More McHenry County Blog

Non-Federal Receipts "Exempt From Limits"

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60611

RNC-REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE
04/12/2000 1000.00 20035593274

Total Soft Money: 1000.00


Contributions to Political Committees

LEVINE, STUART
BOCA RATON, FL 33431
SELF/D.P.M.

WEXLER, ROBERT
VIA ROBERT WEXLER FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
05/01/2001 250.00 21990351297

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60610
ATTORNEY

WYDEN, RONALD LEE
VIA WYDEN FOR SENATE
06/26/1997 1000.00 97020080099

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60611

LAHOOD, RAY
VIA FRIENDS OF RAY LAHOOD
03/20/2000 1000.00 20035414039
05/02/2000 -1000.00 20035781028

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60611
ATTORNEY

BAUCUS, MAX
VIA FRIENDS OF MAX BAUCUS
05/25/2000 1000.00 20020241212

DASCHLE, THOMAS ANDREW
VIA NEW LEADERSHIP FOR AMERICA PAC
05/22/1997 500.00 97020091255

DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WISCONSIN FEDERAL ACCOUNT
09/17/1998 5000.00 98033814826

DORGAN, BYRON L
VIA FRIENDS OF BYRON DORGAN
08/07/1998 1000.00 98020212998

FEINGOLD, RUSSELL D
VIA FEINGOLD SENATE COMMITTEE
05/29/1997 500.00 97020101746

GORTON, SLADE
VIA FRIENDS FOR SLADE GORTON
06/18/1999 1000.00 99020100264

GUTIERREZ, LUIS V
VIA GUTIERREZ FOR CONGRESS
03/21/2000 1000.00 20035454628

LEVIN, SANDER M
VIA LEVIN FOR CONGRESS
03/30/1998 1000.00 98033001362
03/30/1998 1000.00 98033001359

LIEBERMAN, JOSEPH I
VIA FRIENDS OF JOE LIEBERMAN
05/22/2000 2000.00 20020172361
05/23/2000 -1000.00 20020172362
05/24/2000 1000.00 20020172362
07/07/2000 -1000.00 20020331423
07/08/2000 1000.00 20020331424

OBEY, DAVID R
VIA LOT OF PEOPLE FOR DAVE OBEY
06/06/1997 500.00 97032321451

REID, HARRY
VIA FRIENDS FOR HARRY REID
04/30/1998 1000.00 98020134159

ROBB, CHARLES S
VIA ROBB FOR THE SENATE
01/31/2000 1000.00 20020111228
06/07/2000 1000.00 20020181972

WYDEN, RONALD LEE
VIA WYDEN FOR SENATE
11/18/2003 1000.00 24020033492

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60611
BUSINESSMAN

ASHCROFT, JOHN D
VIA ASHCROFT 2000
06/01/1999 1000.00 99020073913

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60611
CONSULTANT

GUTIERREZ, LUIS V
VIA GUTIERREZ FOR CONGRESS
09/26/1997 1000.00 98032780559

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60611
HOPKINS & SUTTER

JOHNSON, TIM
VIA FRIENDS OF TIM JOHNSON
10/28/2000 1000.00 20036600963

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60611
HOPKINS & SUTTER/ATTORNEY

JOHNSON, TIM
VIA FRIENDS OF TIM JOHNSON
02/27/2002 1000.00 22990510559

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60611
INVESTOR

DICKEY, JAY W JR
VIA DICKEY FOR CONGRESS CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
06/30/2000 1000.00 20035861163

KELLEHER, F. MICHAEL JR.
VIA KELLEHER FOR CONGRESS
09/27/2000 250.00 20036182428

KERREY, J ROBERT
VIA KERREY FOR U S SENATE COMMITTEE
05/26/1999 1000.00 99020091956

WELLER, GERALD C JERRY
VIA GERALD C 'JERRY' WELLER FOR CONGRESS
10/22/1998 1000.00 98034103733

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60611
PRIVATE INVESTOR

ABRAHAM, SPENCER SENATOR
VIA ABRAHAM SENATE 2000
05/05/2000 1000.00 20020220812

KENNEDY, PATRICK J
VIA FRIENDS OF PATRICK J. KENNEDY INC.
05/26/1997 1000.00 97032282692
05/26/1997 1000.00 97032282692

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60611
SELF-EMPLOYED

CITY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (CITYPAC)
10/16/2001 1000.00 22990278200

