Guest guest Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 Closing In On The Clintons As the 2008 Presidential Primaries loom ever nearer increasing interest is being paid to the front-runner among the Democrats. While the Republican race for President is still wide open it now appears that Barack Hussein Obama and John Edwards, also known as Jon Edwards have been eclipsed by Hillary Rodham Clinton, who now appears to be unstoppable in her race for the nomination of the Democrats. As such she may well become the next President of the United States of America. What do we really know about this remarkable person? Some of the material below is excerpted from: Politics and Bedfellows An Age Old Story Told Once Again do a search on that exact title to read more of that material We do not know what to make of the gossip being circulated about likely 2008 Dem Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton these days. Though the name Arthur Turco is known to few Americans today, if the allegations about his romantic and political relationship with Hillary Rodham Clinton in 1969 when Hillary was at Yale turn out to be true Arthur Turco's name might become as much a household word as Monica Lewinsky's name was in the late 1990s. Unlike Monica Lewinsky however, Arthur Turco in 1969 was no starry eyed 20 something intern being s-xually used and abused by the most charming President of the United States ever to hold that office. Gerald Lefcourt, David Brothers, Abbie Hofmann, Dave Dellinger, William Kunstler, Jerry Rubin, and Arthur Turco can be seen at a Black Panther Rally at Federal Court, in a photo taken on March 22nd, 1969. Arthur Turco is the clean shaven white man in the dark glasses,wearing a tie with his hand in the pocket of his rain coat, standing behind bearded Jerry Rubin. You can see the photo in which Turco appears at KnowTheEnemy/ in the Birds of A Feather photo album at http://ph.KnowTheEnemy/photos Arthur Turco was the New York City based leader of a weird white group called THE PATRIOTS in 1969. THE PATRIOTS were allied with THE BLACK PANTHERS and a Puerto Rican group called THE YOUNG LORDS in something called THE RAINBOW COALITION. This was a different group from the Jesse Jackson related Rainbow Coalition group. THE PATRIOTS operated relatively openly from an office in far uptown Manhattan but reputedly also used one or more covert " Safe House " style apartments in the CHELSEA section of Manhattan. Some of those " Safe House " style apartments were allegedly fortress like places,allegedly filled with heavy weapons including explosives, as well as handguns, and automatic weapons. Some alleged background on Black Panther Party attorney and ally, Arthur Turco may be found at http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=11450 which describes Arthur Turco as the " Panthers' New York lawyer,Arthur Turco. " The article states that : " Caplan says he believes that the Panthers' New York lawyer, Arthur Turco, was the ringleader in the commission of this crime. " He was apparently in the house when the torture and the murder took place and was part of the conspiracy to kill and remove the body, " Below is an example of a post which dates back to the Bill Clinton era we found describing some of the story. " Back in 1969 a group of Black Panthers decided that a fellow black named Alex Rackley needed to die. Rackley was a fellow Panther suspected of disloyalty. Rackley was first tied to a chair. Once safely immobilized his'friends'tortured him for hours by, among other things, pouring boiling water on him. When they got tired of torturing Rackley, Black Panther member Warren Kimbo took Mr.Rackley outside and put a bullet in his head. Rackley's body was later found floating in a river about 25 miles north of New Haven, Conn. Perhaps at this point you're curious as to what happened to these Black Panthers. In 1977, that's only eight years later, only one of the killers was still in jail. The shooter, Warren Kimbro, managed to get a scholarship to Harvard. He later became an assistant dean at Eastern Connecticut State College. Isn't that something? As a `60s radical you can pump a bullet into someone's head,and a few years later, in the same state, you can become an assistant college dean! Only in America! Erica Huggins was the lady who served the Panthers by boiling the water for Mr. Rackley's torture. Some years later Ms. Huggins was elected to a California School Board. How in the world do you think these killers got off so easy? Maybe it was in some part due to the efforts of two people who came to the defense of the Panthers. These two people actually went so far as to shut down Yale University with demonstrations in defense of the accused Black Panthers during their trial. One of these people was none other than Bill Lan Lee. Mr. Lee, or Mr. Lan Lee, as the case may be, isn't a college dean. He isn't a member of a California School Board. He is now head of the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. O.K., so who was the other Panther defender? Is this other notable Panther defender now a school board member? Is this other Panther apologist now an assistant college dean? No, Neither! The other Panther defender was, like Lee, a radical law student at Yale University at the time. She is now known as The " smartest woman in the world. " She is none other than...Hillary Rodham Clinton. " We checked Hillary's official White House bio and found that: " In 1969, Hillary entered Yale Law School, where she served on the Board of Editors of Yale Law Review and Social Action... " source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/hc42.html We also dug up the 1997 piece below on Bill Lan Lee " G.O.P Leader Says Nominee Will Be Halted November 10, 1997, Monday By STEVEN A. HOLMES (New York Times) National Desk Late Edition - Final, Section A, Page 22, Column 1, Senator Orrin G Hatch, chairman of Senate Judiciary Committee, says nomination of Bill Lan Lee, President Clinton's choice for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, is dead; nomination has run into opposition among Republicans, who accuse him of supporting racial quotas and affirmative action... " Want to know something really scary? We do not know if there is any truth to them at all, but allegations are beginning to resurface concerning the alleged connections, which may have begun in 1969, between Hillary Rodham,while she and her husband to be Bill Clinton were Yale students, and something callled THE RAINBOW COALITION, not the one associated with Jesse Jackson, but another one, which was composed of 3 allied groups: THE BLACK PANTHERS, a Puerto Rican group called THE YOUNG LORDS, and a bizarre Maoist " white " group called THE PATRIOTS. The so-called RAINBOW COALITION was an alliance between ARTHUR TURCO'S white terrorist group THE PATRIOTS, and the original BLACK PANTHERS,(not to be confused with a group using that name today), and a Puerto Rican group called THE YOUNG LORDS in 1969 when Hillary and Bill Clinton were Yale students. A relatively covert alliance also existed between THE PATRIOTS and heavily armed international arab terrorists,including those controlled by arafat,operating even then in the United States,and elsewhere. In particular the allegations center around the alleged connections between Hillary Rodham and Arthur Turco, and others. Turco was the leader of THE PATRIOTS. THE PATRIOTS members wore dungaree " uniforms " including dungaree pants and dungaree jackets and held Maoist style " self-criticism sessions " . THE PATRIOTS were allegedly heavily involved in drug use, which included " snorting " horse tranquilizer drugs, among other things, and allegedly were regular visitors to YALE. They also allegedly regularly read responsively from Lin Piao's radical book. ( " Encyclopedia of World Biography on Lin Piao (1907-1971) was a Chinese Communist military commander and political leader. His distinguished military career and loyalty to the principles of Mao Tse-tung were the basis for his rise to second position in the Chinese Communist leadership. He was involved in an unsuccessful coup d'etat in 1971. " ) We would like to know what, if anything, you have found about this story? Is there any truth to it at all? We do not know. Then there is the matter of the Balkan Wars of the 1990s. Famed Jewish columnist A.M.Rosenthal of THE NEW YORK TIMES called Bill Clinton, who he had backed in the 1992 Presidential race against then President George Herbert Walker Bush, BOMBER BILL because of Clinton's prosecution of the Balkan Wars of the 1990s. In those wars some 5,000 Serbian civilians were slaughtered in Guernica like air raids. Many of the same targets in Serbia that were bombed by the Luftwaffe in World War Two were bombed by the Luftwaffe in 1999. Bill Clinton turned the US Airforce into AIR BIN LADEN, flying missions against Serbians who were fighting against Osama bin Laden's forces in the Balkans. Why would Bill Clinton, the former anti-war activist of the 1960s,who had demonstrated against the Vietnam War,wage war against Serbia as President of the United States in the 1990s? The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution limits Presidential terms of office to 2 terms. Bill Clinton was elected to those 2 terms and served them. His last full year in office was 2000, the year his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton was elected to the US Senate from New York State. He left office on January 20th, 2001. Many observers viewed the 2000 US Senate race in which she was elected from New York State as a stepping stone to the White House for Hillary Rodham Clinton. In New York State winning state wide Republican candidates need the nomination of the New York State Republican Party to be augmented by the nominaton of the New York State Conservative Party. Winning statewide without BOTH nominations is not an easy thing for any Republican candidate in New York State. The website of the New York State Conservative Party proudly proclaims : " The 1994 elections were a breakthrough for the Conservative Party as we provided the margin of victory for Governor George E. Pataki with the 326,605 votes cast on our line. " source: http://www.cpnys.org/history/history.html In New York State the votes of candidates on for example the Republican Party line may be combined with votes for the same candidates received on for example the New York State Conservative Party line. Thus winning the nomination of the New York State Conservative Party is vital to making a successful statewide run for office in New York State. Things were not shaping up at all well for Rudy Guiliani, who was the odds on favorite for the Republican nomination for the US Senate race in 2000 against Hillary Rodham Clinton. " Giuliani at Fund-Raiser, but Not Conservative Party's November 17, 1999, Wednesday By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN (New York Times)Metropolitan Desk Late Edition - Final, Section B, Page 5, Column 1 Mayor Rudolph W Giuliani attends Broadway fund-raiser for his presumptive United States Senate campaign, but he is left out of State Conservative Party's annual fall cocktail party—which may have even more important implications for his political future; Conservative Party chairman Michael R Long says Giuliani was not invited because he has not yet expressed interest in winning party's endorsement… " To his credit then Governor George W. Bush did what he could to pitch in to help Rudy Guiliani. " Bush Offers Giuliani Help On the Right November 30, 1999, Tuesday By ELISABETH BUMILLER (New York Times)Metropolitan Desk Late Edition - Final, Section B, Page 1, Column 5, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, on his first political trip since Hillary Rodham Clinton announced her intention to run for United States Senate, basks in praise of political benefactor, Texas Governor George W. Bush. Bush, at rally in Austin, Texas, volunteers to help Giuliani win endorsement from New York State Conservative Party in his likely race against Hillary Clinton; endorsement has been held up over Giuliani's position on abortion rights; at issue is Giuliani's opposition to ban on what critics call `partial-birth' abortions… " The alleged Clinton master plan to win Hillary Rodham Clinton a seat in the US Senate from New York State as a vital stepping stone to the White House was built on a very simple proposition: DIVIDE AND CONQUER. Winning that seat in the Senate for Hillary in 2000 could theoretically be accomplished by assuring that the 2000 US Senate nominaton of the New York State Conservative Party did not go to the 2000 US Senate nominee of the New York State Republican Party. But how could such a thing be accomplished? Who could be persuaded to split the right so that Hillary Rodham Clinton could be elected to the US Senate from New York State in 2000? Ominously it was on May Day of 2000 that the following happened: " Giuliani Gets A New Rival On the Right May 1st, 2000, Monday By ADAM NAGOURNEY (New York Times) Metropolitan Desk Late Edition - Final, Section B, Page 1, Column 6, Former United States Congressman from Westchester County Joseph J DioGuardi, in move that could complicate Mayor Rudolph W Giuliani's campaign for United States Senate, says that he will seek support of Conservative, Right-to- Life and Independence Parties in campaign for Senate; repeatedly assails Giuliani as being out of step with Conservative-minded Republicans… " Who was Former United States Congressman from Westchester County Joseph J DioGuardi, and how did he fit in to the alleged Clinton master plan to win Hillary Rodham Clinton a seat in the US Senate from New York State as vital stepping stone to the White House? DioGuardi has been described by New York City's Village Voice newspaper as : " NEW YORK'S KOSOVO KINGPIN " http://www.villagevoice.com/features/9915/vest.shtml In 2000 DioGuardi was poised to give not-so-hilarious Hillary Rodham Clinton a seat in the US Senate from New York by virtue of his own campaign for that seat that would have split right-wing opposition to Hillary, thus ensuring her election. We opposed Ms.Clinton then,and we oppose her now. Unlike Ms.Clinton who favors a so-called " palestinian " state we are opposed to such an entity coming into existence. We were also opposed to Clinton's anti-Serbian policy in the Balkans. There is more data available on the so-called " palestinian " state issue: " B'NAI B'RITH DISAPPOINTED WITH THE FIRST LADY'S COMMENTS ON A PALESTINIAN STATE " http://bnaibrith.org/pr/hillaryclinton.html http://www.usaid-wbg.org/98dec14a.html A group calling itself the " National Association of Arab Americans " http://www.naaa.net/alerts/aa050898.html urged its members to " Please write, phone, or fax the First Lady at the following address to express your appreciation for her remarks " which favored a so-called " palestinian " state.) Nor has Hillary, not-so-Hilarious Clinton been squeamish about supporting Albanians " Hillary Clinton awarded Albania's highest civilian honor " http://www.cnn.co.uk/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/06/22/hrc.award/ http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/First_Lady/html/columns/hrc040799.ht ml Please see the url below from THE NEW YORK TIMES regarding the 2000 DioGuardi US Senate candidacy. http://www10.nytimes.com:80/library/politics/camp/050100sen-ny.html DioGuardi hopes to run on the Conservative Party, Right-to-Life and Independence Party lines in New York State. The Independence Party was the name for the Reform Party in New York State which then appeared likely to have Patrick J. Buchanan as its Presidential standard bearer in the fall 2000 elections. http://www.adl.org/special_reports/buchanan_own_words/buchanan_intro. html http://www.adl.org/special_reports/buchanan_own_words/on_nazis.html http://www.adl.org/special_reports/buchanan_own_words/on_segregation. html http://www.adl.org/special_reports/buchanan_own_words/on_women.html http://www.adl.org/presrele/holna_52/2585_52.html http://www.adl.org/special_reports/buchanan_own_words/window_buchanan ..html http://www.adl.org/presrele/asus_12/3481_12.html http://www.adl.org/frames/front_buchanan_own_words.html http://www.adl.org/backgrounders/reform_party_and_fulani_and_newman.h tml http://www.adl.org/frames/front_background_article2.html " Buchanan has consistently portrayed war criminals as patriotic Americans, innocent victims of " revenge-obsessed Nazi hunters " in Washington. Virtually everything the accused and their defenders have said he accepts as truth, and, in the words of one critic, he wages " journalistic guerilla warfare " on their behalf. Says Neal Sher, former director of the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Special Investigations: " Buchanan went to bat for every Nazi war criminal in America. " Liberty Lobby, the leading anti-Semitic and racist organization in America, overwhelmingly endorsed Pat Buchanan during the 1996 presidential primaries. An editorial in its publication, The Spotlight, pointed out that " the 112 issues or legislative positions that Liberty Lobby has taken over the past 40 years...shows that Pat Buchanan stands with us. " The predominant issue they share is Holocaust revisionism, the spearhead of the international anti-Semitic movement. Buchanan used his syndicated column and his office as communications director in the Reagan White House from 1981-1987 to assist pro-Nazi Eastern European organizations in trying to block the denaturalization and deportation of Karl Linnas, John Demjanjuk, and at least seventeen others who had been charged by the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Special Investigations or had been convicted in federal courts of concealing war crimes in order to gain illegal entry into the U.S. The Karl Linnas Case In 1981 the Federal District Court in Westbury, NY stripped 67-year-old Karl Linnas of his citizenship for having lied to immigration officials thirty years earlier about his Nazi past. Linnas's crimes, the judge said, " were such as to offend