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Hoops
Citizen
Username: Hoops
Post Number: 1516
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 7:25 pm: | 
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From the Center for American Progress
CORRUPTION
Hastert's Corruption Junction
Your hard-earned tax dollars may be funding pork-barrel projects that personally enrich House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL). In August 2002, Hastert and his wife purchased 195 acres of isolated farmland -- much of it with no access to roads -- located in his home district (IL-14). A year and a half later, with the help of two partners, he purchased another 70 adjacent acres. At the same time, Hastert aggressively pushed for federal funding to build the " Prairie Parkway " through the district. (The Chicago Sun-Times described it as Hastert's "pet project.") In August 2005, Hastert succeeded. President Bush signed a transportation bill that included $207 million for the " Prairie Parkway ." Thanks to the parkway, Hastert's isolated parcels would soon have access to major cities. Just four months later, Hastert sold a portion of the land to a real-estate developer, earning a profit of at least $1.5 million.
HASTERT CLAIMS PARKWAY DID NOT IMPACT PROPERTY VALUE: Hastert's spokesman, Ron Bonjean, claimed, "None of the properties purchased by the speaker are near enough to the Prairie Parkway to be affected by the proposed highway." (This explanation was later echoed by Hastert himself.) There are a couple of major holes in this defense. First, the parkway is only about three miles from Hastert's property, an ideal distance to benefit land value. If land is too close to the parkway, noise pollution will depress property values. Second, Hastert has "talked about the expressway's economic development potential since he took federal office in the 1980s."
HASTERT IN A BOX: Bill Allison of the Sunlight Foundation, who first uncovered Hastert's questionable real estate transactions, asks an essential question: If being three miles away "means a prospective homeowner and commuter will reap no benefit whatsoever from the parkway, why are taxpayers spending $207 million to build it?" In other words, either Hastert personally profited from the $207 million in federal funds or he pushed an costly pork-barrel project with negligible economic benefits.
HASTERT HID THE SALE : Hastert's financial disclosure forms made it very difficult for the public to learn about his questionable real estate transactions. His 2004 financial disclosure form, for example, said he purchased "1/4 share of land ( Plano , Ill. )." But if one went to search the land transactions in Illinois , that purchase wasn't listed under Hastert's name. Rather, the purchase was made by Little Rock Trust #225. Hastert's financial disclosure form "makes no mention of the trust." As a result, it was very difficult for anyone to figure out what land Hastert purchased and where it was located. This appears to violate financial disclosure rules in the House ethics manual, which require "disclosure of real property should include a description sufficient to permit its identification (e.g., street address or plat and map location)." It took some incredible sleuthing by the Sunlight Foundation to uncover the truth.
HASTERT DOUBLES DOWN: $1.5 million in profit is just the beginning. According to the Chicago Tribune, the Speaker is "in prime position to reap further benefits as the exurban region west of Chicago continues its prairie-fire growth boosted by a Hastert-backed federally funded proposed highway." Instead of cash, Hastert accepted more land, including "a one-third interest in a 126-acre property on Miller Road , just south of the...planned development," in exchange for the property he sold to a developer. Hastert also still owns 125 acres from his initial purchase.
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Foj
Citizen
Username: Foger
Post Number: 1534
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 9:37 pm: |
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By Mike Dorning and Andrew Zajac
Washington Bureau
June 15, 2006
WASHINGTON -- Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert and two partners turned a profit of more than $3 million on property they accumulated and sold in just over three years near the route of a proposed controversial freeway on the western fringe of suburban Chicago, according to land records and financial disclosure reports released Wednesday.
Hastert spokesman Ron Bonjean rejected the notion that the land, located 5 1/2 miles from the proposed Prairie Parkway route, rose in value because of the highway project. The speaker long has been an aggressive proponent of the highway and helped secure more than $200 million in federal funding through an earmark in federal transportation legislation.
The property near Plano, Ill., was sold three months after the transportation bill was signed into law. It was purchased by a real estate developer who is planning to build more than 1,500 homes on the land.
