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March 19, 2024

College of DuPage – Was the “source” the P.R. Firm?

By Kirk Allen & John Kraft

On March 30, 2015

DuPage C0. (ECWd)

This morning the Chicago Tribune published an article that should have given the voters of District 502 a breath of hope.  A criminal investigation has begun and grand jury subpoenas have been issued to the College of DuPage.   (Chicago Tribune article)

Less than 6 hours later, the Daily Herald publishes an article that takes the position that no criminal charges are likely “according to sources with knowledge of the probe” (Daily Herald Article)

I knew something stunk when I saw the endorsements for candidates from the Daily Herald and wrote about them in these two articles, Part 1 & Part 2.  Two of those endorsements defied logic and appeared to have political justification over logical.

Now, for a major newspaper publication to put in print, “Sources, however, said Breuder never hid his expenses from the college’s board of trustees; he accounted for all of his spending and the board approved it”, tells me either political strings are being pulled, they have no clue what is really happening at COD, or they have bought the line of the newly hired P.R. Firm.

They went on to claim, “So while critics can question the college’s accounting and fiduciary policy, it doesn’t appear at this point that there was anything illegal, sources said.”

Using the illogical position of the source we must ask, why was John Valenta arrested? 

He is a convicted felon and recently arrested COD Radio Engineer but he never hid his invoices from the college’s board of trustees, he accounted for all his invoices and the board approved it, thus, at this point it doesn’t appear anything was illegal.

More disturbing in this reporting is the appearance of insider assurances that nothing is going to happen, which supports a call to the Federal Authorities to take over this investigation.

Under title 9-110.310Considerations prior to Seeking Indictment – Except as hereafter provided, a government attorney should seek approval for a RICO charge only if one or more of the following requirements is present:

Two of those items apply in my opinion.

  • 6. The case consists of violations of State law, but local law enforcement officials are unlikely or unable to successfully prosecute the case, in which the federal government has a significant interest;
  • 7. The case consists of violations of State law, but involves prosecution of significant or government individuals, which may pose special problems for the local prosecutor.

(Click here for Title 9 Information)

Is the Daily Herald in the tank with the local GOP?  I provided extensive documentation and answers to questions to the Daily Herald in December pertaining to the Waterleaf.  They sat silent until the Tribune broke their story.

Then in the first week of January we provided yet another interview with the Daily Herald pertaining to the Herricane Graphics no bid contract issue.  Months later, only after the Tribune ran their story, did we hear from the Herald.  A piece that was as soft peddled as any I have seen considering the evidence of pay to play.

Endorsements of Candidates that are backed by the GOP appear to support the case that the Daily Herald is just an arm for the local political class.  Today’s Illinois Review has an even more descriptive coverage of the political challenges facing the DuPage GOP.

More concerning, as referenced in the Chicago Tribune article, is the fact the DuPage County State’s Attorney not only uses the same lobbyist, but also established that lobbyist through a no bid  process, just as COD did. However that is not the only concern: The spouse of the lobbyist is the fund raising arm for the State’s Attorney’s campaign.

I pray that the State’s Attorney did the right thing and either turned this matter over to the Federal authorities or at a minimum, to the Appellate Prosecutor’s office.  I personally pray it’s in the hands of the Federal Government.  Especially in light of this weekends breaking news about questionable enrollment and credit hours being forged.  (Possible Fraud covered in this article)

As early as August of 2014, I pointed out to the board, matters that point to criminal activity and it is clear I have uncovered many more since then.

One additional point to keep in mind is that just because charges are not filed, if that turns out to be the case, it does not mean that crimes were not committed. A State’s Attorney has prosecutorial  discretion at his disposal.

I stand by my first presentation to COD!

 

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7 Comments
  • Lisle Watchdog
    Posted at 14:25h, 30 March

    Why were two DuPage Forest Preserve employee charge with over 100 felony counts each? All of the invoices involved were approved by the Board and listed individually in the monthly voucher logs prior to Board approval.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 14:52h, 30 March

      My thoughts are the “source”for the article was the new P.R. firm, that’s what they are paid to do…provide “balanced” information.

      • foobar1984
        Posted at 21:53h, 30 March

        “Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed: everything else is public relations.”

        ― George Orwell

  • Dave Rogers
    Posted at 20:45h, 30 March

    So let me get this straight – COD has been shown to be more corrupt than ever believed and the Daily Herald has chosen to endorse an ex-State Representative (said to be the laziest legislator in Illinois by the Tribune), a banker (whose failed bank was taken over by the fed) and, so they could claim they are in favor of reform, Deanne Mazzochi.

    I am not sure what pressure the “powers that be” have brought to bear upon the Daily Herald to play their endorsement this way but I imagine if we were to ever find out there would be two clear coincidences. The first would most likely be that they were the same powers that have brought pressure to bear upon the DuPage Republican Party to endorse the same three candidates. The other, and much more interesting coincidence would be to find that these powers are part of the COD Foundation Board or their cronies who may have been the beneficiaries of some of the $192 million dollars of “No-Bid” contracts COD has doled out over the last few years.

    To be fair, $192 million dollars can bring a significant amount of pressure to bear. Enough for the Dupage Republican Party to spend Party money in a NON-PARTISAN race. The same Dupage Republican Party who hardly spends that much money on partisan races in the general elections. But I guess that’s what pressure does. We’ve seen it at COD and now we see it at the Daily Herald and the DuPage Republican party.

    The college has only one chance to be reformed and everyone knows it. There are only three candidates who have made a public commitment to reform COD. Bernstein, Napolitano and Mazzochi. They have committed to fix the culture of excess that has permeated almost every aspect of the Board of Trustees at COD.

    We are to believe that the Daily Herald and the DuPage Republican Party truly believe that to reform COD we should elect two long time establishment people. One, a long time State Representative who did so much for her constituents that she just lost her primary race. The other, as bank president, has faced many of the same accusations as Dr. Brueder has as president at COD. Yes, absolutely, that is exactly how we clean up and reform COD.

    I sincerely hope the citizens of DuPage County will be able to stand-up to the pressure and powers that be, a little better than the Daily Herald and DuPage Republican Party.

    It is clear that COD needs reform, the no-bid contracts, the arrest of the radio station manager, the $20 million dollar email to then Gov. Quinn, the expensing of extravagant meals and alcohol at the Waterleaf and, of course, the $762,000 golden handshake plus whatever the watchdogs uncover in the coming months. The watchdogs seem to be able to withstand the pressure. One Trustee seems to be able to withstand the pressure. She is the only one – not a single other board member has the courage or principles to do what is right, to stand up to the pressure. The only question left is – Do You?

    Vote Bernstein, Napolitano and Mazzochi.

  • ewroth
    Posted at 20:48h, 31 March

    Well, maybe the reason they won’t be bringing charges at the state level is because the charges are more appropriately brought at the federal level (tax evasion anyone?)

  • Kirk Allen
    Posted at 11:41h, 01 April

    That might be why he is refusing to provide his W-2. All these personal benefits are probably missing from that form!

  • susann duboff
    Posted at 18:48h, 13 April

    Mcquire-seriously? Anyway, do you know which states have an aversion to extradition? Once you said you were a school teacher, all was well.

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