the decency of any civilized society. " From 1941-43 Linnas had commanded a Nazi concentration camp at Tartu, Estonia, where he directed and personally took part in the murder of thousands of men, women, and children who were shot into anti-tank ditches. A 1986 federal appeals court upheld his deportation order, ruling that the evidence against the defendant was " overwhelming and largely uncontroverted. " Summarily rejecting the court's findings because evidence had been obtained from the Soviet Union, Buchanan orchestrated a national media effort to exonerate Linnas, demanding that his citizenship be reinstated. He championed the Linnas cause in his syndicated newspaper column and TV program " Crossfire, " and arranged for then U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese III to meet with him and members of Eastern European organizations who hailed Linnas as a hero. On March 31, l987, Menachem Rosensaft, founder of the International Network of Children of Holocaust Survivors, wrote a New York Times Op-Ed piece calling for a congressional investigation to determine whether any American official or functionary had intervened on Mr. Linnas's behalf. Buchanan responded by saying it was the Office of Special Investigations that needed to be investigated. " Let us get it all out in the open, " he wrote, " nothing un-American can live in the sunlight. " Attorney General Meese delayed the deportation of Linnas as long as possible, all the while searching for a haven. After sixteen countries had refused, Panama agreed to accept Linnas " on humanitarian grounds. " News of the decision prompted Rosensaft and others to intercede with Panamanian officials in Washington, who told them that their government had not been informed of Linnas's wartime atrocities. Panama withdrew its offer and issued a statement saying that " our country and our Government reject and condemn the crimes committed by fascists. " On April 20, 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a final appeal. At that point Meese was legally bound to comply with the deportation order. Linnas was flown to the Soviet Union and three months later died in a prison hospital while awaiting trial. " http://uahc.org/rjmag/1096ca.html The obvious question came to mind. Was the potential third party DioGuardi 2000 Senate candidacy, which could have guaranteed Hillary the US Senate seat from New York a " big payoff " for the Clintons for the 1999 pro-Albanian Balkan war against Serbia which saw Kosovo stolen from Serbia? http://aacl.com/indexmain.html is the url of a group which describes itself at that website as " the Albanian American Civic League. The Civic League was founded by former Congressman Joseph DioGuardi and a board of Albanian Americans in 1989 as the only registered lobby in Washington, DC, representing the concerns and interests of the Albanian people. Pay close attention to the phrase " living side by side in " found in the quote below, and note how it has since been used by advocates of a so-called Two State Solution, which envisages a so- called " palestinian " state " living side by side in " so- called " peace " with Israel. In reality the so-called Two State Solution is more like Hitler's infamous FINAL SOLUTION, as it is really a Two Step or Two Stage plan, with the first step being get Israel to hand over everything it will without total war, and then wage total war against Israel from the land Israel hands over to destroy the rest of Israel. The self-described " purpose of the Civic League is to further the human rights and the national cause of the divided nation of more than seven million Albanians living side by side in the Balkans in Albania, Kosova, western Macedonia, southeastern Montenegro, Presheve, Medvegje, Bujanovc (southern Serbia), and Chameria (northern Greece). By bringing the political perspectives of 400,000 Albanian Americans to the US Government, the civic League works to end the repression and oppression of Albanians living under hostile Slavic Communist regimes in the Balkans and to preserve the culture, identity and human rights of Albanians throughout the world. " While you are digesting that quote, which sounds to me to be more than a bit like the propaganda sprouted by the nazis about the so-called " Sudetenland " http://www.humboldt.edu/~rescuers/book/Chlup/chluplinks/sudeten.html http://motlc.wiesenthal.org/albums/palbum/p02/a0133p5.html http://www.humboldt.edu/~rescuers/book/Chlup/chluplinks/munich.html http://www.humboldt.edu/~rescuers/book/Chlup/czechcon.html and other places inhabited by Germans and others which used the German population as a pretext for annexation and in some cases war by Germany. Saddam did the same thing when he move arabs into Kurdish sections of so-called Iraq. Syria has moved a million so-called " civilian " FIFTH COLUMNISTS into Lebanon, a nation which numbers under four million people, not counting those million Syrian FIFTH COLUMNISTS. NATO bombed Belgrade TV repeatedly, after Belgrade TV started to show the comedic film " Wag the Dog " which is about a US President who starts an Albanian War while he is in the midst of a s-x scandal. Ken Starr, where are you now that we really do need you? (Ken Starr was the anti-Clinton prosecutor who got nowhere in his attempts to oust Bill Clinton from the Presidency.) Some more thoughts from a different source are quoted below: " Fri, 2 Jul 1999 SendMeHack SendMeHack at aol.com VOICE OF THE GRUNT SPECIAL REPORT FROM BEN WORKS BUYING AN INTERVENTION: KOSOVO AND ALBANIAN PAC MONEY IN CONGRESS By Benjamin Works,, The Strategic Issues Research Institute Hack and I, along with a select group of others, have been at war with the KLA over its heroin and terrorist connections. We also knew something about how political money bought this war policy. Here's the story. Back in 1995, late in the Bosnian war, I got a reference to a 1986 Senate Resolution proposed by Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, decrying Yugoslavian official oppression of the Albanian population of Kosovo-that's 1986, when the Albanian Autonomous government was still fully operational. Joseph DioGuardi, a New York Republican, sponsored the companion House Resolution, both of which never emerged from committee. I got a copy of that Senate Resolution Nr. 150 from the Congressional Register of June 19, 1986 and then let it sit in my file for a long time, while the NATO occupation of Bosnia appeared to keep things calm. Meanwhile, Bob Dole managed to lose the 1996 Presidential Election, then vigorously supported Mr. Clinton's year-by-year extensions for keeping some 6900 US soldiers in Bosnia. As the KLA insurrection in Kosovo reached civil war levels, I began to think about that resolution and how it misrepresented history. I had done considerable reading on the origins of the Yugoslav conflicts, pulling Washington Post, New York Times and other reports from the 1980s, bearing on Kosovo and the collapse of the Federative Republic's communist government under the pressure of ethnic-nationalism. Well, pieces fit together showing that all along it has been the ethnic nationalist fascist losers of World War II in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo who have been exploiting the political process in Germany and the United States. Their goal has been to effect the division of Yugoslavia and the cleansing of Serbian populations from their territories, while purporting that " Greater Serbia " was the menace to European security and not the post- fascist " Greater Croatia " and " Greater Albania. " Survivors of the Croat Ustashe movement in southern Germany began their work in the 1960s, but Joseph DioGuardi must be given credit for a sustained campaign to influence Congress beginning in the mid-1970s. DioGuardi, an Albanian American whose ancestors came from an Albanian transplant community in the heel of Italy, sat in Congress for several years in the mid-1980s as a Conservative Republican from New York's Westchester County, but creating a Greater Albania was his agenda as a map on his website shows (www.aapac.com). " His Political Action Committee (PAC) activities are easy to follow from 1988 on. What makes the PAC and individual contributions to campaigns more interesting is the demonstrated connection between the Kosovo Heroin Mafia, its " pizza connection " distribution ( " inherited " from the Gambino crime family) and money-laundering networks, and the number of pizzaria owner-contributors listed in DioGuardi's filings. The Croats and Albanians came up with big pots of laundered money, then spread it around selectively, with American politicians helping to persuade other members in Congress. I have indications of a political alliance between DioGuardi and Bob Dole going as far back as the early 1970s, but have not yet got all the evidence in hand. What I do have is sufficient to reach tentative conclusions about how foreign policy, in a democracy, can be " bought " -that is precisely what happened in the case of the Kosovo Air War. In early 1987, kicking off his 1988 bid to wrest the GOP nomination from then-vice president George Bush, Dole received $1.2 million from Albanian American supporters in New York City, while DioGuardi received $50,000 at the same dinner. I expect the funding trail goes back further, at least to Dole's 1976 campaign.It certainly continued from 1987 through to the present. As the collapse of Yugoslavia loomed, the Croatian and Albanian lobbies continued their campaign: Defense & Foreign Affairs Strategic Policy, Mar 31, 1993 issue, reported as much as $50 million was larded around Capitol Hill in a two-year period which saw the defeat of George Bush and led to Bob Dole's control of the Republican party: The United States Congress, still reeling from a series of financial scandals involving representatives and senators, is now bracing for a new problem: the massive financial " contributions " which have been made to election funds of politicians by Croatian sources over the past two to three years. One Congressional investigator told Defense & Foreign Affairs Strategic Policy that the donations and expenditures on Washington lobbying by the Croatians over the past two years " could well exceed $50-million. " " Much of this came directly from Croatian lobbyists, and some from Croatian American businessmen " Many of the campaign contributions have been recorded legally, " the investigator said, " but many are questionable. But what is more important is that there has been a pervasive attempt to push the United States along a line defined by foreign powers-Croatia and Germany-and it has not been subtle. Elected officials are being told to either support the Croatian line or face either a removal of funding or are told that funding will be given to their opponents. Or they are literally bribed into supporting the Croatian line. This was going on long before Croatia even made its open bid for recognition as an independent state. " Now, as to individual contributions, there are campaign contribution limits on individuals, then there are Political Action Committees (PACs), " Soft Money " contributed to the parties and fed back to candidates, and there is the time-honored custom of passing bundles of hundred dollar bills in brown paper bags to favored candidates. Federal Election Commission (FEC) records are on-line (http://www.tray.com/fecinfo/) and I have been able retrieve records for Joseph DioGuardi's PACs going back to the 1988 election cycle, and have also tested Bob Dole's 1996 Campaign and Liddy Dole's Campaign-2000. It is all there in the lists of candidates and contributors. In particular, most of the Congressmen speaking loudest against Serbia and Serbs are those receiving money from DioGuardi's PAC. Some have simply been beguiled,others may be more disingenuous. Recipients come from both sides of the aisle but are mostly members of the House or Senate foreign relations committees...These records do not reveal monster sums of money, but demonstrate the tip of the iceberg, where " soft money, " individual declared contributions and bags full of $100 bills also find their way to select candidates. It is clear that Bob Dole and Joe DioGuardi, in league with Croat and Bosnian fascist emigrees, worked very effectively to set up US foreign policy to dismantle Yugoslavia and ruin the Serb people. They have succeeded admirably because they were organized and persistent, while their opponents were disorganized and, ultimately, outnumbered by the overwhelming flood of media propaganda. Now, the US taxpayer is on the hook for Billions of Dollars, while our service personnel will be tied down for years in Bosnia and Kosovo,again attempting the kind of nation building that failed so spectacularly in Somalia and Haiti. For those wishing to inspect the details of these fundraising, I have loaded the summary lists compiled thus far at my website along with a companion reading file on the KLA and Heroin: " http://www.siri- us.com/backgrounders/Archives_Kosovo/AlbanianAmericanPac-1980- 98.html and http://www.siri-us.com/backgrounders/Archives_Kosovo/KLA-Drugs.html see also: http://www.truthinmedia.org/TruthinMedia/Kosovo/Peace/ps13.html http://glasgowcrew.tripod.com/albanian.html " I am not naive, " KT McFarland told the Republican Convention in late May(of 2006), as she announced her continuing campaign to take a senate seat from former First Lady Hillary Clinton. " I know Mrs. Clinton has considerable resources and advantages and that the race ahead will be formidable. Let's face it, at this point she's probably better known in Albania than I am in Albany. " source: http://www.politicalnotebook.org/2006/06/to_feel_better_.html What do you think? Did the Bill and Hillary Clinton anti-Serbian Balkan War of 1999 almost reap its reward with a seat in the US Senate almost being handed to Hillary, not-so-Hilarious Clinton by former New York Congressman Joseph DioGuardi? " 15 YEARS OF THE ALBANIAN AMERICAN CIVIC LEAGUE February 1999. Congressman Jim Traficant joins a Civic League delegation to Tirana to speak at an international conference on the independence of Kosova. " SOURCE: http://aacl.com/12m.htm Note: re above Albanians spell Kosovo with an a at the end of it rather than an o, hence the Albanian spelling Kosova above. Shirley A. Cloyes married Joseph DioGuardi in June 1998 according to the material about her excerpted from below in which she is described as " Balkan Affairs Adviser " to the Albanian American Civic League,whose President is Joseph DioGuardi, which states that : " In 1983, she coauthored a book entitled To Work and To Love with German political theologian Dorothee Soelle and joined the staff of The Seabury Press as an editor. Following the closure of the house in 1984, she became marketing director and editorial consultant in Black and women's studies at Orbis Books. In 1986, she joined the staff of Lawrence Hill & Company, an offshoot of the breakup of Hill & Wang, as associate publisher. The press specialized in African American and African studies, the Middle East, women's studies, and controversial domestic and international political issues. When Larry Hill died in 1988, she took over the house and was its publisher until the end of 1995. Some of the noteworthy titles that she published are The Politics of Heroin: CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade by Alfred W. McCoy, Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur, Ghosts in Our Blood: With Malcolm X in Africa, England, and the Caribbean by Jan Carew, My Friend, the Enemy by Uri Avnery, and M.I.A. or Mythmaking in America by H. Bruce Franklin. In 1995, she published Yugoslavia's Ethnic Nightmare, the first book on the causes and far-reaching consequences of the Balkan conflict written from the perspective of Bosnian Muslim, Croatian, Serbian, and Macedonian journalists who opposed the war inside the former Yugoslavia. That year she became the Balkan Affairs Adviser to the Albanian American Civic League. She has since written and lectured widely about the Albanian dimension of the Balkan conflict and made eight trips to the region. Cloyes proposed the first Congressional hearing on the Albanian dimension of the Balkan conflict. Following the hearing in February 1995, which included representatives from all the Albanian lands in the former Yugoslavia, she and Civic League President Joseph DioGuardi traveled with Yugoslav dissident Mihaljo Mihaljov to Macedonia at the invitation of Albanian leaders there to monitor the reopening of the Albanian-language University of Tetova. The Macedonian government attacked the university on the morning of their departure, killing a student, wounding hundreds, and jailing the professors. In September of that year, she traveled to Tirana with DioGuardi and Congressman Benjamin Gilman, chair of the House Committee on International Relations, to meet with then President Sali Berisha and to Istanbul to make the case for the the independence of Kosova at the National Press center and at the University of Marmara. Cloyes has testified before Congress at two historic turning points in the life of the Albanian nation. In July 1996, she testified on behalf of the State of Albania before the House Committee on International Relations and exposed the role of Nicholas Gage of the Panepirotic Federation and the Albanian Communists in attempting to overthrow the democratically elected government of Sali Berisha. In 1998, she testified in support of U.S. troop deployment in Kosova, following Bob Dole, Jean Kirkpatrick, and Henry Kissinger. In February 1998, after the Serbian army attacked Drenice, Cloyes worked with CNN to gain more complete coverage of the crisis in Kosova. In March, she and DioGuardi shifted the focus of a Congressional hearing with U.S. Balkan envoy Robert Gelbard from Bosnia to Kosova, and positioned the questions that forced Gelbard to retract his earlier depiction of the KLA as a " terrorist " organization. In August of that year, she published two major articles on U.S. foreign policy in the Balkans: " The