DURKIN, JAMES B
VIA DURKIN FOR US SENATE
02/05/2002 1000.00 22020160811

KEEP OUR MAJORITY PAC
10/31/2000 1500.00 20036574974

VOINOVICH, GEORGE V
VIA VOINOVICH FOR SENATE COMMITTEE
12/31/1997 500.00 98020041951

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60611
SELF-EMPLOYED/PRIVATE INVESTOR

ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN PARTY
12/10/2001 5000.00 22990122330

LEVINE, STUART
CHICAGO, IL 60622
ATTORNEY

GEJDENSON, SAM
VIA GEJDENSON REELECTION COMMITTEE
03/03/1998 1000.00 98033001989

LEVINE, STUART
DEERFIELD, IL 60015
CONSULTANT

WELCH, ROBERT T
VIA WELCH FOR WISCONSIN
12/31/2003 1000.00 24020150692

LEVINE, STUART
DEERFIELD, IL 60015
SELF EMPLOYED/INVESTOR

LIEBERMAN, JOSEPH I
VIA JOE LIEBERMAN FOR PRESIDENT INC
09/02/2003 2000.00 23992113613

LEVINE, STUART
DEERFIELD, IL 60015
SELF-EMPLOYED/CONSULTANT

KEEP OUR MAJORITY PAC
07/31/2003 5000.00 23991774734

LEVINE, STUART
DEERFIELD, IL 60015
SELF-EMPLOYED/PRIVATE INVESTOR

ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN PARTY
04/11/2003 10000.00 23991452964

LEVINE, STUART
DEERFIELD, IL 60015
SELF/PRIVATE INVESTOR

RYAN, JACK
VIA JACK RYAN FOR US SENATE
03/04/2004 2000.00 26020660903

LEVINE, STUART
DEERFIELD, IL 60015
SSL CONSULTING/PRESIDENT

JACKSON, JESSE LOUIS JR
VIA JESSE JACKSON JR FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
03/06/2004 1000.00 24991067456

LEVINE, STUART
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035

FEINGOLD, RUSSELL D
VIA FEINGOLD SENATE COMMITTEE
11/29/2005 -1500.00 26020120222

PORTER, JOHN E
VIA PORTER FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
12/20/1999 -1000.00 20035144261

PRITZKER, JAY ROBERT
VIA PRITZKER FOR CONGRESS
06/14/1999 -1000.00 99034662639

LEVINE, STUART
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035
ATTORNEY

BENNETT, ROBERT F
VIA BENNETT FOR SENATE '98
12/07/1997 1000.00 98020052330

EVANS, LANE A
VIA FRIENDS OF LANE EVANS COMMITTEE
06/30/2000 1000.00 20035822648

FEINGOLD, RUSSELL D
VIA FEINGOLD SENATE COMMITTEE
09/15/1998 1000.00 98020221809

NICKLES GROUP PAC
06/26/1997 1000.00 97020082693

LEVINE, STUART
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035
CHICAGO HMO

WYDEN, RONALD LEE
VIA WYDEN FOR SENATE
09/11/1998 1000.00 98020213837
10/16/1998 -1000.00 98020293687
10/16/1998 1000.00 98020293687

LEVINE, STUART
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035
INVESTOR

HOCHBERG, ANDREW S
VIA HOCHBERG FOR CONGRESS
11/30/1999 1000.00 20035223548

LEVINE, STUART
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035
PRIVATE INVESTOR

