http://capitolfaxcom.disqus.com/NoneenFri, 11 May 2007 09:48:44 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100184<p>Comments got a bit mean here. Howard needs to settle down.</p>AnonFri, 11 May 2007 09:48:44 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100183<p>11:47<br>Is that you steve?</p>howardFri, 11 May 2007 08:26:03 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100182<p>Discussions around the water cooler yesterday was "what's going on here". Is Fitzgerald trying to sweat other people? Surely Fitzgerald wouldn't call a press conference for this? The charges and the accused don't seem to warrant all this hype.</p>Lula MayFri, 11 May 2007 08:20:55 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100181<p>Vrdolyak is a fascinating and stand up guy.<br>He is a part of Chicago history.<br>He came up the hard way in politics and didn't have a Irish daddy to give him a seat.<br>I like him and always will.</p>StanFri, 11 May 2007 08:13:44 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100180<p>Rod Blagojevich's first law job was in the Law Offices of Ed Vrdolyak LTD. Blagojevich ran the lakefront for Vrdolyak for Mayor in 87 with little George and there is a beautiful Serbians for Vrdolyak button with Blagojevich in the background.<br>Although Blagojevich is not nearly as smart as Vrdolyak.<br>Vrdolyak is also veryclose to Chris Kelly and mediated a number of disputes.</p>PetarFri, 11 May 2007 01:49:23 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100179<p>How exactly does attacking a family's health problems coincide with politics? Over the years I have seen many things from both sides of the isles...Granted Alexi has been a go getter since his win and he is very impressive - but taking cheap shots at the medical conditions of (BC) family memebers really seems a bit over the top...unless that is all you have?????</p>howard seems a tad bit bitterFri, 11 May 2007 00:47:38 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100178<p>I bet Rich Daley is having a nice laugh about this. Eddie V could never beat him.</p>the ole precinct captainThu, 10 May 2007 23:38:21 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100177<p>Anonymous 7:11 pm,</p><p>I am not a criminal attorney, but I play one on tv, and if you don't understand the legal underpinnings of why these charges constitute a crime then I suspect you should spend less time at Wolf Lake on the SE side and more time in a law library.</p><p>My personal guess is that Eddie V. will fight this. Be convicted. Sent to prison. Also I think he is likely to not help the feds on any other cases.</p><p>Only time will tell.</p>irishpirateThu, 10 May 2007 21:00:05 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100175<p>Aaron Freeman got a chuckle out of this, I shouldn't wonder. Well once again it's not really Fitzmas, I'm beginning to feel like Linus in that pumpkin patch. At this rate, he won;t get around to Blags until halfway thru the first Obama administration.</p>GregorThu, 10 May 2007 20:59:50 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100174<p>To Ivory-billed Pecker --</p><p>Thank you for the pedantic example. The only one "confusing" breach of fiduciary duty with a crime is you -- and of course 219 South Dearborn. What, in your example, would lead to criminal charges? You've described nothing more than a run-of-the mill civil action.</p>AnonymousThu, 10 May 2007 20:11:49 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100173<p>This has to make a lot of Illinois power players very nervous. Are the dealings described here that much different than what many others are doing every day in Illinois?</p><p>What if "consulting fee" or "finder's fee" was substituted for "kickback"?</p>GOP'erThu, 10 May 2007 19:39:06 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100172<p>Anonymous 3:22,</p><p>Imagine your aged grandmother asks you to sell her house on her behalf. "Get the best price you can," she tells you. You promise that you will.</p><p>After hanging up the telephone on anyone else who calls to enquire about buying the house, you sell to your good friend, Ernie. Later, you and Ernie discuss the least visible ways in which he can express his gratitude for the deal you gave him.</p><p>Looks kind of funny, doesn't it? Different from what a real estate broker would do in an arm's length transaction?</p><p>That stuff in the indictment about "fiduciary duty and duty of honest services" does sometimes seem to confuse people.</p>Ivory-billed WoodpeckerThu, 10 May 2007 18:43:15 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100171<p>Now the big question is whether Fast Eddie will "go canary" on his buds, or if he's a stand up guy.</p><p>Fortunately,I believe he still has a law firm that can defend him "at cost".</p><p>Think Big Jim will also come to his defense, or is he too busy covering his tail on this Suntimes/Black deal?</p><p>Just think how many big shots Fast Eddie can send up the river if he turns rat.