Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Federal Scandal?

Some would say this was a long time coming:
  • off topic but interesting. Look for some federal activity to start up again...Not among the police department but at the FEDERAL BUILDING!

    I hear that a few clerks at the federal court building are about to bet indicted for taking money to assign certain cases to certain judges. The reason this effects us is because it was being done by several lawyers involved in civil cases, some of those cases which involved the city and police department getting sued. I would imagine that the lawyers would have to get indicted too right.. and if the lawyers are trying to get certain cases to a certain judge does this mean that the judge has knowledge of it and is just as liable?? Even though they are jury trials the judges have plenty of influence over these cases by granting or denying motions that make or break the case and demanding in some cases that a settlement be reached and for it to not go to trial.

    I would call this a rumor but according to the guy I talked to he/she is very in the know at the federal building and very buddy buddy with the federal prosecutors.... sit back and watch, it could get interesting...
Interesting doesn't even begin to describe what this could be.

Labels: ,

64 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

It wouldn't just be interesting; the whole city would breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Kind of like how clean the air feels after a thunderstorm.

I'm looking forward to it.

5/17/2011 12:13:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Like people have been saying for years, this whole f-ed up system is controlled by the judges and lawyers. They all know each other.

Any chance that some of these judges wanted 'certain' cases so that 'certain' lawyers could throw them some cash for shifting the case in their favor?

5/17/2011 12:13:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm buying a super sized tub of popcorn for this one.

5/17/2011 12:13:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hope one of them is Judge Lefkow

5/17/2011 12:55:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Really, an atf agent told you this? Yeah, ok.... A case of this magnitude would never get leaked out or told to anyone. Most federal prosecutors wont even tell a spouse about ongoing investigations. The feds are very good at keeping investigations quiet, they dont just go around telling atf agents about what going on in the federal building that could involve high ranking people.... gonna say this one is not true.

5/17/2011 12:58:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would be very surprised if this goes anywhere. The Fed investigating itself?

5/17/2011 01:05:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

nah, not true. Im sure it does happen but im gonna say that no such investigation exists. The feds dont operate that way.

5/17/2011 01:07:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

sounds too good to be true

5/17/2011 01:14:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Believe it when you see it. . . . remember the two-tier disciplinary system.

5/17/2011 01:35:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

sounds a bit far fetched to me.. but who knows in this day and age.

5/17/2011 01:48:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can't say the Feds don't investigate themselves....remember Holder found problems in a federal trial of an Alaska official that had been convicted; the conviction was overturned.

5/17/2011 05:48:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

For the record, that's exactly how the old "rotten system" used to work in the Capone era and why they always made sure the court clerk was in the bag.

You only need one or two rotten judges on the bench to ensure you get off when you need to, but you must have a clerk that ensures your case gets assigned right when it comes up.

I'd bet on this being BS, but it has historical precedence. It would imply a conspiracy of corruption that went up the chain, to judges.

5/17/2011 06:22:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This might nab a few low level clerks.

The judges, the Gray Lords of course knew nothing about all this.

Maybe if will show how J-Fed, J-Fled, J-Fraud J-Fucked over Bill Cozzi.

Hey Rahm, Gsry, are you listening, get him an Obama pardon NOW. It will go a long way to rebuild this department.

5/17/2011 06:33:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is amazing the way certain cases against the city and law enforcement usually get assigned to judges who are known to be anti police. It would not surprise me at all that the assignments are fixed. What is harder to believe though, is that the feds would investigate themselves.

5/17/2011 07:24:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Any cop who has been sued in federal court knows damn well that there are specific judges who will do anything possible, including "giving" money to defendants because they felt that their lawyers deserve something for their efforts. Note this is after the jury decided that the defendant deserved nothing.

5/17/2011 07:52:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm in agreement with the Lefkow comment!

5/17/2011 08:18:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Traffic court should be next

5/17/2011 08:27:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hope one of them is Pallmeyer.

5/17/2011 08:39:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is true but it will be covered up.

5/17/2011 08:48:00 AM  
Blogger Michael said...

if it is true hopefully the loevy brothers, flint , or terry ekl is involved.....

5/17/2011 08:52:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

OT: And you only got 2%

- Illinois Statehouse News - http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com -

Lawmakers hush-hush about a pay raise

By Mary J. Cristobal, Illinois Statehouse News

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois lawmakers usually say it loud and proud when they cut their own pay to save the state some money, but they are much quieter about raising their salaries.


A state Senate panel on Monday passed a plan requiring General Assembly members to take 12 furlough days for fiscal year 2012, which starts in July.

However, the same proposal, SB260 [1], includes the “additional amounts per year” for other lawmakers — committee chairmen and committee minority spokesmen and spokeswomen.