Kendall County, where the land is located, has one of the fastest-growing housing markets in the nation, and there has been a corollary rapid rise in land values.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-ap-il-hastert-landdeals,1,3857840.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true
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Speaker Hastert defends profits from land deals
By DENNIS CONRAD
Associated Press Writer
Published June 15, 2006, 4:28 PM CDT
WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Dennis Hastert denied Thursday that he pushed for federal funding for a proposed highway in northeastern Illinois so he and his wife could reap about $1.8 million from land deals near their home in Kendall County.
The Sunlight Foundation, a newly created group whose declared aim is to inform the public about what members of Congress do, has accused Hastert of not divulging connections between the $207 million earmark he won for the highway and an investment he and his wife made in nearby land. <snip>
Among Evans' criticisms was that the property Hastert purchased is adjacent to Hastert's home and is more than 5.5 miles from the Prairie Parkway corridor. <snip>
About 70 acres of that land was hemmed in by other landowners, so Hastert bought additional acreage with Klatt and Ingemunson to give his farm frontage road access, Bonjean said.
<snip>
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0606150161jun15,1,867796.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true
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http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0620-20.htm
Published on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 by TruthDig
Without DeLay, Has the GOP Lost its Moral Compass?
by Molly Ivins
Gee, the Republicans seem to have lost their moral compass since Tom DeLay quit. Who knew it could get worse without that pillar of rectitude from Texas? What a snakes’ nest of corruption and nastiness.
The latest involves Speaker Denny Hastert and a land deal.
Hastert had sold to a developer a 69-acre portion of a 195-acre farm that had been purchased in his wife’s name. The developer also purchased an adjacent plot of roughly equal size owned in trust by Hastert and two of his “longtime supporters.” The area west of Chicago is growing madly, and Hastert—through an earmark appropriation process—dedicated $207 million in taxpayer dollars as the first appropriation on the Prairie Parkway, which will run 5.5 miles from the Hastert land. Went through in the fall of 2005. Three months later, Hastert and his partners sold the land for a $3-million total profit, $1.8 million to Hastert.
In a staggering display of brass-faced gall, Hastert is now claiming a freeway running 5.5 miles from his land is not close enough to affect the price of the farm. Then what did the developer pay the extra $3 million for? Hastert is said to be furious with the Sunlight Foundation, which broke the story, and the Chicago newspapers, which pounced on it gleefully. This is what I don’t get about Republicans. Apparently they think they are genuinely entitled to get these special deals.
Also making news is California Rep. Jerry Lewis, who is in deep with a lobbying firm that is El Stinko. This wouldn’t matter so much if Lewis were just another congressman, but he is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, the one that hands out the money. Lewis’ family and friends have profited nicely from contractors and lobbyists who court his favor. Such cozy arrangements.
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Southerner
Citizen
Username: Southerner
Post Number: 1154
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 10:38 pm: |
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Democratic desperation at it's best. And I love it! |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 5138
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 12:12 am: |
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spin, spin, spin.
This was the kind of thing, if the name were "Clinton" instead of "Hastert," would give you all aneurisms. Come to think of it, a lot of you are still convinced there's something still undiscovered about Whitewater. Surely you must think that this too deserves seven years of investigation, no? |
Ily
Citizen
Username: Ily
Post Number: 248
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 5:52 am: |
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Republican Corruption? I think there's ample evidence that this is a truly bipartisan issue. I heard last week that William Jefferson, the guy with $90K in bribes in his freezer, is really a victim of racism! I was happy and surprised to learn Nancy Pelosi had him kicked off the ways and means.
Anyway, this fight between Democrats and Republicans over corruption is one where both sides should lose.
Isn't Hastert the guy that argued, regarding William Jefferson's office search, that the Constitution exempts a congressman's office from searches so they can be free to commit felonies? Kind of like the bat cave or fortress of solitude.
