Former Congressman Dan Rostenowski Dies at 82

[Guest]

Political Power House for many years.



Least until he was charged, arrested, found guilty, and imprisoned to where George Ryan is right now.....

 

[Shoots_he_scores]

Bad week for former congressmen...

 

[Ymono37]

I am really surprised this is the first I'm hearing about this...

 

[E Runs]

Were Rosty's sins really all that bad? - Mike Royko



Her name was Mary, and she was middle-age, worked as a domestic, had little money and no medical plan, and was in need of some serious and expensive life-saving surgery. But she had lived in her Northwest Side neighborhood for most of her life. And she knew somebody who knew somebody who knew a politician of considerable importance.



Some calls were made, the most important coming from the office of the politician.



The result was that Mary went to a good hospital, was treated by skilled physicians, was cured and went home with a bill of $0.00.



How the politician arranged this, I don't know. I assume that the hospital and the doctors owed him favors. That's the way things have always worked in Chicago, which can be good or bad. In this case, it was good.



And it wasn't the only time the politician did something like that. Using his political muscle to help people out was part of his trade. That's the good side of what used to be called machine politics.



I like to think of the late Ald. Vito Marzullo, who usually placed one or two young lawyers in city or county patronage jobs. And one night every week, the lawyers came to Vito's ward office and handled legal chores for low-income people from the neighborhood. Free, of course.



In Mary's case, the politician who took care of her medical needs was Dan Rostenkowski, whose career in public service has just ended in a most tragic way.



Before anyone leaps for the phone, stationery or e-mail device, let me say that Rostenkowski and I are not pals. Far from it. We've never particularly liked each other, and our longest conversation has been about two minutes.



Many years ago, we sat together at a banquet honoring up-and-coming young Chicagoans in various fields. He was the young politician with a future, and I was the young columnist.



He was aloof and wary of talking to someone who just might stick it to him down the line. Which shows he was smart because I later did exactly that.



That was a pity, really, because we had a lot in common besides our ethnicity. We came from the same neighborhood. My family once owned a tavern within a short walk of Rostenkowski's house. And his precinct captain never once hustled us for a fast buck.



We have mutual friends and share some of the same bad habits. But when he was grabbed for DUI in Wisconsin some years ago, he had the good sense to be polite to the cops.



We share having had kid problems, which can be agonizing for any parent. And if you are in public life, the minor foibles of your kids wind up in the newspapers while the neighbors of Joe the Bricklayer don't even know his kid was mugging old ladies.



Being a public figure, he is held to a higher standard. And sometimes, it isn't exactly fair.



What I'm stumbling into saying is that nobody should be taking pleasure from Rostenkowski's misfortune. Not unless you have never, ever, broken even a minor law and gotten away with it, fudged a bit on your taxes or violated any of the Ten Commandments.



Only a few decades ago, none of this would have been happening. That's because the rules changed. Most of the things he was nailed for would have been legal and common or, at worst, nickel-dime offenses when he began his career in Congress.



That's the way it is in our society. The rules keep changing. Things we could once say or think are now taboo. And acts that were once considered gosh-awful are now embraced.



Rostenkowski's mistake was not changing. Maybe he didn't notice. Or maybe he didn't see the danger.



The danger was that he was a big political fish — the kind of trophy that an ambitious federal prosecutor loves to stuff and hang on his wall.



There is no one in our society more powerful — judge, governor, mayor, legislator or even president — than a prosecutor. Local or federal.



At the federal level, they have a compliant grand jury and all the investigative tools they need: the agents of the FBI, Internal Revenue Service and every other federal agency. Plus eager assistants who will send their own grannies up the river to enhance their careers.



And the most dangerous and ruthless are those prosecutors who have political ambitions that are most easily fulfilled by hanging a well-known public figure.



That's what did Rostenkowski in, a federal prosecutor's personal ambitions. If I could put those federal headhunters on a lie box and ask: "Do you really believe that what he did was a terrible crime?" and they said, "Yes," the needle would clang when it went past the marking for "liar, liar, pants on fire."



