McHenry County Blog

George Lindberg

George Lindberg, the man who ran and won a State Rep. seat in the southeastern part of McHenry County and two townships deep all the way to Lake Michigan in 1966 (the year I ran for McHenry County Treasurer), retired in mid-December.

Lindberg ran for Illinois State Comptroller when the office was first on the ballot and won.

He helped define the powers of the office by challenging Governor Dan Walker’s purchase of lottery tickets without going out for bid. He did so by refusing to pay the bill.

When he lost his re-election bid, he became Attorney General Bill Scott’s second in command for two years before winning a Second District Appellate Court Seat. He won retention ten years later.

In 1989, at the recommendation of Congressman Henry Hyde, with whom he served in the Illinois House of Representatives, Lindberg was appointed by George H. W. Bush to the Federal District Court in Chicago. He served there until entering senior status in 2001.

Lindberg served in senior status until last month when he retired at age 80.

The son of a prominent Crystal Lake physician, Lindberg and his wife Linda lived in Crystal Lake until the festivals at the Dole Mansion across the street from their home made life unpleasant.

The couple then moved to Lake Forest, a shorter train trip to Chicago.

A couple of years ago they decided to move back to Lindberg’s hometown, Crystal Lake. But they don’t live within hearing distance of Lakeside Center.

A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office:

FORMER SOUTH HOLLAND MAN SENTENCED TO 17½ YEARS IN PRISON FOR DIRECTING $35 MILLION MORTGAGE FRAUD SCHEME INVOLVING MORE THAN 120 RESIDENCES IN THE CHICAGO AREA

CHICAGO — A former South Holland man was sentenced to 17½ years in federal prison for directing a $35 million mortgage fraud scheme involving more than 120 residences on the city’s south side.

The scheme caused various lenders and financial institutions to lose approximately $16 million on mortgage loans that were not repaid by the borrowers or fully recovered through subsequent foreclosure sales.

The sentence imposed yesterday on Kenneth Steward is one of the longest ever given to a mortgage fraud defendant in Federal Court in Chicago, federal law enforcement officials announced today.

Steward, 45, who was arrested and charged in July 2010, pleaded guilty in June to

• nine counts of wire fraud,
• four counts of bank fraud and
• three counts of mail fraud.

During nearly four years between 2004 and 2008, Steward personally orchestrated the fraudulent purchase and resale of dozens of residences, and he was responsible for approximately 109 fraudulent transactions, causing lenders to issue nearly $27.8 million in loans and lose more than $14.5 million against those mortgages.
Of the 109 residences in sprinkled through the city’s south side in neighborhoods like

• Englewood,
• Back of the Yards and
• Roseland,

at least 74 fell into foreclosure.

Steward pocketed undisclosed payments and kickbacks from each transaction and Steward controlled approximately $3.1 million in post-closing funds during the course of the scheme, according to court records. Steward directed a larger scheme that overall involved a total of 122 residences and caused losses totaling approximately $16 million.

Despite almost no prospect of recovery, Senior U.S. District Judge George Lindberg yesterday ordered Steward to pay more than $13.1 million in mandatory restitution and indicated he will enter a preliminary forfeiture judgment of $35 million.

“Steward accomplished a wide-ranging fraud scheme that caused massive losses to lenders and blighted communities because many of the properties … have been abandoned or are in poor condition,” the government told Judge Lindberg in urging a sentence within the advisory guideline range of 210 to 260 months.

Peter Fitzgerald

Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, announced the sentence today with Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Thomas P. Brady, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago.

Charges remain pending against six co-defendants. The charges contain merely allegations and are not evidence of guilt. These defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Church and Kenneth Yeadon.

The case is part of a continuing effort to investigate and prosecute mortgage fraud in northern Illinois and nationwide under the umbrella of the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which was established to lead an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. For more information on the task force, visit: www.StopFraud.gov.

This campaign poster looks like one from 1967.

It promotes Jere Dodge, Justice of the Peace from Lake in the Hills.

Dodge ran for state representative against Crystal Lake’s George Lindberg and incumbent John Henry Kline in 1966 when I won the McHenry County Treasurer race.

From the holes at the four corners, I can tell it was nailed to an electric pole..

Above Dodge’s photo it says,

Below is

The office of justice of the peace was abolished by the 1970 State Constitution.

49th district Republican state representative challenger Jim Krenz has released a poll that shows incumbent Tim Schmitz pretty much unknown in his legislative district.

The district covers much of northern Kane County, including Sun City and a large part of Carpentersville School District 300 and stretched down to St. Charles along the western side of Kane County.

It found two-thirds of Schmitz’ constituents had no opinion of him or had never heard of him.

But neither is Krenz well known. His poll shows 75% have no opinion of him or haven’t heard of him.

So, the race could almost be considered a “blank slate” race.

