From JSOnline:
"When reputable lawyers sue Racine city officials, tavern league
members and a downtown business development group claiming they
conspired to run minority bar owners out of business, there are going to
be questions.
"One of the first from many people who heard about the case's claims was 'Are prosecutors on this?'
"Oddly for this sort of blockbuster suit, the lawyers weren't saying much (perhaps letting a recently screened documentary film tell
the plaintiffs' version) But from a series of 'can't comments,'
suggest some government authorities, like the federal Department of
Justice, are indeed looking hard at liquor license regulation in Racine,
and maybe some campaign finances too.
"The lawsuit portrays a racially biased effort by white business
owners and downtown Racine boosters to force out the minority tavern
owners, or even white tavern owners if their bars attract mostly
minority customers. Specifically, it accuses Mayor John Dickert of
accepting bribes from those concerns and then using the city's
regulatory and police functions to accomplish that goal. It claims
excessive contributions to Dickert's mayoral campaigns went either
unreported or were laundered through his private bank accounts and
reported as personal loans to his campaign."
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12 comments:
I haven't commented too much on this. It is easy to get oneself too riled up either pro or con. When the stakes are high, the accusations and coverups make it impossible for an average person to really find the truth.
I hope a nonbiased third party does come in and investigate. I applaud those who invested their energy into putting together the documentary and bringing the accusations to the surface.
When people choose to operate in a corrupt fashion, they almost always become more and more bold. It is usually a matter of time before their practice takes them out.
Arrogance and greed has done them in. They have bankrupt and corrupted Racine into nothingness. They have paid their friends and family members millions of taxpayer funds through illegal contracts and payoffs. This is a good thing for Racine, as the city cannot move forward until we rid ourselves of the corrupt filth that has manged to destroy this once great community.
I agree that this has to be done and it's "good" for the city the way cutting out a cancer is good for the body.
But after all the corruption and accusations, this makes me sick. I guess I was hoping that Dickert would somehow "disappear," like Becker, and we wouldn't have to deal with him anymore.
The opposite is now true: Dickert will drag the city through the entire, squalid affair. And the citizens will be forced to pay for it.
Like I said, it makes me sick. I certainly hope for federal criminal charges to come from this. Dickert and company have gutted our city. They'll never pay for it financially, but it would be healing and therapeutic for the community if they served some prison time.
Vincent Bobot, a Milwaukee lawyer who represented two of the plaintiffs during their earlier battles with Racine over their liquor licenses, also had little to say when asked about any interest from outside law enforcement.
"I can't answer that. I'm not at liberty to say," Bobot said. "You can take from that what you will."
Bobot did say that he has warned Racine officials repeatedly that the way they were handling liquor licenses was wrong and unlawful. "I told the council 'you'll get sued and it will cost the city tons of money Dont' do it.'"
"The facts are only going to get worse for the city of Racine when it goes to depositions," Bobot predicted. "It's alarming."
True
OR
False?
It will be fascinating to find out.
These allegations from the Complaint are most interesting, and I do not believe that they would have been made if they weren't true - and financial records can't ALL be hidden....
But for now Dickert gets the benefit of the doubt:
Dickert also received thousands of dollars in personal loans that were deposited into his personal bank account. The personal loans, which came from sources including a family member living outside the State of Wisconsin and a member of Dickert’s campaign staff, were elicited for the purpose of circumventing the maximum allowable campaign contributions. Dickert then used the proceeds to write checks to his campaign under the guise that they were coming from a personal loan Dickert made to his own campaign fund. With the full knowledge and consent of Dickert, the loans were then fraudulently reported by Dickert’s campaign staff on campaign finance reports, as the true identities of the donors were never revealed. The fraudulent loan monies were deposited in the bank account of Dickert’s campaign organization, “The Friends of Dickert.”
But IF the allegations are true - Dickert either must resign OR be removed from his position as Mayor by the Common Council, and the City must demand all monies spent on his defense be returned.
But then again, those allegations could be pure fantasy.
Time will tell. Dickert can't hide behind a corrupt Common Council this time. Dickert has already made a Monkey's Azz out of Helding, Kaplan, and The JT after it was revealed that he is NOT Mayor 24/7 and in 2012 listed his occupation as Broker and Employer as First Weber.
Watch as Sue Dekuester expresses her thoughts at the March 4, Racine Common Council Meeting, starting at the 15:30 minute mark; about John Dickert's "other" employment. The Common Council is fully aware of the truth - yet it fails to take action. That makes them accessories.