The lump-sum appropriations in the proposal would increase pay for Senate committee chiefs by 14 percent. House committee bosses would see a 47-percent jump in pay. These increases are on top of the base $67,836 annual salaries that all lawmakers earn. Committee and leadership posts bring extra pay.

In other words, more taxpayers’ money would be funneled into extra pay for select lawmakers, said state Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon [2].

“So there’s some games being played here,” [3] said Righter, a member of the Senate Executive Committee. “And sometimes that’s the way things happen — like this — is because (Democrats) want to do it before anyone really sees it.”

However State Sen. Dan Kotowski [4], D-Park Ridge, who sponsored the measure, said this move would restore the public’s good faith and trust to the government.

“We’re basically changing the existing law, to require legislators to work 12 days without getting paid,” [5] he [4] said. “That’s very, very, important, and that’s going to lead to reduction in salaries across the board this year and a total of saving $1.2 million for taxpayers.”

Lawmakers do want the public to notice when they cut their own pay, Righter and Kotowski said.

“But not this, the increasing the stipend (proposal), because it kind of makes it look like, ‘OK you’re taking it out of your pocket over here, but you’re going to shove your other pocket full,’” Righter said. “That’s what it looks like, like the outset that they’re trying to do here.” [6]

Lilia Hodges, 58, of Chicago, was at the Capitol on Monday to support Progress Center for Independent Living, a nonprofit advocacy organization.

“I feel ashamed, and I feel mortified that our legislators would increase the lining of their pockets when we, who are on Social Security disability, have not had a cost-of-living increase in over two years,” said Hodges, an Army veteran who served until 1984.

Eric Guidish, 41, said lawmakers deserve a pay raise, but now is not the right time.

“I understand lawmakers work hard, … but I don’t know if I can bear a pay raise (for lawmakers,)” the Springfield man said. “Here we are asking not to be cut and to be able to continue to live in our communities and live with our family and loved ones. On the other hand, we hear they are required to receive pay raises when a lot of agencies are losing funding and closing.”


The government needs to live within its means, Kotowski said.

"The fact is, we have very limited resources available, and we have to make necessary cuts and sacrifices," he said. "The General Assembly needs to lead, and that’s what we’re doing — we’re leading and we’re making necessary sacrifices that we have to.”

The measure is on its way to the Senate for a full vote.

5/17/2011 08:54:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If there is a God, let Lovey, I'll do anything for money Scum, be involved and get their just reward...

5/17/2011 08:58:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sorry, but the Skeptism Meter pegged on this one. Even if true, this would be a massive scandal, rocking the Federal judiciary. It will sink beneath the waves

5/17/2011 09:01:00 AM  
Blogger pathickey said...

G ( 'Get Me Gettleman!) Flint Taylor. n'cest pas?

5/17/2011 09:07:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Gonna call this one b-s. But it does happen everyday at skokie. There will be no investigation because in order to take down the lawyers they would have to go after the judges and no prosecutor is going to do that

5/17/2011 09:21:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybe the Feds can finally get Daley. Paper reports he took his desk and put it in storage. (sounds like theft of city property). Doesn't sound ethical either as receiving a gift! I'm sure it's worth more than I make in a year. Nice move by a mayor that cried broke all the time.

5/17/2011 09:22:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Not saying this is true or false, but don't kid yourselves about the feds being tight lipped about things, alcohol has the same effect on them as it did Elaine Benis in Seinfeld, its a tell all.

5/17/2011 09:30:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This has been rumored for years.
If you notice, most of the slime ball lawyers seem to get the high money cases assigned to judges thay like ( and probably drink with too )
So the taxpayers take it in the shorts again, and again...

5/17/2011 09:31:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would love to see (while laughing my ass off) Jon Loewy doing a perp walk.

But, the other posters are correct. If true, it will be kept under wraps until all the t's are crossed and i's dotted. That's just the way the Feds are.

5/17/2011 09:53:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've been working in this system for years. And I've always had a vague nagging feeling that it wasn't entirely random.

5/17/2011 09:57:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm calling b.s. federal judges answer to no one.

5/17/2011 10:00:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Obama administration would never let this go to trial. Trial lawyers have always been big political donors to the Democratic Party. More than likely the offenders would be Democratic judges and as most of us would believe due to our life experinces and the Blagovich investigation being stopped when certain political figures were being caught on wiretaps.

5/17/2011 10:04:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The times Ive caught professional burglary crews they pleaded guilty to attempt burglary or trespass and we never had a trial and all they got was probation, I ran into a burglar I arrested and asked him I was surprised he was out and he sad his lawyer made a pay off 23 big ones.

5/17/2011 10:20:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I call bullshit on this one. I'm not saying something like this couldn't happen, but the idea that the news would leak out strains credulity.