GASH, LAUREN BETH
VIA LAUREN BETH GASH FOR CONGRESS
06/30/2000 1000.00 20035811452

WASHINGTON, JOYCE W
VIA WASHINGTON FOR SENATE
03/27/2003 6000.00 23020192111

LEVINE, STUART
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035
RETIRED

PORTER, JOHN E
VIA PORTER FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
06/08/1999 1000.00 99034700461
06/08/1999 1000.00 99034700461

LEVINE, STUART
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035
SELF EMPLOYED/ATTORNEY

GREEN, MARK A
VIA MARK GREEN FOR CONGRESS
12/07/2003 2000.00 24990375291
12/07/2003 2000.00 24990375291

LIEBERMAN, JOSEPH I
VIA JOE LIEBERMAN FOR PRESIDENT INC
09/08/2003 1000.00 25990200852

LEVINE, STUART
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035
SELF/ATTORNEY

KIRK, MARK STEVEN
VIA KIRK FOR CONGRESS
05/02/2002 1000.00 22991366010

LEVINE, STUART
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035
STUART LEVINE CO

DURBIN, RICHARD J
VIA FRIENDS OF DICK DURBIN COMMITTEE
04/11/2000 1000.00 20020250941

LEVINE, STUART
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035
STUART P LEVINE

PRITZKER, JAY ROBERT
VIA PRITZKER FOR CONGRESS
02/14/1997 1000.00 97032251017
02/14/1997 1000.00 97032250986

LEVINE, STUART
RIVERSWOOD, IL 60015

LAHOOD, RAY
VIA FRIENDS OF RAY LAHOOD
05/10/2005 -1000.00 25970592987

LEVINE, STUART P
CHICAGO, IL 60611

BOND, CHRISTOPHER S
VIA MISSOURIANS FOR KIT BOND
12/31/1997 500.00 98020031896

CAMPAIGN AMERICA INC
07/01/1998 5000.00 98033483663

WHITMAN, CHRISTINE TODD
VIA WHITMAN FOR US SENATE
10/19/1999 -650.00 20020052192

LEVINE, STUART P
CHICAGO, IL 60611
ATTORNEY

17TH DISTRICT VICTORY FUND
07/03/2000 2500.00 20036212213

BERMAN, HOWARD L
VIA BERMAN FOR CONGRESS
06/14/1999 1000.00 99034753920

BOXER, BARBARA
VIA FRIENDS OF BARBARA BOXER
11/10/1997 1000.00 98020031417
11/10/1997 1000.00 98020031417

BUNNING, JIM
VIA CITIZENS FOR BUNNING
06/10/1998 1000.00 98020131031

CITY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (CITYPAC)
12/30/1999 1000.00 20035244242

DICK ARMEY CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
06/23/2000 1000.00 20035884923

HASTERT, DENNIS J.
VIA HASTERT FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
09/07/2000 1000.00 20036131317

SCHUMER, CHARLES E
VIA FRIENDS OF SCHUMER
06/13/2000 1000.00 20020250193

SPECTER, ARLEN
VIA CITIZENS FOR ARLEN SPECTER
04/13/1998 1000.00 98020111292
04/13/1998 1000.00 98020111292

LEVINE, STUART P
CHICAGO, IL 60611
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW

INOUYE, DANIEL K
VIA DANIEL K INOUYE IN 98
05/08/1997 1000.00 97020103704
05/08/1997 1000.00 97020103704

LEVINE, STUART P
CHICAGO, IL 60611
BUSINESS EXECUTIVE

FITZGERALD, PETER G
VIA FITZGERALD FOR SENATE INC
08/27/1998 1000.00 98020220744
09/28/1998 1000.00 98020220744
11/16/1998 -1000.00 98020281383
11/16/1998 1000.00 98020281383

