McHenry County Blog

Metra train crosses Walkup Avenue in Crystal Lake on the way to Woodstock...on time.

A bit ago, the Chicago Tribune ran an article showing that Metra, Chicago’s commuter rail operation’s transparency.

Metra  brags about having over 95% of its trains on time, but some lines are well below that level, the Tribune found.

Fortunately, one of the lines is the not the Union Pacific’s Northwest Line, which serves McHenry County.

That may be a legacy of former Metra Board Chairman Jeff Ladd, who focused on the trains being on schedule with laser-like regularity.

Now, the Tribune in reporting that Metra has put the on-time figures on its web site.

Look for further improvements on the web site, because reporters Richard Wronski and Joe Mahr point out that the statistics are still hard to find.

Without the hint in the article, I would not have found them.

Here’s where to look.

Credit Phil Pagano’s replacement Alex Clifford.

I hope I can credit with better presentation in the near future.

Fifty members of Patriots United hear campaign consultant Jim Thacker and Don Manzullo press representative Rich Carter speak at Crystal Lake’s Park Place Wednesday night.

Thacker, who gained his reputation by managing Don Manzullo’s 1992 primary victory over former State Senator Jack Schaffer and Al Salvi’s U.S. Senate primary upset over Lt. Gov. Bob Kustra, spoke of political history and future scenarios.

Political consultant Jim Thacker addresses the crowd, while congressional staffer Rich Carter observes.

During the first year of President Barack Obama’s term, Thacker said he thought the only this that could take down the Democrats was overreaching.

Evidence that they did is in the 2010 election results.

He still thinks the Republicans will have the advantage in 2012, although he conceded that some GOP members may be lost as liberal voters who stayed home this past year are mobilized by the presidential campaign.

The election situation in the U.S. Senate is more rosy with 22 out 33 seats up being held by Democrats. Thacker believes most of the Republican seats are safe ones.

The conservative political operative explained that “Establishment Republicans” are concerned about rocking the boat and that is what the Tea Party activists are all about.

“If we don’t stand for something, we’re going to lose again,” Thacker said again.

He compared President Bill Clinton’s move to the center after the GOP took control of Congress in 1994 to Obama’s attempt to emulate him. Thacker thinks it will be more difficult for Obama because he is “a committed ideologue.”

And, he believes that Obama will alienate his liberal supporters when he moves to the center.

Thacker talked of hearing Illinois Senate President John Cullerton talk about the money that would be poured into government, which the Democrat described as “an economic engine.”

“It may be an engine,” Thacker said, “but more like a steam engine. Not efficient.”

Thacker criticized the gubernatorial candidacy of State Senator Bill Brady.

“People didn’t know who he was or what he stood for” when they went to the polls. He compared Brady’s campaign unfavorably to that of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Jim Thacker answers a question.

In his Rockford neighborhood, union members hung professional literature on his door knob the Saturday and Sunday before the election. There was no similar effort by Brady supporters.

“We Republicans screwed it up,” Thacker concluded, pointing out that Democrat Pat Quinn only received 47% of the vote.

Having missed the 2010 wave election for state office, Thacker warned that 2012 will not be similarly weighted toward Republicans.

Following Thacker’s talk Jeff Ladd, Sr., expressed his displeasure with Republicans not running conservative candidates.

Setting the stage with his support for Barry Goldwater, Ladd said,

“I am voting for the most conservative person who is electable,”

stressing the word “electable.”

A woman noted that there were no young people at the meeting and urged that their recruitment be a priority.

More tomorrow.

The bill's number this year is Senate Bill 1716, as Joyce Story's plastic covered poster shows.

It was a chilling, drizzly mid-day that faced Patriots United demonstrators in front of State Rep. Jack Franks’ Route 14 office Saturday.

Leader of the Patriots United group was Jeff Ladd. He is seen at the left carrying a sign that says, "Marriage is recongnized, not 'created.'" The message on the sign beside Ladd says, "No Civil Unions."

Led by Jeff Ladd, the one’s wearing rain coats were dressed properly.  They cut the wind.

In this picture, those at the rally are framed by the railroad underpass.

Those gathering were raising awareness of the civil unions bill on the legislators’ agenda in Springfield during the veto session.

Below is a comment from “Notawannabee” below the article announcing the rally. It includes the language being considered by the General Assembly.

