Denis Hastert's Real Estate Investments - sleaze galore

[alfredo]

Harry Reid's (political not legal) misstep was front page news. Why not this?

http://www.sunlightfoundation.com/node/793


Dennis Hastert's Real Estate Investments
Written by Bill Allison on June 14, 2006 - 2:16pm.
Read more: Earmarks (see all terms)
House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert has used an Illinois trust to invest in real estate near the proposed route of the Prairie Parkway, a highway project for which he's secured $207 million in earmarked appropriations. The trust has already transferred 138 acres of land to a real estate development firm that has plans to build a 1,600-home community, located just a few miles from the north-south connector Hastert has championed in the House.

Hastert's 2005 financial disclosure form, released today, makes no mention of the trust. Hastert lists several real estate transactions in the disclosure, all of which were in fact done by the trust. Kendall County public records show no record of Hastert making the real estate sales he made public today; rather, they were all executed by the trust.

The trust, called the Little Rock Trust #225, transferred 138 acres of farmland in which Hastert had an interest to a company called RALC-Plano LLC on Dec. 7, 2005. (See Document 1, attached) Illinois Secretary of State records show that the company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Robert Arthur Land Company. The company’s Web site lists plans for a Plano development called North County, with lots for 1,635 homes, 33 acres for commercial and retail businesses, and 18 acres set aside for a public school.

-snip-

Hastert’s use of the trust obscured his ownership interest in particular parcels of property. For example, Hastert listed, on his 2004 financial disclosure form, that he had acquired a "1/4 share in 69 acres (Plano, Ill.)" on Feb. 17, 2004. However, a search of Kendall County public records for Hastert's name revealed no such purchase. Instead, Little Rock Trust #225 acquired the property, effectively hiding Hastert’s interest in the land.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

1. Because IOKIYAR..... n/t

[Robbien]

2. Sent a link of the article to the local paper in Elgin

maybe they will pick up on it and let the citizens know what is happening in the life of their congressman.

[alfredo]

5. Sent it to two friends in Carbondale.

[leveymg]

3. The fact that this wasn't previously disclosed could make it criminal.

Send it to the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois:

Contact the Paralegal on Duty at [phone]

United States Attorney's Office
219 S. Dearborn Street, Room 500
Chicago, IL 60604



Chicago Office:
Dirksen Federal Building
219 South Dearborn Street, Fifth Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60604

Washington Office:
Bond Federal Building
1400 New York Avenue, NW, Ninth Floor
Washington D.C. 20530

[alfredo]

4. Great idea. KO would like it.