I wonder if that is unusual for a suburban Chicago district.

Springfield politics does not have the importance to Chicago-area voters that it does to voters elsewhere in Illinois.

Most Downstate legislators are well-known, because they appear on TV. No such luck for most Chicago state representatives and senators.

In fact, when you see your local state legislator on Chicago TV, you know he has made the big time. That’s precisely what I thought when I first saw Crystal Lake’s two-term State Representative George Lindberg on Chicago television for the first time. Lindberg went on to be elected Illinois’ first State Comptroller.

Using that criterion, the only suburban legislator to make the “big time” today is Democrat State Rep. Jack Franks.

The poll, by the way, was taken by Carbondale’s Communication Express. Here are the questions and detailed results.

Positive opinions were found among 23% of those called for Schmitz and 15% for Krenz. Negatives were 10% and 9%, respectively, for the two.

Probably trying to find out what role former U.S. House Speaker Denny Hastert could play if he endorsed Schmitz, the poll found 60% had a favorable viewpoint of the former congressman. 20% had negative feelings and 20% no opinion or had not heard of him.

Six issues were probed in the automate telephone poll, two in more depth than the rest:

1. Discounted, in-state tuition rates for non-citizens [a law that Schmitz supported]. 84% opposed the idea; 10% favored it.
2. Term limits. 69% supported term limits. [Schmitz is in his fifth term.]

In the last of six questions, people were asked to rank the importance of four more issues. Here’s how it came out:

• 36% – Taxes
• 29% – Immigration
• 21% – Education reform
• 14% – Ethics in government

Jim Krenz press release follows:

SCHMITZ LOW
APPROVAL RATING

CARPENTERSVILLE, IL January 9, 2008 A recent poll shows 49th State House incumbent, Tim Schmitz with only a 24% positive rating, and with 67% of the voters having no opinion or saying they have never heard of him.

Jim Krenz, candidate in the Republican primary for the 49th State House, states, “These numbers accurately reflect what voters have been venting as I have been walking this district since August 2007.

“Tim Schmitz is a career politician who has obviously stopped representing the people of this district and concentrated instead on keeping his job. You would not expect these numbers from an elected official in office 9 years, and in leadership.”

In another part of the survey, taxes and immigration were the issues voters feel is most important to Kane County.

Jim Krenz responded, “When Schmitz voted for State ID cards and college tuition breaks for non-citizens, he voted against the wishes of his constituents. But if he never calls them, writes them, or visits them, it is easy to see how he had no idea what was important to them.”

= = = = =
Jim Krenz is on the top left. State Rep. Tim Schmitz is on the upper left. The black and white head shot is of former State Comptroller, now Federal Judge George Lindberg, when he was state representative. Thanks to Leona Nelson for the photo. The large picture was taken at the Northwest Herald’s 2006 8th congressional district debate between Melissa Bean and Dave McSweeney. It shows State Rep. Jack Franks pitching a story about his bill to license contractors to panelist Mike Flannery, WBBM-TV’s political reporter, who was on the panel asking questions.

49th district Republican state representative challenger Jim Krenz has released a poll that shows incumbent Tim Schmitz pretty much unknown in his legislative district.

The district covers much of northern Kane County, including Sun City and a large part of Carpentersville School District 300 and stretched down to St. Charles along the western side of Kane County.

It found two-thirds of Schmitz’ constituents had no opinion of him or had never heard of him.

But neither is Krenz well known. His poll shows 75% have no opinion of him or haven’t heard of him.

So, the race could almost be considered a “blank slate” race.

I wonder if that is unusual for a suburban Chicago district.

Springfield politics does not have the importance to Chicago-area voters that it does to voters elsewhere in Illinois.

Most Downstate legislators are well-known, because they appear on TV. No such luck for most Chicago state representatives and senators.

In fact, when you see your local state legislator on Chicago TV, you know he has made the big time. That’s precisely what I thought when I first saw Crystal Lake’s two-term State Representative George Lindberg on Chicago television for the first time. Lindberg went on to be elected Illinois’ first State Comptroller.

Using that criterion, the only suburban legislator to make the “big time” today is Democrat State Rep. Jack Franks.

The poll, by the way, was taken by Carbondale’s Communication Express. Here are the questions and detailed results.

Positive opinions were found among 23% of those called for Schmitz and 15% for Krenz. Negatives were 10% and 9%, respectively, for the two.

Probably trying to find out what role former U.S. House Speaker Denny Hastert could play if he endorsed Schmitz, the poll found 60% had a favorable viewpoint of the former congressman. 20% had negative feelings and 20% no opinion or had not heard of him.

Six issues were probed in the automate telephone poll, two in more depth than the rest:

1. Discounted, in-state tuition rates for non-citizens [a law that Schmitz supported]. 84% opposed the idea; 10% favored it.
2. Term limits. 69% supported term limits. [Schmitz is in his fifth term.]