This is how our legislators work. This bill ORIGINALLY started out as a bill regarding deceased people and pending litigation against them. NOW IT IS A BILL GRANTING GAY RIGHTS AND CIVIL UNIONS

Back room politics, nothing less.

When many Senators and Representatives read it under the original bill number and think it is OK to vote for it, the sneaky liberal bastards change it to something that does not in anyway resemble the original bill in any fashion.

The original bill number is the same so many think they are voting for the ORIGINAL BILL because they go by Bill Number and are too lazy to double check.

It is also done so the PEOPLE don’t know it’s occurring and can’t rally against it.

Original Bill
735 ILCS 5/13-209
from Ch. 110, par. 13-209

Synopsis As Introduced (ORIGINAL TEXT)

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that when a person dies before an action is filed against him or her, a court may appoint a special representative for that decedent, against whom an action may be brought without opening an estate. Deletes a provision requiring notice to heirs or legatees as the court directs, and provides instead that the plaintiff must notify all known heirs or legatees of the decedent by U.S. mail. Provides that any interested person may be substituted as the special representative for good cause shown. Provides that proceeding under this provision shall not bar the estate from filing counterclaims. Deletes a provision limiting recovery to proceeds of any liability insurance available to the estate. Provides that these changes apply to actions commenced or pending on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

SEE ANYTHING ABOUT GAY RIGHTS OR CIVIL UNIONS IN THIS TEXT?????

Across Route 47 from Jack Franks' office, two people held signs saying, "Marriage, 1 man + 1 woman."

THEN MONTHS LATER THEY AMEND IT……………

AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1716
AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1716 by replacing
everything after the enacting clause with the following:
“Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act.

Section 5. Purposes; rules of construction. This Act shall be liberally construed and applied to promote its underlying purposes, which are to provide adequate procedures for the
certification and registration of a civil union and provide persons entering into a civil union with the obligations, responsibilities, protections, and benefits afforded or recognized by the law of Illinois to spouses.

Now the dirty bastards do the switch. Done in both the House and the Senate.

Senate Floor Amendment No. 1
Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Makes a technical change in provisions concerning the death of a party.

House Committee Amendment No. 1
Deletes reference to:
735 ILCS 5/13-209
Adds reference to:
New Act
Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Creates the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act. Defines “civil union” as a legal relationship between 2 persons, of either the same or opposite sex, established in accordance with the Act. Provides that a party to a civil union shall be entitled to the same legal obligations, responsibilities, protections, and benefits afforded or recognized by the law of Illinois to spouses. Prohibits certain civil unions. Provides that the Director of Public Health shall prescribe forms for an application, license, and certificate for a civil union. Contains provisions regarding: application for a civil union license; certification of a civil union; and duties of the county clerk and Department of Public Health. Provides for dissolution and declaration of invalidity of a civil union. Provides that a marriage between persons of the same sex, a civil union, or a substantially similar legal relationship other than common law marriage, legally entered into in another jurisdiction, shall be recognized in Illinois as a civil union. Contains provisions regarding construction, application, religious freedom, severability, and other matters.

BILL STATUS >>>>> http://tinyurl.com/2worbqj

If the tiny URL works it will take you to the Illinois Web Page BILL STATUS.

It shows how it was introduced as ONE BILL and then when Senators have agreed to the bill by the BILL NUMBER, the BIG switch occurs.

This is the shady, low life; shenanigans that the people in the state house do. Start it one way and then change it to slip something through.

They know it won’t pass in the light of day, so they try a midnight switch.

Routinely a popular bill gets an ADD ON provision that has absolutely nothing with the context of the original bill. Sneaking a unpopular provision through with a good one.

This backroom BS is hoping the people voting don’t read it.

The public is hoodwinked.

This is taking dirty politics to a new level.

Look at the sign that says, "kNOw SB 1716." That's the same use of the word that we used when fighting the RTA referendum in 1974. We figured that the more one knew about the Regional Transportation Authority proposal, the less likely one was to vote for it.

As predicted, the Northwest Herald did not cover the demonstration.

The following press email has just been received explaining a demonstration will be held at State Rep. Jack Franks office on Route 47 just north of Business Route 14.

The last time a demonstration was held

in front of Franks’ office is was because he and Mark Beaubien had singed on to the bill to put the U.S. Supreme Court’s legalization of abortion into Illinois law.

