Rahm Emanuel tips off Feds to Blagojevich,

Just watching olbermann talk about this is a peach, while he was champing obama all this time. You cannot tell us that obama did not know how the system worked.

I doubt we will get the real info about this, but heck obama is not even president yet and there is already scandels related to him, lol.

[edit on 12/12/2008 by andy1033]

reply to post by Leo Strauss


"Rahmbo" isn't playing hardball politics with anyone. Sorry freind when it comes to that, he's WAY out of his league where "The Machine" is concerned. Not even Washington holds a candle to the crap that goes on in City Hall (Chicago)!

Originally posted by Blaine91555
reply to post by Leo Strauss

 

Much better source.

Not really, Our papers here aren't that great or "objective" if you follow me? A bit one sided kind of like our all Democrat City Government. Propaganda, our free and Independant Press has long since been dead in Chicago and obective journalism went with it.

Disillusioned! That is the only description for you. Lets start here. For the person that stated that there was a problem with Illinois Politics he/she is wrong. And I can not stress this enough, it is CHICAGO POLITICS that are the problem. There is nothing wrong with Illinois. This is called the Chicago "Political Machine." And it doesn't start with any Governer's office or any body politic accept that of Chicago's City Hall and namely that of The Office of The Mayor of Chicago. If you aim to find the source of the "Machine" you had best start there or all efforts will have been in vain! Mayor Richard M. Daley (or Commrad Stalin as I like to call him) is an iron fisted politician that puts on a really good act for the camera yet at his core is more ruthless than any group of despotic people (as far as tactics go) than you can bring to the table BAR NONE! And he learned it from his dady former mayor Richard J. Daley (the man that makes Presidents JFK) for whom the term "Machine" was coined when his admin. was cocerned. If the Daley's want it they got it, end of story.

Here are a few examples. Meigs feild airport in downtown Chicago was a goodthing for the city used for small planes/jets.
www.friendsofmeigs.org...
Well Rich M. didn't think that was a good idea so he tore it up,Illegally. Nothing ever happened to him. And if you look around you'll find that John Harris, Blago's (as we call Blagjevich for short) Cheif of Staff was working for Daley at the time and was the mastermind of that illegal act! Now lets look at the O'hare expansion. A good thing you may think. Except for the fact that Daley swallowed up a buch of property from the surrounding Sub-Urbs like Bensenville, Schiller Park, and I think DesPlaines. The worst hit being Bensenville losing large swaths of territory forcing out residents and buisness owners to the tune of millions in tax revenue for the small township. Not to mention the harshiops for the people.

He does things (just as his father) like cut the power to microphones when issues come up for debate on the floor of The City Council (equal to the Sentate if you will/ City legislature) to silence the dissenters that have the testicular fortitude to stand up to him. And forces a vote without discussion.

You may ask yourself how does he get away with this? If a Councilman (i.e. Alderman) goes against him he will close the purse strings on that wards funding by what ever means neccesary stopping all repairs on streets, schools, garbage pickup, and what ever else he can get away with, just enough to enrage that Alderman's constituents so that he/she will not win the next election. And he will endorse a more suitable replacement (a yes man). And an endorsement from Daley is golden because he can do no wrong for some strange reason with my fellow inhabitants of Chicago. There is some strange love/hate relationship with him.

See the tactics employed by Blago were learned. The corruption runs deap in chicago politics. Blago learned it all from Alderman Dick Mell his father in law one of the most powerful in the City Council. How did he become so powerful? He's been a good freind to Mayor Daley. The Quid pro quo is something that permeates Chicago politics. Our mayor makes a higher annual salary that the President. When he want's a raise the City Council votes him one, in turn when they want one they vote themselves one and he signes off on it (no problem) quid pro quo! All while starving police, fireman, and paramedics of raises.

I will not even begin to tell you the corruption that runs rampant in City Hall. Well here are two the Hired Truck Scandle, Water Dept., Ghost Payrolling and they are all more or less surrounding those that surround top Daley officials and top Alderman in good with him. The Fed.s have been in and out of City Hall ripe with corruption. Do you think they are after the small fish? NO, they want Daley! Exceptthat he's a gangster and I mean that word. People will not spill his beans, they know better.