Agony of Kosova " and " Presiding over Genocide: The Shame of the West. " Cloyes is the author of the Civic League's October 1999 public declaration, entitled " Resolving the Albanian National Question, " which examines the internal and external factors that stand in the way of creating a free and independent Kosova and bringing a just and lasting peace to the Balkans. With the start of the NATO bombing campaign against Serbia in March 1999, Cloyes and DioGuardi appeared separately and together on more than 50 radio and TV broadcasts. Since the war ended in June 1999, they have made three trips to Kosova to report back to Congress on postwar conditions. Cloyes and DioGuardi were married in June 1998. " SOURCE: http://aacl.com/shirley2.html If the name Assata Shakur in the bio of Mrs. Joseph DioGuardi above rang any bells with you it is likely that you recall that Assata Shakur is the alias of Joanne Chesimard. Recall that the bio of Mrs. Joseph DioGuardi above states that among " the noteworthy titles that she published " was " Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur " For those who may be unfamiliar with Joanne Chesimard a.k.a. Assata Shakur the article below may be helpful: " Trooper Executed By Female Militant New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster was murdered by JoAnne Chesimard. On May 2, 1973, New Jersey State Police Troopers James Harper and Werner Foerster were patrolling the New Jersey Turnpike in the East Brunswick area. They stopped a car with three occupants and began to question them. The female passenger, JoAnne Chesimard, was a member of the Black Liberation Army. She suddenly pulled out a semi-automatic pistol and opened fire. Trooper Foerster was struck twice in the chest and Trooper Harper was hit in the shoulder. Chesimard then picked up Trooper Foerster's service weapon and shot him twice in the head, execution style, while he lay in the road. Chesimard then picked up Trooper Foerster's service weapon and shot him twice in the head, execution style, while he lay in the road. Killer Escapes JoAnne Chesimard, a member of the Black Liberation Army and convicted murderer Chesimard was quickly captured, convicted and sentenced to life plus 26 to 33 years in prison—authorities wanted to make sure this dangerous woman would never roam the streets again. But despite their best efforts, Chesimard wasn't going to let the law stop her. On November 2, 1979, Chesimard escaped from prison with the help of a domestic terrorist group. In the early 1980's, she resurfaced in Cuba under the protection of Cuban Premier Fidel Castro. The Fight For Justice Continues $1 million reward poster for Chesimard Two generations of New Jersey State Police detectives have been assigned to the fugitive investigation since Chesimard's escape. Authorities refuse to let Chesimard go without a fight—Chesimard has now been placed on all of the terrorist watch lists and there is a $1 million reward for information leading to her arrest. Authorities hope the reward will destabilize Chesimard's sense of security inside Cuba and lead to her capture, and subsequently, her return to New Jersey. " source: http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=31956 The terrorist group mentioned above: " the Black Liberation Army " was an offshoot of the original BLACK PANTHER PARTY. Arthur Turco associate Twyman Myers left the BLACK PANTHER PARTY to join " the Black Liberation Army " . If you have never heard of Twyman Myers it may be because he is dead. Myers was a young man when he left the BLACK PANTHER PARTY to join " the Black Liberation Army " . The article below mentions the late Twyman Myers " 30 Years in the Making—Justice at Last for Slain Officer In the early hours of 3 November 1971, a young Atlanta police officer by the name of Jimmy Greene was ambushed and killed as he sat in his patrol wagon eating his late-night supper. On 13 October 2003—some 32 years later— the man responsible was found guilty of his murder in Fulton County Superior Court. Freddie Hilton (51) was convicted of murder in the long-ago death of Jimmy Greene in a case prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Al Dixon, Senior Assistant District Attorney Michele McCutcheon, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Peggy Katz. Atlanta Police Detective Jimmy Rose and Senior Investigator M.C. Cox of the District Attorney's Office investigated the case. Judge Stephanie Manis will sentence Hilton on 10 November, and he faces a possible double life sentence in prison. At the time of the murder, Hilton was a member of an organization known as the " Black Liberation Army, " a militant group infamous for attacks on law enforcement officers in New York City and across the country. A handful of the group's members had come to Atlanta after breaking away from the Black Panther Party in the early 1970s. Hilton was among these. Officer Greene, engaged to be married and the father of one infant daughter, was sitting in his vehicle at a gas station at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Boulevard when he was approached by Hilton and his now-dead co- conspirator Twyman Meyers. Hilton shot Officer Greene three times at close range, stole his revolver and badge, and fled the scene. A witness saw Greene slumped over in the front seat and soon realized he had been shot. Greene died two hours later. Several other former BLA members testified at the trial that Hilton and Meyers returned to the group's residence where the pair bragged of the killing. Shortly after the incident, Atlanta police found a witness who said he heard Hilton confess to the killing, but then-District Attorney Lewis Slaton felt there was not enough evidence to bring formal charges. So the story ended there…or so it seemed. In early 2001, Detective Rose received a call from New York City Police Detective Chris Karolkowski who had come across Hilton as a suspect in a child molestation case and soon discovered that he had been the prime suspect in Greene's murder. Rose soon re-opened the case, and, with the help of Investigator Cox, a Grand Jury indicted Hilton for the murder in July of last year. (Incidentally, Rose and Cox received the National Association of Police Organizations' highest honor last year for their work on the case.) Hilton, who had changed his name to Kamau Sadiki and was now working in telecommunications in New York, was brought back to Atlanta to face trial. Aside from justice for Officer Greene, perhaps the most positive aspect of this painful incident was the re-uniting of Greene's long-estranged daughter Melody Adams (now 34) of North Carolina with aunts and uncles she had never known. Hearing about the trial in the news, Adams traveled to Atlanta to sit in on the trial and soon revealed her identity to other family members in attendance. A family long-separated by a brutal crime was now re-united. " SOURCE: http://www.fultonda.org/featuredarticle/30years.htm Why is Joe DioGuardi so happy? by Jared Israel [27 February 2000] Here's John McCain at a campaign rally with Joseph DioGuardi, a former Congressman and head of the Albanian political action committee which raised huge amounts for American politicians (for instance, Bob Dole) who in turn have supported the on-going attacks on Serbia. Notice the scarf DioGuardi is wearing. That double-headed eagle was the insignia of the World War II Nazi Skanderbeg SS division. (See document on left; click to enlarge.) Among other achievements, this Nazi outfit massacred Kosovo's Jews in the streets of Pristina and shipped the survivors to the Bergen- Belsen and Treblinka death camps. Why is McCain holding Presidential campaign rallies with this man who proudly sports a Nazi emblem? And why is DioGuardi so happy? www.tenc.net/yugo.htm Emperor's Clothes articles dealing with media misinformation and the breakup of Yugoslavia " MONEY FROM THE AMERICAN MUSLIM ALLIANCE it is no wonder that the American Muslim Alliance chapter in Massachusetts held what it called a " successful fundraiser " for First Lady Hillary Clinton at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston on June 13, 2000. AMA Massachusetts Chair Tahir Ali said afterwards, " We are attempting to send an important message to all AMA chapters: we must support all who have [Muslim] interests at heart, regardless of what part of the country they are running in. " EMERSON'S TESTIMONY According to Steve Emerson, a well-known investigative journalist specializing in militant Islamic organizations, the AMA's leaders " have sanctioned terrorism, published anti-Semitic statements, and repeatedly hosted conferences that were forums for denunciations of Jews and exhortations to wage jihad. " Faced with pressure on the matter, Mrs. Clinton announced on Oct. 25th that she was returning the $50,000 in campaign contributions raised for her by the AMA. She failed to give a credible explanation as to why it took her more than four months from June 13th until October 25th until she saw it necessary to return the money. Mr. Emerson, in a recent Wall Street Journal article, noted: " As first lady, Mrs. Clinton began in 1996 an outreach program to Muslim leaders in the U.S. With America's Muslim population at some six million and growing, an effort to include the community's leaders in the mainstream of American politics is unquestionably a worthy undertaking. But curiously, nearly all of the leaders with whom Mrs. Clinton elected to meet came from Islamic fundamentalist organizations. A review of the statements, publications and conferences of the groups Mrs. Clinton embraced shows unambiguously that they have long advocated or justified violence. By meeting with these groups, the first lady lent them legitimacy as " mainstream " and " moderate " . " But this should not be unexpected, considering Mrs. Clinton's past radical affiliations. During the 1980's, ultra-liberal lawyer Hillary Rodham- Clinton served on the board of the New World Foundation, which funneled money to the Palestine Liberation Organization, at a time when the PLO was officially recognized by the United States as a terrorist organization. Similarly, in February 1996, Hillary hosted a reception at the White House for leaders of Hamas-supporting groups such as the American Muslim Council and the Council on American-Islamic Relations. And in January, 1998, Hillary hosted another White House reception honoring Muslim leaders and the Muslim Public Affairs Council who defended militant Islamic fundamentalism and also supported radical Islamic groups. THE REAL HILLARY This, then, is the real Hillary Rodham-Clinton. An ambitious woman willing to utter any banal cliche on behalf of " Israel's security " to placate unaware New York Jewish voters, but one whose pre-Senate race record on Israel is appalling. It's a record of supporting the terrorist PLO, even before the 1993 signing of the first Oslo Agreement on the White House lawn, of ignoring blatant calumny heaped on Israel by Suha Arafat, of supporting the creation of a Palestinian PLO State, of hosting and legitimizing extremist Islamic groups in the United States. Most recently, it included taking campaign contributions from these very same evil, anti-Semitic organizations - until being caught with her hand in the extremist Islamic cookie jar. This is the very same Hillary Rodham- Clinton who now claims to be Israel's friend. " SOURCE: http://www.papillonsartpalace.com/hillarSy.htm You can see actual photos of arafat's uncle,Haj Mohammad Amin al- Husseini,the grand mufti of Jerusalem, and others : Kofi and Nasrallah, boss of Hezbollah AFAFAT'S UNCLE THE MUFTI WITH ISLAMIC NAZIS ARAFAT'S UNCLE THE MUFTI WITH FELLOW NAZIS ARAFAT'S UNCLE THE MUFTI WITH MOSLEM SS The Mufti and Hitler Himmler with a Moslem SS Division Joe Dioguardi Hillary Clinton Kissing Arafat's Wife at KnowTheEnemy/ http://ph.KnowTheEnemy/photos Hillary Clinton Kissing Arafat's Wife may also be seen at: http://www.papillonsartpalace.com/hillarSy.htm arafat's uncle,Haj Mohammad Amin al-Husseini,the grand mufti of Jerusalem raised three Moslem nazi SS divisions for Hitler during World War Two. Two of those Moslem SS divisions were Bosnian, the third was Albanian. The Albanian Moslem SS Division was called the SS Division from which would spring the notorious so-called " KLA " Kosovo Liberation Army, a.k.a. UCK in Albanian. The children and grandchildren of the Albanian Moslem SS Division became the so-called " KLA " . " HILLARY RUSHED TO SUPPORT PALESTINIAN STATE And Hillary Rodham-Clinton? Well, in May 1998, she told a youth conference on Middle East peace in Villars, Switzerland, that she supports the eventual creation of an independent Palestinian state. Her spokesperson, Marsha Berry told reporters: " " These remarks are her own personal view. " Then, in November 1999, while on a purported State visit to the Middle East, she publicly appeared with Yasser Arafat's wife Suha. With Hillary at her side, Suha Arafat made the deliberately false allegation that " Our [Palestinian] people have been submitted to the daily and intensive use of poisonous gas by the Israeli forces, which has led to an increase in cancer cases among women and children. " Mrs. Arafat also accused Israel of contaminating much of the water sources used by Palestinians with " chemical materials " and poisoning Palestinian women and children with toxic gases. Instead of reacting with outrage, Hillary Clinton sat by silently - and gave her a hug and a kiss when she finished speaking. Later, many hours after the event, and only after a media furor put her on the spot for what many view as a bit more than a mere political " faux pas " , Mrs. Clinton called on " all sides " to refrain from " inflammatory rhetoric and baseless accusations " - including Israel, whose leaders made no such accusations. Glossing over this remarkably repugnant affair, Mrs. Clinton has yet to specifically contradict and denounce the monstrous lies uttered by Yasser Arafat's wife in her presence. " SOURCE: http://www.papillonsartpalace.com/hillarSy.htm the following item is excerpted from: More Than S-x: The Secrets of Bill and Hillary Clinton Revealed by Arkansas State Trooper NewsMax.com September 14, 1999 Washington - An Arkansas State Trooper who once guarded Bill Clinton has revealed startling new information about Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Trooper Larry Patterson, a recently retired 32-year veteran of the state police, had been the most senior member of the elite Governor's Security Detail during the period Bill Clinton served as Governor. During that time, Patterson became privy to Bill and Hillary Clinton's most closely guarded secrets. Patterson told his story exclusively to NewsMax.com and Internet Vortex. NewsMax.com has published More than S-x: The Secrets of Bill and Hillary Clinton Revealed — a two-hour audio cassette tape of Christopher Ruddy's interview with Trooper Larry Patterson. In More than S-x Patterson makes bombshell revelations, some of which have never been disclosed before: Organized Crime. The press has ignored reporting of this critical issue, but Patterson says Clinton had a close relationship with the head of the Dixie Mafia—Arkansas' homegrown organized crime family that has grown in recent years through drug trafficking. Patterson said Clinton regularly received gifts from the reputed mob boss. Ethnic Slurs about Jews. Both Hillary and Bill Clinton frequently used slurs during heated arguments with each other, Patterson said. Among the epithets they frequently hurled at each other were anti-Semitic slurs such as `mother f---in' Jew' or `Jew bastard'. Patterson said such references were heard frequently during the years he served the Clintons. Patterson said Clinton loved telling ethnic jokes and frequently told jokes that were anti-Semitic. The use of the " N " word. Patterson said Bill Clinton would use the word " n----r " — the " N " word — when he was angry with African-American opponents. He recalls the use of the word in describing a black, Arkansas activist who was critical of Clinton. Patterson said Clinton also used the " N " word during the 1992 campaign Hitler and Mein Kampf. Bill Clinton, Patterson said, spoke admiringly of Hitler and was fascinated by his book Mein Kampf. source: http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=1999/9/13/220611 Jerusalem, November 10, 1999 Fooling the Jews WOMEN IN GREEN, among whose members there are many voters from New York who have dual citizenship, will protest against the visit of Hillary Clinton. We will be outside the Tel Aviv Museum, Shaul HaMelech Boulevard and Weizman Street in Tel Aviv, at 19:15 to voice our opposition to this " new " and dubious friend of Israel. Hillary Clinton is one smart lady. She wants to be President. Therefore, she will say anything to any particular Group that will lend itself to obtaining that set objective. She strategically chose the upcoming Senatorial race in New York as the first stepping stone towards reaching her presidential goal. However, New York has an important Jewish vote and that is a hurdle that she must leap over and " handle " . The difficulty for Hillary is that she has never been a friend of Israel. She has publicly come out for a Palestinian State, which as a sophisticated and smart lady she knows would threaten Israel's very existence. She very well knows that hatred of Jews and Israel even now is an essential part of Arafat's educational system; moreover, Arafat's hate propaganda in his Media includes praise of the bomb makers who specialize in blowing up Israel's buses. Yet she has never leveled one word of criticism against Arafat in that or any other regard, or for that matter against any Arab. Her Arab guest list at the White House has included American Arab leaders who are sympathetic to and support terrorist Hamas. She could find nothing about Israel to publicly admire throughout the many years that she has been in the White House. But to garner the Jewish vote in New York she has to appear to tone down her bias in favor of the Arabs, and make some