My cousin's wife's brother's sister in laws brother in law heard from the janitor that ..........

5/17/2011 10:46:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This one doesn't pass the sniff test.

5/17/2011 11:33:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i call bullshit

5/17/2011 11:47:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A La EX judge
Marty Hogan 1121 s state
silvel shovel ? or was it Graylord?

of course after he went away there were no more auto thefts in the city of chicago.

5/17/2011 12:05:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Define: a fed lying to a fed:

a wiese-l

gotta run

5/17/2011 12:06:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice that the federal prosecutors have such big mouths to discuss upcoming court cases and indictments

5/17/2011 01:02:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

gonna say this one is a rumor. Seems pretty unlikely to me. Highly doubt anyone told you anything of the such... the feds dont have loose lips about this kind of stuff...especially when its going on in their house

5/17/2011 01:03:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It sounds like an old 1930s move by the mobsters but i really dont think the feds have any investigation going. Maybe it happens, maybe it doesnt but this one is false.

5/17/2011 03:43:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yep, I smell something too with this story... yep, smells like bulls*it! Sorry scc, I think your gettin your chain yanked on this one.

5/17/2011 03:46:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Really, an atf agent told you this? Yeah, ok
--------
Who said it was an ATF agent?

5/17/2011 06:53:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

12:13 A.M. :Got to agree .Lady loses her family, its tragic, But as a Judge ,fugtaboutit.

5/17/2011 06:57:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I believe it, remember the kinkiest of judges were all once lawyers and that proves it is possible. I rest my case.

5/17/2011 09:41:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Rumor out of the Exempt meeting today: McCarthy ordered an immediate 50% reduction of overtime in Narcotics, Gangs, Intelligence, etc. Most of the Homan "spots" are about to lose a big chunk of change. Sounds like there could be quite a few headed back to the Districts from out of that building too, part of his vow to fully staff Patrol. Too soon for this transfer order but allegedly the June order will cause some tears.

No mention at all of TRU or MSF yet, only the OCD spots are on the first round chopping block.

5/17/2011 09:49:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Any cop who has been sued in federal court knows damn well that there are specific judges who will do anything possible, including "giving" money to defendants because they felt that their lawyers deserve something for their efforts. Note this is after the jury decided that the defendant deserved nothing.

5/17/2011 07:52:00 AM

That was exactly what happened in mine. I laughed when I read it.

This would be too good to be true, but boy it is right on.

5/17/2011 09:56:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Off subject...

Subject: Please forward to everybody - post everywhere - asap!!!



Legislative Alert!!!



Dear Members -



We are days away from a possible vote on pension legislation that would drastically reduce the pension benefits of most public employees and significantly increase the employee contributions of others. Although we have been successful in keeping our members out of the bill so far, we are confident there will be similar legislation introduced for police officers if they are successful with this effort. Again, Article 3 (Downstate Police Pension) and Article 7 (IMRF) are not included in the most recent draft of this legislation, despite attempts by some to include us. Newly seated Mayor Emanuel is also lobbying to include the City of Chicago pension funds.

Senate Bill 512 is scheduled for a hearing in the House Personnel and Pensions Committee on Wednesday, May 18 at 2 p.m. The bill hasn't been amended yet, so the specific language is not available at this time. If it passes out of committee it could be voted on by the full House as early as Thursday.

If this legislation passes it will likely offer state employees three choices for participation in the plans going forward (all benefits earned to date would be unaffected):

Option 1: Stay in the current tier 1 plan but pay significantly higher contribution, or

Option 2: Go into a tier 2 plan for new hires that puts retirement age at 67, lowers benefits and decimates annual Cost Of Living Adjustments (COLA), or

Option 3: Go into a 401k defined contribution plan that freezes current pension credits and relies on the volatile stock market.

It is imperative that you personally contact the legislators in your district as soon as possible. We need every member to participate and to encourage their friends and family to contact lawmakers as well. Please call 888-412-6570 to be immediately connected to your lawmakers by phone.

When you call your legislator please tell them:

“Please vote NO on SB 512 or any legislation that reduces benefits or increases contributions for public employees in Illinois”

5/17/2011 09:59:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

OT but I thought it was funny the only place this was printed was the New York Times.
I thought this reporter worked for the Trib.

"The Chicago Way

Figure in 2006 City Hall Patronage Case Has a New Career Lobbying City Hall"

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/us/15cncway.html

5/17/2011 10:05:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

(OT) The newly elected are really thinking they are dictators even susie mendoza! Susie told her staff "If you ever tell me no we cannot do it YOUR FIRED!" Who does this idiot think she is? Susie you fired some and brought in your team of no nothing young children to run the office! Hope Rahm dumps this office and turns it over to revenue! No city sticker applications mailed out? No city stickers in the clerks office from printer? Girl your not going to far!! And you want a police detail? Who you trying to buffalo?

