Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Fundraiser tonight for admitted check-kiter and tax cheat Robert Creamer (husband of Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky)

If you're hoping to meet Robert Creamer, who last month pleaded guilty to tax and bank fraud charges while serving as executive director of the "progressive" Illinois Public Action Council, then tonight is your night! Here is your printed invitation. Tickets start at $100.

Hat tip to Morse Hell Hole, better known as the "Broken Heart" of Rogers Park.

Creamer is the husband of Jan Schakowsky, an Evanston congresswoman known for her far-left views. Creamer was a political force in his own right, having consulted Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in past political campaigns, among others.

Mr. Congresswoman was kiting checks while head of the IPAC--also known as Citizen Action of Illinois--as you'll read here. Millions of dollars in checks were kited. All for a good cause, of course.

The invitation reads, in part, "Please Join Fay Clayton and Lowell Sachnoff and the Host Committee...

for a Fund Raiser Honoring Bob Creamer, A Lifelong Leader in the Progressive Movement.

Some prominent names are among the host committee.

Chicago Alderman Joe "No foie-gras for me" Moore, who I blogged about just last night is part of that committee.

Also in that exclusive group is David Wilhelm, former Democratic National Committee Chairman during the Clinton years, Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool (and Mayor Richard Daley's former chief of staff), Dawn Clark Netsch, former Illinois Comptroller and the 1994 Democratic Party nominee for Illinois' governor, Democratic Majority Leader of the Illinois House Barbara Flynn Currie, Cook County Clerk David Orr, and a whole bunch of others.

The invitation states that RSVPs were needed by September 5, but I'm sure if you show up with a check, they'll let you in. However, please make sure it's not a kited-check.

This promises to be a real "limousine liberal' event. The fundraiser will take place at the home of Fay Clayton and Lowell Sachnoff, and they live in the most expensive part of Evanston, IL.

But they're "for the people," and that's what counts. All else is unimportant.

UPDATE 4:30 PM CDT (Two hours before "party time")

Here's some bio info on some of the other names on the Host Committee for Creamer. Courtesy of an anonymous tipster.

UPDATE 6:15PM CDT (15 minutes before "party time")

As the afternoon has gone by, I've done some Yahoo! searches on a few more.

Henry Bayer, who looks a lot like Harold Ramis, is the Executive Director of Illinois Council 31 (of AFSCME). According to their website, he is "a former teacher, he joined AFSCME as an organizer in 1975, and was elected an International Vice President in 1992. Led drive to win collective bargaining for state employees in 1976. Now chief negotiator for contracts covering 44,000 Illinois state employees. Elected International Vice President in 1992."

Kevin Conlon is a president of the lobbying firm Wilhelm & Conlon. He founded the firm with fellow host committee member David Wilhelm, although it appears Wilhelm is no longer with the the organization.

Conlon was the Illinois State Chairman of Howard Dean's presidential campaign.

As who exactly Roger Hickey is and how he fits in with the others is unclear. Courtesy of the company he runs, Chicago Partners LLC, you'll find his resume here.

David Zwick is a former member of the Illinois Public Action Council/Citizen Action Illinois, and he's now a lobbyist for Clean Water Action.

Joshua "Josh" Hoyt is a longtime Chicago-area activist. Currently, he is Director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Through it's New Americans Initiative, the group receives substantial funding from the Blagojevich administration, via the Illinois Department of Human Services.

Party co-host Lowell E. Sachnoff is a law partner at Sachnoff & Weaver and has long ties to the Illinois Democratic Party.

The other party co-host is Fay Clayton, an attorney with the Chicago firm Robinson & Curley and a member of the National Organization for Women. Here is a trancript of her 2003 appearance on the O'Reilly Factor.

William McNary is president of USAction, which describes itself as "the largest network of progressive grassroots organizations working together to strengthen their political power and fight to win social, racial, economic and environmental justice." He has ties to the Blagojevich adminstration, serving as Vice Chair of Consumer Affairs for the governor's transition team. McNary has worked with Rainbow/Push on their "Get out the Vote" efforts.

A lawyer with Skadden, Arps, Slate Meagher & Flom, Tina M. Tchen has has served on the Judicial Nominations Commission for the Northern District of Illinois for Sen. Dick Durbin and former Senator Carole Moseley-Braun.

Judith-Rae Ross is a candidate for the Illinois House's 17th district. Republican Beth Coulson is the incumbent. Ross is a history professor at DePaul University. More on DePaul (and Thomas Klocek) tomorrow.

Cecilia Munoz is the vice president of the National Council of La Raza's Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation.

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