Two Ald. Berny Stone Political Workers Guilty Of Ballot Tampering

June 24, 2010 - Chicago - Two former 50th Ward campaign workers were found guilty of "multiple Class A misdemeanor counts of attempted mutilation of voting materials and attempted absentee ballot violations" today. The charges came from violations committed during the the hotly contested 2007 aldermanic race between Stone, Greg Brewer, Naisy Dolar and Salman Aftab in West Ridge/East Rogers Park.

"A Cook County judge handed down guilty verdicts in the bench trial of two political workers for Ald. Berny Stone on charges that they had allegedly tampered with absentee ballots stemming from the 2007 aldermanic race in the 50th Ward," reports Lake Effect News (LEN) this afternoon.

On November 9, 2009 Chicago Breaking News reported that "Prosecutors said Anish Eapen, a precinct captain for Ald. Bernard Stone, 50th, and the ward's Streets and Sanitation superintendent, flashed his work badge and made it clear to voters that they could benefit if they chose his candidate."

According to LEN, "Anish Eapen, the former ward Streets and Sanitation superintendent, and Armando Ramos, a paid campaign worker for Stone’s political campaign committee, were both found guilty of multiple Class A misdemeanor counts of attempted mutilation of voting materials and attempted absentee ballot violations, " and "Both men were facing more serious felony charges that they had engineered absentee ballots of mostly immigrant voters in the 50th Ward favoring Stone. Stone was not charged with any wrongdoing. Eapen and Ramos face up to one year of jail time, two years of probation, fines or a combination of all three." More at Lake Effect News...

An earlier report by LEN said that Salman Aftab (photo) triggered the 50th Ward vote fraud investigation that led to today's verdicts against Eapen and Ramos. Aftab waged a very bitter campaign against Stone, which included personal attacks. Aftab lost in the February 27 general election, but on March 27, 2007 he gleefully announced his support for Alderman Stone in the pending April 17 run-off against Naisy Dolar. Aftab, who took only 5.2% of the ward's vote in February, said, "My community insisted that I endorse Ald. Stone and I'm doing what my community says," Aftab said. By "my community," Aftab was referring to the large Indian and Pakistani community of West Ridge. (Source: Chicago Tribune/Clout Street)

Stone won the April 2007 aldermanic run-off election with 52.93% 5,965 votes (52.93%). Challenger Naisy Dolar received 5,304 votes (47.07%). Source: AlderTrack

Aftab triggering that vote fraud investigation against two of Stone's political workers. Although it's a good thing that fraud was brought to the attention of the authorities.

Aftab was an early supporter of Barack Obama and of Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL9). He was an acquaintance of Salman Ibrahim, former head of Sunrise Equities, the Chicago sharia finance company that defrauded many dozens of investors in 2008. (There is no reason to believe that Aftab was connected in any way to the Sunrise Equities scandal.) Sunrise Equities gave Obama office space for his 2004 U.S. Senate campaign. There was a private ribbon cutting ceremony for that office space, and you can see Aftab in the photos of that event. Alderman Berny Stone was also present at the ceremony. You can see the photos here and here.

RELATED:
Naisy calls Berny out for his "Friends in low places" Dolar campaign video
Jan Schakowsky endorses Naisy Dolar on 4.4.07 Dolar campaign video
Obama Connected To Sunrise Equities Scandal, Part One" CNB
Obama's Connections to Sunrise Equities, Part Two CNB