</p><p>Citizen "B"? Big Bob?, Citizen "C"? The whole fifth floor of city hall?</p><p>I get the feeling Fitz is fishing for bigger game here than Fast Eddie.</p>PalosParkBobThu, 10 May 2007 18:13:28 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100170<p>Wonder if Fast Eddie bounced little Rod on his knee back in the day?</p>Cosmic FlowThu, 10 May 2007 17:43:27 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100169<p>The Tribune reports that the 1.5 M payment from Smithfield (the buyer of the real estate) to Vrdolyak was "secret." If that's the case, doesn't that mean Smithfield was part of tbe same scheme? Was there any hint of this in the information provided by Fitzgerald?</p>Chicago guyThu, 10 May 2007 17:40:17 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100168<p>Generally, I prefer the terms nonpartisan or multi-partisan; however, in this situation it is actually appropriate to call this <b>bi</b>partisan corruption. Just another brick in the wall, I guess.</p>SquideshiThu, 10 May 2007 16:53:10 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100167<p>don't bet the milk money that Eddie sees more than 18 months with a significant fine. Hell, he may beat it altogether...he still is Fast Eddie at 69 y.o., what will people call him if he beats this??? Faster Eddie?</p>10th wardThu, 10 May 2007 16:47:56 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100166<p>This has been rumored now for a solid year. Hard to believe this is all there is. No one has any love for Vrdolyak (except, of course, his fishing buddy, John Kass), but how -- if no money was actually realized from the "scheme" -- can there be a completed wire fraud? Attempted wire fraud is a crime? Moreover, remove the pejoratives from the indictment and it sounds virtually indistinguishable from what is known in other jurisdictions (not governed by Patrick Fitzgerald) as a "real estate commission." The horror.</p>AnonymousThu, 10 May 2007 16:22:44 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100165<p>Methinks something else will be coming down the pipes sooner than later. I hope that Fitz can concentrate on Illinois full-time and forget about the D.C. hooplah. After all, Bush's special prosecutor looks like he's smelled first blood. Uh-oh.</p>Team SleepThu, 10 May 2007 16:01:43 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100164<p>Hey steve schnorf,<br>Start your cellini apology now. For you springfieldidiots who have bent and flat broken the law over these past decades, have a party because it looks like they are going to finally get to your leader mr w.f. cellini. Hopefully before he dies. He and his whole family have terrible genes so they better hurry. I saw him the other day and he looks like death warmed over. I think the stress is getting to the family because even his always on the money fake wife is looking a little rough and distracted. <br>Mr. Smith went to washington and told the truth. It is taking some time but Peter's little speech from a few years back is starting to take hold. We all knew it was true then and it is probably even more true now. Those stupid cheap hotels are going to bring down something much bigger. If I was alexi I would go out every day and spill a little more of the story. To get elected in this state you no longer need to be nice to the mob. You can call them out. It leads to more votes. Or are we getting a new mob.</p>howardThu, 10 May 2007 15:55:43 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100163<p>Don't ask for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for Edddddddddddddddddddddddddddddieeeeeeeee.</p><p>Remember innocent until proven guilty. Or in this case until he states his name.........VDROLYAK.</p><p>Greed and a sense of entitlement are a terrible thing. It is going to be fun to watch.</p><p>Although I do feel sorry for anyone targeted by the feds. Even those who clearly deserve it........such as the formerly Fast One.</p>irishpirateThu, 10 May 2007 15:46:39 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100162<p>Even to hardcore Chicago political junkies, Ed Vrdolyak ceased being a person of interest around the time the lights went up at Wrigley Field. I was under the impression that he had died years ago.</p>AnonThu, 10 May 2007 15:43:49 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100161<p>And this is why Fitzgerald called a press conference ? An old has been like Vrdolyak. No wonder he got that rating from the Justice Department.</p>Lula MayThu, 10 May 2007 15:34:56 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100160<p>Sorry about the double posting.</p>Oops!Thu, 10 May 2007 15:24:12 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2007/05/10/this-just-in-fitzgerald-to-announce-operation-board-games-criminal-charges/#comment-18100159<p>Didn't Blagojevich try to get Fast Eddie Vrdolyak elected Mayor of Chicago not long ago?</p>Oops!Thu, 10 May 2007 15:22:39 -0000