Jewish " gestures " . She now lets out of the family closet the inconsequential news that her grandmother's second husband was a Jew. And of course for these New York voters, she is making the proscribed visit to Israel. After all these years she suddenly awakened to recognize the status of Jerusalem; she recently told the Jews that Jerusalem is Israel's eternal capital; however, she is not in favor of moving the U.S. Embassy to that capital. In that she is consistent with her husband who broke his previous campaign promise to move it. Her track record insures that she too will not keep whatever promises she makes to the Jews in order to get into the Senate. If elected, she would be the most pro-Arab Senator New York has ever had. Unmasked, Hillary Clinton has proven herself again and again to have little sympathy and understanding for Israel and the Jewish People. Don't be fooled by the Jewish " appointees " of her husband. Albright, Berger and the like are Jews in name only, who lack loyalty to the Jewish People. Nor should you be " taken in " by her deceptive sweet talk. Hillary's visit to Israel is just part and parcel of her New York campaign. Ruth and Nadia Matar source: http://www.womeningreen.org/saynov99.htm BLACK LIBERATION ARMY Aliases: Afro-American Liberation Army Base of Operation: United States Founding Philosophy: The Black Liberation Army was a militant splinter group of the Black Panther Party. Breaking away from the Black Panthers in the late 1960s, the stated philosophy of the BLA was to " take up arms for the liberation and self-determination of black people in the United States. " In the 1970s the BLA was responsible for numerous domestic criminal acts, including bank and armored car robberies. In one of their more famous exploits, members of the BLA freed fellow BLA member Joanne Chesimard from prison where she was serving a life sentence for the murder of a state trooper. Chesimard fled to Cuba, where she is still living, and the US government has offered a reward of $1 million dollars for her capture. Members of the BLA were also charged in various terrorist plots including a plan to firebomb department stores in New York. In 1981, four members of the BLA were convicted for various charges including murder and armed robbery in a failed heist of a Brinks armored car, which left one guard and two police officers dead. On March 25, 1984, a man claiming to be " Lieutenant Spartacus " of the " Black Liberation Army, " hijacked a Piedmont airlines jet with 58 passengers on board. The plane flew to Cuba where " Lieutenant Spartacus " found asylum. SOURCE: http://www.tkb.org/Group.jsp?groupID=3708 excerpted from: " Hillary Clinton and " The Third Way " How America's First Lady of the Left Has Bamboozled Liberals and Conservatives Alike By David Horowitz FrontPageMagazine.com | June 22, 2000 My subject is Hillary Clinton in her role as America's foremost leftist..... It is this same idea that is found in the Social Gospel which impressed the youthful Hillary Clinton at the United Methodist Church in Park Ridge, Illinois. She later encountered the same idea in the New Left at Yale and in the Venceremos Brigade in Communist Cuba... " David Horowitz is the author of numerous books including an autobiography, Radical Son, which has been described as " the first great autobiography of his generation, " and which chronicles his odyssey Union Leader Charged With Racketeering October 17, 2006 By ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS A seven-term assemblyman and labor leader who was credited with revitalizing the nation's biggest municipal labor council was arrested on federal racketeering charges today and accused of stealing more than $2 million in union and public money. The indictment charges the union leader, Brian McLaughlin, with a pattern of thefts over the last decade, including siphoning $95,000 from bank accounts for a Little League for the children of union members; installing a relative to head a commission on the dignity of immigrants, then collecting the relative's salary; and using union members to walk his dog, hang his Christmas lights and renovate his $760,000 home on Long Island. Michael Garcia, the United States attorney for Manhattan, characterized the pattern of thefts as " stunning in its breadth and scope " at a news conference today. " This case lends a new meaning to the term, `hand in the till,' " Mr. Garcia said. " It is a case about greed. " Mr. McLaughlin faces up to 500 years in prison if convicted of 44 counts in the 180-page indictment, including fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, the use of phantom employees and receiving cash and other bribes from companies that employed union members. " His Midas touch turned everything into gold, " said Andrew Arena, special agent in charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The indictment alleges that Mr. McLaughlin used members of his electrical union, while they were on the union clock, to perform personal tasks for him, like installing and removing appliances, painting, changing light bulbs, hanging picture frames, shoveling snow, hanging Christmas lights, fixing plumbing, removing garbage, changing locks and cleaning out a barn. The thefts were not limited to his position as labor council president, officials said. The indictment charges that, as founding member and district leader of the William Jefferson Clinton Democratic Club of Queens, a nonprofit club that raised money to support candidates for public office, Mr. McLaughlin misappropriated more than $19,000 for personal expenses, like the rent at his Albany home, and to install a wide-screen plasma television at the home of " a person with whom he maintained a personal relationship. " He is also accused of using more than $330,000 from his political campaign committee to pay for personal expenses, including bills for his son's wedding, renovating his home in Nissequogue, N.Y., paying his country club initiation fee and house cleaning. Noting that the real work of Mr. McLaughlin's union, Division J of Local 3 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, was to install and maintain street lights and traffic signals in New York City, Rose Gill Hearn, commissioner of the city's Department of Investigation, which also participated in the investigation of the union leader, suggested that the public might now be able to look at street lights without cringing. " You can be assured, " she said, that the people who are supposed to be installing street lights, are " no longer mucking stalls or shoveling snow on Mr. McLaughlin's property. " http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/17/nyregion/17cnd-labor.html? ei=5090 & en=f9269b42edff987d & ex=1318737600 & partner=rssuserland & emc=rss & pagewanted=print The following material is excerpted from some remarks by the then President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton, which appeared under the headline: Remarks at a Reception for Hillary Clinton in Flushing, New York October 23, 2000 source: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2889/is_43_36/ai_68215162/prin t " I want to thank Brian McLaughlin for making me feel welcome and being so kind to Hillary over these years and this last year of hard campaigning. " " NOTE: The President spoke at 7:15 p.m. in the Electrical Industry Auditorium at the Union Hall. In his remarks, he referred to former Representative Thomas J. Manton, chair, and Michael H. Reich, executive secretary, Queens County Democratic Organization; Mr. Reich's daughter, Alisa, who sang the national anthem; Representative Crowley's wife, Kasey; New York City Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi; State Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin; former President Slobodan Milosevic of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro); Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Prime Minister John Major of the United Kingdom; and Nava Barak, wife of Prime Minister Ehud Barak of Israel. " At the height of his power, Marat Balagula was a kingpin in a Brighton Beach Russian mob who traveled with a Paraguayan passport, traded in diamonds, bought an island off West Africa, owned a Long Island mansion decorated in pink marble and had a knack for making his enemies disappear. Marat Balagula was a member and alleged leader of an organization of criminals made up of Russian and other Eastern European immigrants based in Brooklyn , New York . During the mid-1980's Balagula controlled 100% of the bootleg gasoline which was distributed in New York City . Controlling terminals from Brooklyn to Westchester County in New York , his ring sold gasoline among various companies including bogus firms that reported having paid the excise taxes and then vanished before the Internal Revenue Service could follow the complicated and cumbersome paper trails. In June 1993, he and seven individuals were indicted in the largest excise tax evasion scheme in United States history. Balagula along with Joseph Macchia; Macchia's three sons, Joseph, Jr., Larry, and George; Victor Batuner; Michael Varzar; and John Barberio were charged in a conspiracy to evade approximately $85 million dollars in federal excise taxes. In the fall of 1994 Balagula and his co-defendants plead guilty and are currently awaiting sentence. This was not the first case to be brought against Balagula for excise tax evasion. In July 1992 Balagula, along with three other individuals, was convicted on one count of conspiracy to evade approximately $500,000 in federal excise taxes and one count of excise tax evasion. For this conviction, Balagula received a 10-year sentence. Fuel Tax Evasion Highlights, March 1995 Volume 4, Number 1 March 1995 IN THE NEWS Lawrence Iorizzo, key figure in the NY bootleg gasoline market in the 1980's who turned government informant and was subsequently booted out of the witness protection program and is now wanted by Texas officials, is interviewed. The New Yorker, Talk of the Town, 11/14/94 Marat Balagula pled guilty to conspiring to evade $85 million in federal gasoline taxes on nearly one billion gallons of fuel sold in the NY area between 1983-88. The surprise plea came Oct. 18, a month before he and 7 others were to begin trial. Balagula is already serving a 10-year sentence for similar bootlegging. On Oct. 27, Joseph A. Macchia and his sons Lawrence, George and Joseph L. pled guilty to their role in the scheme. On Nov. 4, John Barberio was the last to plead guilty. Michael Varzar had pled guilty earlier. An eighth defendant, Viktor Batuner, is a fugitive. Newsday, 10/24/94, 11/2/94; Dept. of Justice Press Release, 11/4/94 http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/hl95mar.htm Fuel Tax Evasion Highlights, March 1995 Volume 4, Number 1 March 1995 IN THE NEWS Lawrence Iorizzo, key figure in the NY bootleg gasoline market in the 1980's who turned government informant and was subsequently booted out of the witness protection program and is now wanted by Texas officials, is interviewed. The New Yorker, Talk of the Town, 11/14/94 Marat Balagula pled guilty to conspiring to evade $85 million in federal gasoline taxes on nearly one billion gallons of fuel sold in the NY area between 1983-88. The surprise plea came Oct. 18, a month before he and 7 others were to begin trial. Balagula is already serving a 10-year sentence for similar bootlegging. On Oct. 27, Joseph A. Macchia and his sons Lawrence, George and Joseph L. pled guilty to their role in the scheme. On Nov. 4, John Barberio was the last to plead guilty. Michael Varzar had pled guilty earlier. An eighth defendant, Viktor Batuner, is a fugitive. Newsday, 10/24/94, 11/2/94; Dept. of Justice Press Release, 11/4/94 Eugene Slusker pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Columbus , Ohio to a diesel conspiracy that resulted in a federal tax loss of over $88,000 and a loss of over $117,000 to Ohio during 6 months in 1990. Slusker, using the alias Semyan Altman and doing business as Accurate Tank Testing, Inc., used a false Form 637 to purchase over 587,00 gallons of untaxed diesel fuel which was then sold to numerous truck stops throughout Ohio, tax included. Co-defendant, Roman Kalika pleaded not guilty to federal tax evasion charges. The IRS Criminal Investigation Div. and the Ohio Dept. of Taxation investigated the case. Justice Dept. Press Release 9/30/94; Dayton Daily News 10/3/94; Columbus Dispatch, 12/24/94 The worldwide activities of Russian organized crime and its ability to bilk companies, governments and individuals out of billions of dollars through sophisticated fraud and theft schemes is described in two recent articles. Wall Street Journal, 12/22/94; Atlantic Monthly, 6/94 The Wisconsin Dept. of Justice has charged Patrick S. Gedig and Paul C. Kramer with misappropriating nearly $1 million in motor fuel taxes during 1990. At the time, Gedig was president of United Petroleum, Milwaukee , and Kramer ran Ohio Fuel and Supply, Big Bend . Wisconsin State Journal, 11/1/94 The work of Charles Hurchalla in helping to expose a massive fuel tax scam masterminded by the Russian mob and involving the La Cosa Nostra is described in a recent article. Philadelphia Magazine, 10/94 Court documents filed by federal authorities in NJ name John Gotti as an unindicted co-conspirator in organized crime efforts to dominate the bootleg motor fuel industry in the NY metropolitan area. The disclosure came on the eve of the trial of Anthony (Fat Tony) Morelli, allegedly a capo in the Gambino crime family, and Gregory Federico, owner of Capitol Fuel Service of Cranford and Igor (Little Igor) Roizman, a Russian emigre. To date, 20 persons have been prosecuted on charges growing out of the Operation Red Daisy investigation conducted jointly by the FBI, IRS, DOT Office of Inspector General, NJ Div. of Taxation and PA Dept. of Revenue. Newark Star Ledger, 12/5 and 12/16/94 United States Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAX NOVEMBER 4, 1994 (202) 616-2765 TDD (202) 514-1888 NEW YORK MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN TAX CASE WASHINGTON , D.C. - A former wholesale gasoline sales manager from New Rochelle , New York , pleaded guilty in U. S. District Court in Hauppauge , New York , for his role in a conspiracy to evade more than $85 million in federal gasoline excise taxes, the Department of Justice announced today. John Barberio, 68, the former manager for New York Fuel Terminal Corp., was the last of seven defendants to plead guilty to the tax evasion scheme. An eighth defendant, Viktor Batuner, is a fugitive. Barberio's plea follows the October 27, 1994, guilty pleas of former terminal operators Joseph A. Macchia, Lattingtown , N.Y. , and his three sons, Lawrence, George and Joseph L., for their role in the tax fraud scheme from 1983 through 1988. Joseph A. Macchia and two of his sons, Lawrence and George, also pleaded guilty to two counts of excise tax evasion. Michael Varzar pleaded guilty on May 24 of this year for his role in the conspiracy and to two counts of gasoline excise tax evasion. New York Fuel Terminal Corp. was registered with the Internal Revenue Service and was required to pay a tax on each gallon of gasoline it sold to an unregistered company. The Macchias, through New York Fuel, sold almost 1 billion gallons of gasoline to unregistered companies without paying the tax they owed. On October 13, Marat Balagula, pleaded guilty to five counts of the indictment charging him with conspiracy and excise tax evasion. Balagula, who controlled many of the unregistered companies to which New York Fuel sold gasoline, is currently serving a 10-year sentence following his 1992 prosecution by the Tax Division for his involvement in a separate gasoline excise tax evasion scheme for which Barberio also was convicted. Barberio was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. Evidence presented at Balagula's 1992 sentencing in the earlier case implicated him as a member of a Russian organized crime group headed by Evsei Agron. According to testimony at the hearing, on the day following Agron's gangland-style murder, Balagula moved into Agron's office and took over operation of the organization. The sentencing court ruled that the probation department properly concluded that Balagula " was a member of an organization of criminals made up of Russians and other Eastern European immigrants based in Brooklyn . " All of the defendants will be sentenced by Judge Leonard D. Wexler at a later date. Each faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Assistant Attorney General Loretta Argrett of the Tax Division said, " The Tax Division has a strong commitment to prosecute the criminal elements who would deprive the nation's treasury of millions of dollars in tax revenue. This is only another step in our ongoing efforts to eliminate motor fuels tax fraud and to prosecute those criminals, organized or otherwise, who would defraud the United States . " ### 94-644 http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/Pre_96/November94/644a.txt.html UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT SUMMARY ORDER THIS SUMMARY ORDER WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REPORTER AND MAY NOT BE CITED AS PRECEDENTIAL AUTHORITY TO THIS OR ANY OTHER COURT, BUT MAY BE CALLED TO THE ATTENTION OF THIS OR ANY OTHER COURT IN A SUBSEQUENT STAGE OF THIS CASE, IN A RELATED CASE, OR IN ANY CASE FOR PURPOSES OF COLLATERAL ESTOPPEL OR RES JUDICATA. At a stated Term of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, held at the United States Courthouse, Foley Square, in the City and County of New York, on the 13th day of September, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-six. PRESENT: HONORABLE JOSEPH M. McLAUGHLIN, HONORABLE DENNIS G. JACOBS, Circuit Judges , HONORABLE ROBERT J. KELLEHER, [*] District Judge . UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Appellee , - v. - No. 96-1018 JOSEPH MACCHIA, SR.; LAWRENCE MACCHIA; GEORGE MACCHIA; VIKTOR BATUNER; MICHAEL VARZAR; JOHN BARBERIO; JOSEPH L. MACCHIA, also known as Joseph Macchia, also known as Joey, Defendants , MARAT BALAGULA, Defendant-Appellant . FOR APPELLANT: John L. Pollok, Hoffman & Pollok , New York , NY. FOR APPELLEE: Robert E. Lindsay, Attorney, Tax Division, Department of Justice, Washington , DC . Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Wexler, J. ). This cause came on to be heard on the transcript of record from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York and was argued. ON CONSIDERATION WHEREOF, it is hereby ordered, adjudged, and decreed that the judgment of the district court be and it hereby is AFFIRMED. Marat Balagula was a primary player in various conspiracies to evade federal gasoline excise taxes. Balagula and others purchased or set up phony " middleman " companies to buy gasoline from one entity and sell it to another. Under the prevailing tax code -- which assessed gasoline excise taxes against certain selling companies -- the middleman company would become liable for an excise tax on the gasoline sold. Balagula and his cohorts would then cause the phony company to collapse, leaving the excise tax unpaid. Thus, the gasoline passed from the original seller to the eventual buyer without obligating either of those companies to pay the excise taxes. The government charged Balagula (under the " Tarricone Indictment " ) with one count of conspiring to evade the federal gasoline excise tax, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 3623, and two counts of attempted excise tax evasion, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201 and 18 U.S.C. §§ 2, 3623. This conspiracy existed from late 1985 to early 1986 in the greater New York metropolitan area (including New Jersey ), and evaded over $400,000 in taxes. After a jury trial in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Wexler, J. ), he was convicted on all three counts. The court sentenced Balagula to a total of ten years' imprisonment, which he is presently serving. We affirmed Balagula's conviction and sentence on appeal. See United States v. Tarricone , 996 F.2d 1414 (2d Cir. 1993). The government subsequently charged Balagula (under the " Macchia Indictment " ) with one count of conspiring to evade the federal gasoline excise tax, and four counts of attempted excise tax evasion. This broader conspiracy existed from early 1983 to the middle of 1988, also in the greater New York metropolitan area. Through this larger scheme, Balagula and others evaded more than $85,000,000 in taxes. Balagula moved to dismiss the charges, again in the Eastern District of New York (Wexler, J. ), arguing that the conspiracy charged in the Macchia Indictment was, for the purposes of double jeopardy, the same conspiracy as charged in the Tarricone Indictment. The district court denied Balagula's motion, see United States v. Macchia , 845 F. Supp. 953 (E.D.N.Y. 1994), and we affirmed, see United States v. Macchia , 35 F.3d 662 (2d Cir. 1994). Balagula then pled guilty to all five counts of the Macchia Indictment. The district court, using the 1987 version of the Sentencing Guidelines, [1] set Balagula's base offense level at eighteen. See U.S.S.G. §§ 2T1.1, 2T4.1. The court increased this by two levels for sophisticated means, see U.S.S.G. § 2T1.1(b)(2), two levels for conduct intended to encourage others to impede the Internal Revenue Service ( " IRS " ), see U.S.S.G. § 2T1.9(b)(2), and four levels for being an organizer or leader of the criminal activities, see U.S.S.G. § 3B1.1(a). The court reduced the offense level by two for acceptance of responsibility, see U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1, netting a total offense level of twenty-four. Finding that Balagula's criminal history category ( " CHC " ) of II did not adequately reflect the seriousness of his past criminal conduct or propensity for future crime, the district court departed upward to CHC IV. See U.S.S.G. § 4A1.3. The court then sentenced Balagula to a total of seventy-seven months' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years' supervised release. The court ordered this sentence to run consecutively to Balagula's unexpired ten-year sentence from his prior conviction. See U.S.S.G. § 5G1.3. Balagula now appeals, arguing that the district court erred in: (1) ordering his sentence to run consecutive to, rather than concurrent with, his ongoing ten-year term; (2) departing upward in his CHC because of his past criminal conduct and potential for future crime; (3) enhancing his offense level for encouraging others to impede the IRS; and (4) imposing so severe a fine. Balagula also asks us to remand his case to a different judge for resentencing. We review the district court's findings of fact only for clear error, and its application of the Guidelines to those facts for abuse of discretion. See United States v. Santiago , 906 F.2d 867, 871 (2d Cir. 1990). 1. Consecutive Sentences . Balagula first argues that the district court erroneously ordered his sentence to run consecutive to, rather than concurrent with, his ongoing ten-year term (from his conviction on the Tarricone Indictment). We disagree. Section 5G1.3 provides: If at the time of sentencing, the defendant is already serving one or more unexpired sentences, then the sentence for the instant offense(s) shall run consecutively to such unexpired sentences, unless one or more of the instant offense(s) arose out of the same transactions or occurrences as the unexpired sentences. In the latter case, such instant sentences and the unexpired sentences shall run concurrently, except to the extent otherwise required by law. U.S.S.G. § 5G1.3 (emphasis added). " The same transactions or occurrences " means the same " discrete acts or events, " and not simply an " ongoing operation or course of conduct. " United States v. Vega , 11 F.3d 309, 313-15 (2d Cir. 1993). Our holding that the conspiracies charged in the Tarricone and Macchia Indictments were not the " same conspiracies " for double jeopardy purposes is, of course, not necessarily determinative in a 5G1.3 inquiry. We found in that case, however, that the Tarricone and Macchia conspiracies were " quite different, " Macchia , 35 F.3d at 670, involving different actors playing different roles; using different facilities and companies; and employing a different modus operandi . We also noted that the two conspiracies, as charged, contained no common overt acts. Id. at 671. Therefore, the district court did not err in concluding that the Tarricone and Macchia offenses did not arise out of the same transactions or occurrences -- that is, the same discrete acts or events -- and did not err in imposing consecutive sentences. See Vega , 11 F.3d at 315. Balagula also argues that the Commentary to § 5G1.3, which provides that " departure would be warranted when independent prosecutions produce anomalous results that circumvent or defeat the intent of the guidelines, " see U.S.S.G. § 5G1.3 comment., commands a downward departure in his case. But the Guidelines' language makes clear that departure is discretionary, see United States v. Rogers , 897 F.2d 134 (4th Cir. 1990), and a district court's discretionary refusal to depart downward is not reviewable on appeal, see United States v. Chabot , 70 F.3d 259, 260 (2d Cir. 1995) (per curiam). 2. Upward Departure . Balagula argues that the district court based its upward departure on improper grounds, did not give Balagula proper notice to contest the departure, and did not sufficiently articulate its reasons for departing. We reject all of these contentions. The guidelines clearly provide for an upward departure when the district court believes that a defendant's CHC " significantly underrepresents the seriousness of the defendant's criminal history or the likelihood that the defendant will commit further crimes. " U.S.S.G § 4A1.3. And, Balagula obviously had notice that such a departure was possible: he expressly argued against such departure both in his sentencing letter to the district court, and at the sentencing hearing. Although the district court did not explain why a departure to CHC III (instead of IV) would be insufficient, see United States v. Deutsch , 987 F.2d 878, 886-88 (2d Cir. 1993), " so long as the reasons supporting the departure are fully explained, a mechanistic step-by-step procedure is not required, " United States v. Kassar , 47 F.3d 562, 566 (2d Cir. 1995). The court's recitation of Balagula's criminal past, and apparent propensity to commit future crimes, was a sufficient articulation of the reasons supporting departure, and satisfies the requirement that the departure be explained. See id. at 566-67; United States v. Adler , 52 F.3d 20, 22 (2d Cir. 1995) (per curiam). 3. Enhancement for Encouraging Others . Balagula next argues that the district court improperly increased his offense level by two for conduct intended to encourage others to impede the IRS. See U.S.S.G. § 2T1.9(b)(2). According to Balagula, this encouragement enhancement does not apply except to tax protest groups and promoters of fraudulent tax shelters. Balagula is wrong. It is true that an application note to the 1994 version of § 2T1.9 lists tax protest groups and fraudulent tax shelters as examples of situations deserving application of the encouragement enhancement. But, as " examples, " these listed schemes are clearly meant to be illustrative, not exclusive. See United States v. Rosario , 7 F.3d 319, 320-21 (2d Cir. 1993) (per curiam). Here, the undisputed facts show that Balagula intended to encourage others to prepare false invoices such that Balagula and his co-conspirators could evade millions of dollars in gasoline excise taxes. Indeed, when asked at his plea hearing whether he had encouraged others to prepare false documents to facilitate his tax evasion, Balagula stated that he had. The district court did not clearly err in concluding that Balagula encouraged others to impede the IRS, nor abuse its discretion in imposing the two-level encouragement enhancement on these facts. 4. Fine . Finally, Balagula argues that the district court's imposition of a $250,000 fine constituted " a sua sponte upward departure " from the Guidelines. Again, Balagula is wrong. The imposition of a $250,000 fine was not a departure from the Guidelines at all; rather, it was expressly provided for in U.S.S.G. § 5E4.2. That section provides for a maximum fine which is the greater of the maximum set forth in the fine table ($100,000), or twice the estimated loss caused by the defendant, or three times the estimated gain to the defendant. See U.S.S.G. 5E4.2©(2). Section 5E4.2(b) sets an absolute maximum fines for felonies at $250,000. See U.S.S.G. § 5E4.2(b). Balagula pled guilty to criminal activity resulting in an $85,000,000 loss to the IRS. Thus, the maximum fine could be as much as $170,000,000, but not more than $250,000. A $250,000 fine was therefore proper. Because we affirm Balagula's sentence, we need not reach his request that this case be remanded to a different judge for resentencing. We have considered all of the additional arguments raised by Balagula, and find them to be without merit. Accordingly, the decision of the district court is AFFIRMED. FOOTNOTES * The Honorable Robert J. Kelleher, of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, sitting by designation. 1 Unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the Sentencing Guidelines are to the 1987 version under which Balagula was sentenced. Tax Fraud Evsei Agron Marat Balagula John Barberio Viktor Batuner Joseph L. Macchia George Macchia Lawrence Macchia Joseph A. Macchia New York Fuel Terminal Corporation Michael Varzar Action November 4, 1994 Location: New Rochelle, NY On November 4, 1994, John Barberio, a former wholesale gasoline sales manager from New Rochelle , New York , pled guilty in federal court in Hauppauge , New York , for his role in a conspiracy to evade more than $85 million in federal gasoline excise taxes. Barberio was the former manager for New York Fuel Terminal Corporation. He was the last of seven defendants to plead guilty to the tax evasion scheme. An eighth defendant, Viktor Batuner, is a fugitive. Barberio's plea follows the October 27, 1994, guilty pleas of former terminal operators Joseph A. Macchia, Lattingtown , N.Y. , and his three sons, Lawrence, George and Joseph L., for their role in the tax fraud scheme from 1983 through 1988. Joseph A. Macchia and two of his sons, Lawrence and George, also pleaded guilty to two counts of excise tax evasion. Michael Varzar pleaded guilty on May 24, 1994, for his role in the conspiracy and to two counts of gasoline excise tax evasion. New York Fuel Terminal Corp. was registered with the Internal Revenue Service and was required to pay a tax on each gallon of gasoline it sold to an unregistered company. The Macchias, through New York Fuel, sold almost 1 billion gallons of gasoline to unregistered companies without paying the tax they owed. On October 13, 1994, Marat Balagula, pleaded guilty to five counts of the indictment charging him with conspiracy and excise tax evasion. Balagula, who controlled many of the unregistered companies to which New York Fuel sold gasoline, is currently serving a 10-year sentence following his 1992 prosecution by the Tax Division for his involvement in a separate gasoline excise tax evasion scheme for which Barberio also was convicted. Barberio was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. Evidence presented at Balagula's 1992 sentencing in the earlier case implicated him as a member of a Russian organized crime group headed by Evsei Agron. According to testimony at the hearing, on the day following Agron's gangland- style murder, Balagula moved into Agron's office and took over operation of the organization. The sentencing court ruled that the probation department properly concluded that Balagula " was a member of an organization of criminals made up of Russians and other Eastern European immigrants based in Brooklyn . " http://frauddigest.com/fraud.php?ident=1850 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAX THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1994 (202) 616-2765 TDD (202) 514-1888 DEFENDANTS PLEAD GUILTY IN GASOLINE EXCISE TAX CASE Washington , D.C. -- The Department of Justice announced today that four more defendants in the largest gasoline excise tax prosecution to date have pleaded guilty. Joseph A. Macchia, of Lattingtown , N.Y. , and two of his sons, Lawrence Macchia and George Macchia, admitted conspiring to evade approximately $85 million in federal gasoline excise taxes. They each also pleaded guilty to two counts of excise tax evasion. A third son, Joseph L. Macchia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, the only charge against him. The four entered their guilty pleas in United States District Court at Hauppauge , New York in front of the Honorable Leonard D. Wexler. Each faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count to which he pleaded guilty. The Macchias owned and operated a series of wholesale gasoline companies, including a trucking company and many holding and management companies, which owned and managed a large number of gasoline stations, most of which carried the " Citgo " brand. Their central company was New York Fuel terminal Corporation, which operated a gasoline storage facility in Brooklyn known as the " M & Q " Terminal. " M & Q " was short for Manhattan & Queens - the Macchias also operated Manhattan & Queens Fuel and M & Q Trucking Corp. New York Fuel was registered with the IRS and was required to pay a tax on each gallon of gasoline it sold to an unregistered company. The Macchias, through New York Fuel, sold almost one billion gallons of gasoline to unregistered companies without paying the tax they owed. Many of the unregistered companies were controlled by the co-defendant Marat Balagula, who pleaded guilty to all of the charges against him on October 13, 1994. Most of these illicit sales were purportedly made by " book transfers " within the M & Q terminal. Book transfers occur when the title to gasoline within the storage tank passes from one company to another, but the product itself does not move. The conspirators created fictitious book transfer records indicate that the gasoline sold by New York Fuel passed through the accounts of sever other licensed and unlicensed companies before being received by the actual purchaser, when in fact, the only transfer was from New York Fuel to the actual unlicensed purchaser. Assistant Attorney General Loretta C. Argrett hailed the pleas, saying that " the successful prosecution of this complex case proves our determination to combat excise tax evasion. " The case was prosecuted by attorneys of the Tax Division of the Department of Justice and was investigated by the Criminal Investigation and Examination Divisions of the Internal Revenue Service and the New York State Tax Department. ### 94-619 http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/Pre_96/October94/619.txt.html FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAX FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1994 (202) 616-2771 TDD (202) 514-1888 FOUR MEN WITH TIES TO WELL KNOWN NEW YORK ORGANIZED CRIME FAMILIES WERE SENTENCED IN EXCISE TAX FRAUD CASE WASHINGTON , D.C. -- Four men with ties to well known New York organized crime families were sentenced today for their involvement in a $34 million gasoline excise tax evasion scheme. Judge Leonard D. Wexler of Hauppauge , New York , sentenced Michael Varzar, Paul Sharp, Frederick " Buddy " Adrion, and Joseph " Chubby " Audino to the following: Michael Varzar--52 months imprisonment, $15,000 fine, three years supervised release and $250 special assessment. Paul Sharp--35 months imprisonment, three years supervised release and $150 special assessment. Frederick Adrion, a Luchese crime family associate--34 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release and $100 special assessment. Joseph Audino, soldier in the Colombo crime family--32 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release and $100 