Ald. Stone Campaign Committee Paying Defendant's Legal Fees

Leave it to Lorraine Swanson to turn this up: "Attorney fees for one of the co-defendants in the 50th Ward vote fraud trial are being picked up by the Bernard L. Stone Campaign Committee." Stone is the 50th Ward alderman in Chicago, lording over a neighborhood known both as "West Ridge" and as "West Rogers Park." Stone, legendary in part for falling asleep at City Council meetings and for yelling at constituents, would not return the phone calls of Swanson, who publishes the Lake Effect News web site. As Swanson reported on November 13, two of Stone's political workers, Anish Eapen, the former ward superintendent and campaign worker Armando Ramos, are accused of multiple felony charges "that they allegedly tampered with absentee ballots of mostly immigrant voters in the 2007 municipal election and aldermanic runoff in the 50th Ward." Stone is a Democrat and well entrenched in the local Machine politics. Yes, yes, it's shocking that a Democrat in Chicago would be mixed up with a couple of guys who are, allegedly, scumbags and paying their legal fees to boot. Shocking. I know that you're shocked, too. There's a whole lot more to this story, which Swanson has been covering since its beginning. See her related stories: Trial Date Set For Stone Political Workers and Witnesses Offer Chilling Testimony of Voting ‘Chicago Style’. Conservative Caps, Shirt and more! Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Visit us on Twitter!

Trial Date Set for Ald. Stone Campaign Workers

Lorraine Swanson has been following the felony cases of two men who worked for Chicago Alderman Berny Stone (50th Ward). Both men face numerous counts of felony vote fraud, which they allegedly committed during the 2007 aldermanic election. Swanson filed this today at her Lake Effect News site: Former Ward Streets and Sanitation Superintendent Anish Eapen and campaign worker Armando Ramos have been scheduled for a two-day bench trial on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10 in the Cook County Criminal Court building at 26th and California before Judge Marcus Salone .... Charges were filed in January 2008 after the completion of a joint investigation by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s and Chicago Inspector General’s offices. FULL STORY... Stone, born circa 1749, has been Chicago's Vice Mayor since 1837, one year after the city was incorporated. Prior to getting into politics, he worked as a snake oil salesman, selling miracle potions in the American colonies of New England from a two-horse carriage. After the United States won its independence from England, Stone traveled west on foot, surviving on a diet of squirrels and rhubarb until he arrived at a swampy area, now the site of modern day Chicago. He built a small log cabin near the future site of N. Western and W. Devon, and immediately gerrymandered the swampy land. After Chicago became an incorporated city, Stone was given squatter's rights to the area now known as the 50th Ward, and was additionally granted the title and privileges of Lifelong Divine Ruler of the Land of West Ridge. Conservative Caps, Shirt and more! Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Visit us on Twitter!

Alderman Stone's Parking Meter Pomposity

50th Ward Alderman Berny Stone, long known as an elitist, said that it's nobody's business how much research he personally put into the infamous parking meter deal. Stone also dissed Chicago's Inspector General David Hoffman's report, which called the deal seriously flawed. "He can't even do his own job," Stone said in an amazing video from WTTW. (Click image to see the video.) Angela Caputo wrote this for Progress Illinois: After the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization's (IVI-IPO) filed a lawsuit yesterday against the city of Chicago challenging the legality of the 75-year parking meter lease, WTTW's Chicago Tonight convened a panel to talk about this latest development. In a curious selection, Ald. Berny Stone (50th Ward) was tapped to defend the $1.15 billion deal. He squared off against the Reader's Mick Dumke, whose ongoing investigative reporting on the meter lease (alongside Ben Joravsky) has made him an expert on the intricacies of agreement. Full Article... We don't know yet if Avy Meyers will cover this story, but if he does you can be sure he'll softball Stone. Meyers, who has an annoying cable show in Stone's West Ridge neighborhood, has long been a mouthpiece and apologist for the 50th Ward alderman. Related: - Mick Dumke vs. Bernard Stone - Inspector General: We Got Ripped Off on Meter Deal - Chicagoist

Funny Alderman Berny Stone Video

If you've never been to a 50th Ward meeting - or any meeting - conducted by Chicago Alderman Berny Stone, I urge you to do so. It's like Vaudeville and Broadway mixed up with the Catskills, packed with drama and finger pointing. I recorded this video on January 14, 2009 at a community meeting in West Ridge (a.k.a, West Rogers Park). The weather was cold as hell that night, but the meeting hall was packed with neighbors concerned about potential parking problems resulting from the new Boone-Clinton public school to be built at 6700 North Whipple. Ald. Stone has a reputation for falling asleep at meetings when he's not the one in charge, but when he is in charge, it's guaranteed that everyone in the room will remain wide awake. I recorded this video mainly for my own archives, but it turns out that it's funny as hell even thought the quality is low. Upon viewing it again, it made me laugh so hard that I wanted to share it with you. Leave a Comment Here... See our cool merchandise... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Hey! ChiNewsBench is on Twitter

