The IL GOP put out this press release today...
Dan Seals invites convicted felon Dan Rostenkowski to address night school class, then takes dirty money from Rostenkowski in front of students
Former Congressman ran the largest Congressional corruption ring in U.S. history
Congressional candidate Dan Seals this week invited former congressman and convicted felon Dan Rostenkowski to lecture to night school students about federal policymaking and then took money from Rostenkowski in front of the class, according to student reports.
Seals, who was hired as an instructor to facilitate 10 night school classes this spring at Northwestern's School of Continuing Studies, invited Rostenkowski to teach students Tuesday night. According to students in the class, after Rostenkowski's presentation, the convicted felon handed Seals an envelope and said he hoped the contents would help Seals' campaign.
Rostenkowski served as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee before his 1994 indictment on federal corruption charges for his key role in the House post office scandal. Charges against Rostenkowski included keeping "ghost" employees on his payroll, using Congressional funds to buy gifts such as chairs and ashtrays for friends, and trading in officially purchased stamps for cash at the House post office. In 1996, he pleaded guilty to reduced charges of mail fraud and served 15 months of a 17-month sentence.
"Dan Seals should be ashamed for taking dirty money from one of the most corrupt members of Congress in American history in front of innocent students," said Lance Trover, spokesman for the Illinois Republican Party. "Dan Seals has a track record of unethical campaign practices and should go back to school for a class in personal ethics,"
Trover pointed to an Inspector General investigation launched by the Illinois Attorney General in 2006 after the Chicago Tribune reported state workers were fundraising for Dan Seals on government time using government resources.
"When it comes to ethics, Dan Seals represents the Blagojevich wing of the Democratic Party," Trover said. "Quite frankly, people are fed up with the Blagojevich-Seals style of politics."
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16 comments:
Is this activity endorsed by Northwestern University? If so, alumni should consider withholding those hefty contributions, and I for one, would not support my children attending this University financially or if they recieved scholarships to pay their ride. This is absolutely appalling!
All I can say, TA, is this is getting uglier by the second. I hope that the Trib and Sun Times pick up this story. Seals and his flock are disgraceful to a fault. And how much campaign cash did he dole out with his cheap gas trick today? I can't wait for the campaign to begin, to have our Congressman get out there and talk about these slimy antics of a guy who is sleeze personified. Our district needs to hear about the REAL Dan Seals. Our district needs to understand that he's the kind of guy who follows in the footsteps of Blago, Jones, Link and so many others in his party. He is revolting and disgusting.
Hey, why doesn't someone ask the disgraced congressman (Rosty) what he put in the envelope he gave Seals? Was it cash or was it tips on how to steal stamps from the Congressional Post Office and NOT get caught?
As a real Professor at NU, I am disgusted. Mr. Seals promised that he would not campaign on campus. Not only did he violate his commitment to the School of Continuing Studies, he turning his class inot a fundraiser for a convicted felon.
I don't know Kirk but I am now voting for him.
Hey Dan, was the Rosty money in a dirty sack?
SCS46- I appreciate your comment, and certainly am glad you will support Mark Kirk.
But, let me ask you, if you are a real professor at NU, are you willing to stand by your indignation and make your feelings known to NU administration?
It seems to me that the powers-that-be at NU have decided that they safely ignored the outside flak they got for hiring Seals in the first place, and it also seems that they will ignore complaints even from NU students. Perhaps if the faculty and "real professors" stood up and complained, they might take notice.
Of course, if you feel that your academic career might be jeopardized by sticking your neck out, I can understand that, but I'd sure like to know if the whisperings among the faculty is that Seals is getting special treatment, and is immune from action because certain administrators or other faculty are supporting him.
Enquiring minds want to know what's going on in the faculty dining room at NU...
Well, Seals' gas giveaway stunt sure got some free media. Though it's probably illegal (and Kirk's legal attack dogs are right on it), Mark needs to do something about these prices. Talk about a surburban agenda!