5/17/2011 10:27:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It would come as no surprise if Loevy and a certain fed judge, who has been a Loevy cheerleader and made some f'd up rulings in Loevy's favor, were joined by matchmakers

5/17/2011 10:43:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This a tough one to call. All of the cases filed in federal court by attorneys are done so electronically. The attorney fills out a civil cover sheet and selects the applicable federal statute. Usually box 440 for "Other personal injury" for cases involving police officers. The cover sheet and complaint are uploaded to the federal court system and a judge and magistrate judge are immediately assigned to the case. I have no idea how "random" the assignments are. Some judges seem to get more cases alleging police brutality than others.But then some judges get more ERISA cases than others. Who knows. The only scandal in recent memory involving a federal court clerk was in bankruptcy court some years ago. Something about a clerk allegedly claiming to be able to obtain a favorable outcome for monetary consideration. The case made the news for a day or two then disappeared from the radar. For the record, I am not a lawyer nor am I cop.

5/17/2011 11:05:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, I retired and wanted to keep my watch secretary's desk, just like Daley kept his desk which was PAID FOR BY THE TAX PAYERS. Can I still do that? I liked that desk.

Does that desk that Daley took belong to the city?

5/17/2011 11:22:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It took a really regular Area wun sgt to get me thru this, I can't beleive he showed up, thanks to the guys in Homicide and thanks to JD for talking me though the problem

5/17/2011 11:42:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I heard about you hearing about this.

5/18/2011 04:59:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The times Ive caught professional burglary crews they pleaded guilty to attempt burglary or trespass and we never had a trial and all they got was probation, I ran into a burglar I arrested and asked him I was surprised he was out and he sad his lawyer made a pay off 23 big ones.

5/17/2011 10:20:00 AM

True dat. They will tell you what's what.

5/18/2011 07:05:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It would come as no surprise if Loevy and a certain fed judge, who has been a Loevy cheerleader and made some f'd up rulings in Loevy's favor, were joined by matchmakers

dont forget, jon loevy worked as a clerk for judge holderman in federal court when jon was just getting started... yeah, its all legit.

5/18/2011 11:52:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This does not surprise me in the least.

There is an under side of Chicago Law, Lawyers and Judges that is rotten, going all the way back to Al Capone's Chicago lawyer, Sidney Korshack who in later years was to the Chicago mob with respect to "Justice" as to what Myer Lansky was to the mob with respect to "Finance".

Anybody who thinks certian cases find there way to certian judges randomly probably does not believe there is organized crime in America.

Sure, it was just a roll of the dice when Eddie Vrdolyak went before Judge Milton Shadur. And that Probation sentence? Nothing to see there. Move along.

First hand, I recall taking the old Chicago & Northwestern to Waukegan to visit a childhood buddy. Sitting in front of me were two lawyers taking the train home at the end of the day. I over heard them taking about each of them throwing the acid in with their client against the other's client and then settling the case before it goes to trial. They both got off the train in Winnetka, IL

Many know the Shakespeare quote regarding the law and lawyers.

Lawyers are fond of saying people say such things until you need a lawyer. Yeah, I say if there weren't lawyers you wouldn't need one.

It's been reported there is one lawyer for every 265 Americans.

Think about that and how they put bread on the table.

Buck Naked
(not a cop)

5/18/2011 01:09:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ALL federal court cases are filed electronically through the court's ECF system; so, this prevents sticky fingers from getting involved.

5/18/2011 02:42:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"A case of this magnitude would never get leaked out or told to anyone."

What do you do for a living ? Let me guess, your an accountant. The formula for potential leaks is
N(N-1) where N is the number of people who know about the investigation and may talk to another person who knows about the investigation, so add up the witnesses, the targets, their attorneys, their staffs, the investigators and all support personnel, throw in a few people who getting slept with and spouses, and a number of friends, so let's just say N is 400
400*399=159400 possible leaks, ok now go back to your spreadsheets.

5/18/2011 04:39:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Traffic court should be next"

To young to remember a little thing called greylord huh ?

5/18/2011 04:40:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Does that desk that Daley took belong to the city"

He bought the desk; good rithings to Little Richie Shortshanks.

5/18/2011 04:45:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If the leak is true Fitz will have a fit. Then all the ATF will have to answer. There was a similar leak at 219 South about 8 years ago and all it did was burn the loyal workers who gossiped about it. Note to G (again) if it's an inside investigation you should use clerks from another city to handle the paper work and transcriptions to avoid HURTING your own people! But why look out for the little people when you can make your careers off of them.

5/18/2011 07:35:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here is a similar case in the news:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704681904576319163605918524.html

5/19/2011 08:06:00 PM  

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