So now Rostenkowski goes to prison for a year or so. And the TV cameras go on the Chicago streets and ask people what they think.



And without having read one word of evidence, some glassy-eyed mope says: "Well, he did wrong and he gotta pay for it, right?"



Lord, please let a hard-nosed cop grab that mope the next time he runs a red.



The late Mike Royko was a Tribune columnist. This column appeared April 10, 1996

 

[bri]

[quote name="Ymono37"]I am really surprised this is the first I'm hearing about this...[/quote]





I heard it yesterday, but I don't even know who he is.

 

[IceHogsFan]

This guy was the poster child for arrogance and corruption.



Another f'n scumbag part of the Chicago/ Illinois political corruption.

Another perfect example of why term limits were/ are needed.

 

[Guest]

[quote name="IceHogsFan"]This guy was the poster child for arrogance and corruption.



Another f'n scumbag part of the Chicago/ Illinois political corruption.

Another perfect example of why term limits were/ are needed.[/quote]





He did some pretty good things in the Ways and Means.



You just can't get past party lines can you.

 

[IceHogsFan]

[quote name="R K"]





He did some pretty good things in the Ways and Means.



You just can't get past party lines can you.[/quote]



WTF does it have to do with party lines?

Sometimes you are blinded.



A crook is a crook is a crook.

Just like Stevens dying in the plane crash. Why the glory to him?

He left office because of his corruption. I could give a rats ass of

party affiliation.



Speaking of Ways and Means, if I say Charlie Rangle is another crook but

he did good things on Ways and Means does that give him a mulligan?

 

[Guest]

[quote name="IceHogsFan"]



WTF does it have to do with party lines?

Sometimes you are blinded.



A crook is a crook is a crook.

Just like Stevens dying in the plane crash. Why the glory to him?

He left office because of his corruption. I could give a rats ass of

party affiliation.



Speaking of Ways and Means, if I say Charlie Rangle is another crook but

he did good things on Ways and Means does that give him a mulligan?[/quote]





Do you know what he was convicted of. Go read about it then get back to me.



I'll give you a fucking hint, he didn't pay for his STAMPS. He was in fact a great politician for the City of Chicago. Blind or not get the facts straight.



Not sure you can compare him to what Rangel is supposed to have done. But if you chose too, so be it. Rangel would like to make the draft manditory, thats awesome!

 

[Ymono37]

[quote name="R K"]

I'll give you a fucking hint, he didn't pay for his STAMPS. He was in fact a great politician for the City of Chicago. Blind or not get the facts straight.[/quote]

RK - refresh my memory - I thought politician's had "Franking Privileges" or did he abuse said privileges?

 

[Guest]

[quote name="Ymono37"]

RK - refresh my memory - I thought politician's had "Franking Privileges" or did he abuse said privileges?[/quote]



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.[5] While the stamps-for-cash allegation received the most media coverage, those charges were dismissed on the recommendation of the prosecutor.[6] In 1996, he pleaded guilty to reduced charges of mail fraud. He was fined and was sentenced to 17 months in prison, of which he served 15 at the federal prison in Oxford, Wisconsin, and the remaining 2 months at a half way house in Chicago. Rostenkowski was pardoned in December 2000 by President Clinton, who said "Rostenkowski had done a lot for his country and had more than paid for his mistakes."



His of all recent Politicians charges were pretty weak. There was a vendetta against him.



No matter how you look at it Rotekowski did some great things for Chicago and as head of the means and ways. Look at all the legislation, that still resides today, that he was in charge of. For someone to willy nilly make comments without knowing the facts is just far to arbitrary for me.



There is not ONE HONEST POLITICIAN OUT THERE! You can't have both realms. It doesn't work.

 

[E Runs]

[quote name="R K"]

His of all recent Politicians charges were pretty weak. There was a vendetta against him.



No matter how you look at it Rotekowski did some great things for Chicago and as head of the means and ways. Look at all the legislation, that still resides today, that he was in charge of. For someone to willy nilly make comments without knowing the facts is just far to arbitrary for me.