Let me assure you, possiblefuture, that the "publicity" this dimwit received is not the kind anyone with a brain or integrity would relish. Dan Seals is a nothing, a nobody, without ideas or plans of his own. And he lied on top of everything else. Mark Kirk has been a consistant vote AGAINST drilling in the ANWR. Seals is lower than a zero. His unethical behavior in a Northwestern classroom will be highlighted as this campaign unfolds. He's a loser with a capital L.
Seals' publicity wasn't free because he paid for the gasoline. It was purchased media, and not very positive at that. He should have just bought advertising in a newspaper instead of backing up traffic.
scs46: Check out Dave Kalbfleisch, the Green Party candidate.
www.electdave.org
Kirk isn't your only alternative to the resume inflator filling the Democratic slot.
So he paid for voters gasoline? How would this be different from handing out bottles of booze to skid row denizens as an inducement to get them to vote?
Sounds like he broke the law to me.
Louis G. Atsaves
I'm in Dan's class and he never mentions his campaign..ever.I'm amazed at the bitterness towards Rostenkowski shown by "Team America" His presentation was great,why shouldnt students learn from someone who reached the top in D.C.?
He has done more for this state then Mark Kirk ever will. Ask Jim Edgar,Jim Thompson, or other Republican elders,Rosty got a raw deal.I'm happy Dan got him to come in to speak with us.
Anon 9:19- so, you're in Dan's class? Did you become a Dan Fan before or after you signed up for the class? I notice you didn't deny that Rosty handed Dan and envelope with a presumed campaign contribution. Do you think that was appropriate?
Never claimed to be a "Dan Fan" but I do like his class. I don't know what was in the envelope, but if we are to presume it was a contribution, should Dan have thrown it back in the guy's face?
To the posters who "learn" from Dan. What exactly are you learning from someone who has never been involved in the process? I'd be interested in hearing about it. As for Rosty. Time served in Federal custody isn't something that earns one a gold star. And we will match what Mark Kirk did and is doing to that of Rosty any day of the week. That you don't like Kirk is obvious, but what you can't remove is what he has brought to this State, the district and to our world. Perhaps you just don't want to deal with the fact that he's an amazingly successful legislator who just happens to have an R after his name, regardless of the fact that he's pro-choice, works against guns and drugs, protects the environment, got the Impact Aid Bill passed as an educational milestone, double-tracked the north central rail line. I could list a whole lot more. And here's this: he's ethical. If you feel you're learning something from a guy without any kind of resume or experience, that's your choice. But to LEARN from a man who did jail time for federal crimes against all the values I hope you're learning, well, it's a puzzlement. And YES, who on earth would accept an envelope, regardless of what was in it, and think it's OK. How about just saying thanks for coming to speak tonight. Talk about ethics. Yuck.
I can learn from anyone, even those who have, "never been involved in the process" I don't think any of my history teachers were involved in the process of fighting World War II.But I learned about it.
I have nothing against Mark Kirk, in fact I applaud anyone with the courage to run for, and serve in an elected office - particularly when some folks seem to lose their sense of civility and attack them on a personal level.If Dan Seals thinks he can do a better job,why beat the guy up?
As for the attack on Rostenkowski, most people familiar the legislative process would tell you Dan Rostenkowski was one of the most influential members in the last hundred years of the Congress,I think Mark Kirk would agree with that. The entire state benefited from his presence and if he didn't fight for the money for Illinois, the people of California and New York would have used it to improve their communities.
I agree with Mike Royko who wrote "Rostenkowski's sin was not changing with the times." He was charged with things that were at one time legal,or at the worst frowned upon.
Have you ever driven without your seat belt on,or rolled through a stop sign?
He received a full pardon many years ago, do YOU not belive in forgivness or redemption?
I learned those values from my parents, who aren't saints,just good people.
By the way, did you know that Rostenkowski saved the Chicago Theater from the wreckng ball, got the funding for U.S Cellular Feild, State Street renovation, Navy Pier, The Deep Tunnel Project?
Yes, he is someone I could learn from.
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