Bad Intersections, Ald. Stone, Ald Moore Don't Care

The aldermen in Chicago's 49th and 50th wards seem to not care about the safety of bikers, pedestrians or motorists. To wit: Rogers Park (east) sits along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. It is ruled over by 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore. For years, the intersection of W. Pratt and N. Greenview, in Moore's ward and right in front of a school, has been dangerous. The vast majority of motorists driving westbound on Pratt do not stop at the clearly visible stop sign. This includes CTA buses and trucks of all kind, and it happens day and night, rain or shine. I've had a video posted to this blog since December, 2006 which shows vehicle after vehicle blowing the sign. Moore has done nothing about it. Is he waiting for a group of school children to die before he takes proactive measures? West Ridge is ruled over by 50th Ward Alderman Berny Stone, who seems to care about traffic safety about as much as Joe Moore does. Rogers Parka blog's Jackie recounts when she was struck by a vehicle in February, 2007 in Stone's ward, at the intersection of N. Western and W. Granville. While crossing Western, I was hit by a car traveling east on Granville.... he struck me on my right knee and I went flying onto the ground. At least, the driver.... stopped and helped me right myself.... I sustained a small (but very painful) fracture and, for three weeks, hobbled around in deep snow. On crutches! .... I emailed Bernard Stone's office about my accident, and told them to consider putting a red light camera at that intersection. The response? "A camera isn't necessary." So that was the end of that conversation. I suppose that something will be done... after a pedestrian is killed! Full Post... Jackie was not asking for anything for herself. She was asking a city council member to consider a way to make an intersection safer. According to Jackie, Ald. Stone didn't seem to give it any consideration. Ah, Chicago, the city that works. When the aldermen want it to, that is. CommieBama Hats and More Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Follow ChiNewsBench on Twitter!

OBAMA CONNECTED TO SUNRISE EQUITIES, PART ONE

OBAMA'S OCTOBER SUNRISE SURPRISE - PART ONE

Sunrise Equities donated office space to Obama in 2004 when
he was running for U.S. Senate. Salman Ibrahim was there.

Also See: Obama's Connections to Sunrise Equities, Part Two 

EXCLUSIVE: PART ONE - Background of the 2008 Sunrise Equities Scandal

CHICAGO - Barack Obama has strong ties to a Chicago investment company that ripped off investors for a total of approximately $80 million. Sunrise Equities shut down in August when its CEO, Salman Ibrahim, and other top officers vanished. The money seems to have gone with them. Now, the Illinois Secretary of State and the FBI are investigating the scandal.

About 150 investors, mostly Muslim, learned in August that they had lost all of their savings to the Sunrise Equities fraud. Sunrise Equities, a shariah-compliant investment firm, targeted investors who were mostly Pakistani Muslim immigrants. Many the victims took out home-equity loans to make ends meet.

The Muslim Media Network (MMN) reported this on Sept. 11:

"According to latest reports coming from Chicago the management of Sunrise Equities and the affiliated Sunrise Constructions have disappeared after closing their offices. Sunrise CEO Salman Ibrahim, Vice President Amjed Mahmood, and Vice President (Community Relations) Mohammad Akbar Zahid are untraceable."

As financial scandals go, this one pales next to the implosions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. However, to the hundreds of investors in Chicago who have been ruined by Sunrise Equities, the Fannie-Freddie mess might as well be in another galaxy. Salman Ibrahim and Sunrise Equities have ruined people here just as profoundly as any bank closing in the country has hurt others. Salman Ibrahim gained the trust of investors with the help of religious Muslim leaders, who approved of and even recommended investing with Sunrise Equities because it followed shariah rules, or Islamic law.