FRIST, WILLIAM H
VIA FRIST 2000 INC
08/20/1999 1000.00 20020050499

LEVINE, STUART P
CHICAGO, IL 60611
BUSINESSMAN

GRASSLEY, CHARLES E
VIA GRASSLEY COMMITTEE INC
09/08/1997 1000.00 98020051188

LEVINE, STUART P
CHICAGO, IL 60611
CONSULTANT

BERKLEY, SHELLEY
VIA BERKLEY FOR CONGRESS
05/10/1997 250.00 97032221686

LEVINE, STUART P
CHICAGO, IL 60611
EXECUTIVE

MCINTOSH, DAVID MARTIN
VIA DAVID MCINTOSH FOR CONGRESS
08/26/1998 1000.00 98033714143

LEVINE, STUART P
CHICAGO, IL 60611
FINANCE


CONTINUE


TRY A: NEW QUERY
RETURN TO: FEC HOME PAGE
DIDRICKSON, LOLETA
VIA DIDRICKSON FOR US SENATE
11/24/1997 1000.00 98020040299

McHenry County Blog has slightly re-formatted this press release to make it easier to read. Nothing has been re-arranged, but I have added a lot of new paragraphs.

Alliance for Land, Agriculture, and Water “A-LAW”

Woodstock, IL – October 21, 2006 – The Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water, “A-LAW”, a not-for-profit corporation, announces its initiative to create a new water authority to preserve and protect area groundwater. The proposed Kishwaukee Valley Water Authority “KVWA” would include much of rural McHenry, Boone and DeKalb Counties. (See attached map depicting the boundaries of the KVWA.)

A water authority is authorized by Illinois law and created by referendum voted on by citizens of the proposed authority area.

Petitions requesting the referendum will be circulated by members and volunteers beginning Saturday, October 21st.

You may volunteer to assist this effort and/or sign a petition by calling or emailing A-LAW. A representative will contact you directly.

If certified, the question of whether or not to create the KVWA will be on the April 2007 ballot.

A water authority has the power to regulate the permitting of any new wells for high capacity residential, municipal, industrial and commercial users. The authority can monitor and conserve ground water and protect important ground water recharge areas within the authority. Existing wells at current usage levels are not affected. Also, wells serving agricultural uses along with residential wells that serve less than four single-family homes are exempt from regulation.

Water authorities currently exist throughout the State of Illinois, most in central Illinois. The Illinois Water Authority Association located in Havana, Illinois represents many of the current authorities. Water authorities can work directly with other state and local governmental units and enter into intergovernmental agreements in carrying out its duties. The KVWA, like other water authorities, has excluded many larger municipalities from its jurisdiction.

A-LAW already has the support of the McHenry County Farm Bureau, and there is growing interest by farmers in Boone and DeKalb County, along with rural residents and local government officials. A-Law will continue to seek additional local organizations to join the effort in creating the KVWA. Farmers, business owners, rural residents and concerned citizens are invited to join A-LAW’s efforts to form the KVWA.

A-Law was created by concerned citizens of various backgrounds and occupations in McHenry County. Its mission is to inform, educate and influence the use of this region’s natural resources.

Members of A-LAW first came together to fight against adoption of a staff-drawn, development friendly, 2020 Comprehensive Plan being considered by the McHenry County Board earlier this year.

During the County Board meetings, it was observed that farmers and residents in the rural areas of the County did not have fair representation before the Board.

A major issue to residents of the rural areas of the County was how more development would affect their most important resource in the county – ground water.

Due to the concern that development would continue to dominate control over future zoning and planning in the county, A-LAW members searched for a vehicle to provide the local community with the ability to monitor, protect and control usage of their ground water.

A McHenry County funded comprehensive report on ground water, recently completed by consultants, confirmed the biggest issue facing this region is future availability of water. The report identified several heavily populated and growing townships on the east half of McHenry County that are projected to suffer water shortages by 2020 and more townships facing shortages by 2030.

McHenry County consultants suggest one major answer is to move the water from areas of abundance to those of need in McHenry County. This means piping water from the west parts of the County, located in the Kishwaukee Watershed, to towns in the east that are water short.

The impacts of these recommendations are multi-county to farmers, residents and existing businesses as groundwater does not follow political boundaries. Currently, everybody shares the right of reasonable use to the groundwater.