Here's another tid bit. My first experiance with voting happened like this Aldermanic hopefull Vilma Colom was running for office. I was a young kid when this happened and my mother took me to the polls with her. I can remember my mother being heckled by a group of Spanish Cobras (Chicago Gang) as she walked past them to vote. They basicalythreatened her safety to put it shortly if she voted for the opposition (this was a while back so I can't remember who the other person running was). Many people called the police over this and nothing happened. These were known gang members in the area wearing Colom T-Shirts. And she was Daley's candidate, employing gangs members to win an election via voter harrasment. It worked (not with my mother) people were intimidated and didn't vote.

I could go on with this but I think you get the point. When it comes to the "Machine " the buck stops with Daley and City Hall. It's Daley that really holds sway in Illinois politics not even the President-Elect. You would do well to remember this in the years to come. There is no grand effort by Obama or others in the White House to get the Chicago "Machine" nor will there be. That's a fantacy, how do you think he got where he is? I don't think "Rahmbo" tipped anyone off I think they stoppd the investigation because they (the FEDS) were AFRAID of what they would find and had to sheild the new admin. from damage. You have to understand this is the environment where Obama made his "political bones" so to speak how do you expect that he would come out with a different view of how to do things.

See since I was a kid I seen the problems that a powerful one-sided Government with a strongman at the helm causes. The corruption and tyranical policies that they play by. For those that come from this, these are just the rules to the game and though they may be shocking to you this is every day politics in Chicago. We see this and say, "oh that figures. I wonder IF he's going to jail." Not when IF! People like yourselves find this so obtuse. We see it all the time. And it doesn't come from Illinois, it comes from Chicago and permeates down into the Sub-Urbs of the City and this acts as a conduit into the Cook County Government (Crook County) and then down into Springfeild (the Capital).

So I say once again, these problems come from Chicago not Illinois as a whole, please stop saying that! I hope that you take away something here.

Originally posted by andy1033
You cannot tell us that obama did not know how the system worked.

I don't think anyone is trying to tell you that. Heck, I'm a housewife in the Southwest US and I knew a lot about the corruption of politics in the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois... I'm pretty sure Obama knew about some of it. That doesn't mean he is INVOLVED in it. There's a meth house down the street and I know about it. But I'm not INVOLVED in it. See how that works?

Originally posted by lazy1981
And I can not stress this enough, it is CHICAGO POLITICS that are the problem. There is nothing wrong with Illinois.

Yeah... I hear the governor of the state is a real upstanding guy... Not corrupt at all...

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


And "where" did he come from Einstein???? Who's family is he married into? And who is that family conected to? Don't try and tell me what I live through see and know. Your not much more than an armchair captain making assumptions. But then again, your a sixth generation Chicagoan and all.

Obviously Blago is the one at the center of this problem, but either you are missing the bigger picture here or you suffer from poor reading comprehension.....



[edit on 13-12-2008 by lazy1981]

Originally posted by lazy1981
And "where" did he come from Einstein????

I believe he was born in Chicago, Plato, but he is NOW the governor of the state. You don't have to be so defensive, or whatever this 'tude you have going on is called. I'm not attacking Illinois. I used to live there. I enjoyed it.

Don't try and tell me what I live through see and know.

I wouldn't think of it.

Your not much more than an armchair captain making assumptions.

I have no idea what an "armchair captain" is, but I am pretty sure I am not one. What assumptions did I make? That Blagojevich is the governor of the state??? I believe that's a pretty well-known fact, not an assumption. That's all I said to you.

Obviously Blago is the one at the center of this problem, but either you are missing the bigger picture here or you suffer from poor reading comprehension.....

Nope. I am pretty informed and I read and comprehend just fine. No need to attack me. I'm just an opinion on a discussion board.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


The "tude" is derived from the comment in response to my post. "I'm sure the Governor is an upstanding guy." That's what I meant by missing the point. His whole way of doing things was formed in the Chicago political arena, meaning that Illinois isn't what puts forth this sort of scum Chicago nepotism (of sorts) and "Machine" politics is. It just migrated down to Springfeild. Since you claim to have lived in Illinois you should be aware of this.

In any event this has become a moot point. Since I have posted some semblance of an insight into the REAL issue at heart not only in Illinois but Chicago, those on the thread seem to have gone silent. Baring you and I. I guess they would rather ramain oblivious to the truth when it is revealed by one who witnesses it. They don't see it day to day and sure don't hear about it on national media. Not that Chicago media is any more objective. Sorry for any misunderstandings.

