European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 6, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Chicago the nation s third target City is a hotbed at elaborate sting operations involving undercover agents and crooked cops judges and politicians. Stings target Chicago corruption by William c. Hidla associated press bribery. In Cuenco peddling and political Cut of lion Havo Boon As much of a tradition in Chicago the Sty that works As elevated trains Iho cubs and gangsters like Al Capone but Federal authorities have fought Back in a fashion thai would Havo made a Man Eliot Ness proud weaving Olalar ale Sling operations with undercover agents paying off crooked cops judges and politicians and taping it ail on hidden recorders. Corruption is an epidemic proportion problem in Chicago says us attorney anlonvalukas1 ii would to hard Lor. Me to imagine a City in which Thero Vns a nor court Ilion to o urm i id Chicago s custom Olgi easing political Palms to gel things done the Fri has run five n rep or undercover stings teaching into virtually every area of local govern Mannl m he past decade. The major investigations More indie Mants for political corruption before january. 1 we have civics pending now thai we can t oven talk about that Milt be coming Down in about is months adds Bob Walsh special assist Rel in charge of Henri s Chicago o co. Since May 1985, when Valutas was promoted to. U Lor the Northern District of Ilii Roic 205 Public olt oals. Jov emment employees and business owners Havo Lor corruption the pros Eulor says. Since 1 d7t\vhon Floral a cols and prosecutors Lisl look aim Al Public corruption. 15 City Council members have Tew Kkt cd. Fourteen have been convicted and one Antl Stinfil Valutas. Says. One a jobs cock named operation Giey Loid exposed the largest judicial corruption scandal in the nation s his Losy so of. 90 judges lawyers and other court employ Xis have been indicted and 69 have been convicted including 1 3 judges. Two won acquittal and two have died awaiting trial. The remaining cases. Are Safe Sci undercover the seamy j of mob control in and Book Maharj uncovering a pattern of Protection payoffs to vice police. Along the Way. They nabbed Bruce of Rajh a v be ,. Tiff icon for the county she Milf s police Frasch once was aug fit by Anchor officer naked in a hot Lub with a. Pros time. Bui it did t slow his career and Wilh Iri a year he was named Cook county s commander of vice Contro. Frasch was later convicted of accepting bribes from bookmakers and bordello opera Lois or Protection from a feat. The Malebel sting also led Federal authorities to reopen a local Milder investigation. James Keating who was on the take while head of intelligence Lor the sheriff s police bragged loan undercover Fri agent wired for sound thai the 19b2 former judge Taymond so Donl pleaded guilty in. 1987to accepting $6,000 in bribes and was sentenced to eight years in prison. Gangland style slaying of a suburban College official. Would never be solved. Keating eventually was convicted of taking payoffs to protect vice rackets and recently was indicted on charges of agreeing Lor $25.000 to find someone to kill. The official. Three other slings have Laken aim Al classic Chicago style corruption Valukas says. Operation lantern tackled payoffs in City purchasing operation hocus ferreted Oul bribery in business. Licensing . And operation incubator. The last major investigation unveiled by Chicago s a men uncovered City Hall influence peddling. We have indicted and convicted Hall of Tho electrical inspectors in Iho City of Chicago half of chg consumer services inspectors and afm Osl i Roe quarters of the sewer inspectors the Chiel Federal Pio secular says. Corruption historically has been a Way of life in Chicago says the Fri s Robert Walsh people Over Itie years have Boon More willing to pay $ 10 than gel a. Speeding Lickel or to pay a bribe 10 got a mooring slip in Monroe Harbor. Some think the picture is a bit distorted. I do not believe this cily is As corrupt As they portray it in the Federal courts,".says Louis Farina a former Alderman who was convicted of extortion and served a " your in prison. Sure Shore arc frailties in government. Sure there is a Little corruption in business. Bui when you blow it apart Wilh a scams. Real assured you re going to put Ovey politician in Jai or Embarrass him so much he commits suicide i d advise people to stay Oul of politics because the government is going to set you up and i Thi Jik that s 3 shame says Farina a longtime ally and a Wical appoint spoof Richard. , mayor. ,. Walsh contends corruption has flourished in part because state and local Laws make it Dill cull to prosecute such cases. Chicago s. 100 year history of democratic machine politics also promoted graft and made Petty corruption seem like in Ordinary part of doing business says Dick Simpson a former Alderman and now an associate political science professor Al Tho University of Illinois Chicago Campus. To terms 61 political culture Chicago More accepting of graft and corruption than other communities around the country says Simpson an Alderman from 1971 to 1979. Whar anywhere else would create a. Scandal and topple a government would hero be viewed a Job .16 the stars and stripes