In the last of six questions, people were asked to rank the importance of four more issues. Here’s how it came out:

• 36% – Taxes
• 29% – Immigration
• 21% – Education reform
• 14% – Ethics in government

Jim Krenz press release follows:

SCHMITZ LOW
APPROVAL RATING

CARPENTERSVILLE, IL January 9, 2008 A recent poll shows 49th State House incumbent, Tim Schmitz with only a 24% positive rating, and with 67% of the voters having no opinion or saying they have never heard of him.

Jim Krenz, candidate in the Republican primary for the 49th State House, states, “These numbers accurately reflect what voters have been venting as I have been walking this district since August 2007.

“Tim Schmitz is a career politician who has obviously stopped representing the people of this district and concentrated instead on keeping his job. You would not expect these numbers from an elected official in office 9 years, and in leadership.”

In another part of the survey, taxes and immigration were the issues voters feel is most important to Kane County.

Jim Krenz responded, “When Schmitz voted for State ID cards and college tuition breaks for non-citizens, he voted against the wishes of his constituents. But if he never calls them, writes them, or visits them, it is easy to see how he had no idea what was important to them.”

= = = = =
Jim Krenz is on the top left. State Rep. Tim Schmitz is on the upper left. The black and white head shot is of former State Comptroller, now Federal Judge George Lindberg, when he was state representative. Thanks to Leona Nelson for the photo. The large picture was taken at the Northwest Herald’s 2006 8th congressional district debate between Melissa Bean and Dave McSweeney. It shows State Rep. Jack Franks pitching a story about his bill to license contractors to panelist Mike Flannery, WBBM-TV’s political reporter, who was on the panel asking questions.

Crystal Lake neighbors of the Dole Mansion unloaded their dissatisfaction with the Lakeside and Gala Festivals last week at the Crystal Lake City Council meeting.

The Northwest Herald’s Jim Butts wrote a story based on Bob Frerichs 66-person petition and comments, plus the points neighbor Bob Fugate made.

Living within sound range of the bands, I can tell you they are loud.

And, the traffic.

Suffice is to say that it often difficult to come home by driving past the Main Beach.

“Make yourself useful, Cal,” Frerichs said, asking me to pass the petitions to the council folks. I was happy to do so.

According to Butts, the petitioners’ points were

• The festivals have outgrown the neighborhood setting.
• The growth has included more and larger bands, larger and less desirable crowds, more traffic, and more concern for safety.
• The festival committees have shown “complete disregard for the tranquility of the neighborhood.”
• The festivals put undue workloads on the city’s public works, safety and police departments. “The cost of which is borne by the taxpayers,”

Fugate complained about how the carnival was torn down while neighbors were trying to sleep and generators’ being left on every night.

He also spoke to the Crystal Lake Park Board the Thursday before about what he believes is an impending accident where Country Club Drive curves around Seminary Park. He believes it is only a matter of time before there is a serious accident. He asked for the park district’s assistance in convincing the city to post parking restriction signs.

Before I spoke on a different topic, I pointed out that Federal Judge George Lindberg and his wife Linda had moved from across from the Dole Mansion to Lake Forest because of the disruption the festivals caused.

Crystal Lake neighbors of the Dole Mansion unloaded their dissatisfaction with the Lakeside and Gala Festivals last week at the Crystal Lake City Council meeting.

The Northwest Herald’s Jim Butts wrote a story based on Bob Frerichs 66-person petition and comments, plus the points neighbor Bob Fugate made.

Living within sound range of the bands, I can tell you they are loud.

And, the traffic.

Suffice is to say that it often difficult to come home by driving past the Main Beach.

“Make yourself useful, Cal,” Frerichs said, asking me to pass the petitions to the council folks. I was happy to do so.

According to Butts, the petitioners’ points were

• The festivals have outgrown the neighborhood setting.
• The growth has included more and larger bands, larger and less desirable crowds, more traffic, and more concern for safety.
• The festival committees have shown “complete disregard for the tranquility of the neighborhood.”
• The festivals put undue workloads on the city’s public works, safety and police departments. “The cost of which is borne by the taxpayers,”

Fugate complained about how the carnival was torn down while neighbors were trying to sleep and generators’ being left on every night.

He also spoke to the Crystal Lake Park Board the Thursday before about what he believes is an impending accident where Country Club Drive curves around Seminary Park. He believes it is only a matter of time before there is a serious accident. He asked for the park district’s assistance in convincing the city to post parking restriction signs.

Before I spoke on a different topic, I pointed out that Federal Judge George Lindberg and his wife Linda had moved from across from the Dole Mansion to Lake Forest because of the disruption the festivals caused.