However, increasingly there will be demands on ground water supplies in western McHenry County, Boone County and DeKalb County. A water authority can provide significant controls to insure that adequate water is available by regulating high capacity wells and studying and protecting the natural aquifers holding the ground water.

J. Dale Berry, member of A-LAW and resident of unincorporated Marengo, stated, “a water authority will provide a voice to those rural residents who are concerned about the future of their water supply”. He continued, “Since Lake Michigan water will not be available to the areas within the authority, we need to have a dedicated governmental entity with local control that can manage water usage and preserve the supply.”

Linnea Kooistra, a farmer, resident of unincorporated Woodstock and member of A-LAW said, “Farmers have every reason to support the authority since it will help preserve their water supply which is vital to the agricultural business throughout these counties.” Ms. Kooistra continued,”

The McHenry County Farm Bureau has already endorsed creation of a water authority; within a short time we have seen great support from Boone County farmers and we are gathering support in DeKalb County.” Mr. Berry finished by saying a levy associated with the authority would cost the owner of a $250,000 home about $25.00 per year; cheap insurance to protect the water”.


######

Contacts:

Phone:
Robert Perbohner at 1-866-649-9049

Email:
A-LAW@onebox.com

A-LAW (Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water, not for Profit Corporation)
P.O. Box 1021
Woodstock, IL 60098

  

IDNR acquired the 113-acre parcel – part of the former Oakmount Game Club – to expand protection for Black Crown Marsh, a 236-acre wetland habitat located just east of Moraine Hills State Park. The acquisition expands adjoining state- and locally-managed open space in the area to more than 3,000 acres.

“This historic effort to protect the Black Crown Marsh has been a decade in the making and is a perfect example of agencies working together to preserve natural areas in Illinois,” said IDNR Deputy Director Leslie Sgro. “This acquisition – and the complementary efforts of our conservation partners in the region – is a significant accomplishment in natural resources stewardship in the area.”

The former Oakmount Game Club included approximately 247 acres of open space located in both McHenry County and Lake County. The sale of the property was facilitated by the Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands), which purchased the entire parcel earlier this year on behalf of IDNR and the Lake County Forest Preserve District (LCFPD). The LCFPD Board approved the purchase of 134 acres of the former game club last July, and the LCFPD is managing that parcel as the new Black Crown Forest Preserve.

“We are excited to be a part of something that has such long-lasting benefits for wildlife and people,” said Bonnie Thomson Carter, President of the Lake County Forest Preserves. “It has always been our hope to preserve this land and provide further protection to Black Crown Marsh. Purchasing the new Black Crown Forest Preserve has allowed us to play an important role in regional preservation of our natural areas and to expand public open space in western Lake County.”

“We commend IDNR and the Lake County Forest Preserve District for their leadership in working with CorLands to preserve Black Crown Marsh. The people in our region are fortunate to have this unique habitat,” said Robert Megquier, CorLands Director of Land Preservation. “CorLands is pleased to have had a role in the acquisition and protection of such an important natural area.”

The IDNR Black Crown Marsh area will now consist of nearly 350 acres of wetland and upland buffer habitat. The marsh wetland includes a central area of open water. Nine state-listed threatened or endangered bird species have been found at and rely on the habitat at Black Crown Marsh, including the black tern, common moorhen, American bittern, least bittern, pied-billed grebe, sandhill crane, black-crown night heron, osprey and yellow-headed blackbird.

A 156-acre area of Black Crown Marsh was registered as a state land and water reserve by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission in 2001. An archery deer hunting program on the site provides sportsmen an opportunity to help manage the large deer population in the area.

IDNR acquisition of the former Oakmount parcel will also provide a new link in the 500-mile Grand Illinois Trail system in northern Illinois. IDNR recently negotiated an intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Island Lake to complete a segment of the trail through a neighboring residential area. The new trail connection will link Moraine Hills State Park and the Lake County trail system.

