Another Fundraising Democrat Indicted: Tru-Link Fence’s James Levin

If anyone needed more evidence that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago is overworked, consider the timing of today’s indictment of influential Chicago Democrat James Levin, the former president of Tru-Link Fence, on one count of wire fraud.

Levin’s crime, to put in the words of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, was

allegedly swindling the school system in connection with fencing contracts.

The deal that Levin cut with the federal government was first announced in May of 2005 in the Los Angeles trial of Hillary Clinton fundraiser David Rosen. Rosen was found not guilty.

The most recent Chicago Democrat to be indicted was described as

a friend of former President Bill Clinton and a Democratic fundraiser

in a May 30, 2005, article by Ray Gibson in the Chicago Tribune.

According to the New York Sun, May 27, 2005:

(Jury Foreman Michael) Johnson said he wasn’t sure what to make of Mr. Levin, a Chicago businessman who recently admitted to contracting fraud and offering kickbacks, but who also told the court he is a “dear friend” of President Clinton. The jury foreman said he thought Mr. Levin was embellishing, until defense lawyers played an ABC News “20/20” story about Paul that showed pictures of Mr. Levin side-by-side with Mr. Clinton in various settings.

Here’s what the New York Sun had to say about Levin on May 24, 2005:

However, a Chicago fund-raiser involved in planning the gala, James Levin, testified that he was the one who asked Mr. (Gary) Smith for the (concert production) discount. Levin, too, has credibility issues. He recently agreed to plead guilty to a scheme involving bribery and minority contracting fraud. Mr. Rosen's attorneys have branded him a liar.

But, here it is over 13 months later and Levin is just getting indicted. The minor charge indicates to me that Levin cut the deal referred to in Los Angeles.

Lack of Assistant U.S. Attorney’s is the only reason I can come up for the delay in court action in Illinois.

Levin was indicted along with

· James W. Picardi, 51, of Wauconda, the former assistant manager of operations and operations manger for the Chicago Public Schools, who was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of income tax evasion, and

· Arthur F. Miller, 39, of Chicago, owner and operator of All Power Electric, also charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.

Chicago School System official Picardi agreed to

assist Levin in obtaining work for Tru-Link with CPS in exchange for being paid approximately $1,000 a week by Levin, and 10 percent of the amount of certain work Tru-Link performed for CPS, including the snow removal,

the U.S. Attorney's press release adds.

According to the press release, another bribe of $3,500 was

to prevent Individual A from informing school board investigators about the false representations made regarding the Minority Business Enterprise work performed by Individual A’s company – Company A – in the bid and payment materials submitted by Tru-Link Fence,

Picardi allegedly directed Levin to make payments by check to Miller under the name of one of Miller’s businesses, MPZ. (Sounds a lot like the way George Ryan advisory Don Udstuen got his money laundered.)

This is the second Chicago Democratic Party fundraiser to gain unwanted attention from U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.

The first was former DNC National Finance Chairman Joe Cari.

Here's what I found at the State Board of Elections web site:

Levin, James, 2300 West Madison, Chicago, IL 60612
Occupation: President Employer: TLC
$2,500.00 3/13/2002 Individual Contribution - Friends of Blagojevich

I don't know if it the same guy, but "TLC" could stand for "Tru-Link."

Now, to be bi-partisan, I should also mention that former House Republican Leader Lee Daniels' top assistant Mike Tristano was sentenced a year and a day for using state resources to try to elect Republican House candidates.