Demonstrators were on both sides of Route 47 in front of Jack Franks' office on a blustery day.

The bill, House Bill 2354, was killed.

Both Franks and Beaubien withdrew their co-sponsorship from the bill after the day of picketing.

On the civil unions bill, however, Beaubien is unlikely to draw back his support because he has taken such a leadership position.  I heard him on radio promoting the bill.

The email follows:

Dear Fellow Patriot:

Illinois’ SB1716 (the “Civil Union” bill) is rearing its ugly head once again. Click here for the current bill as read (.PDF).

It has undergone its mandatory 3 readings and simply needs to be voted upon.

Postponed since May, 2009; this bill was initially designed for the express purpose of what to do when a person dies, estate, heirs, etc.

In the dead of night back in 2009, the Illinois legislature stripped everything out of the bill and replaced it with the, “Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act.”

While the bill states that it will respect the beliefs of religious organizations, there have been plenty of examples that once a homosexual couple is turned-away from a caterer, photographer, or even a Knights of Columbus hall, they will turn to the courts and the courts have gleefully ruled in favor of the couple.

To make matters worse, we have seen several state Supreme Courts rule that “Civil Unions” are akin to the unconstitutional “separate but equal” doctrine and have forced homosexual “Marriage” on their people.

The fall session begins next Tuesday, November 16 and State Representative Jack Franks has gone on record stating that, while he is against homosexual “Marriage,” he would support “Civil Unions.”

Please contact Jack Franks at Phone: (815) 334-0063, E-mail: jackfranks@franks4illinois.com There will be a rally against this legislation on Saturday, November 13^th @ noon at his Woodstock office located at:

1193 S. Eastwood Drive Woodstock! Please bring a sign and join in.

Senator Pam Althoff: (815) 455-6330, E-mail: pamela@pamelaalthoff.net

Senator Dan Duffy: (847) 277-7100 Dan@SenatorDuffy.com

Representative Mark Beaubien (847) 487-5252 strepmbeaubien@sbcglobal.net

Please forward this information to other people who will take action.

Jeff Ladd

Pro-Family Pillar

Given the short staffing at the Northwest Herald, it seems unlikely that a story with a photograph will appear on Sunday.

Pat Quinn may have used tea bags to symbolize opposition to the 40% legislative salary increase in 1978, but Algonquin TEA Party organizer Julie probably doesn't favor the 67% income tax hike he supported last fall.

Governor Pat Quinn has said he started the tea party movement with his inundation of state legislators and Governor Jim Thompson’s office with tea bags when the Illinois General Assembly conspired with Thompson to raise legislative salaries 40% in 1978.

The corner of Liberty and Route 14.

Quinn, playing the role of activist-provocateur, convinced tens of thousands of people to mail tea bags, many used, to Springfield.  How different that effort was to the showing up for an hour or more to demonstrate with a homemade sign.

This dog's master had put an anti-33% income tax hike sticker on its head. Pat Quinn supported the 67% income tax hike that Senate Democrats passed last fall, but now favors "only" a 33% increase.

State Senator Bill Brady gave a good stump speech to the TEA Party crowd.

Today’s TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Parties are not in his back pocket, even though they are not directed at state government.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady, the very narrow winner of the February Republican primary election, seems to have gained their support.

GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady was besieged like a rock star for autographs on signs, campaign cards, shirts and even a flag pole. Here you see him signing a poster on one side of the Patriots United tent while demonstrators sign a series of petitions on the other side. Patriots United Board member Jeff Ladd can be seen to Brady's left.

That’s my conclusion from hearing and seeing the crowd reaction this afternoon at Crystal Lake’s Route 14 demonstration.

Bill Brady

With a comfortable temperature hovering 80 degrees and the wind blowing the many flags stiffly, Brady spoke the crowd with an underpowered public address system.

Because there was no central platform many people at the ends of the demonstration a half a block away didn’t even know Brady had already spoken.

“Bill Brady’s supposed to come,” one woman near the entrance to the old Walmart shopping center said after the Republican candidate had finished speaking.

By that time, people were gathering around him for photos, many asking him to autograph their poster.

Bill Brady autographs a flag pole.

One even wanted Brady to autograph his flag pole. He had too much respect for his American Flag to have Brady sign it, he indicated.

The old Walmart parking lot was about 40% full.

The Walmart parking lot has not been as filled since the store closed.