The Illinois Secretary of State and the FBI are investigating the scandal. Will Homeland Security be investigating this? After all, Ibrahim is a foreign national. Furthermore, he is rumored by many along the “Devon Corridor” of West Ridge to be a Taliban sympathizer.

The tragedy of Sunrise Equities has ripples throughout Chicago: A March 10, 2006 press release from Sunrise Equities bragged about a transaction in the nearby Uptown neighborhood:

"Sunrise Equities is pleased to announce the purchase of 4 parcels near the corner of Leland and Marine Drive. A yet unnamed project is under development and will be the largest project under the Sun Rise umbrella. The mixed use development plan will call for up to 150 condos and townhomes as well as community retail."

More press releases are available on the Sunrise Equities web site, which also lists major projects in which they were involved.

The Chicago Tribune reported on September 24, 2008:

The Shariah Board of America's approval of investing in Sunrise Equities led dozens of other Chicago-area Muslims—mostly Indians and some Pakistanis—to invest and lose hundreds of thousands of dollars with the company, which says it developed multiunit residential buildings in Chicago, the investors said.

Investors said they don't know if the company suffered losses because of the declining real estate market or for other reasons. Salman Azam, an attorney hired by several investors, said Sunrise's Chief Executive Officer Salman Ibrahim has not been seen since August. Sunrise's offices off Devon Avenue are closed. At his home, mail spills out of his mailbox.

Neither Ibrahim nor his attorneys could be reached for comment Monday and Tuesday. Another principal in Sunrise, Amjed Mahmood, declined to comment, saying he had been a vice president in the company and the "corporation had gone down." He said he lost $500,000 and was now driving a taxi.

For years, Ibrahim and his associates have been heavily involved in Democrat Party political affairs. Ibrahim donated to Barack Obama and to Joe Biden, Local Democrats, such as 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore and 50th Ward Alderman Bernie Stone, benefited as well.

There are questions, then, that must be asked. Where did the missing $80 million go? Did any of that money go to terrorist entities? Inasmuch as Ibrahim is suspected by some in his now-former neighborhood to be sympathetic to radical Islamic groups, the authorities must be wondering where the money went. Was it transferred to accounts overseas? Will Ibrahim, Mahmood and Zahid keep the money for personal benefit? Was any of it transferred to enemies of the United States, such as alQaeda?

According the most recent US Treasury Terrorist Assets Report (TAR), more than $20.7 million was blocked in 2007 that might otherwise have gone to international terrorist organizations and individuals. That's a big increase from the $16.4 million block in 2006. Al-Qaeda's share in 2007 is estimated to have been more than $11.3 million, which is 46 percent more than in 2006.

The amount of blocked funds pertaining to international terrorist organizations and individuals, totaled over $20.7 million in 2007, compared to $16.4 million in 2006. Of that, over $11.3 million constituted assets of al-Qaeda, an increase of almost 46 percent over the level blocked as of the end of 2006. The Bench is not saying that Sunrise Equities officers were terrorists or gave money to terrorists. That is an unknown, but that is the point. As noted, people much close to Ibrahim allege that his sympathies lie with the Taliban. The Taliban, as we all know, sympathizes with al-Qaeda.

The US Government needs to quickly and thoroughly investigate the Sunrise Equities scandal, with involves around $80 million. That's almost four times as much as was blocked by the US Treasury in all of 2007.

Barack Obama has long had strong ties to Muslims and to Pakistanis. He also has long and strong ties to Sunrise Equities and Salman Ibrahim.

Obama wanted a satellite fundraising office in the “Devon Corridor,” the largely Indian-Pakistani section of Chicago’s West Ridge neighborhood on the north side. Salman Ibrahim was happy to help. Free office space was given to Obama’s campaign within Sunrise’s general offices at 6355 N. Claremont. Obama has long wooed Muslim voters, and did not have a physical presence in this part of Chicago, so the Sunrise location made logistical sense for Obama. It also made sense for Ibrahim and Sunrise as an effort to curry favor with rising star Barack Obama.

