Chicago businessman Leon Dingle, Jr. received millions of dollars in federal grants to promote AIDS awareness and other health-related programs in Chicago's minority communities during the tenure of Dr. Eric Whitaker, one of President Obama's closest friends, as head of the state's Department of Health during the administration of now-imprisoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Yesterday, a jury in a Springfield federal courtroom found Dingle and his wife Karin guilty of stealing at least $3.4 million to finance a lavish lifestyle for themselves, or about 2 out of every 5 dollars they received in grant funds.
Federal prosecutors told jurors the $3.4 million was a "conservative" estimate of the theft. They presented evidence the Dingles used the money to buy luxury vehicles, renovate vacation homes in Savannah and Hilton Head, South Carolina, pay yacht club expenses and gifts for other family members, including the payment of $95,000 on their son's mortgage. Their convictions bring to 13 the total number of persons charged in the public corruption investigation, including the former chief of staff to Whitaker, both of whom went to work with Michelle Obama at the University of Chicago Medical Center in high-paying jobs after their departure from the Department of Health.
Then a state senator, Obama used his close relationship with convicted political fixer Tony Rezko to land Dr. Whitaker the job running the Department of Health. Other convictions included a former Chicago state representative, Connie Howard, and Jeri Wright, daughter of Obama's controversial former minister, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who once claimed Whitaker offered him $150,000 in hush money to stop talking about Obama. There is yet another case awaiting trial.
Whitaker has not been indicted, although federal prosecutors during a pre-trial hearing had him declared a hostile witness, and claim he received things of value from Dingle, including concert tickets to a Toni Braxton concert in Las Vegas where both were attending the same convention. Whitaker claimed he had no knowledge of the scheme between several top department officials, including his chief of staff, and Dingle, who provided kickbacks to at least two of them in exchange for the grants. Federal prosecutors claimed both Dingle and Whitaker were involved in extra-marital affairs with Whitaker's chief of staff, Quinshaunta Golden. Whitaker accused federal prosecutors of targeting only blacks in the public corruption investigation of his office, a claim to which even Attorney General Eric Holder took exception.
2 comments:
Another story of Democrat corruption.
"Corruption is as corruption does."
-The Democrat Machine
At the current rate that Obama is issuing Pardons, they will likely receive their pardons before he leaves office!
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