Originally posted by lazy1981
His whole way of doing things was formed in the Chicago political arena,

I don't doubt that. And I don't doubt that there are some pretty corrupt politicians operating in Chicago. But even as you said, it has migrated down to Springfield.

Since you claim to have lived in Illinois you should be aware of this.

Actually, it's been many years since I lived there. They were building the Arch in St. Louis when I lived there, across the river in Collinsville. So I was a child, but I grew up in Illinois.

I guess they would rather ramain oblivious to the truth when it is revealed by one who witnesses it.

I think maybe YOU'RE missing the point. People don't care. It doesn't matter to most people if it's Illinois, Ohio, Georgia or New Jersey. It's the person (Blago) that people are interested in. He's the story. And, of course, that Obama is also from Chicago, so he MUST have dirty hands. (I disagree)

And when Mr.Blago reveals the tape recordings of the conversations he has had since the election... with Emmanuel AND Obama, the picture will become much clearer.

Early statements were that no one had talked to Blago about the Senate seat, since then, Emmanuel has been very quiet.
What was Obama talking to Blago about on the day after the election?


Nixon- "I am NOT a crook"
Clinton- "I did not have sex with..."
Obama- ...?

Once Blago releases his tapes we will see. He is not that dumb that he didn't know he was being watched.

"TAPES?!?!, What tapes made by Blago???"--- This is ATS isn't it. wait and see. My limited time on ATS has shown that this is not a patient group.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Oh, I'm fully aware of the fact that most people don't care that this all stems from Chicago, but we wouldn't want to "DENY IGNORANCE" would we!? Hence my reason for shedding some light on the functions of Chicago politics and the correlations to this sort of political mentality. That's if they can rise above that mindframe and allow some enlightenment on the subject? This way they can better understand the situation inseatd of having only a feeling of shock.

To your statement about the Obama connection, I really haven't put any real argument to that. But since you broached the issue. Let me start off by saying that this election has polarized people like I have never seen before, to the point that on either side of the TWO PARTY SYSTEM (before you lable me, I am an Independent) people are able to be willfully blind in order to feel at complete peace with their candidate (and yes I am aware that the election is over). This blindness is already showing itself to be a problem. I know that just because Obama is from Chicago it doesn't mean that he's involved, that would be a fruitless argumentwith no substance.

What I can tell you is that I have seen that man skyrocket into a political superstar in an uncanny span of time, the first time through the backing of afore mentioned CHICAGO POLITICIANS. His first campaign was backed by prominent Chicago and Demoratic figures. This while he was literarly a nobody in Chicago (politics). Nobody in the city or sub-urbs had ever heard of this guy except for the communities where he was an organizer and his clients like Rezko or.

Even a candidate (Donne Trotter) for the 2000' State Congress had this to say about him, "You just have to look at his supporters," "Who pushed him to get where he is so fast? It's these individuals in Hyde Park, who don't always have the best interests of the community in mind."

Now we can get into the ties to Daleyand a few others. DAVID AXELROD- Daley's political stratagist since 89' then architect of Obama's campaign: VALERIE JARRETT- once Daley's planning commissioner then Obama's top campaign advisor and will likely get a key position with Obama White House: MICHELLE OBAMA- worked in Daley's executive office and Planning Dept. also freinds with the Jackson family: RAHM EMANUEL- started his political life as a Daley fundraiser. Due to recent research I must retract my previous statement that "Rahmbo" isn't familliar with Chicago politics as I have just stated (we learn new things every day). ABNER MIKVA- Chicago area Congress man/Dem. political insider/Whitehouse Counsel to Clinton OBAMA MENTOR and backer from Hyde Park: NEWTON MINOW- Obama backer/prominant lawyer/Mikva's childhood freind/Dem. insider and Obama employer at (Sidley Austin Law Firm)

And this is what we know of today, not to mention those that the Rep. brought to light (all powerful Chicago, Hyde Park area liberals) that backed Obama from day one. These (statement from Trotter and Dem. powerhouse connections) are things that I have just recently learned yet they are frightfully accurate to Trotter's statement. However this is not the sole reason for my uneasyness with Obamas rise to power (this does tie in to the thread). He also turned down two jobs at two different times one with Mikva and a second internship with Minow's firm in 90' because, "I'm going to go into SOME FORM OF POLITICS." He knows this well enough to turn down two good jobs six years out!????