There is not ONE HONEST POLITICIAN OUT THERE! You can have both realms. It doesn't work.[/quote]

Of course it was! And the yet the Feds hold them up as examples of "cleaning things up". What a joke.

 

[Guest]

[quote name="E Runs"]

Of course it was! And the yet the Feds hold them up as examples of "cleaning things up". What a joke.[/quote]



Agreed. When you look at the crimes that is the judge of someone being Crooked or not.

 

[winos5]

Food for thought: Eric Holder was the prosecuting attorney leading the charge for the Attorney General's office in the Rostenkowski case.

 

[5Minutes4Fighting]

Yes Rosty was a petty thief but he was an old school politician from Chicago who knew more than anybody how to get things done. He was extremely powerful and he delivered the bacon.



Yes IHF, he was a "corrupt politician," but that's like saying a hockey player knows how to skate. Thing is, Rosty knew how to skate better than anybody else.



He was special and will be missed.



-5Minutes

 

[IceHogsFan]

[quote name="5Minutes4Fighting] He was extremely powerful and he delivered the bacon.







-5Minutes[/quote]



It is comments like that which drive me crazy. A thief is okay as long as he is our thief

mentality. No doubt it was why he was elected over and over because he delivered. Just like Byrd in Va. Career politicians with too much power because of decades of being there. Honestly, it is why I really want to end the career politicians and deliver term limits.



I do not buy the whole "but he was good for Chicago" mentality. The system of politics breeds corruption even for those with the best intentions. Limit their time served and we can greatly diminish the issue.

 

[Guest]

[quote name="IceHogsFan"]
[quote name="5Minutes4Fighting] He was extremely powerful and he delivered the bacon.







-5Minutes[/quote]



It is comments like that which drive me crazy. A thief is okay as long as he is our thief

mentality. No doubt it was why he was elected over and over because he delivered. Just like Byrd in Va. Career politicians with too much power because of decades of being there. Honestly, it is why I really want to end the career politicians and deliver term limits.



I do not buy the whole "but he was good for Chicago" mentality. The system of politics breeds corruption even for those with the best intentions. Limit their time served and we can greatly diminish the issue.[/quote][/quote][/quote]



Again did you read what he was charged, and what he actually pled too? You do understand most of that was to get him out of power during a Political Power struggle don't you?



Man you are clouded beyond belief and unlike you say it's most definitely along party lines.



Better FIRE ALL THE POLITICIANS CHRIS because they are ALL CORRUPT. EVERY FUCKING ONE OF THEM!



Term limits are a good thing but you denying NOT ONLY what he did for Chicago, but for the Country as a whole through serious tax legislation is assinine.

 

[IceHogsFan]

[quote name="R K"]
[quote name="IceHogsFan"]
[quote name="5Minutes4Fighting] He was extremely powerful and he delivered the bacon.







-5Minutes[/quote]



It is comments like that which drive me crazy. A thief is okay as long as he is our thief

mentality. No doubt it was why he was elected over and over because he delivered. Just like Byrd in Va. Career politicians with too much power because of decades of being there. Honestly, it is why I really want to end the career politicians and deliver term limits.



I do not buy the whole "but he was good for Chicago" mentality. The system of politics breeds corruption even for those with the best intentions. Limit their time served and we can greatly diminish the issue.[/quote][/quote][/quote]



Again did you read what he was charged, and what he actually pled too? You do understand most of that was to get him out of power during a Political Power struggle don't you?



Man you are clouded beyond belief and unlike you say it's most definitely along party lines.



Better FIRE ALL THE POLITICIANS CHRIS because they are ALL CORRUPT. EVERY FUCKING ONE OF THEM!



Term limits are a good thing but you denying NOT ONLY what he did for Chicago, but for the Country as a whole through serious tax legislation is assinine.[/quote][/quote][/quote]



Again, you misunderstand me but just keep up with you logic. You accept it because he did some good things. Not arguing that but I refuse to accept "he is our crook mentality".

