Northwest Indiana Discussion

I wonder how much Big Al had to give to McDermott?

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/15963022-537/man-pleading-guilty-to-bribery-says-hammond-councilman-pressured-him.html

I think I will save this one! For what I don't know but it sounds tough.

So, it is alleged that Salinas was able to extract 10 grand from someone who billed the city for 300 grand in work. Now, work has expenses, in addition to the kick-back or grease the local pols palms expense. Payrolls had to be made. Equipment procured. So if a knuckle dragger reprobate like Al can get 3% of a contract as a "rebate" from contracted work, what could a sophisticated attorney--allegedly anyways--get for a 25 million cash giveaway to Cabela's? Or, that 10 million cash giveaway to Potash? Salinas is penny slots. These other guys are at the high minimum tables with TIF property tax dollars. Doesn't matter the game, The House always wins guys. Denial can't remedy the hand these higher-ups have dealt themselves.

Salinas is an idiot but that aside before you make allegations like that you should have a better example than a knuckle dragger reprobate. Otherwise it is just more innuendo and allegations.

I don't think that McDermott Jr got paid off to bring in Cabelas or Potash. I think he just got taken advantage of by people a lot smarter than him or he just willingly gave up the farm for some flash of a few big name developments for his future congressional run. After all ...he will walk away when the s*** starts to hit the fan .....

Which allegations? I asked a question, where embedded within was a statement that someone is an alleged "sophisticated attorney". Is that what incenses you? Did you confuse a question with an allegation? Mattlap is probably right. Though Blogo may be McDermott's idol, even an idle brain like his would insulate himself by finding a circuitous route for a kick-back to return. Intermediaries. Who would those be? Does anyone really believe that it was only Salinas who was enterprising enough to want to fill his pockets? Who controls the most "discretionary" gambling taxes? Isn't it the Mayor?

Innuendo.

I wont be surprised who get's indicted in the end though. You wont be surprised either.

In the more relevant-to-the-city-of-Hammond scheme, despite his position as a councilman, Salinas was an outsider and marginalized. As an exemplar or representative in and of the city's politically emergent Latino faction, his contributions to any net positive advancement are negligible. This was due to his lack growth and development as a government official. Big Al has been in office since the early 90s and he still hasnt grasped the big picture or how the game is played. To him being a councilman was about acquiring and expanding personal influence and maintaining prestige. It was another paycheck and traveling-expense account.

If the allocutions of the contractor hold up, i'm still at a loss as to how Al got the city to approve the contracts.

Hah! Which Hammond municipal knuckledragger has contributed to any net positive advancement in the city at all?

Which scheming Democrat has grasped "the big picture" and mastered "how the game is played"? Fowler, any given Woerpel? Tom Philpot? George Van Til?

Bamboozling a bunch of straight-ticket Democrat voting illiterates in Gary isn't a skill that carries a lot of weight outside of Lake County, Indiana.

Well, kickbacks and under the table cash have dramatically increased during Jr's tenure.

It has been widely reported and even a Munster Councilman reported that Sr got nearly a $1,000,000 in the Cabela's deal along with some property. That sounds like kick back. IRS did us all a favor by placing a $1,650,000 brick on Sr's future earnings.

It's been widely reported, with ample speculation that a vendor at Lost Marsh gave Jr was it $33,000 to operate a restaurant.

And didn't a certain $55,000 check bounce? And Didn't someone got a free car or sorta forgot to pay for it?

Now who got off scottfree was Bobbie. Those ATM machines in and around Hammond may have had a price. All you have to do is read the State Board of Accounts and you couldn't find sloppier fiscal accounting.

Tom McDermott's Hammond Charter School seems to be doing par for anything Tom Touches (F grade from the State Board of Education). Wide speculation that that whole project, from purchase of the property, to vendors, to food service (Widely reported a certain restaurant and one of it's owners, who's wife reportedly teaches at the charter school and the wife is the daughter of the school architect, a school, some say intentionally built with out a serving kitchen and gym, reportedly got the food service contract) were laden with kickbacks, under the table deals, assuring money flowed to the right parties.

Then we have that Festival of the Lakes....

Just the tip of the iceberg.