In 2004, Sunrise Investments gave Barack Obama free office space during his run for US Senate. The Bench has photographs of the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Clearly seen in the photos is Barack Obama and Salman Ibrahim.

We're not finished yet. Part Two of this story will examine Obama's connections to Salman Ibrahim and Sunrise Equities. Due to time constraints, The Bench will not detail here Obama's mysterious three weeks in Pakistan or his numerous Muslim associations. These are points that have been well covered already by a myriad of blogs and publications. Rather, The Bench hopes that the information presented here will alert others with more time and resources to the Sunrise Equities story and the Obama Connection. Perhaps they can pick up the ball and run with it.

NEXT: Obama's Connections to Sunrise Equities, Part Two

RELATED: 

• The Failure of Sunrise Equities CNB 
• More on the Sunrise Equities Debacle... CNB 
• LOOKING FOR SALMAN IBRAHIM CNB 
• Sunrise Equities Scandal and Multiculturalism CNB 
• OBAMA: GUILT BY PARTICIPATION CNB 

ALDERMAN CALLED "TOOL OF HAMAS"

Alderman Berny Stone called Alderman Joe Moore an "ignorant cry baby" who is a "tool of Hamas." Speaking live by phone on WLS 890 AM this morning with morning hosts Don Wade and Roma about the humiliating defeat of his two-year old foie gras ban, Moore said that the Chicago City Council has "lost even the pretense of a democracy." Moore went on to embarass himself for nearly 10 minutes. Hear the full Moore interview (6.6 mb mp3 file.) IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING MOORE'S PHONE INTERVIEW, 50th Ward Alderman Bernie Stone was interviewed. Stone, on the phone, said Moore was a "cry baby" who doesn't know proper procedure for City Council meetings. Stone said that had Moore followed procedure, he could have spoken, but Daley called the vote without Moore doing what was required. But that's not all that Stone said. Moore is a "tool of Hamas," Stone said. He said the particular anti-war resolution that Moore was proposing would serve as a propaganda tool for Hamas, which is sworn to destroy Israel. The end result of the exchange between Moore and Don Wade, then Stone and Don Wade, is that Joe Moore was painted as a boob who does not understand City Council procedures, is a cry baby who is whining about losing a battle, and he's a useful idiot for anti-American interests. READ ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION TO PROTECT IRAN! Wow! Local politics takes a preemptive strike against any future military actions in the Middle East. Oh my I'm so happy Chicago's City Council is taking a stand on something that they ultimately wouldn't be at the table for making a decision anyway. FULL POST at "IT'S MY MIND"...

FLASHBACK: Mayor Daley Calls Alderman Moore Incompetent

THE NEWS-STAR IS UNDER ATTACK

There is a sneaky attempt by self-appointed "leaders" of the greater Rogers Park communities (49th and 50th Wards of Chicago) to muzzle the free press and bully private enterprise. Talk about killing two birds with one stone.

They are, to put it simply, trying to intimidate Dan Haley, the new publisher of the New-Star newspaper.

It is well known that Alderman Joe Moore (49th) and Alderman Bernie Stone (50th) are not fond of an unfettered press. They are both know citywide for calling newspaper editors and screaming - literally - that they don't like what reporters write. They demand that editors give reporters a "good talking to." But the aldermen are not alone. The Queen of DevCorp North, Bimberly Kares, is not much better, and all of her staff are very tight lipped. Brian White of Lakeside CDC is part of this group, which also includes 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman David Fagus, CAPS fetishist Kevin O'Neal, and others who hate the free press.

These neo-Stalinists are especially freaked out by the now-not-so-new phenomenon of bloggers. See, you can call and scream at an editor. You can threaten them with business license shenanigans, and you can intimidate their advertisers. They are frustrated by local bloggers (citizen journalists) who have no advertisers, no business licenses and - in short - nothing that these bullies can threaten us with (legally)?