An appeals court judge ordered Racine to give back Mr. Holmes his licenses over a year ago. Dickert just refuses. That's his narcissism again. He considers himself above the law. We'll all pay for it.
Yeah, ain't it quiet these days around Helding and Kaplan, the two biggest bags of hot air on the Common Council. They swaggered and shoved people around. Helding went on TV and demanded the head of a fellow alderman. Kaplan was constantly putting down the people in his own district. They even got the city to allow them to pack heat at Common Council meetings, while regular citizens couldn't.
Man, complete and utter assholes. How come they aren't bellowing anymore?
Where is "Big Mouth" Alderman Greg Helding anyways?
Last time a City Official was charged with something, but was still innocent because he had not been tried, well, Alderman Helding went on a WITCHHUNT!
What is needed to remove Fair from office?
RACINE - Following news of Alderman Keith Fair's arrest for alleged strangulation, City Council President Greg Helding said he is reviewing the possibility of removing Fair from office.
Helding said Monday afternoon that he needed to consult with the attorney's office about when and if to file a complaint to start the removal proceedings.
Letteney said besides a removal hearing, the accused could resign or there could be a recall election. But a recall election cannot be held until after an elected official has been in office a year. Fair was elected alderman April 5.
Is Alderman Greg Helding showing his racism by not demanding the ousting of John Dickert?
From the Complaint:
137. In September 2012, Ray Bueno and Brenda Torres, both Hispanic, applied for a Class B liquor license to open a bar at 1600 Douglas Avenue. In response, the Licensing Committee—and specifically Alderman Kaplan—created a number of obstacles in order to deter Bueno’s and Torres’ attempts to obtain a liquor license. Bueno requested membership in the Tavern League to gain assistance in obtaining a license, but was told by the Tavern League president Lou Larson, “[I]t would hurt our reputation if you joined.” However, Bueno and Torres were diligent and eventually obtained a liquor license around February or March of 2013. In April 2013, Bueno’s brother, Oscar Bueno, filed for the recall of Kaplan, citing abuse of power and discriminatory practices. When Bueno opened the bar–R&B Latin Club in May 2013—the Police Department immediately came to the bar and advised Bueno that the bar was not permitted to open. When Bueno inquired as to why the Police Department called on the bar
immediately after its opening, the officer advised that Kaplan and Dickert sent the Police Department to “shut down the bar.” When Bueno called the City to question the officer’s assertion, he was advised that his permit was conditional and that he and Torres must report to the Licensing Committee. Bueno was told through intermediaries that if his brother backed down from his recall efforts, the bar could open. Bueno’s brother thereafter dropped the recall effort. Only then, after 10 months of opposition to the R&B Latin Club opening, the Common Council subsequently approved its permit by a unanimous vote.
138. Approximately two weeks after a license was awarded to the R&B Latin Club, The Double D Bar, located at 1200 Douglas Avenue (four blocks from the R&B Latin Club) requested a Class B license from the Licensing Committee under new (white) ownership. Joey LeGath, the Director of the Tavern League, as well as other Tavern League members, appeared before the Licensing Committee in support of the request and told the Licensing Committee that no one has their liquor license revoked when they are a member of the Tavern League. One month later, the Double D Bar was opened with a Class B license.
That stuff gets a PASS in John Dickert's Racine.
It's NOT going to get a PASS in the Federal Court.
I expect lots of criminal charges will be coming to Racine.
Justice may get a chance thru the tenacity of Holmes. Don't expect anything from government agencies until Holmes can clearly prove some of his claims. Still ahead are very expensive and lengthy depositions.
I wonder if this could make my brand? Y'know, OrbsCorbs goes national, or at least statewide.
Once again, I announce that I can be bought. Get me while I'm cheap.
orbscorbs@jtirregulars.com.
There is plenty happening at the state level that is corrupt, too. They brought in their own, payed off the others, and got away with murder. What does it say when you are the boss and claim to have no clue as to daily criminal activity happening with your staff 20 feet away from your desk?
Politics is where the law can be bent or ignored to fit your agenda.... until hopefully, your luck runs out. Unfortunately, we are the ones who wind up paying for it.
Tricky Dicky has got it correct. The fact these aldermen were reapetedly made aware of the issues and what was happening, and yet chose to do nothing at all except, snicker, shun and laugh at those making the accusations, which indeed makes them all accessories to the crimes. The CAR25 bid rigging and collusion makes this even more of a slam dunk against the city of racine. Residents can thank Dickert and the common council directly for this and surely a large portion of them will end up in prison where they belong.
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