Here's a bit of background on MY position, I don't like people thinking that I don't like Obama "just because he's Obama." I used to be a Democrat when I was younger and the first time that I voted outside of my party was in 04'. This was also the first time that Obama had come up as a candidate on the ballot for a district that I was represented in. Many people felt that he was an upstart that came out of nowhere and couldn't phathom how he was doing this. His messages weren't powerful and he had a poor voting record in Illinois at best. At first I was going to vote for him (like a good blind Democrat) just for the party and also because I was no great fan of (R). Jack Ryan. When Ryan dropped out he was replaced by (R) Alan Keyes and the more I heard these two debate the more I could tell that there was no substance behind Obama's words. He was just placating to the Democratic concensus. Although I didn't agree with all that Keyes put forth, I felt that he was at the least a man of his convictions. And I have many conservative values at core so he got my vote (this is to say nothing about wariness with Obama's sudden rise to power). It was the speach at the Dem. National Convention, his quick rise to power, and recent win of the U.S. Senate (with a bad voting record and lack luster message) that really got me to wondering just who is it that's pulling the strings? And I told my wife not long after that, "Mark my words, who ever it is that's pushing this guy forward will have him in the White House soon!"
And the media poked and proded him a bout a run for Pres. even after he sited his own lack of experiance as why he wouldn't run. You would have thought that they would have had a field day with that? Nope.

An example of Obama's lack of conviction is his stance on drilling for oil. While in the Ill. Senate he supported a hairbrained idea to do exploratory drilling for oil in Lake Michigan (water source for millions and could be an eco. disaster) which failed none the less. Yet stands against drilling in a small area in Anwar? Not a man of convictions, and yes I know people will say no politician is but somehow I expect more.

In any event that being said, it has always been my opinoin (and not in light of recent events) that a man that comes from nowhere to the White House must have a power pushing him there! And that power is from Chicago, this doesn't happen in Chicago without getting dirt under your fingernails.

"I'm from Chicago. I know politics. I'm skinny, but I'm tough."
-Barack Obama Pennsylvania Primary in April

[edit on 14-12-2008 by lazy1981]

Originally posted by lazy1981
In any event that being said, it has always been my opinoin (and not in light of recent events) that a man that comes from nowhere to the White House must have a power pushing him there! And that power is from Chicago, this doesn't happen in Chicago without getting dirt under your fingernails.

I have no doubt that Obama got some help from the Chicago machine to get where he is, also that he got some dirt under his fingernails getting there. I just don't think he has anything to do with making a deal with Blagojevich. AND there's a difference in having dirt under one's fingernails and being in it up to one's neck (like Blagojevich, for example) and in the political world, if you just have dirt under your fingernails, then you're pretty clean. I don't think ANYONE who gets to be in the upper levels of US government doesn't have some dirt to be found. A "clean" person would never make it to the top. That's the sad truth right now.

I saw this morning that Rahm is getting death threats. Niiice... :shk:

Speaking of labeling, I am not a starry-eyed Obama cult-member either (contrary to popular belief on the board) I just don't believe in guilty until proven innocent. I like to think for myself. I'm not a member of any party and have voted for most of them. I also have some very conservative beliefs and supported Ron Paul through the beginning of this election. Just FYI.

[edit on 15-12-2008 by Benevolent Heretic]

Well we can agree on one thing, I don't particularly believe that he was all wrapped up with Blago in this thing either. But I find it highly unlikely that he never voiced a preferance to him (personaly) either. And I'm not a fan of guilty until proven innocent myself, we see to much of that with the average person here in Chicago.

Just to be clear I didn't think that you were a blind Obamanite (if you will) it was just a referance to the two party system and alot of people in general. I was also a Ron Paul supporter at the onset, I feel that he's one of the few that sticks what he preaches (as shown by his voting record) and has good ideas for the direction of the country. Not to mention that he's a strict Consttutionalist!

Rahm's a big boy he can handle death threats, it comes with the territorty. It's wrong but that happens to all politicians.

[edit on 15-12-2008 by lazy1981]

This is Curruption that we have not seen in America in a long time...

The biggest Political Curruption case, since AT LEAST Watergate...


Smells of Rothstein fixing the 1918 World Series... Also out of Chicago...