Here's what you do. You hold a "community meeting" and pretend it's something that the entire community wants. The following was printed in this week's News-Star and also appears at Lakeside CDC's web site as a PDF. It is subtle, and tells us more about the author than was intended. The Bench's very own Cryptology Unit went to work on it. Following is notice from Lakeside CDC, with The Bench's analysis inserted:

West Rogers Park Community Organization

Presents

“Covering the Community:Perspectives from the New News-Star”

With Special Guests Dan Haley, Publisher, Oak Park Wednesday Journal & Lorraine Swanson, Editor, News Star

Thursday, March 6, 2008
6:45 pm – 8:45 pm
Rogers Park Chicago Public Library
2nd floor Community Room
6907 N. Clark Street, Chicago

In this era of 24-hour news cycles, web blogs-as-news, and ever-increasing demands for residents’ time and attention, the role of community newspapers continues to evolve. In January 2008, the News Star newspaper was sold to the Oak Park WednesdayJournal newsgroup along with other Pioneer Press publications. The News Star has served in one form or another as the community newspaper in Rogers Park and WestRidge since the 1930s.

ANALYSIS: Author is something of a Luddite, with a fear of the new media (new sites, blog sites, etc.). He has an obvious ignorance of what blogs are. Evidence: His use of the phrase "web blogs." There is no such thing. The correct term, "blogs," is short for "web logs," not "web blogs." Furthermore: Author misunderstands the nature of a privately owned newspaper. Evidence: He says that the News-Star has "served...as the community newspaper," whereas in reality every newspaper serves as a revenue generating business. In the case of a newspaper, they do this by selling advertising space. They sell advertising space by providing readers for advertisers, not by providing public service announcements or propaganda for aldermen.

On March 6, 2008 the new publisher and editor of the News Star will meet with residents, community leaders, and business owners to share their plans and hear what readers and advertisers want from the paper. A lively discussion is anticipated. The meeting is open to the public; seating is first come first served. Call (773) 381-5253 or visit www.wrpco.org on the web for more info.

ANALYSIS: Author uses phrase "residents, community leaders, and business owners," but he does not make clear which residents, leaders, or business owners. Furthermore, there are - to use a round figure - over 100,000 residents in the areas served by the News-Star. However many residents will be able to cram into the library on March 6 will represent an insignificant percentage of the total. Same for the business owners; there are many hundreds of them. As for "leaders," does he mean elected leaders, or self-appointed "leaders?" The author also fails to explain how many employees of DevCorp North, Lakeside CDC, Northside POWER, and other quasi-Stalinist organizations will pack the room on March 6. "A lively discussion" is not only anticipated, it is guaranteed. In fact, The Bench sincerely hopes there will be security guards stationed around the room.

Co-sponsored by West Ridge Chamber of Commerce, DevCorp North, and Partners for Rogers Park

ANALYSIS: These organizations are headed by self-appointed "leaders," none of whom were elected by the general population of the neighborhoods served by the News-Star. Furthermore, they all have cozy ties to Aldermen Moore and Stone.

META ANALYSIS: The event is straight out of the old Soviet Union playbook of mock trials, with a clever (and necessary) twist. If these self-appointed "leaders" had their way, they would lock up publisher Dan Haley, editor Lorraine Swanson, and turn the News-Star into another propaganda rag such as the RPCC "newspaper" or the DevCorp propaganda pamphlets. Fortunately for us, and unfortunately for these "leaders," we have a long tradition of democracy, freedom of speech and private enterprise in this country, unlike the old Soviet Union (Russia). Nevertheless, these "leaders" continue to work at slowly chipping away at our freedoms. This is just one more attempt to put a chink in democracy's armor.

RECOMMENDATION: Get all your friends to join you in support of Dan Haley, Lorraine Swanson and the Chicago Journal's News-Star on March 6, 2008.

Rogers Park Candidates Debate: The Musical

Nothing new, really, except that Joe Moore got a hearty round of boos and jeers when he tried (again) to claim All Progress On The Lakefront as his. There were about 120 people attending today's forum, and unlike the previous two this one included candidates from the 50th Ward. Notably absent was 50th Ward incumbent Bernie Stone. Since I don't give a rat's whisker about the 50th Ward, I'll just jump right into the video. Go Bears!