The vehicles, however, were on the Route 14 side, not near the closed store’s location. The lot was as full as when Walmart and Cub Food was open, however.

At 4:30 when I arrived some people were leaving, others coming. This is the parking lot nearer Route 14, but south of the northern edge of the ring road.

Pretty much all the spaces in the smaller parking lot north of the main one was occupied as well. The only empty spots were ones where those who arrived closer to three had left by the time I arrive about 4:30.

How many attended?

Twice as many as last year is my estimate.

I thought at least 500 were at the April 15, 2009, rally, but was told I was way low.

TEA Party crowd on the west side of the Patriots United tent.

This time, I’m pretty sure at least 1,000 attended, although they were not all at the same time.  Patriots United spokeswoman Mary Alger estimated 2,000.  It will be interesting to see how m any people signed the organization’s petitions.

The Northwests Herald article’s number was 300, clearly as much of an understatement as its  Grafton Town Meeting story’s estimate of 400 when over 700 verified registered voters signed in for the thrashing of the Township Trustees.  I’d link to the Herald TEA Party story, but it had

Libertarian Party candidate for State Comptroller Julie Fox, a CPA, speaks to the crowd.

disappeared from its web site by 11:20 when I was typing this sentence.  Maybe the next version will mention that the Republican candidate for governor was in town; the first version didn’t.

Besides Republican Brady, Libertarian Party Comptroller candidate Julie Fox, a CPA, who was one of my running mates in 2002 and who led the Libertarian Party ticket almost getting the magic number of 5% that would have earned Libertarians “established party” status (while I got 2% running for Governor), spoke. She got less attention than she deserves because Brady was being mobbed for autographs.

Independent candidate for McHenry County Circuit Judge Sally Wiggins.

Close to the six o’clock deadline set by the demonstration permit, Independent candidate for circuit court judge Sally Wiggins addressed the crowd.

Supporters were seeking signatures from crowd members.

She needs 4,200 good ones to get on the ballot.  Usually candidates try to get twice as many people to sign their petitions as the law says they need because opposition candidates will challenge petitions to eliminate the chance that their candidate could lose.

STAR105's Stew Cohen interviewed Joe Walsh in Crystal Lake.

Wiggens seeks to oppose Associate Judge Gordon Graham of Crystal Lake.

Before I arrived, I was told that 8th Congressional District GOP candidate Joe Walsh spoke.

As six o’clock rolled around, organizers urged demonstrators to leave because the city permit expired then.

This may have been the first advantage seen of having a closed Baker’s Square, in front of which most of the demonstration was held.

The following is a press release from Patriots United:

Patriots United, McHenry County Chapter, in conjunction with Americans For Prosperity, hosted yet another highly successful townhall meeting on July 24th at the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn, featuring a panel of experts addressing the Obama Administration’s efforts to nationalize health care.

A capacity crowd of close to 300 concerned citizens joined our gathering for two hours of stimulating and very educational conversation with individuals well versed in all aspects of the health care industry.

Our distinguished panel, including

• Dr. Raymond Bianchi, a noted family physician,
• Mr. Jeffrey R. Ladd, senior law partner & legal consul for a local hospital,
• Mr. Doug Fenstermaker, a long time medical industry entrepreneur/ consultant and
• Mr. Ryan Brauns, a medical insurance specialist,

fielded several wide-ranging questions from a pair of moderators as well as questions from the audience at large.

Some of the questions addressed during the forum included:

• “In an ever-expanding central government, it appears that individual citizens are losing more and more of their autonomy. What are the results when this happens and is it really a good idea to have the government also control health care to a larger degree?”
• “What is the benefit, if any, of a ‘Health Care Savings Account’ as proposed by some members of Congress and does this give greater freedom to the end-user? If so, how?”
• “How does a physician view our current model of health care and can we do better?”
• “Is the rationing of health care on the horizon? What would prevent this?”
• “How does Tort Reform fit in the health care debate? To what extent is Tort Reform necessary and what affect will this have on the rising cost of health care?”

Attendees were treated to an objective and realistic debate of critical issues associated with end-of-life decisions, Medicare & Medicaid, euthanasia and abortion relative to a national health care takeover as well as deeply seated ethical issues associated with widespread government control. Several elected officials and announced candidates attended the forum as well.

