to have deteriorated.
That being said noone really knows who is being targeted behind the scenes by the FBI and so it is not fair to assume someone is the target without proof. Matt O'Shea especially deserves fair treatment by people unless there is actual news to the contrary. P.S. - I am NOT nor have I EVER been a government employee or even a member of a union. Just one of the majority of citizens in this Ward who do NOT work for government.
Matt is super straight.
DeleteBlago is talking, finally. He has exhausted all of his appeals and is now trying to make a deal.
DeleteMatt O'Shea doesn't have an army. He has a couple of hold overs from the Hynes machine but that's about it.
DeleteMatt not having an army is by design. Besides the Hynes machine was a rusting hulk by the time it was offered to Matt. Nothing but headaches and crybabies.
DeleteThe Blago family has been uncharacteristic quite during the past 6 months. Consider that these are people that run toward cameras. I have to believe they have decided to go with another strategy. Tell all in exchange for an early release.
DeleteTurns out Blago did have something golden. He knows where everything is buried. Certain people need to be scared.
Do any of the Hynes family even live in the neighborhood anymore? All north side now.
DeleteJerry is the one with the army, should he so choose to run again.
Matt is alright though.
Just remember; you don't want to be the last one on the bus. And never even think about lying to a Federal Agent. They already know the answer to every question they ask.
ReplyDeleteBLAGO TALKING THAT MAKES SENSE
ReplyDeleteStatute of limitations.
DeleteBurke is going to be the one to raze the roof, so to speak. He ain’t going to go down.
A lot of diarrhea in the city right now......
ReplyDeleteDont be the last person on the bus.
DeleteMadigan maybe enjoying retirement from a federal prison he can run for the Warden's council!
ReplyDeleteJust like Babe!
DeleteSpeak Blago Speak
ReplyDeleteIndictments by year end.
ReplyDeleteIndictments will begin rolling in before year end. I would say in September. A few every month. This is going to go on for over a year and will make Graylord look like a walk in the park. Illinois is finally going to be cleaned up.
DeleteI hear all the experienced criminal lawyers have already been retained. Have to get one on the east coast now.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of lawyers
DeleteOr, move far far away.
ReplyDeleteGet urself a passport pronto and move far far away.
ReplyDeleteFederal agents have raided the home of a second ally of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, this time former Southwest Side Ald. Michael R. Zalewski, according to a published report.
ReplyDeleteThomas Breen, an attorney for Zalewski, told the Better Government Association and WBEZ-FM 91.5 that a search warrant was carried out in May.
“Despite the government’s interest in getting documents, we are confident there was nothing wrong in any of (Zalewski’s) conduct,” Breen told the news outlets.
Put those eavesdropped recorded Burke phone conversations on an album on iTunes and offer it to the citizens of Chicago and give the proceeds to offset the pension debt. I'd buy it and be entertained for hours and hours.
ReplyDeleteFormer Ald. Michael Zalewski (23rd) has hired one of the city’s leading criminal defense law firms, the first confirmation he is caught up in the sweeping federal investigation of the City Council.
ReplyDeleteNewly-disclosed campaign finance reports show Zalewski paid $25,000 in May to Breen & Pugh, whose name partners Thomas Breen and Todd Pugh are considered among the city’s go-to lawyers for politicos in trouble.
Some of their recent clients have included former Donald Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos, sentenced to 14 days in prison for lying to the FBI in the Russia investigation; former Mayor Richard M. Daley nephew R.J. Vanecko, sentenced to 60 days in jail for the death of David Koschman; Chicago police officer Joseph Walsh, acquitted of conspiring to falsify reports in the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald; and Cook County Judge Joseph Claps, acquitted of bringing a gun into the courthouse.
Breen declined comment and Zalewski could not be reached. The former alderman has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
Zalewski resigned his aldermanic seat in May 2018, in partial recognition of the overwhelming Hispanic majority in the 23rd Ward that would have made re-election difficult. He was replaced by state Rep. Silvana Tabares, an ally of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Zalewski served 23 years as alderman. At the time he quit, Zalewski was chairman of the Aviation Committee, one of the more influential positions on the City Council because of its involvement with contracts at the airports.
Zalewski drew the money used to pay his lawyers from his two campaign committees, taking $12,500 each from Friends of Mike Zalewski and the 23rd Ward Democratic Organization.
While it’s not known why Zalewski is under investigation, public records show he has had recent tax troubles with the Internal Revenue Service.
Since last fall, the IRS has slapped two liens on Zalewski and his wife.
On Oct. 12, 2018, the Zalewskis were hit with a lien for $85,864 for unpaid income taxes in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
On March 15, 2019, the Zalewskis got a second IRS lien for $99,770 for unpaid income taxes in 2016 and 2017.
While a member of the City Council, Zalewski moonlighted on the side as a lobbyist, listing himself as president of Z Consulting Group.
Z Consulting Group has been registered to lobby state government since at least 2001, often working as a subcontractor to other Springfield lobbying firms.
In 2019 Zalewski was registered to lobby on behalf of the Village of Schiller Park, Wight & Co., Animal Welfare Institute, Comcast Cable Communications Management, Home Run Inn, PACE and the Village of Bridgeview.
Zalewski has also worked for Manning Consulting Group, one of several lobbyists who have been retained by ComEd over the years.
The utility has also been served with a subpoena by a federal grand jury seeking records on the company’s lobbyists. ComEd maintains a large stable of lobbyists, many with close ties to Madigan, including Michael Kasper, an attorney for the Illinois Democratic Party.
ReplyDeleteComEd confirmed the subpoenas:
“Exelon and ComEd have received a grand jury subpoena from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Illinois requiring production of information concerning its lobbying activities in the State of Illinois. Exelon and ComEd have pledged to cooperate fully and are cooperating fully with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in expeditiously providing the requested information.”
On a related front, indicted Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) disclosed this week that he paid $35,000 in campaign funds to his longtime political operative and co-defendant Peter J. Andrews.
The April 1 payments, labeled simply as “consulting,” came two months before Andrews was named in a federal indictment accusing him of helping Burke shake down two businessmen trying to renovate a Burger King in the 14th Ward.
Records show Burke had never previously paid Andrews more than $10,000 a year from his campaign funds — and only paid him $5,000 a year since 2014.
But Burke also was just coming off one of the toughest re-election campaigns in his 50-year career, and Andrews runs his ward organization.
Just last month, federal investigators raided the ward office of another City Council veteran, Ald. Carrie Austin (34th). It was subsequently revealed a federal grand jury was seeking, among other things, information about the construction and financial arrangements involving Austin’s home.
As part of their City Hall probes, federal agents are known to have conducted extensive telephone wiretaps of both Burke and Ald. Danny Solis (25th). Solis later cooperated with authorities and made undercover recordings of Burke.
Who is making this move on Madigan?? takes a lot of clout to orchestrate the FBI to make a move.
ReplyDelete