Like father like son. Chicago Alderman Isaac “Ike” Carothers has pleaded guilty to corruption and faces 28 months in jail. His father, former Alderman William Carothers, was convicted of attempted extortion in 1983.
Here’s how Chicago’s WGN TV News announced the 31st Chicago City Council Alderman since 1973 – but, hey, who’s counting – to be convicted of crimes that include paying a bribe, taking a bribe, extortion, attempted extortion, tax fraud, tax evasion, racketeering, and ghost-payrolling schemes.
Ike was formally charged with fraud and bribery last May by U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the legal beagle who has former Governor Rod Blagojevich facing trial this summer. That is, unless Blago does enough talking to turn a plea deal. And that’s a potential factor that makes the Carothers’ case particularly interesting.
You can catch up on the details of Ike’s misdeeds in the Chicago print media here, here and here.
Let’s piece together lines from two of those articles. First, the Chicago Sun Times piece:
He [Carothers] wasn’t shy during the eight-month period between his indictment and conviction. Carothers continued to show up regularly at City Hall, chairing Police and Fire Committee meetings and rising on the City Council floor to participate in debates.
Okay, so Ike kept involved in Machine business after his indictment. Guess what he was doing during that time? WGN News tells us.
As part of his cooperation with the government, Carothers has secretly worn a wire in corruption investigations. Prosecutors have been mum about what other shady arrangements Carothers has been involved in, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Fox told U.S. District Judge Robert M. Dow Jr. during the plea hearing that the alderman has been helpful in ‘at least two matters.’
Oh, oh, Ike wore a wire!
Once upon a time, the Machine relied on a code of silence. If you got caught, you paid your penalty and the Machine cranked on. But Ike wore a wire. This summer, an even bigger fish, Blagojevich, could have many more things to say based on his intimate knowledge of the Machine.
How long do you suppose it’ll be before U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald is ‘promoted’ out of the Northern District of Illinois?
FLASHBACK: Here’s how Fitzgerald presented his cast against Blago at the time of the governor’s arrest. Watch the whole thing:
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31 Comments
Take it from a Chicago boy, if anyone thinks this will change or begin to reform that cesspool in Cook County, e-mail me. I have numerous get rich quick schemes I want to sell to you.
The Illinois state Prison has a wing for Chicago Pols and friends.
Watch for him to be appointed a czar or a cabinet leader in the Obama administration. He has the major qualifications, he would fit in perfectly.
These guys might be corrupt but they aren't stupid. Nobody wants a flower in the lapel and a kiss on the cheek. My wildest dream would be for the Bamster to be taken down but I'm afraid that's what it is, "a wild dream'
Rahm Emanuel is workong on a new job for Fitzpatrick as we speak and he'll take it.I think Fitz leans left.
When all the wheels are off the Chicago machine and its up on blocks we need to strip it down to the bare chassis. Who am I fooling? The fix is in.
The Machine? Chicago wheels are like the heads of a hydra: cut one off and…
How long has this Mafia hell hole been turning out thugs, charlatans, and good pizza (well, credit where it's due).
And people thought landfills stunk…the Illinois government and Chicago good-ole-boys are worse than a sewage treatment plant in summer. This is a start, and I can only hope (pipe dream) it's the start of cleaning out the crap. I have serious doubts though!
In a lot of ways Chicago hasn't changed since the 1930's when Al Capone ran the place. Maybe after almost 80 years the tide is starting to turn.
I certainly pray this is true.
As someone that grew up there, I know that almost from it's inception, the City of Chicago has been a corrupt mess. Those that couldn't get traction in New Your City, moved into Chicago, and brought their corruption with them.
Al Capone, and the rest of the scum, didn't turn Chicago into a cesspool of crime and corruption that continues to this day. They just took advatage of the criminal and political corruption that was already present in the city and state.
…and it probably looks like the prison "dorm room cell" from the movie the Mafia guys had in "Goodfellas".
Obama got away wth lying about someone in his office contacting Blago about the senate seat. Thats' why they bullran him out of office. Bago still knows where the bodies are buried on Obama and Rahm.Jesse Jackson jr. clearly tried to buy the seat with a million dollar fundraiser and nothing.
During his incarceration he will draft some type of radical legislation to be used by the administration that will be discovered years later which will lead to a story being written here. People will be incensed and the band will march on!!!
WTF! Just draw a new border and give Illinois to Canada. Seriously, can anybody provide details on anything that state contributes to the Republic other than criminal activity? What a S***hole!
Go ahead and prove me wrong. Demand investigations, protest in the streets, expose the corruption, stop electing these criminals.
Will never happen…the citizens of Illinois don't have the courage. That's right, I am calling you out…prove me wrong, better yet, prove to the rest of the country that you are awake and have the courage to stand up and be heard…
They already have control in the Illinois prisons.
The only thing I would like to hear from Blago is the truth about Obama,Emanuel, Jarette & Michelle. I still would like to know why the Illinois Supreme Court yanked Michelle's law license in 1993. Records are sealed….what else is new?
With all the corruption going on their, she probably never passed the bar to practice law! Oh wait, she's a progressive so the fix was in for a passing grade.
Just so long as their steaks and lobster are delivered fresh, I'm sure they won't have a problem.
I am not a lawyer but if someone who is truely important to the "cause" is found guilty of any federal crimes, what is to stop Holder from dismissing the charges? But like I said, I am not a lawyer.
Maybe when Gov. Rod B. thinks he is going to prison, he will sing like a songbird, or wear a wire for the feds.
This cesspool will never change, to many Senator Turbin Durbins types in Illinois.
I live in ill. and i have to agree with ( Kristine from NYC), Isaac (ike) Carothers can fill a new czar position for OBAMA.
( CZAR of the FEDERAL PRISON SYSTEM)
I'm a born and raised Chicagoan who now resides in a nearby suburb.
Chicago will have to be brought to its knees before it changes and despite the current challenges, that's a long way off.
IMO, the real beginning to the downfall will begin when Mayor Daley is gone. He is a master operator of the Machine, which is no easy feat. Of course, there have been bumps along the way but the Machine still hums along.
Illinois is indeed ill, especially the Chicago pestule. What we see there just may be a glimpe into the future of a major American cities, especially those in the Rust-belt. As bad as it is now, it can be worse…look at Haiti. There the very basics of civilation have disappeared. Anarchy always waits in the shadows. The only way to keep it there is to keep the fear of quick and certain punishment in its' mind. It's time the citizens of Illinois demand scum like this thief be made an example of.
The big question is when is someone going to roll over on Obama concerning all of the Rezco stuff. If Obama was a Republican there would be a guy with a rubber glove asking him to drop his trousers.
Exactly! Where is Rezko? What is he giving up? He HAS to have a bunch of goodies on Oba-caca.
That is the only way to rehabilitate himself. Save the country Antonio!! (or Antoin or whatever)
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[...] The rollout from Chicago Alderman Isaac “Ike” Carothers plea deal, covered in Big Journalism here, is a case study in how the Machine oils its [...]
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Meanwhile I’m the exact opposite to most people at commenting and will comment if I have the tiniest little thing to say, probably cos I started commenting with TwentyMajor’s blog that almost instantly goes off topic.
[...] alderman mentioned above was Isaac Carothers (29th Ward). He eventually pled guilty to corruption and wore a wire himself. CHICAGO (Sun-Times [...]
[...] alderman mentioned above was Isaac Carothers (29th Ward). He eventually pled guilty to corruption and wore a wire [...]
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