special assessment. Previously, Vyacheslav Dobrer, a/k/a " Sol Dobrer, " was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment, Frank Sciortino, a/k/a " Frankie the Bug, " was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment and Victor M. Orena, a/k/a " Vic Jr., " a/k/a " The Little Guy, " was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment for their involvement in the same conspiracy. Three additional defendants are fugitives and known to be hiding in Israel . One of those defendants, Joseph Reisch, a/k/a " Yosi Reisch, " is awaiting trial in Israel for the May 1989 murder of Michael Markowitz, a former colleague of Reisch's in the gasoline bootleg industry. The defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy and tax evasion charges before Judge Wexler several weeks before the trial was scheduled to proceed in June 1994. Sharp, also pleaded guilty to a RICO conspiracy count concerning a motor fuel excise tax scheme in the Northern District of Georgia. Varzar, pleaded guilty for his involvement in an $85 million excise tax conspiracy relative to gasoline distributed by New York Fuel Terminal Corporation, which operated a gasoline storage facility in Brooklyn , New York , known as the " M & Q " Terminal. The charges stem from an elaborate scheme, referred to as a " daisy chain, " in which gasoline is purportedly sold between a number of wholesale distributors before reaching the retail level. These sales, in fact, never occur and are mere paper transactions designed to disguise the identity of the company responsible for remitting the taxes. These schemes allowed the defendants to pocket a substantial portion of the excise tax included in the price paid by motorists at the retail pump. In an effort to infiltrate the bootleg gasoline industry, a government undercover business called Rossi Associates was established to compete directly with the defendants' bootleg operation. Rossi Associates, which was run in a joint effort by the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, successfully attracted the attention of the defendants and resulted in their bringing Rossi Associates into the daisy chain schemes. On November 24, 1992, at the conclusion of the undercover operation, federal agents seized assets of the defendants, including approximately $1.7 million in cash from various safe deposit boxes, nearly $1.2 million in bank accounts and $1 million in gasoline stored at various terminals and barges. Also, Varzar's yacht valued at about $500,000 was seized. As part of the scheme, the Colombo, Gambino, Luchese and Genovese crime families collected what was termed a " tribute " payment of at least a one and one-half cents per gallon from the proceeds of these transactions. Payments were made to a number of organized crime representatives, including defendants Frank Sciortino, a/k/a " Frankie the Bug, " and Audino, both of whom were soldiers in the Colombo crime family, as well as Frank Campione, a/k/a " Frankie Camp, " a Colombo associate and Adrion, a Luchese associate. These payments were delivered to, among others, defendant Victor M. Orena, a/k/a " Vic Jr., " a/k/a " The Little Guy, " a Colombo captain. Assistant Attorney General Loretta C. Argrett of the Tax Division, hailed the sentences saying that " The successful prosecution of this complex case proves our determination to combat excise tax evasion. " This case, which is part of a nationwide motor fuel excise tax enforcement effort, was investigated jointly by the Long Island Motor Fuel Task Force and the Office of Zachary W. Carter, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. The task force includes attorneys from the Department of Justice Tax Division and agents from the Criminal Investigation and Examination Divisions of the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief of the Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney's Office Edward A. Rial and Paulette Wunsch, Special Attorney, Tax Division, Department of Justice. ### 94-723 http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/Pre_96/December94/723.txt.html WASHINGTON—Organized labor is enormously influential in the Democratic primary, as the campaigns of 2008 presidential candidates seek endorsements from the major labor federations and member unions. In the next week three labor (LIUNA, SEIU, Change to WIn) presidential forums—two in Chicago—will feature presidential candidates. There's a lot of schedule jockeying on Monday. Before heading to Washington, Obama has an economics speech in New York City in the morning and Clinton delivers her plan to deliver universal health care coverage in Iowa. *On Monday and Tuesday, LIUNA-the Laborers' International Union of North America hosts a Leadership Conference at the Chicago Sheraton Hotel and Towers. Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Joe Biden speak on Monday. Bill Richardson on Tuesday. Barack Obama is not scheduled to attend " above from http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2007/09/sweet_blog_special_dem_presid e.html In the Matter of Alan D. Wasserman Laborers' International Union of North America Independent Hearing Officer Docket No. 97-57D Decided October 7, 1998 Order and Memorandum This Order and Memorandum supercedes the Order and Memorandum of August 28, 1998 ( " August 28 Order " ). This Order and Memorandum addresses objections to the August 28 Order filed by Attorney Arnold J. Gold on behalf of the Respondent. The procedural history of this matter is discussed below in detail. This matter comes before the Laborers' International Union of North America ( " LIUNA " ) Independent Hearing Officer ( " IHO " ) pursuant to the LIUNA Constitution and Ethics and Disciplinary Procedure ( " EDP " ). On December 29, 1997, the LIUNA General Executive Board Attorney ( " GEB Attorney " ) filed Disciplinary Charges against Alan D. Wasserman ( " Wasserman " ), alleging violations of federal law and the EDP. Specifically, Wasserman is charged with knowingly associating with a La Cosa Nostra ( " LCN " ) organized crime family, racketeering, demanding labor payoffs from contractors, offering to allow employers to pay LIUNA members less than union-scale wages and benefits, and obstructing the GEB Attorney and the Inspector General ( " IG " ). A hearing was held in Newark, New Jersey on May 27, 1998. Wasserman did not appear at the hearing, but was represented by counsel, Arnold Jay Gold ( " Gold " ). At the hearing, Attorney Gold stated that his client was depressed and unable to assist him in his defense. In support, Gold presented a letter of a medical doctor who stated that Wasserman suffered from a " Major Depressive Disorder, " resulting in anger and depression. IHO Exhibit 1. The letter gave no opinion that such a disorder rendered him unable to assist in his defense but merely indicated that Wasserman's ability to testify was impaired. Id. No evidence was offered to show Wasserman could not aid in his defense. I decided to proceed with the hearing but told Gold that if he desired an additional session to present new evidence based on the cooperation of his client, he should inform me and a hearing would be arranged. At the conclusion of the hearing, I instructed both parties to inform me by June 15, 1998, whether they wished the record to remain open pending the submission of additional evidence. The parties were also instructed to submit post-hearing briefs three weeks following June 15, 1998. I stated " You have until June 15th to let me know what other plans you have, whether to close or keep the record open. " Hearing Transcript of May 27, 1998 ( " Tr. " ) 220. On June 12, 1998, the GEB Attorney requested that the matter remain open until July 13, 1998. The request was granted. On July 13, 1998, the GEB Attorney filed a motion to admit testimony regarding a confidential witness. On July 14, 1998, the GEB Attorney filed the original and one copy of all exhibits presented at the May 27, 1998 hearing. Wasserman filed no response to the motion to admit the confidential witness testimony. From the date of the hearing on May 27, 1998, Wasserman made no communication with my office. Attorney Gold made no effort to contact my office regarding his client's mental status or his intention to offer any additional evidence. I filed the August 28 Order which dealt with the merits of the case. On September 2, 1998, Attorney Gold by letter to my office complained of not having had an opportunity to present a defense or file a post-hearing brief. Gold's letter was Wasserman's first contact with my office in over three months. I issued an Order placing the August 28 Order in suspense and treating the August 28 Order as a proposed Order. See IHO Order September 4, 1998. I permitted both parties to file written objections and conclusions to the proposed order with arguments to support their conclusions. I clearly stated that objections and arguments were to be filed by September 28, 1998. Despite the September 4, 1998 Order, Attorney Gold sent my office a letter indicating he wished to discuss a timetable for the completion of evidence after October 1, 1998, including the possibility of having his client testify. I denied Gold's request to hold the record open until after October 1, 1998, but gave Attorney Gold until October 2, 1998, to file objections to the August 28 Order. I also requested Attorney Gold to include an affidavit outlining the proposed testimony of Wasserman. Gold filed timely objections. In his objections, Gold asserted that Wasserman was able to appear and testify; however, he did not submit any proposed testimony by Wasserman as requested. I find that there is no credible evidence that Wasserman ever intended to appear. Qualification Of Expert Witnesses The GEB Attorney called Jack Elko ( " Elko " ) and Jeffrey Schaffler ( " Schaffler " ) as expert witnesses. Jack Elko Elko was a police officer for 25 years. Tr. 104. During the last 14 of those years, Elko specialized in organized crime investigations for the Division of Criminal Justice of the Office of the Attorney General of New Jersey. Id. Prior to his employment with the Division of Criminal Justice, Elko was employed as an investigator with Morris County in Morristown, New Jersey. He attended numerous service schools, including the New Jersey State Police Academy, courses offered by the Division of Criminal Justice, Seton Hall Law School and the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( " FBI " ) on organized crime and the illegal activity usually perpetrated by organized crime. Tr. 105. Elko testified in this proceeding as an expert in the make-up and structure of organized crime, specifically in the Newark area. This technique has been accepted in similar union disciplinary matters. See e.g., United States v. IBT (Senese & Talerico) 745 F. Supp. 908, 914-15 (S.D.N.Y. 1990), aff'd United States v. IBT (Senese & Talerico), 941 F.2d 1292 (2d Cir. 1991). Elko used tested and accepted investigative techniques to verify the credibility of the individuals whose information he related at the hearing. Elko testified as to information and hearsay statements of five named witnesses. Tr. 109-158. In similar circumstances, the court in United States v. IBT (Cimino), 964 F.2d 1308 (2d Cir. 1992), at 1312; aff'g 777 F. Supp. 1130 (S.D.N.Y. 1991), gave evidentiary weight to hearsay declarations of three LCN members that were related by an FBI agent. The court used a number of factors to evaluate the reliability of the statements. The court noted that the statements corroborated each other in crucial respects, the reports painted a consistent picture of the relationship of the individuals and the statements matched the FBI agent's declaration in the subject matter. Id. The court held that these declarations constituted relevant evidence that a reasonable mind might accept on the subject of association with organized crime. Id. I find that Elko is a qualified witness, expert in organized crime matters, and his testimony, in conformance with accepted investigative techniques, is reliable. Elko related information given to him by five named individuals described below, three of whom have cooperated with federal authorities and two of whom are law enforcement officers. Rocco Cagno Rocco Cagno ( " Cagno " ) is a made member of the Colombo organized crime family and a former member of LIUNA Local Union 342 ( " Local 342 " ). Tr. 109. Cagno became a made member in 1987; thereafter, he was incarcerated. The record does not reflect the reason for his incarceration. He was released from prison in 1990 and his movements were monitored by an electronic bracelet. As a condition of his release, Cagno was required to gain employment. He became employed by Local 342 through the influence of Colombo family members and Anthony Proto, who was then the Business Manager of Local 342. Tr. 114. Cagno is currently in the Federal Witness Protection Program. Elko had the opportunity to speak with Cagno in October 1997 concerning the various organized crime affiliations within Local 342. Tr. 109. Thomas Ricciardi and Anthony Tumac Accetturo Thomas Ricciardi ( " Ricciardi " ) and Anthony Accetturo ( " Accetturo " ) are both made members of the Lucchese organized crime family and are also in the Federal Witness Protection Program. Tr. 117. Accetturo had been the acting boss of the New Jersey faction of the Lucchese family. Id. Steve Montgomery and Lt. Dennis Masucci Elko also based his opinion on information supplied to him by two law enforcement officers, Lieutenant Dennis Masucci ( " Masucci " ) and Steve Montgomery ( " Montgomery " ). Masucci is a law enforcement officer from the Essex County Prosecutor's Office in New Jersey. Tr. 126-27. The information provided by Masucci is based upon confidential informant sources proven reliable in the past, who gave Masucci information which resulted in the arrest of organized crime members, including Gambino organized crime family members in Essex County. Tr. 128. Montgomery is an FBI Special Agent in Newark, New Jersey and had been assigned to the Gambino family organized crime unit. Tr. 127. Montgomery's information is also based on his personal investigation and confidential sources. The testimony of Cagno, Ricciardi and Accetturo are corroborated by each other and by the information supplied by Masucci and Montgomery. Jeffrey Schaffler Schaffler was a federal agent for approximately 30 years. Tr. 160. He spent his last years as a special agent with the Office of Labor Racketeering, United States Department of Labor ( " DOL " ). Id. Schaffer has been a supervisory special agent for DOL, and thereafter, an assistant special agent in charge of a DOL investigation office. Id. Schaffler is currently under contract to the Office of the Inspector General of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. His duties involve investigation of contractors who do business with the Port Authority, the operation of construction projects, the manner in which construction bids are made, contract fraud and wage and hour issues. Tr. 159-60. Schaffler testified in this proceeding in the capacity of an expert in the labor field. I find that Schaffler is a qualified expert witness in the labor field. Findings of Fact Structure of Organized Crime 1. The LCN is a tightly structured criminal organization which operates in various cities throughout the United States. It is in the business of crime for a profit.[1] 2. The LCN is comprised of groups of individuals organized into entities called families. Tr. 105. 3. A typical LCN family structure consists of the head (the " boss " ), his assistant (the " underboss " ), and an advisor (the " consigliere " ). The boss, underboss, and consigliere oversee the activities of LCN members and their associates. LCN members within a family operate in small groups called " crews " which are headed by men called " capos " or " crew bosses. " Tr. 106. 4. A " made member " is an individual within an LCN family who has undergone an initiation process and sworn allegiance to that family putting the family above everything else. Tr. 106. See also United States v. Tortona, 922 F.2d 880, 885 (1st Cir. 1990). 5. An " associate " is an individual who works under a capo and assists made members, but who has not been formally initiated into the family. Tr. 106. An associate may either earn his living by performing illegal acts on behalf of an LCN family or he may have an ostensibly legitimate job while at the same time assisting a particular LCN family in the acquisition of profits and monies. Tr. 129-30. 6. Both members and associates engage in activities which bring money to an organized crime family. Tr. 106. Traditionally, an associate could only become a made member by participating in the murder of an individual. In more recent times, an associate may become a made member based upon the benefits he is able to produce for that family, such as earning large sums of money or exercising influence in business or politics. Tr. 106-07. 7. A number of LCN families are located in the New York/New Jersey area, including the Gambino, Lucchese, and Colombo families. The LCN's History Of Control Over Local 342 8. The evidence presented during the hearing establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that Local 342 in Newark, New Jersey has been subject to LCN control for many years. 9. From at least the 1970's, the Gambino and Colombo organized crime families have shared control of Local 342. Tr. 110. The two families shared illegal profits from contractors within their jurisdiction by soliciting money for labor peace and outright extortion. Tr. 110, 114, 131. Members and associates of both families were placed on the labor payroll with various contractors through Local 342. Tr. 110, 114. The relationship between the two families later shifted to an arrangement where the Colombo family received preferential treatment for placement of workers at particular contract sites, but no longer shared in racketeering labor profits. Tr. 111-12. 