On Friday, August 21st, Patriots United and Americans For Prosperity will proudly host yet another highly informative and useful exchange of ideas seeking to consider alternative solutions to the health care industry’s difficulties in the face of an ever-increasing public outrage over this unprecedented expansion of the Federal Government’s power.

We cordially invite and highly encourage all engaged American citizens to join us in this educational endeavor aimed at preserving and improving the best health system in the world. Please check our website, patriotsunited.com for meeting information and times.

= = = = =
From right to left in the photo of the panel are Ryan Brauns, Jeff Ladd, Sr. (Board Member of Patriots United), Dr. Raymond Bianci and the Doug Fenstermaker.

Next you see Brian Kelly addressing the crowd.

In the picture below, Joe Edwards (Board Member of Patriots United) is seen next to Joe Calimeno.

When I was posting about the 400th day of Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley’s 75% city sales tax increase, I was fantasizing that Alexander Lumber was moving to the unincorporated Ridgefield location of the old 84 Lumber property in order to obtain a competitive advantage over Crystal Lake-based lumber yards like Menard’s and Home Depot.

That would be the result, but the reason for the relocation from its current 6.33 acre Virginia Street Road and Rakow Road location is more prosaic, even though economically based.

The firm is combining it McHenry and Crystal Lake locations, according to Alexander’s manager.

Then, I saw the Northwest Herald story about Metra’s wanting to build a Ridgefield commuter station.

It’s right next to the Alexandra Lumber site. You see it in the foreground here from Country Club Road.

Here’s a view from the tracks next to Seeger’s Grain elevators. As nearly as I can figure it, the station platform would be at the tip of the more or less pie-shaped property beyond the barbed wire fence of the Alexander Lumber Company property in the foreground.

Kevin Craver’s article says putting the commuter station on the property is contingent on its being annexed to Crystal Lake.

If that happened, there is no doubt that the city council would also annex Alexander Lumber, removing, of course, the 0.75% sales tax advantage the future unincorporated local bestows.

How would Crystal Lake annex property in the fiercely independent Ridgefield area?

Take a look at this map:

The Google map pointer is across the street from the proposed Metra station.

Crystal Lake’s city boundary is west of Route 14 just south of the northern section of Ridgefield Road. My understanding is that the property owner across Route 14 to the east, north of McHenry County College would not mind being annexed.

Somehow the city would have to annex a parcel at least 72 feet wide (remember how O’Hare Airport is annexed to Chicago by the Kennedy Expressway). Maybe it will be across the cornfield to the west of Ridgefield’s Regional Sports Center.

= = = = =
Correction noted by a reader:

” In the article you wrote ‘remember how O’Hare Airport is annexed to Chicago by the Kennedy Expressway.’ The expressway has nothing to do with how the airport property was annexed to Chicago. The connection between O’Hare and the rest of the city is about one half mile south of the expressway. There is a narrow corridor of city land along the north side of Foster Avenue sandwiched between Rosemont and Schiller Park.”
= = = = =

Looking at the map, it appears that the proposed station location will not be convenient for McHenry County College students, especially, if they had to walk a Country Club Road route to the campus. (My guess is they would just walk across the train tracks, taking the shortest route to their classrooms.)

But maybe there won’t be many of them taking the train.

Although the tracks are close to Ridgefield Road near the college’s eastern entrance, the land in that area is low and often covered with standing water.

If the college board wanted to kick in enough money, maybe the station could be built near where its Tartan Drive butts into Ridgefield Road. It could even donate part of the recently purchased 56 acres the land and ask Metra to use whatever it planned to use to buy land on Country Club Road to construct an over- or underpass to the nearby tracks.

It is worth noting that former Metra Board Chairman Jeff Ladd lives in the neighborhood and long sought a Ridgefield train station.

There’s one other observation that might be of interest. Realtor Mike Deacon’s name is on the sign at the Metra site. It’s probably just that he is a friend of McHenry County Board Chairman and former part owner of Flowerwood, whom the Northwest Herald reports is part of a trust owing the property.

Deacon was also the broker when the Crystal Lake Park District purchased Viking Dodge. Note that the Viking sign has been removed.

The last Democrat to serve in the Illinois House before Jack Franks died in Arizona April 3rd. This is the second installment of some of my memories of Tom, who died of cancer in Prescott, Arizona, on April 3, 2009.

The Chicago Tribune obituary yesterday concentrated on Hanahan’s “braless, brainless broads” comment during the ERA debate.