 

[Guest]

[quote name="IceHogsFan"]
[quote name="R K"]
[quote name="IceHogsFan"]
[quote name="5Minutes4Fighting] He was extremely powerful and he delivered the bacon.







-5Minutes[/quote]



It is comments like that which drive me crazy. A thief is okay as long as he is our thief

mentality. No doubt it was why he was elected over and over because he delivered. Just like Byrd in Va. Career politicians with too much power because of decades of being there. Honestly, it is why I really want to end the career politicians and deliver term limits.



I do not buy the whole "but he was good for Chicago" mentality. The system of politics breeds corruption even for those with the best intentions. Limit their time served and we can greatly diminish the issue.[/quote][/quote][/quote]



Again did you read what he was charged, and what he actually pled too? You do understand most of that was to get him out of power during a Political Power struggle don't you?



Man you are clouded beyond belief and unlike you say it's most definitely along party lines.



Better FIRE ALL THE POLITICIANS CHRIS because they are ALL CORRUPT. EVERY FUCKING ONE OF THEM!



Term limits are a good thing but you denying NOT ONLY what he did for Chicago, but for the Country as a whole through serious tax legislation is assinine.[/quote][/quote][/quote]



Again, you misunderstand me but just keep up with you logic. You accept it because he did some good things. Not arguing that but I refuse to accept "he is our crook mentality".[/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote]



I don't accept anything sir. I understand that's part of the game. Some worse than others. I judge them on exactly what they do and what they've done. For you to arbitrarily dismiss all the excellent things he did, for the very simple crap they trumped him with is just logical. Sorry there have been far worse done by many who have done nothing.



I guess maybe you should open your mind and listen to some of the experts that might know a little more than you before going off on a tangent like your first post in this thread.



Love ya man but it make you look not so good.

 

[IceHogsFan]

[quote name="R K"]
[quote name="IceHogsFan"]
[quote name="R K"]
[quote name="IceHogsFan"]
[quote name="5Minutes4Fighting] He was extremely powerful and he delivered the bacon.







-5Minutes[/quote]



It is comments like that which drive me crazy. A thief is okay as long as he is our thief

mentality. No doubt it was why he was elected over and over because he delivered. Just like Byrd in Va. Career politicians with too much power because of decades of being there. Honestly, it is why I really want to end the career politicians and deliver term limits.



I do not buy the whole "but he was good for Chicago" mentality. The system of politics breeds corruption even for those with the best intentions. Limit their time served and we can greatly diminish the issue.[/quote][/quote][/quote]



Again did you read what he was charged, and what he actually pled too? You do understand most of that was to get him out of power during a Political Power struggle don't you?



Man you are clouded beyond belief and unlike you say it's most definitely along party lines.



Better FIRE ALL THE POLITICIANS CHRIS because they are ALL CORRUPT. EVERY FUCKING ONE OF THEM!



Term limits are a good thing but you denying NOT ONLY what he did for Chicago, but for the Country as a whole through serious tax legislation is assinine.[/quote][/quote][/quote]



Again, you misunderstand me but just keep up with you logic. You accept it because he did some good things. Not arguing that but I refuse to accept "he is our crook mentality".[/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote]



I don't accept anything sir. I understand that's part of the game. Some worse than others. I judge them on exactly what they do and what they've done. For you to arbitrarily dismiss all the excellent things he did, for the very simple crap they trumped him with is just logical. Sorry there have been far worse done by many who have done nothing.



I guess maybe you should open your mind and listen to some of the experts that might know a little more than you before going off on a tangent like your first post in this thread.



Love ya man but it make you look not so good.[/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote]



And you have a Poly Sci degree with an attitude of do some good things and we will overlook the bad? I never said he did not do good. Hell, Navy Pier today is because of him but his arrogance and the mentality of that's just how things are got him a stint in a federal prison. Did you read that? FEDERAL PRISON. Ummm, dismiss what he did wrong but he ended his career as a crook. You think differently. Let's just agree to disagree on how we look at corruption in politics.