The most disturbing trend i noticed was that NO WHERE, in any of the media outlets, was it mentioned that this slimeball, Blagovich, called Democratic...

No where...

Whoever is the powers behind this Man, Blagovich, has connections in the American Media... Strong connections in the media, and the Judge circiuts...



Looking back on this era, we will find that it was more full of Gansters, Mobsters, and the New Mafia , then the 1920's....


Now we get to the Issue at hand...
The selling of a senate seat... for a Measly million dollars...

That is all...
1 Million dollars... that is it... that is pocket change... 1 mil for a US senate seat... and a Famous seat at that...


So, now i Ask you...

If mobsters can Fix the world series almost 90 years ago...
What would stop them from doing anything they want...
Owning Judges....
Govanors...
Senators...
Congressmen...



Is it out of the question, even for ATS, to even entertain the thought, that the Presidential office COULD be bought...
After all, if you can buy a US senate seat for 1 million dollars... what could someone do with a trillion dollars...

I think with that kind of money, you could put an unknown, sleeper, into the white house... as long as you have the media in your pocket to sing his praises...




Now we will observe the relationship between The Govanor, Blagovich, and Obamas Chief of Staff, Rham Emanual...

Rham is a controversial figure BEFORE all this happen, with his questionable family line, and his fathers involement in an orginazation that can be called a terrorist group... but lets just toss that aside now, its something to keep in mind, but not focus on....

What we focus on is WHERE Rham came from, and WHO are the politcal figures that came before him, and WHO...

Rham, came out of the Chicago political machine... The Seat that he took, was ocupied by NO OTHER then Blagovich... Who choose not to run for the seat, but ran a succesful campain for Govanor...


So Rham steps into Blagovichs seat... now, in a historical context, this is the same seat that IS known as the Al Capone seat....

Rham also has deep connections to the Clinton Machine, as well as this Govanor, Blagovich....



Obama has surrounded himself with Clintonistas... he is going to be safe.... not 1 second of bad press will touch him...

Because he is inocent... that is not the reason...
But, because, whoever is pulling the Strings, is not going to let their new leader take the fall...


I cannot find the Video clip now, but, the thing that comes to my mind, is the scene from the Godfather... Where Michael and Vito are talking...
Vito says to Michael...

"This isn't the life i wanted for you... I wished, that one day, you would be the one to pull the strings... Senator Corlione... Govanor Corlione...."

"We will get there Pop"


Something tells me, that the Godfather is smiling now... that they got there...





And, in an somewhat related note, MANY videos about Blagovich are being taken off of youtube...


I thank you for taking the time to read this, and i hope that i have stired up something in your head...

We are living in an Era of unparreled curuption, only most people have no idea, because the media does not report it...

Which will bring me to my last question...

If the Media does not report an event, did that event happen?

Originally posted by Anonymous ATS


If the Media does not report an event, did that event happen?

I see some of your points ; however this question is the crux of the "civilized" world. For if we are to have a Republic then we need to be informed so we can make informed decisions. If we receive nothing but fluff for so long how can they ever tell tell us the whole truth? For it will be their unraveling, and maybe the unraveling of "civilization" itself.

People can only stand so many lies before they loose ALL faith in their system and once that happens, there goes the neighborhood.

[edit on 18-12-2008 by lazy1981]

People can only stand so many lies before they loose ALL faith in their system and once that happens, there goes the neighborhood.

But, what if the average citizen, does not know that they are being fed lies.


We are in an age where we have access to more information, through our advances in technology.


These advances in Technology, give us more access to the Information, but also allows more strict control over the media.



At just about every level of American Existence today, is full of nonsense...

Everything is just a big scam, and a lie, with high ranking people covering each other....



Biggest Fraud of all time, the guy gets house arrest in his multi-million dollar apartment....

Biggest robbery of all time, and not ONE PERSON has a dime taken from them... instead, the American People get shafted...

Our president has spent YEARS, making money for his buddies, by giving them fat Government contracts...


At the height of curuption in the Roman Empire, it was never even CLOSE to this bad...




This Blago story is HUGE... and, it didn't even have 24-hour traction in the Alphabet media...

That should tell you something...

reply to post by Anonymous ATS


Well the Romans were way worse they controled everything and answered to no one, if they wanted it they just raised an army and invaded Rome to overthrow their opponents and meanwhile taking power as well.

