Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert Indicted On Federal Charges of Tax Evasion & Lying to the FBI

Former GOP Speaker of the House indicted  …

Former Republican Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL) was indicted on federal charges of tax evasion and lying to the FBI. As reported at the WAPO, in 2010, Hastert agreed to give an unnamed person $3.5 million “to compensate for and conceal his prior misconduct against Individual A.”  The “prior misconduct” occurred before Hastert entered politics in 1981 as he was elected to the Illinois state House in the election of 1980. It would appear that Hastert was paying $3.5 million in  hush money to an individual and got busted.

Read the Indictment HERE.

The Justice Department has indicted former House Speaker Dennis Hastert on reporting evasion charges and lying to the FBI as part of an effort to conceal paying off the victim of “prior bad acts.

In an indictment handed down in the District Court of Northern Illinois, the Department of Justice and IRS charged Hastert, 73, with illegally transferring funds in an effort to avoid detection by the IRS, a scheme known as “structuring.”

In the indictment, Hastert is accused of agreeing to pay one individual $3.5 million.

Although the indictment does not specify the “bad acts,” sources said they could be from before Hastert, who is now a lobbyist in Washington, entered politics in 1980. The indictment does, however, claim that Hastert agreed to make the payments “[d]uring … 2010 meetings and subsequent discussions.” In at least one of those meetings, according to the indictment, Hastert and the individual “discussed past misconduct by [Hastert against the individual] that had occurred years earlier.”

UPDATE I: A federal magistrate set preliminary bail at $4,500 for former House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

The bail amount, included in court documents made public Friday, will allow Mr. Hastert to stay out of custody until he is scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment. An arraignment hasn’t yet been scheduled, but will probably take place in the coming days.

Mr. Hastert hasn’t appeared in public or commented on the charges. The case was assigned to U.S. Judge Thomas Durkin.

UPDATE II: So what is the law that Denis Hastert broke?

* The law Hastert allegedly broke dictates that any cash withdrawal over $10,000 be accompanied by a Currency Transaction Report filed by the bank to the federal government. “The federal law requiring these reports was passed to safeguard the financial industry from threats posed by money laundering and other financial crime,” according to the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN). “To comply with this law, financial institutions must obtain personal identification information about the individual conducting the transaction such as a Social Security number as well as a driver’s license or other government issued document. This requirement applies whether the individual conducting the transaction has an account relationship with the institution or not.” These regulations grew out of the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, which is formally known as the “Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970.”

* The federal investigation into Hastert’s withdrawal practice began in 2013 due to concerns that Hastert was “structuring” withdrawals to avoid the reporting requirements. Structuring, which is also called “smurfing,” is a purposeful attempt to break up large cash withdrawals to keep them from drawing scrutiny. It’s a common practice in money laundering and gambling. Between June 2010 and April 2012, Hastert took $50,000 out of his bank accounts on 15 different occasions.  When questioned about those practices by bank officials, Hastert began taking out less than $10,000 at a time to avoid detection, a classic case of structuring or smurfing, if true.

* When confronted about his withdrawals by federal officials in late 2014, Hastert allegedly lied — insisting that he was keeping the cash for himself. Hastert said that he “did not feel safe with the banking system,” adding: “Yeah … I kept the cash. That’s what I’m doing.” Lying to federal officials is, obviously, a crime.

UPDATE III: Hastert resigns lobbying position after indictment.

Former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) has resigned from his position as a lobbyist at law and lobby firm Dickstein Shapiro following a federal indictment released Thursday, according to a firm spokesman.

“Dennis Hastert has resigned from the firm. Scott Thomas will continue to lead the Public Policy & Political Law Practice,” a firm spokesman said in an email to The Hill.

UPDATE IV: Hastert also resigned from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange board.

Hastert’s biography was removed from the firm’s website Thursday. In a statement issued late Thursday, a Dickstein Shapiro spokesman said only that “Dennis Hastert has resigned from the firm.” Hastert also resigned Thursday from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange board, according to reports.

Michael Jackson’s ‘Neverland’ Ranch For Sale … Hits Market With New Name, “Sycamore Valley Ranch”

MICHAEL JACKSON’S ‘NEVERLAND’ RANCH IS FOR SALE …

For just a cool $100 million you to can own Michael Jackson’s former “Neverland” ranch. Well sort of. The 2,700-acre estate in Santa Barbara County, complete with 22 structures, a 22,000 sq ft home and  with two guest houses is no longer called “Neverland” but instead “Sycamore Valley Ranch.” Gone are the animals, the amusement rides and the train. ARE YOU SERIOUS, THE ANIMALS, RIDES AND BUBBLES ARE GONE? How about the train, please tell me it still has the train. Wait, WSJ is reporting the train lives, its still there. But ABC is stating in the article below that the train is gone.

CHECK OUT NEVERLAND WITH THE RIDES AND ANIMALS … AND UNSETTLING WITH KIDS

The wanted to change the name of ‘Neverland’ to get away from the stigma associated with the former King of Pop. Rather than “Sycamore,” that was the name of the estate was built in 1981 by real estate developer William Bone … how about some other suggestions, ‘Pedoland,” “Molestalot,” or my personal favorite … are you out of your mind, who the hell would pay $100 million for this place-land.

Michael Jackson’s former California ranch “Neverland” is hitting the market for $100 million.

Now called “Sycamore Valley Ranch,” you won’t find the carnival rides and Bubbles the chimpanzee that the late performer had on the 2,700-acre estate. But there’s still the floral clock that spells “Neverland” by the train station and train tracks, plus a llama at the Los Olivos property in Santa Barbara County.