Part 1 of this one concentrated on other aspects of his life.

It also mentions a Federal trial against him for trying to get a $5,000 bribe on some legislation, a rap he beat. I commend the story to you, but Tom was so much more than that.

I rode home with him one time. As we entered the Tri-State Tollway from I-55, he flashed some card or badge that indicated he was a member of the tollway advisory board, which apparently let him skip the toll.

He told me of having to go west of DeKalb for a meeting while that tollway was being built.

Taking the new tollway, he got to a point west of DeKalb where there were barriers.

That didn’t stop him. He kept driving west until he ran into fresh concrete.

He told me that totaled the car.

Hanahan wasn’t all that good at figuring out what was good for McHenry County, but he was good at picking up clues. I can’t remember any local bill that I asked him to co-sponsor where he refused.

We worked together on an illegal alien bill.

One of us came up with the idea of fining employers who hired illegal aliens. This was way back in the 1970′s remember. A logical idea then, as it is now, if one wants to prevent illegal aliens from working in the United States.

Hanahan jumped on the idea and brought all the union guys on board. The business Republicans were opposed to it, but we passed it anyway.

It obviously died in the Senate. I can’t remember the year, but it wouldn’t matter, because the Illinois Senate is always controlled by the Establishment.

Then there was RTA. Tom and all the other suburban Democrats but one (Harold Katz) aligned with suburban Republicans to fight the Regional Transportation Authority referendum held at the 1974 primary election.

We had numerous debates. Hanahan, State Senator Jack Schaffer, I and, sometimes, Waddell on one side and members of the League of Women Voters, Hanahan’s “running mate” Ron Stroupe (D-Huntley) and, in McHenry County, Jeff Ladd on the other side.

I got such a delight in suggesting we would not live to see train service in Huntley. It’s 35 years later and I’ll grant that discussion are being held about a train station in Huntley, but it’s certainly not there yet. Well, two of the legislators on the kNOw RTA side of the debate are not around and neither is Stroupe. Two to go.

With all McHenry County legislators opposed to creating the RTA, the only support was from local municipal officials and women in the League of Women Voters.

McHenry County has never been so united on an issue. I think it was 93% of the votes that were cast against the referendum.

One precinct in Cary is recorded in favor, but when I asked an election judge if it really passed, she said, “No,” and got really flustered when I told her that’s what the election canvass said. Someone is going to look at those results sometime and think a bunch of commuters voted “Yes.”)

The state rep. raced turned out like this:

• Cal Skinner – 34,210 1/2
• Bruce Waddell – 26,932 1/2
• Tom Hanahan – 16,783 1/2
• Ron Stroupe – 8,821 1/2

The half votes are a result of proportional representation. Each voter had three votes. They could vote for one candidate, in which case he got 3 votes, two giving each 1 1/2 votes or three, which meant each would be 1 vote apiece.

There are so many more stories about Tom Hanahan. I’ve asked some to send me their favorites. If you have any, I’d like to hear from you, too.

In phone records this time.

Here is what the Chicago Tribune is reporting on its internet site, in a 4-28-8, 2:32 PM post, story I just noticed:

”FBI agent Charles Willenborg, who already testified earlier in the trial, is now back testifying about an analysis of phone records that he did during the investigation.

“The agent told the jury the FBI analyzed records of phones associated with Rezko and numerous government witnesses or figures whose names have come up in testimony:

Stuart Levine, fundraiser Chris Kelly, William Cellini, Tom Rosenberg, Allison Davis, Thomas Beck, Jeff Ladd, Edward Kelly, Sheldon Pekin, Joseph Aramanda and Lon Monk, former Blagojevich chief of staff.”

In phone records this time.

Here is what the Chicago Tribune is reporting on its internet site, in a 4-28-8, 2:32 PM post, story I just noticed:

”FBI agent Charles Willenborg, who already testified earlier in the trial, is now back testifying about an analysis of phone records that he did during the investigation.

“The agent told the jury the FBI analyzed records of phones associated with Rezko and numerous government witnesses or figures whose names have come up in testimony:

Stuart Levine, fundraiser Chris Kelly, William Cellini, Tom Rosenberg, Allison Davis, Thomas Beck, Jeff Ladd, Edward Kelly, Sheldon Pekin, Joseph Aramanda and Lon Monk, former Blagojevich chief of staff.”