The 113-acre parcel was acquired at a negotiated fair market value of $5,087,221 with a blend of state, federal and private funding. The funds include $4,268,194 from the state Natural Areas Acquisition Fund, $724,554 from the federal Land and Water Conservation program, and a private donation through the Illinois Conservation Foundation totaling $94,473.

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“Usually, the police just talk with us about safety recommendations, see that we are orderly and cooperative, wish us well, and go on their way,” says Jean Paskilades, a volunteer from Island Lake. That is, until this incident.

It seems that in Cook County and South Barrington free speech is against the law. Some law, some ordinance -- it is not clear. Police from both jurisdictions were unable to cite any specific city or county rules.

According to Scheurer, he and his volunteers had an “interesting and mutually respectful discussion” with the police about this point, as the officers talked on cell phones with unidentified superiors and struggled to find a reason to support their requests.

“We call this political campaigning -- not advertising, not demonstrating,” says Mike Amanti, a volunteer from Hoffman Estates. “We have held at least a dozen of these so far, with another dozen more scheduled on the calendar.”

At first, the police said “advertising” is not allowed on public rights of way. This, despite the stands of commercial (and political candidate) signs that pop up along the highways, and at every major intersection, like weeds.

“We told them that we were not advertising anything,” Scheurer says. “Advertising is what the other candidates do with TV commercials, junk mail, and annoying phone calls. We are campaigning -- interacting with voters.”

Another reason the police kept coming back to was that “demonstrating” requires a permit. The Scheurer campaign signs say only two things: “Scheurer for Congress” and “Honk for Peace.” The police allowed as how the “Scheurer for Congress” might be campaigning, but pointed to the “Honk for Peace” signs as the suspect items.

“We said that demonstrating is more like when George Bush comes to town and people fill the streets to protest the war,” Amanti explains. “Then it makes sense to get a permit because they have to shut down traffic and sidewalks and things. We were not protesting anything. We were campaigning -- letting voters know that Bill stands for peace.”

The police also kept raising the safety issue, even though the volunteers were sheltered behind a bike path that runs along off the road. If it was not safe for them, then the bike path should also be closed as a danger to bicyclists and pedestrians.

“We have a great respect for this safety issue,” says Scheurer. “But, how many times have you seen high school cheerleaders at busy intersections with pom-poms and signs trying to get drivers’ attention to pull in for their fundraiser car wash?”

No. It is not the activity that makes people nervous. It is the message. Peace is a scary message for politicians and others when their government is at war.

As more and more walls go up against freedom of speech and assembly -- with people who dissent cordoned off in so-called “free speech zones” away from elected officials and public observers -- what will become of our democracy?

“I wanted to stay and let them arrest me -- so did the others,” says Randi Scheurer, the candidate’s wife, who also photographed the entire incident. “But we had some students with us, and Bill always asks us to follow any instructions from the police.”

Maybe it is time for Scheurer to reconsider this policy and peaceably suffer arrest, if only to maintain the public’s right to free speech. If an independent, third-party campaign has to get a “permit” from the government to be free, are any of us now really free?

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Weiner, 53, of Glenview, who was charged previously with Blase, was also indicted on five counts of mail fraud. From approximately 1974 to April 2005, Weiner worked for the Weiner agency in various capacities, including insurance producer. He became president and chief operating officer of the firm in April 2005, following the death of his father, Ralph Weiner, who founded the agency in 1955.

Three counts of mail fraud were brought against Paul Zdon, 61, of Lisle, a Weiner agency insurance producer from 1996 to 2004 who was charged for the first time in today’s indictment.

Both Steven Weiner and Zdon have authorized the government, through their attorneys, to disclose that they are cooperating and expect to plead guilty. All three defendants will be arraigned at later dates in U.S. District Court.

Mr. Fitzgerald announced the charges with Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Byram Tichenor, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The investigation is continuing, they said.