Sotheby’s and Hilton and Hyland have the listing, The Wall Street Journal first reported.

Suzanne Perkins of Sotheby’s International Realty told ABC News the property is the “most spectacular ranch I’ve had the privilege of seeing” since she sold the $145 million El Cojo ranch in 2007, along the California coastline.

Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009 at his home in Los Angeles from an overdose. His physician Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in 2011.

The WSJ is saying that the listing agents warned they will be doing “extensive prequalification” of potential buyers before showing the property. “Our seller is not encouraging a lot of showings,” Mr. Hyland said. “We’re not going to be giving tours,” Ms. Perkins added. Well if you want to have a tour and see inside the Home, take a look back at the below VIDEO from NBC News in 2009.

Neverland, Michael Jackson’s former home, for sale.

The 2,700-acre ranch in Santa Ynez Valley features such amenities as a train station, six-bedroom house, 50-seat movie theater and a pair of lakes, It has been in limbo since Jackson’s death in 2009.

Jackson originally paid $19.5 million for the oak- and sycamore-studded property in 1988 and rechristened it Neverland after Peter Pan’s island dwelling. He soon added such over-the-top amenities as a zoo and small amusement park, which have since been removed.

The real estate company Colony Capital LLC bailed out Jackson in 2008 after he defaulted on the $24.5 million that he owed on the property.

Oologah, OK Police Officer Shot in Head During Police Pursuit (Update: Police Arrest Cesar Rios & Roxanne Mendoza)

DO POLICE LIVES MATTER?

A Oologah police officer was shot in the head during a police pursuit that went through Nowata, headed towards Coffeyville, Kansas Thursday evening. The incident took place on Highway 169 and County Road 3420 in Nowata County. The officer was transported by Lifeflight to a hospital.

The Oologah police officer has been identified as officer Charles Neill, a U.S. Navy veteran who’s been with the department for a year.

Fox23 Twitter

Highway 169 is shut down in Nowata County.  Newson6 is reporting an officer-involved shooting just north of Nowata.  Sources are reporting a police pursuit that went through Nowata, headed towards Coffeyville, Kansas Thursday evening.The officer was reportedly shot in the head and rolled the vehicle.  The officer is reported to be awake and being transported by Lifeflight to a hospital.  As of 9:45 P.M., Highway 169 is closed in both directions north of Nowata

Newson6 reports that two of the three suspects were caught near Coffeyville.  Officers are reportedly chasing the third suspect through a wooded area.  An unconfirmed text from a listener said the the officer may be from Oologah.

A Bartlesville Radio listener is reporting that they are seeing police cars from several jurisdictions.

UPDATE I: Suspects Cesar Rios & Roxanne Mendoza Arrested.

Deputies arrested two people who were in Garcia’s car throughout the chase.  Cesar Rios, 23, and Roxanne Mendoza, 20, fled into nearby woods, separating from Garcia after the chase ended.  Rios and Mendoza were soon taken into custody in Independence, Kan.

UPDATE II: Deputies arrested 30-year-old Alejandro Garcia near Liberty, Kansas Friday morning.

Deputies arrested 30-year-old Alejandro Garcia near Liberty, Kansas Friday morning. Authorities say Garcia carjacked an elderly man and shot him. That victim is expected to recovery from his injuries.

Garcia is being held in the Montgomery County jail.

UPDATE III: Three Suspects Now in Custody in Connection to Okla., KS Manhunt.

Deputies say 30-year-old Alejandro Garcia, 23-year-old Cesar Rios and 20-year-old Roxanne Mendoza are involved in a police chase and the shooting that hospitalized an Oologah police officer.

The officer is in stable condition after wrecking his vehicle on highway 169.

Rios and Mendoza were captured near Coffeyville last night, but Garcia escaped into the woods near Liberty, KS. After an overnight standoff, Kansas authorities captured Garcia around 7 a.m. on Friday.

Correction on Obama’s Economic Recovery … GDP Shrank 0.7% For Q1 2015 (GDP – 0.7%)

GDP Grew 0.2% For Q1 2015 >>> GDP Shrank 0.7% For Q1 2015.

The GDP was originally said to have grown at a meager 0.2% for the first quarter of 2015 back in April. That was bad enough, however, it gets worse. The GDP was revised down to -0.7%. That means that the economy actually shrank by 0.7%. There was no growth. Way to go Barack Obama with your lousy economic plan that has done nothing but make money for the Wall Street ultra-rich. The GDP in Q4 2014 was 2.6%. It would appear we are headed in the wrong direction. The report was the government’s second estimate of first-quarter GDP. It will publish a final estimate in June. Wow, it may actually get revised to an even worse number.

A tax cut or reduction of regulation is certainly not on the table for this socialist president. Of course Obama and his minions will point to the unemployment number of 5.4% for the uninformed in America. The reality is that unemployment is in double digits.

The U.S. economy went into reverse in the first three months of this year as a severe winter and a widening trade deficit took a harsher toll than initially thought.

The overall economy as measured by the gross domestic product contracted at an annual rate of 0.7 percent in the January-March period, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

The revised figure, weaker than the government’s initial estimate of a meager 0.2 percent growth rate, reflects a bigger trade gap and slower consumer spending. It marked the first decline since a 2.1 percent contraction in the first three months of 2014, a slump that was also blamed on winter weather.

Daily Commentary – Friday, May 29, 2015 – US Immigration Laws Are a Mess, It’s Hard For Some to Get a Work Visa

• I know, my son is trying to get his work visa and is at the bottom of the list

Daily Commentary – Friday, May 29, 2015 Download