I'm always suspicious of what "Centers" and "Bureaus" say, but Hastert is a disgrace based simply on the words coming out of his mouth.
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notehead
Supporter
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 3470
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 9:39 am: |
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As Ivins pointed out, the biggest difference between the Dem and GOP corruption (aside from a massive difference in scale) is that the Dem caucus made Jefferson step down, while the GOP guys who seem to have taken public office strictly for the purpose of personal gain are defended by their colleagues and kept in the game. |
S.L.K. 2.0
Citizen
Username: Scrotisloknows
Post Number: 1743
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 12:29 pm: |
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if you say so notey, if you say so.... |
notehead
Supporter
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 3474
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 1:57 pm: |
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Tell me, who isn't saying so who can back their claim up? |
Southerner
Citizen
Username: Southerner
Post Number: 1159
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 5:17 pm: |
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I love this. And they are running as the corrupt free party while Dean is canvassing the country with door knob letters. Is this amateur hour? |
S.L.K. 2.0
Citizen
Username: Scrotisloknows
Post Number: 1752
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 5:26 pm: |
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Republicans are the only corrupt ones in American politics....
And hiding 100k in your home freezer is what?
-SLK |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 3412
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 10:00 am: |
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SLK,
There is a perception, rightly or wrongly, that the Republicans are bringing corruption to a new level. Rather than one offs like Jefferson, many people feel it is systemic in this group of Republicans. Jefferson's corruption is not tied to a host of other Democrats. Whereas with the Republicans, it's more like a thread unraveling a piece of clothing. Even if there are as many corrupt Dems these days at the federal level (which I personally doubt, but lets assume), there does not seem to be the same "connectedness" on the side of the Dems.
There seems to be an attitude that if one side is corrupt, it's ok for the other side to be, as long as it's not "as bad." That's ridiculous. We should hold our own representatives (and by our own, I mean those we specifically voted for) to a HIGHER standard than the opposition party. Republicans should be all over Duke, Delay, and the rest. Similarly, the Democrats should be running Jefferson out of town, and apologizing to his consituents for allowing it to happen.
But it's always easier to point the finger at the other side and say either "You guys are doing it worse than us" or "yeah, we may be corrupt, but you guys are too."
Most of us would not willingly accept stolen merchandise. But we're more than happy to accept stolen (or bought) votes, as long as they coincide with our way of thinking.
BTW SLK, it was only $90k  |
Ily
Citizen
Username: Ily
Post Number: 249
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 2:13 pm: |
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More inconvenient truths for democrats who think corruption is a republican problem. I'm not saying republicans are saints, I'm saying congress is a den of thieves. All this "but republican corruption is worse" stuff is silly. They've all got to go regardless of party.
The real Jack Murtha
Published June 21, 2006
The Washington Times
Rep. John Murtha is thinking big thoughts. Since coming out for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq last year, he has accused Marines of murder "in cold blood" before a preliminary investigation is even complete; accused the military of a cover up over the same incident; declared his candidacy for the House majority leadership post; and, most recently, refined his cut-and-run strategy in Iraq to mean "redeployment" to Okinawa, Japan.
That's quite a splash for such a veteran congressman, who a year ago had zero name recognition outside Washington. That he's made a name for himself now by slandering our troops and their mission deserves a brief recital of some other activities associated with Mr. Murtha.
Last June, the Los Angeles Times reported how the ranking member on the defense appropriations subcommittee has a brother, Robert Murtha, whose lobbying firm represents 10 companies that received more than $20 million from last year's defense spending bill. "Clients of the lobbying firm KSA Consulting -- whose top officials also include former congressional aide Carmen V. Scialabba, who worked for Rep. Murtha as a congressional aide for 27 years -- received a total of $20.8 million from the bill," the L.A. Times reported.