The indictment alleges that beginning about 1974 through June 2006, the defendants, together with Ralph Weiner and others, engaged in a scheme to deprive Niles and its citizens of Blase’s honest services as mayor and to fraudulently obtain money. According to the indictment, Blase used his mayoral post to promote the Weiner agency and directly and indirectly steer village businesses to purchase insurance from the firm in exchange for Ralph Weiner, and later Steven Weiner, paying approximately 25 percent of the agency’s commissions from Niles clients to a purported insurance agency, S.M.P. Insurance Service Inc., a shell corporation controlled by Blase. As part of the scheme, from 1997 to 2006, Ralph and Steven Weiner made payments, and caused payments to be made, to SMP totaling approximately $421,450.

As part of the fraud scheme, Blase allegedly took, and failed to take, actions in his capacity as mayor to benefit the interests of Niles businesses that purchased their insurance through the Weiner agency. Blase allegedly provided material information to Ralph and Steven Weiner and Zdon concerning the village’s regulation of Niles businesses, and they, in turn, touted their ability to provide access to and receive favors from Blase to potential and existing insurance clients to advance their solicitation and sale of insurance.

Blase also allegedly concealed his payment relationship with the Weiner agency, and failed to disclose the payments on his Statements of Economic Interest. While failing to disclose the payments, he continued to participate in Niles’ regulation of village businesses, including presiding over liquor commission hearings involving alleged violations of local ordinances. As an example, Blase allegedly directed Ralph Weiner to disguise the source of insurance payments from the Niles Public Library that were funneled to Blase. Weiner caused the payments to be mis-identified as coming from “Four Doves,” a commercial establishment, according to the indictment.

Blase caused SMP to be incorporated in 1974 to act as a conduit to secretly transfer money from Ralph and Steven Weiner to two employees of Blase’s law firm for the benefit of Blase, and to disguise the payments by making it appear that they were receiving shared commissions on insurance-related work when, in fact, the two Blase law firm employees were not licensed to perform such insurance work, could not receive such payments under state law, and did not perform such work. Blase then used the SMP funds to pay all or part of the salaries that the two employees earned for work they performed for Blase’s law practice, including negotiating the settlements of personal injury claims, the indictment alleges.

It further alleges that in late 2005, when one of Blase’s law firm employees reduced his work schedule, Blase instructed him to share funds from the SMP checks with Blase’s relative who worked as an attorney in conjunction with Blase’s law firm. To disguise these payments, Blase devised a cover story such that, if questioned by authorities, the Blase employee was to falsely state that the attorney performed investigative work for SMP.

The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Collins and Laurie Barsella.

If convicted, each count of mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Court, however, would determine the appropriate sentence to be imposed.

The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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The most recent edition contains these fascinating paragraphs under the headline

GARS Prescribed Salary Rate

Highest salary as defined by the Illinois Pension Code is “For a participant who is a member of the General Assembly on his her last day of service: the highest salary that is prescribed by law, on the participant’s last day of service.”

In every even-number year, the Compensation Review Board is required to submit a report to the General Assembly which recommends compensation levels for members of the General Assembly, statewide elected officials, judges, and department heads. If the report is not rejected by both chambers of the General Assembly, the compensation levels recommended in the report are put into effect.

The March 2006 Report of the Compensation Review Board was not rejected by the 94th General Assembly. The 2006 Report recommended no salary increases for FY 2007 for offices in the legislative and executive branches covered by the report. The report recommends that the COLAs [Cost of Living Adjustments] that were not granted in FY03-FY05 (13.1%) be applied to salaries before the FY 2007 COLA (3.2%) is granted on July 1, 2006. This is the highest salary prescribed by law for the GARS members.

Even though the 2006 Report was not rejected by the 94th General Assembly, the recommended COLAs were not granted because they were not funded in the FY07 state budget. However, GARS members who retired in Fyo7 will still receive a retirement benefit based on the highest salary for annuities.

The General Assembly may still reject the 2006 Report within 30 session days of the report being submitted to the General Assembly. If the report is ultimately rejected by mid-February, retirement benefits would be based on the actual salary rates received by the member.