Blago is covered everyday in Chicago; however they seem to be backpeddling with him.

And finaly, most people are fat and happy and so long as that stands, they seem not to care. It's a shame but hunger (in many forms) has always been mans driving force. People are fat and happy.
Ingnorance is bliss. (for some)

Rahm Emanuel, President-elect Obama's chief of staff, had direct discussions with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich about Obama's vacant Senate seat, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Sources with knowledge of the conversations told the Sun- Times Emanuel spoke with the governor and pushed for the appointment of Valerie Jarrett in the days after the presidential election and asked that it be done by a certain date.

www.suntimes.com...

Why the lies and full throttle reverse gear from the beginning? This type of behavior only creates its own storms of conspiracy and cover up.

Info was issued a couple of days ago about Blago being a bookie in the years prior to his public office. The feds were tipped off and nothing was done to Blago. Blago must have one hell of a laundry bag full of dirty shorts to get as far as he did.

They will make him a sweet deal and he will sing like a bird. He of course will have to live the rest of his life under protection and fear.

reply to post by lazy1981


In the Roman Empire, when Rome was suffering from MASSIVE social decadence, and devience, the rest of the Empire was at it highest levels...


But, over the years, decades, and centuries, the sickness that started at Rome, spread throughout the Empire...

By the time that Rome has a comptentent head of State, Constantinple, it was too late, the action of the Emporers had sealed the fate of the rest of the empire... no matter what happen at the top...



This is what has happen here...

For Decades, the curruption, and decadence of Washington, was confined to this area, and serveral other major cities, but now we are reaching the point where this curruption has spread to the comman man, and the average city...



Everything we are going thru, the Romans faced almost 2000 years ago...



Bailouts... Romans tried it...
Selling of a senate seat... Happen all the time...
Fraud like this Bernie Madoff... Happen in Roma....


It is arogence that makes us think that WE are experiencing something new...

The only thing that changes, are the actors upon the stage... The script stays the same... because people are unaware of history...




Everything is connected...

Everything...

This is why NOT ONE person responsible for the $700 billion bailout, has lost a dime, or spent a second in jail...

Bernie Madoff, not going to spend a second in jail...

Blago... he is going to walk...



Why...


Interlocking Corperate Curruption....

The GOVERNMENT-MEDIA-COMPLEX


Call it what you will...

These people are more powerful then the Gangsters that Ran American in the '20's...

They are better connected in the political circles, they have stolen more money in the last 6 months, then the last 100 years, the own a bigger share of the media then ever


But what do we really know...

We know NOTHING...
The people we see, are nothing more then low level fodder... they are nothing...


But do not think that because we cannot see who is making the Shadows on the Wall, all we see is the shadows... and for the average man... thats good enough... they do not need to know who is BEHIND the shadows...



But that is not me.

I am here to find the truth, or whatever is closest to it...

Thats why i am on ATS... cause maybe 1-5% of the members here share my point of view... the absolute drive to find the unaltered truth...


We have had 2 or 3 of the 5 biggest currruption scandals of the last 100 years... and even here, on ATS, where we are supposed to be the WatchDogs...

It is a minor topic...

Blago and Bernie are the only topics that are relevent or even WORTH TALKING about, at this time...


Now, i understand why some people would be scared to look to hard at Blago... they might be afraid of what they could find, but, Madoff does not make sense... why is this guy given a pass?

Answer, he must have fallen on the sword for friends of his... there have to be other people connected with him... HOW ELSE CAN YOU STEAL OVER $50 BILLION dollars, and have NOTHING happen to you...

He steals $50 billion, you get nothing...
You let your Lawn go brown in the wrong Florida neighborhood, you go to jail without bail...



Interlocking Corperate Curruption....
The Goverment-Media-Complex...
Corperate Cronisim...


Stop staring at the Shadows on the Wall...

We need to realise WHO are making the shadows on the wall,



And with that, i will retire...

reply to post by jibeho


I don't think Blago will be singing to anyone. If he was indeed tied to organized crime (i.e. "The Outfit" as it's called in Chicago) he more than likely wouldn't say a word. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if he were "mobbed up," with all the other gangsters that have held office in Chicago and the surounding area. Hell, there's a Casino permit that's still up in the air because the state doesn't know if it's safe to give it to The Village of Rosemont (bordering the NorthWest side of Chicago) due to mob ties.