In early 2004, according to Roll Call, Mr. Murtha "reportedly leaned on U.S. Navy officials to sign a contract to transfer the Hunters Point Shipyard to the city of San Francisco." Laurence Pelosi, nephew of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, at the time was an executive of the company which owned the rights to the land. The same article also reported how Mr. Murtha has been behind millions of dollars worth of earmarks in defense appropriations bills that went to companies owned by the children of fellow Pennsylvania Democrat, Rep. Paul Kanjorski. Meanwhile, the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan campaign-finance watchdog group, lists Mr. Murtha as the top recipient of defense industry dollars in the current 2006 election cycle.
As Rep. Joe Wilson, South Carolina Republican, has said, "If there is a potential pattern where Congressman Murtha has helped other Democrats secure appropriations that also benefited relatives of those members, I believe this would be something that merits further review by the ethics committee."
It's odd that the media, which has been fairly unbiased in going after corrupt politicians recently, has gone silent on Mr. Murtha's questionable actions. Or maybe it isn't. Since December, Mr. Murtha has become the darling of the antiwar crowd, and, as we've seen with other such darlings, scrutinizing their behavior is considered disrespectful. But as we're on the subject, few might recall that after the massive 1980 Abscam scandal, Mr. Murtha was named by the FBI as an "unindicted co-conspirator."
Maybe the next time the new Jack Murtha thinks up another big idea someone can ask him about the old Jack Murtha.
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Factvsfiction
Citizen
Username: Factvsfiction
Post Number: 752
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 9:51 pm: |
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If this is your big issue you dem guys are successfully advancing the campaign for President Jeb Bush.
Corruption is endemic to the system and both parties. If you believe the "only the republicans" twaddle, your a lot dumber than a guy out in Podunk, Red State who is going to laugh at you and still decide to vote republican.
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Hoops
Citizen
Username: Hoops
Post Number: 1538
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 10:18 pm: |
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Heres the thing Fvf - every year since 1994 (the great republican revolution or whatever they called it) the party of morality and family values and all that is wholesome in America has run on just those things. They have told us the Clinton is horrible and our way of life is being ruined by us liberals, homosexuals and intellectuals.
Yet time after time this party (your party Fvf) has done exactly what they said they would not do. From Newts philandering to Delays unethical corruption and blocking of accountability and oversight, to Hastert to Boehner to Abramoff to the K street project. These are the guys who want to tell me how to run my life yet they cant get their own acts together. They deserve all the scrutiny they get. |
Southerner
Citizen
Username: Southerner
Post Number: 1170
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 8:00 am: |
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I love this. |
sbenois
Supporter
Username: Sbenois
Post Number: 15194
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 9:38 am: |
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Sure they deserve all the scrutiny they get.
And people should also make sure to pay attention to the Democrats who decided that Al Sharpton should be a keynote speaker at the 2004 Convention. That would be the same fellow who knowingly decided to ruin the lives of law enforcement people with a fake rape charge.
The Democratic Party is full of the same contradictions, lies, and fraudsters as the Republican Party.
It's a draw.
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joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 605
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 9:40 am: |
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Cong. Murtha was a named, unindicted co-conspirator in the ABSCAM prosecutions, which led to a few good politicians, including NJ senator Harrison Williams going to club fed.
It didn't start this millenium.
jd |
Hoops
Citizen
Username: Hoops
Post Number: 1544
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 10:00 am: |
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s and jd. I agree however I would say that it seems to me that the fraud and the corruption in todays congress appears to be organized. It appears to be more widespread and it appears to be covered up. The ruling party has taken any teeth out of ethics boards and has begun zero independent investigations. Until they allow independent investigations and restore the ethics rules to what they once were we are going to see more and more of this type of activity.
Why wont they investigate how our dollars are spent in Iraq? Why wont they look for the missing 9 billion dollars?
This was not going on since the beginning of time jd. Its a new refusal and its republican led and republican owned. |
Southerner
Citizen
Username: Southerner
Post Number: 1174
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 7:21 pm: |
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Hoops,
If you believe in independent investigations your are as naive as I have thought. Was Ken Star independent? |
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