10. The New Jersey Organized Crime Task Force ( " Task Force " ) was created by the State of New Jersey in 1986. Tr. 132. From that time to the present, the Task Force and other law enforcement entities have documented the Gambino family infiltration of Local 342. Id. 11. Paul Castellano ( " Castellano " ) was the boss of the Gambino family in New York. After Castellano's murder in December 1985, he was succeeded by John Gotti ( " Gotti " ) in January 1986. Id. 12. Michael Mandaglia ( " Mandaglia " ) had been the Business Manager of Local 342 for several years prior to the Task Force's creation in 1986. Id. According to Elko, court authorized electronic surveillance revealed that Mandaglia had given Castellano $5,000 a year from the New Jersey faction of the Gambino family. Id. Mandaglia gave Robert Bisaccia ( " Bisaccia " ), the former Vice President of Local 342, $2,000 a year. Id. Bisaccia was a Gambino family member later incarcerated for racketeering. Tr. 138. 13. In 1986, Mandaglia retired from Local 342 and was succeeded as Business Manager by Anthony Proto ( " Proto " ). Tr. 133. Proto was a made member of the Gambino family. Tr. 117, 133. 14. In August 1991, Alfred " Al " Andrade ( " Andrade " ) assaulted a coffee truck vendor in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Tr. 133-34. The assault was a result of the vendor's failure to pay Andrade $500 a month for permission to park the vendor's vehicle on a particular street corner in Newark. Tr. 134. The vendor's vehicle was smashed with a sledgehammer. Id. The police responded and, after a period of time, Andrade was arrested. Id. Months later, with the victim's approval, the charges were downgraded to simple assault, not pursued, and the vendor immediately left New Jersey and moved to South Carolina. Id. 15. At the time of the assault, Andrade was a shop steward of Local 342. Tr. 134. Cagno was present at the scene. Cagno stated that Andrade's accomplice for the assault was Wasserman, who at the time was an employee of Local 342. Id. 16. In 1987, the Task Force launched an investigation into organized crime influence in New Jersey. The investigation employed court authorized electronic surveillance and other investigative techniques. The investigation resulted in the indictment of numerous Gambino family members for labor racketeering in New Jersey, one of whom was Proto, the former Business Manager for Local 342. Tr. 133. Proto was convicted and incarcerated for labor racketeering in 1993. Tr. 110. Proto was later permanently expelled from LIUNA in a separate disciplinary action. See In the Matter of Anthony Proto, IHO Order and Memorandum, 97-09D (March 26, 1998). 17. After Proto's incarceration in 1993, he unofficially appointed his son, James Proto, as the Business Manager of Local 342. Tr. 133. Andrade became a Business Agent of Local 342 at that time, assisting James Proto with his duties. Tr. 134. 18. While Andrade was Business Agent and James Proto was Business Manager, Wasserman was appointed as a shop steward for Local 342. Tr. 147. 19. James Vallaro ( " Vallaro " ) was an associate of the Gambino family in Staten Island, New York. Vallaro's father was a made member of the Gambino family and a high volume bookmaker. Tr. 135. Following the 1993 convictions of other Gambino family members, Vallaro moved to New Jersey and became a member of Local 342. Id. 20. At the time of his move, Vallaro was unknown to law enforcement in New Jersey. Tr. 136. Elko became aware of Vallaro's presence and involvement in the LCN through electronic surveillance which he supervised for the Organized Crime Bureau. Tr. 135. The information about Vallero which Elko obtained from the surveillance was verified by Cagno. Tr. 136. 21. Vincent " Juicy " DiModica ( " Juicy DiModica " ) was a member of Local 342. Juicy DiModica was also made member of the Gambino family and responsible for the New Jersey area, including all the Gambino family members and associates within Local 342. Tr. 109, 113. 22. As a result of the 1993 incarcerations of Proto and Robert Bisaccia, former Vice President of Local 342, Juicy DiModica was elevated to acting capo of the Gambino family. Tr. 115-116. Elko testified that he learned this fact from intelligence sources, discussions with Cagno and interviews with other organized crime members, including Ricciardi and Accetturo. Tr. 117-19. 23. After Proto's incarceration, Cagno became concerned about the distribution of money and work for the Colombo family members within Local 342. Tr. 116. Cagno related his concerns to members of the New York City Colombo family. Id. Cagno was approached within the next week by Andrade at a Local 342 membership meeting. Id. Andrade requested that Cagno attend a meeting with Juicy DiModica at the Kenilworth Inn on the Garden State Parkway. Id. 24. Cagno and Juicy DiModica, as representatives of their respective families, attended certain meetings at the Kenilworth Inn. Tr. 114-15. At the meetings, Juicy DiModica told Cagno that his son James DiModica, Wasserman, and Andrade were acting on behalf of Juicy DiModica and the Gambino family. Tr. 114. 25. Vallaro assisted Juicy DiModica in the day-to-day operations of Local 342 for the Gambino family. Tr. 135. The now public electronic surveillance revealed that Vallaro met on a daily basis with Andrade to discuss labor issues within Local 342. Tr. 138. During a 30-day period, 30 telephone calls were intercepted, both incoming and outgoing, from Vallaro's and Andrade's homes regarding labor issues and Local 342. Id. 26. Conversations over prison telephones of Proto, Casarro, and Bisaccia were intercepted and monitored. Id. 27. In April 1994, a conversation was intercepted between Joseph Vallaro and Cassarro who was in state prison. Tr. 140. Joseph Vallaro told Cassarro that he and Juicy DiModica had met with the consigliere of the Gambino family in New York. Id. Joseph Vallaro told Cassarro that James Proto, the Business Manager of Local 342, was not making any money for them and that they would be broke in two months. Elko testified that he understood this conversation to mean that James Proto was not being forceful enough in extracting money from contractors for Local 342. Id. 28. Elko testified that after the Vallaro/Cassarro telephone conversation, James Proto remained Business Manager of Local 342 for approximately one year. Id. James Proto was replaced by Wasserman. Id. VHR Construction Charge I: In or around December 1995, Alan D. Wasserman, while a member and representative of LIUNA Local 342, committed " barred conduct " in violation of the LIUNA Ethics and Disciplinary Procedure by committing an act of racketeering, in that Wasserman did request and demand money or a thing of value from VHR Construction, an employer engaged in an industry affecting interstate commerce, when Wasserman asked for a payoff in form of a " Christmas gift " while being a Union member and representative (29 U.S.C. §186(b)(1)). Charge II: From 1994 to 1995, Alan D. Wasserman, demanded labor payoffs from an employer while being a Union member and representative, in violation of the " Business and Financial Activities of Union Officials " Chapter, Introductory Paragraph, Section 2 and Section 4, of the LIUNA Ethical Practices Code. 29. In 1995, the LIUNA IG's Office in Washington received information from New Jersey Regional Vice President, Ray Pocino, that a contractor who desired confidentiality had alleged that Wasserman had demanded $25,000 from a contractor in New Jersey, possibly at the Newark International Airport, and had caused the contractor's equipment to be damaged. The contractor stated specifically that one piece of equipment was filled with concrete and another piece was pushed off a floor of a building. Tr. 20. Although this statement is pure hearsay, the specificity of the description of the damage is corroborated later in interviews with a company official. 30. The IG sent investigators to Newark to verify the allegations. Id. 31. VHR Construction was a general contractor at the Newark Airport and signatory to a collective bargaining agreement with Local 342. Tr. 21, 23. 32. Victor Wortman ( " Wortman " ) is the president and owner of VHR Construction. Tr. 21. 33. In March 1996, IG Inspectors met with Wortman at his office in Englewood, New Jersey. Tr. 21-23. Wortman told the IG Inspectors his company was not the victim of the equipment damage, but he had heard about the incident. Tr. 22. 34. Wortman said he knew Wasserman was working as the shop steward at Wortman's job site at the Newark Airport. Tr. 22-24. 35. Wortman said that he and his staff had threatened to dock Wasserman's pay because Wasserman frequently left the job site for two or three hours at a time. Tr. 24. As a result, Wasserman came to Wortman's office to discuss the issue during the weeks before Christmas of 1995. Id. 36. Wasserman was accompanied to the meeting by James DiModica who was also a member but not an officer or even a steward of Local 342. Tr. 28-29. 37. During Wortman and Wasserman's conversation about Wasserman's hours, James DiModica suddenly asked Wortman for a Christmas gift. Tr. 29. Wortman refused. Tr. 37. Wasserman made no attempt to dissuade James DiModica from his request. Attorney Gold contends the record is silent as to Wasserman's participation in the request. Under the circumstances, I find that Wasserman brought James DiModica to the meeting to make the request and fully approved of the demand. 38. At the hearing in the instant matter, Schaffler testified that, in his expert opinion of the construction industry, labor payoffs are usually made at Christmastime or at the beginning of the summer or late spring. Tr. 167. 39. It was also Schaffler's expert opinion, based on his experience, James DiModica's request for a Christmas gift was the solicitation of a bribe. Tr. 165. I find that under the circumstances all parties understood that the meaning of the request was not for a nominal or token gift. Attorney Gold objects to the hearsay testimony of Wortman. In the Discussion, infra, I concluded that Wortman's testimony was corroborated by other testimony, and is reliable. 40. Attorney Gold argues that Wasserman visited Wortman to discuss the matter of his pay being docked for continually leaving the job. Gold argues that Wortman is obviously biased against Wasserman because of Wasserman's legitimate demand for his pay. The argument has little weight since Wasserman and Wortman entered into an agreement settling the matter. B.J. McGlone & Co. Inc. Charge III: From 1994 to 1995, Alan D. Wasserman, while a member and representative of LIUNA Local 342, committed " barred conduct " in violation of the LIUNA Ethics and Disciplinary Procedure by committing an act of racketeering, in that Wasserman did request and demand money or a thing of value from B.J. McGlone & Co., Inc., an employer engaged in an industry affecting interstate commerce, when he demanded labor payoffs from an employer while being a Union member and representative (29 U.S.C. §186(b)(1)). Charge IV: From 1994 to 1995, Alan D. Wasserman, demanded labor payoffs from an employer and offered to allow that employer to use non-Union labor or to pay LIUNA members less than Union-scale wages and benefits, and in so doing violated his obligation as a member of the Union to refrain from interfering with the proper conduct of Union business, in violation of Article III, Section 3(d) of LIUNA's Uniform Local Union Constitution and the " Business and Financial Activities of Union Officials " Chapter, Introductory Paragraph, Section 2 and Section 4, of the LIUNA Ethical Practices Code 41. B.J. McGlone ( " McGlone " ) is a company located in New Jersey which provides fireproof material and services. Tr. 47. McGlone performed and worked at the Newark Airport job site in 1994. 42. In August 1997, IG Inspectors spoke with an officer at McGlone who was involved in managing one of the job sites at the Newark Airport. Id. 47. The officer spoke with them on condition that his name would not be repeated to anyone outside of the interview. Although he requested anonymity, the record is clear that he was an officer of McGlone, that he was involved in the operation of the site, and that he dealt with Wasserman. The probative value of this testimony will be discussed below. 43. The officer knew Wasserman was an officer of Local 342 and the shop steward at the McGlone job site at the Newark Airport. Tr. 47, 55. 44. At the beginning of 1994, the officer and Wasserman had a conversation about placing safety equipment on the job site. The officer told Wasserman the equipment was not necessary. Tr. 52. The company did not install the equipment and the job commenced. Id. 45. Two pieces of equipment were subsequently damaged at the job site. Id. One spray machine was filled with concrete and another was pushed off an elevated floor and fell to the ground. Tr. 53. The resulting damage to the equipment was between $8,000 and $15,000. Tr. 170. This description corroborates the description of the damage in the anonymous report made to the IG. 46. Schaffler testified that it is common practice when a company does not comply with demands for payoffs from LCN controlled unions, the union may resort to intimidation methods to frighten the company officials. Id. A common method is to damage equipment. Id. 47. The officer subsequently had a conversation with Wasserman in which the officer told Wasserman the equipment was damaged and said " this is not the way for you to put your people to work. " Tr. 53. Wasserman made no reply to this accusation and requested a meeting. Tr. 54 48. Wasserman, James DiModica, and the officer met at a restaurant in New Jersey. Tr. 54. Wasserman told the officer that in exchange for $10,000 to $20,000, McGlone would be free to run the job site without interference and the company need only pay the workers enough to " buy a ham sandwich. " Tr. 54-55. The officer responded that it was not his decision to pay the money and that he would have to refer them to his boss. Tr. 55. The evidence does not indicate whether the money was paid. 49. Schaffler testified that he was familiar with the terms " give them enough for a sandwich " or " give them enough for a hat. " It was Schaffler's opinion that the statement made by Wasserman, " pay the workers enough for them to buy a ham sandwich, " under the circumstances, meant the workers could be paid a moderate amount for work completed, but the company would not have to adhere to all terms of the collective bargaining agreement, including paying fringe benefits such as overtime and adhering to all safety standards. Tr. 168. In Shaffler's opinion, in return for the payment, Wasserman and James DiModica would take responsibility for handling any complaints from the workers. Id. 50. Attorney Gold argues that the testimony of the McGlone official is not credible. Gold states that the official is biased against Wasserman because Wasserman came to the meeting to discuss legitimate safety issues at McGlone, and the official was upset at being confronted with safety violations. This argument has little weight because substantial damage had been done to McGlone's equipment. It would be more cost effective for McGlone to address legitimate safety issues than to damage its own equipment and blame Wasserman. I find the official's representation of the events to be credible, and corroborated by other evidence. See the Discussion, infra. E & S Construction Charge V: In or around July 1996, Alan D. Wasserman, while a member and representative of LIUNA Local 342, committed " barred conduct " in violation of the LIUNA Ethics and Disciplinary Procedure by committing an act of racketeering in that Wasserman did request and demand money or a thing of value from E & S Construction, an employer engaged in an industry affecting interstate commerce, when he demanded labor payoffs from an employer while being a Union member and representative (29 U.S.C. §186(b)(1)). Charge VI: In or around July 1996, Alan D. Wasserman, demanded labor payoffs from an employer and offered to allow that employer to use non-Union labor or to pay LIUNA members less than Union-scale wages and benefits, and in so doing violated his obligation as a member of the Union to refrain from interfering with the proper conduct of Union business, in violation of Article III, Section 3(d) of LIUNA's Uniform Local Union Constitution and the " Business and Financial Activities of Union Officials " Chapter, Introductory Paragraph, Section 2 and Section 4, of the LIUNA Ethical Practices Code. 51. In August 1996, Ed Taylor ( " Taylor " ) from E & S Construction contacted the LIUNA New Jersey regional office concerning an allegation against Wasserman. Tr. 56. IG Inspectors met with Taylor shortly thereafter. Id. 52. Taylor is a former member of LIUNA Local 472 located in Newark, New Jersey. Tr. 57. After Taylor suffered an injury and could not work as a laborer, he formed his own construction company. Id. 53. In July 1996, Taylor maintained a job site along Routes 1 and 9 in New Jersey. Id. 54. In the same month, Taylor received a call from Wasserman who identified himself as a representative from Local 342 and requested a meeting. Id. Taylor agreed to the meeting. Id. 55. The following day, Wasserman arrived at Taylor's job site accompanied with an individual Taylor later identified as James DiModica. Id. 56. At the start of the meeting, James DiModica stated that he had just gotten out of jail. Tr. 60. 57. Wasserman told Taylor he knew Taylor had an upcoming contract at the Newark Airport with the Brown Matthews Company, and he requested that Taylor use Local 342 workers on that job site. Tr. 58. 58. Taylor replied that at the time he had three full-time workers with his company and the workload was just enough for those three workers. Taylor said if his workload increased he would definitely call the Local 342 hiring hall for laborers. Id. 59. Wasserman replied by pointing to the Taylor's three Hispanic workers, calling them an " eyesore, " and telling Taylor he could not use them because he had to use Local 342 members. Id. 60. Wasserman then made a motion with one of his hands indicating five fingers. Id. When Wasserman's fingers were waved at him, Taylor, who was familiar with labor union relationships in New Jersey, asked if Wasserman was requesting $500 to insure that he would have no problems with the union. Tr. 59. Wasserman replied not $500 but $5,000. Id. 61. Taylor told Wasserman he didn't " have that kind of money. " Id. Wasserman replied that in exchange, Taylor would not have to pay the workers any benefits. Id. Taylor understood this to mean that the various fringe benefits, pension annuity, and medical benefits required by the collective bargaining agreement would not have to be paid if Taylor complied with the demand. Tr. 59-60. 62. Wasserman told Taylor that if Taylor did make the payment, Wasserman would make him put up a bond for the benefits at his job site. Tr. 59. 63. Towards the end of the meeting, James DiModica made a statement to Taylor that " we have connections, we'll get you paid faster. " Tr. 60. 64. Subsequently, Taylor positively identified James DiModica from photographs shown to him by IG Inspectors. Id. 65. I find that there was no reason for James DiModica, who had no official union position, to accompany Wasserman to Wasserman's meetings with Taylor or VHR Construction. The Wasserman/James DiModica visits to the contractors appears, under these circumstances, to be a joint venture in extortion. 66. The statements of Taylor as to what the demands meant and the expert opinion of Schaffler as to the nature of the modus operandi of extortionate practices are credible and well founded. 67. Attorney Gold contends that the appearance of James DiModica with Wasserman where money was solicited from employers was not in itself improper. Gold argues that DiModica might have been a shop steward on at least one of the jobs, and his appearance on any of the jobs was not prohibited. As discussed below, James DiModica was an associate of organized crime. On one occasion he suddenly requested a Christmas gift from the employer and on another he began the conversation by informing the employer that he had just been released from jail. James DiModica's appearance with Wasserman was intended to serve the purpose of intimidating the contractor. 68. Attorney Gold also contends that since none of the complaining persons ever alleged that as a result of denying payoffs they suffered any reprisals. He argues that the LCN would not permit a refusal to go unpunished. There is no evidence to indicate whether or not the payments were made. The record is silent on that matter; however, there is evidence that equipment at McGlone was heavily damaged after McGlone refused to install the requested safety apparatus. Knowing Association With The LCN Charge VII: From in or around 1994 through 1997, Alan D. Wasserman, while a member and representative of LIUNA Local 342, committed " barred conduct " in violation of the LIUNA Ethics and Disciplinary Procedure by knowingly associating with La Cosa Nostra crime family members or associates, including Vincent " Juicy " DiModica, a convicted member of the Gambino crime family and James DiModica, an associate of the Gambino crime family. 69. Wasserman has been a member of LIUNA Local 342 in Newark, New Jersey for approximately ten years. 70. At the time of the hearing in this matter, Wasserman was the Business Manager of Local 342. He was appointed by the Executive Board to succeed James Proto. Wasserman has also served in the positions of field representative and a shop steward of Local 342. 71. The GEB Attorney offered the history of Local 342 described above in paragraphs 8 through 28 and the following testimony of Elko as evidence of Wasserman's associations with the Gambino family. 72. Based upon his years of investigation, including the aforementioned information in paragraphs 8 through 28, and corroborating interviews with Cagno, Accetturo, and Ricciardi, Elko concluded that Juicy DiModica is a made member of organized crime and in charge of a Gambino family crew in New Jersey. Tr. 119. 73. Based upon his information, including direct information from Cagno, Lieutenant Masucci and Special Agent Montgomery and eleven years of surveillance, Elko concluded that James DiModica is an associate of the Gambino family. Tr. 120-21, 129. Id. 74. Based upon direct information from Cagno, information from Masucci and Montgomery, and eleven years of surveillance, Elko concluded that Wasserman is an associate of the Gambino family. Tr. 123, 129. Discussion The IHO must base his decisions on reliable evidence through a review of what is probative and reliable. Attorney Gold objects to the use of hearsay evidence in this proceeding. Contrary to his assertion, however, reliable hearsay evidence is admissible in labor arbitrations. Associated Cleaning Consultants and International Brotherhood of Printing and Allied Trades Local 327, 94 LA 1246 (1990); In the Matter of Joseph P. Crincoli, IHO Order and Memorandum, 97-04D (Oct. 27, 1997); In Re: Trusteeship Proceedings Chicago District Council, IHO Order and Memorandum, 97-30T (Feb. 7, 1998); Elkouri and Elkouri, How Arbitration Works (4th ed. 1994). Hearsay evidence has been admitted regularly in union disciplinary proceedings arising under the Teamsters Consent Decree. United States v. IBT (Cimino), 964 F.2d 1308 (2d Cir. 1992), at 1312, aff'g United States v. IBT(Cimino), 777 F.Supp. 1130 (S.D.N.Y. 1991); United States v. IBT (Senese & Talerico), 941 F.2d 1292 (2d Cir. 1991), at 1297, aff'g United States v. IBT (Senese & Talerico), 745 F. Supp. 908 (S.D.N.Y. 1990). The test is whether the evidence is reliable. Senese & Talerico, 941 F.2d at 1298 (citing Richardson v. Perales, 402 U.S. 389, 402 (1971)). The testimony of the IG Inspectors regarding statements of contractors describing the incidents at VHR Construction, B.J. McGlone Co., and E & S Construction are hearsay; however, they demonstrate a similar pattern, and similar demands were related by three individuals who have neither bias nor reason to falsify. The individuals knew their statements would eventually be known when they spoke to the investigating officials, yet they still exposed themselves to the risk of voluntary cooperation. One of the individuals initiated contact with officials. I recognize that one of the individuals has remained unnamed and, standing alone, his statements would not be probative. Nonetheless, I give evidentiary weight to his information due to the striking similarity between the three incidents. The hearsay statements of the unnamed individual match the hearsay statements of the named individuals. The statements describe the same modus operandi, the same labor extortion goals during roughly the same time period, and involve the same two perpetrators. I find that the hearsay statements of the contractors corroborate each other and I find the evidence to be reliable especially given the very similar pattern. See Senese & Talerico, 745 F. Supp. At 915 (court found hearsay evidence reliable based upon FBI Agent's information being culled from various sources and the various sources' corroboration of one another). See also Cimino, 964 F.2d at 1312 (court used a number of factors to evaluate reliability giving evidentiary weight to hearsay declarations of three LCN members related by FBI agent; factors included corroborating statements in crucial respects, a consistent picture of the relationship of the individuals and the statements matched the FBI agent's declaration in the subject matter). The EDP prohibits members from engaging in barred conduct. Barred conduct includes, among others, committing any act of racketeering. See EDP § 1. The EDP also incorporates the Ethical Practices Code ( " EPC " ). The EPC defines barred conduct to include in pertinent part: " committing any act of racketeering, as defined in Title 18 of the United States Code, section 1961(1) … " See EPC, Barred Conduct. Title 29 U.S.C. § 186 is included as a racketeering violation in 18 U.S.C. § 1961(a). Title 29 U.S.C. § 186, makes it illegal for a labor leader to request and or to receive anything of value from a contractor with whom he has a collective bargaining agreement: It shall be unlawful for any person to request, demand, receive, or accept, or agree to receive or accept, any payment, loan, or delivery of any money or other thing of value prohibited by subsection (a) of this section. 29 U.S.C. § 186 (b)(1) (emphasis added). Section 186 (a)(1) prohibits " giving any money or other thing of value to any labor organization, or any officer or employee thereof, which represents, seeks to represent, or would admit to membership, any of the employees of such employer who are employed in an industry affecting commerce. " Respondent argues that the IG Inspector never asked Wortman if he believed the request for a gift was an " extortion or a demand. " The argument has no merit; any form of request is prohibited. Barred conduct also includes " knowingly associating " with members of an organized crime family such as the LCN, and knowingly allowing an LCN member or associate to influence a LIUNA officer. See EDP § 1. Under the EDP, the term " knowingly associate " means that: (1) the union member knew the person with whom he or she was associating was a member or associate of the LCN; (2) the association related directly or indirectly to the affairs of the union; and (3) the association was more than fleeting or casual. Id. In Senese & Talerico, the Court upheld the IBT Independent Administrator's determination that " `knowing association' can be inferred from the duration and quality of the association. " 745 F.Supp at 918. There is no doubt Wasserman knew the persons with whom he was associating were members of organized crime. The individuals with whom Wasserman dealt were identified as well known members of organized crime families by three former organized crime members. The association was not fleeting or casual. Wasserman attended meetings with contractors accompanied by James DiModica, a known associate of organized crime, whose presence was not related to the ordinary course of union business. Wasserman took James DiModica along for his intimidation factor. Wasserman had to have known James DiModica was associated with organized crime; there was no other reason for DiModica to accompany him. A similar conclusion was reached by the Independent Administrator in Cimino where the Independent Administrator found that Cimino had to have known of Nicodemo Scarfo's Philadelphia organized crime ties during their association because " the very purpose of that relationship " was allowing Scarfo to use Cimino and the local union to " further his La Cosa Nostra interests. " Investigations Officer v. Joseph Cimino, Jr., Decision of the Independent Administrator, IBT Trusteeship (May 28, 1991) at 9); (Cimino), 777 F.Supp. 1130 (S.D.N.Y. 1991), aff'd., 964 F.2d 1308 (2nd Cir. 1992). The relationship between Wasserman and James DiModica was obviously an illegal joint venture to extort union contractors with the approval of the Gambino family. The GEB Attorney offered evidence to demonstrate that Wasserman was a part time no-show shop steward and argued that being a no-show shop steward is evidence of being associated with organized crime. I do not find this evidence to be probative of Wasserman's organized crime association. Obstruction Charge IX: On or about June 27, 1996, Alan D. Wasserman, on being interviewed by investigators of LIUNA's Inspector General's Office, committed " barred conduct " in violation of the LIUNA Ethics and Disciplinary Procedure and the LIUNA Ethical Practices Code by refusing to answer questions, terminating the interview, and thereby obstructing and interfering with an investigation being conducted by the LIUNA Inspector General's Office. Findings of Fact 75. In May 1996, IG Inspectors interviewed Wasserman at his residence in Union, New Jersey. Tr. 61, 64. 76. In June 1996, IG Inspectors attempted to interview Wasserman a second time at the VHR job site at the Newark Airport to obtain the additional information about James DiModica. Tr. 64. 77. They met Wasserman as he came out of the security area. The IG Inspectors offered to speak with him in the coffee shop. Tr. 65. Wasserman stated he preferred to speak at the VHR trailer outside the parking lot area and the IG Inspectors agreed. Id. 78. The IG Inspectors told Wasserman they needed more information on the identity of James DiModica. Id. Wasserman refused to speak with them and stated he was very concerned that someone had broken into his house three days after the May 1996 interview with the IG Inspectors. Tr. 66. 79. Wasserman refused to reply to questions about James DiModica and began to leave the area. Id. The IG Inspector told Wasserman he should remain and speak with them. Tr. 66. Wasserman refused and left the building. Id. 80. Outside the building, IG Inspectors again requested that Wasserman speak to them. Tr. 66. Wasserman again refused. Tr. 66- 67. 81. I find that Wasserman purposefully refused to submit to an IG interview, and thereby obstructed the IG investigation. CHARGE X On or about July 8, 1997, Alan D. Wasserman at his deposition committed " barred conduct " in violation of the LIUNA Ethics and Disciplinary Procedure and the LIUNA Ethical Practices Code by falsely testifying that he had been elected by the general membership to be the Business Agent for Local 342 despite knowing that the general membership did not elect him and that he instead was appointed to the position. 82. I find the fact that Wasserman's statements that he was elected rather than having been appointed, was not a material fact and was not in violation of the EPC. CHARGES XI-IV 83. Disciplinary Charges XI-XIII allege that Wasserman falsely testified at his deposition, that he never demanded a Christmas gift from a contractor, that he never demanded things of value from a contractor in exchange for labor peace, that he never attempted to extort Victor Wortmann or VHR Construction, and that he never met with or approached contractors with James DiModica. The preponderance of the evidence proves that Wasserman did perform all of these acts and when he was asked about them under oath he denied his participation. 84. Disciplinary Charge XIV alleges Wasserman committed barred conduct in violation of the EDP and EPC by falsely testifying at his July 8, 1997 deposition that he never knowingly associated with members or associates of organized crime. See GEB Ex. 1. The preponderance of the evidence shows he gave false testimony when he was asked about his connections with organized crime and he denied them. Conclusions 1. During the period of time alleged in the charges, Local 342 was dominated by members or associates of the Gambino crime family. 2. There is a preponderance of the evidence that Wasserman committed barred conduct by requesting money from VHR Construction in violation of 29 U.S.C. § 186 (b)(1) and the EPC. 3. There is a preponderance of the evidence that Wasserman committed barred conduct by demanding money from B.J. McGlone & Co., Inc., in violation of 29 U.S.C. § 186 (b)(1) and the EPC. 4. There is a preponderance of the evidence that Wasserman committed barred conduct by offering to allow B.J. McGlone & Co., Inc. to use non-union labor or to pay LIUNA members less than union- scale wages and benefits in violation of 29 U.S.C. ' 186 (b)(1) and the EPC. 5. There is a preponderance of the evidence that Wasserman committed barred conduct by demanding money in exchange for labor peace from E & S Construction, in violation of 29 U.S.C. ' 186 (b) (1) and the EPC. 6. There is a preponderance of the evidence that Wasserman committed barred conduct by offering to allow E & S Construction to pay LIUNA members less than union-scale wages and benefits in violation of 186 ' (b)(1) and the EPC. 7. There is a preponderance of the evidence that Vincent " Juicy " DiModica is a member of the Gambino family and James DiModica is an associate of the Gambino family. 8. There is a preponderance of the evidence that Wasserman knowingly associated with members of organized crime, thereby committing barred conduct under the EDP. 9. The evidence clearly demonstrates that Wasserman's associations with organized crime directly affected the affairs of the union. Wasserman took a known LCN associate on his visits to contractors and demanded payments in exchange for labor peace and permission to use either non-union labor or non-union scale wages and benefits. The Wasserman/James DiModica venture was an on-going scheme to extort contractors. 10. There is preponderance of the evidence that Wasserman committed barred conduct by giving false testimony at his deposition when questioned about his association with organized crime and his dealings with VHR Construction, B.J. McGlone & Co., Inc., and E & S Construction. 11. Wasserman's statement that he was elected to be a Business Agent of Local 342, rather than appointed was not a material misstatement and did not obstruct the GEB Attorney. Decision Charges I-IX and Charges XI-XIV have been proved by a preponderance of the evidence. Charge X has not been proved by a preponderance of the evidence. Penalty Wasserman's membership in LIUNA is permanently revoked. Wasserman is permanently barred from holding an office in or being employed by Local 342 or from being an officer or being employed by any LIUNA affiliated entity or fund. Wasserman has a right to appeal this Order to the LIUNA Appellate Officer by filing a Notice of Appeal with the Appellate Officer within 10 days of the date this Order. Peter F. Vaira INDEPENDENT HEARING OFFICER [1]See previous IHO findings pertaining to LCN history in the United States, In the Matter of Fallacara, IHO Order and Memorandum, 96-65D (Sep. 25, 1997) at 2-3. See also In Re Trusteeship Proceedings Chicago District Council, IHO Order and Memorandum, 97-30T (Feb 7,1998); In re Bifulco, IHO Order and Memorandum, 95-48D(1-28) (March 17, 1998). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.