Know Any Good Vrdolyak Stories?
This name from the past was on the front page of the Chicago Sun-Times when I picked it up in the driveway.
The story is that Ed Vrdolyak--of “Fast Eddie” and “Vrdolyak 29” fame while a Chciago Alderman and Cicero afterwards--is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Apparently, he is an acquaintance of Stuart Levine,who is talking to the Feds--also discovered by the Sun-Times.
This multi-indicted, bi-partisan combine North Shore wheeler dealer guy was appointed to the hospital regulating board by both Republican and Democratic Party governors. (Remember his role in the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board's approval of Crystal Lake's Mercy Hospital?) Not only did Governor Rod Blagojevich appoint Levine to the IHFPB, but also to the Downstate Teachers Retirement System board.
And, I can't forget that Levine was GOP gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan's law school study partner and biggest campaign contributor.
Vrdolyak had a quite insightful radio program on WLS for a while.
And, he even spoke in McHenry County to some Republican affair at Turnberry Country Club, I believe. That was after he switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party, both of which he chaired.
So, do you know any good Vrdolyak stories?
The best one, well, the best one I can tell, came from former State Rep. Harry Leinenweber (now a federal judge married to former State Rep., State Senator and U.S. Labor Department Secretary and GOP U.S. Senate candidate Lynn Martin). Both Leinenweber and Vrdolyak went to the University of Chicago Law School.
Harry said that Vrdolyak was the only law student defending himself against a murder charge.
First posted at McHenry County Blog.
20 comments:
I always got a huge kick out of Ed Vrdolyak. He's tough and brilliant and a great custodian of his neighbors needs. He is complex, witty, and usually ten years ahead of his competition. Bad guy to cross a great guy in your corner.
My favorite Ed Vrdolyak story is one that includes the man today grabbing headlines and hot-type out of obscurity - Rev. Walter 'Slim' Coleman.
Slim Coleman, more than any community activist did more for Harold Washington's voter drive, especially in Uptown, in his run for Mayor. Like all coomunity activists, Slim expected a ribbon and garter in the Washington Administration. Harold was way too smart for that. Slim used street theatre.
He brought his 'mobilized crowd'to the Chicago City Council over some 'earth shattering and world-bettering' issue, now long forgotten - like Slim.
Slim decided to get physical with the Pigs. After shouting for the Media, Coleman vaulted over some barrier in order to physically intimidate Alderman, so many with the courage of gnats and the back-bones of al dente linguini.
Instead, Slim found himself face-to-face with a smiling Darth Vrdolyak who gestured lovingly and cooed 'Come on, Sweetheart!'
Ol' Slim's bowels turned to water and backed into the embrace of yeomen with a standard - 'Let me at Him' supplication. Eddie did not move and waited and waited and waited.
Slim's retreat was not lost on anyone, but the reporters who could not find a Chinaman on 22nd Street. Slim faded into obscurity.
I wonder if our news-sleuths will dig up this true-life tale of progressive action. I doubt it. Slim's a Rev. now and fighting the Gee. Compared to Ed Vrdolyak they are a pack of Nancys.
Thanks for the memory jolt, Cal. And thank you Mr.V. Perhaps, Slim could have used some time on the playgrounds of Annunciata!
From what I remember Slim was not shouting for the media, He was in the media area. He published a small newspaper in Uptown and what got him upset was the fact that a person who was a member of his organization, who had former ties to some white power group had died and Slim had some kind ok wake for him. Ed V on the Council Floor called him "Funeral Director for the Nazi party" Thats when Slim tried to jump over the rail but was quickly stopped by the police.
BTW I first met a young States Attorney named Rod who ran Mr V's mayoral campaign on the North Lakefront around the same time, besides the Mayoral race we had some fun on the Aldermanic Campaigns.
CWD,
Plain and simple, you are full of it. Rod couldn't, and didn't, run his own campaigns let alone anybody else's. Save the BS for people that don't know any better. I do. For a fact.
I once attended a Tom Cross fundraiser in Oswego, held on a farm. Everyone was wearing jeans. Eddie was the guest of honor, shows up in a black strech limo.
Oh-Oh! Fast Eddie figured that Patrick Fitzgerald forgot about him and that he was no longer on the Feds "radar screen" since they had already bagged Betty Loren Maltese when they went hunting. Wrong again, Fast Eddie.
I would think that this new revelation about Fast Eddie being scrutinized by Patrick Fitzgerald has other Chicago and Cook County politicians squirming. Many of them thought that at this late point in time their numerous naughty deeds were relegated to the archives but istead they found out that they were still front page news.
All the Crazy Joe stories are funny and scary. (Joe 82nd airborne Special Forces Sallas)
The story that Eddie V. helped fix Richie Daley's bar exam.
A good ERV story is when he sent Larry Bullock and Al "the Troll" Sanchez to pay off the El Rukns and Jeff Fort for Jane Byrne, paying them a lot of money, they took the money at the "Fort" and still campaigned for Harold Washinton.
I remember when Tommy Hynes was crying like a girl, when Vrdolyak almost won for mayor in 87.
Tommy Hynes dropped out.
Ed was giving a speech and this little African American girl asked him was he Mayor Daley. Oh, the laughter just broke out.
2 stories about V. The first took place in the 70s. My brother had a good friend who graduated from the U of Wisc Law School. He was interviewing with law firms in Chgo. He interviewed with V. V asked him how much the other law firm offered him. He said $26K. V said he could only offer him $21K and could offer him something the other law firm couldn't: connections. My brother's friend took the job with V. The other story about V: One of the arresting officers of Richard Speck was a police officer with the last name of V. A relative?
Victor Vrdolyak helped bust Richard Speck. He was a cop's cop and a man's man.
The Feds are looking into overrated lobbyist Brian Hynes from the Larry Suffredin Crowe law firm (all the crooks are there) and his connections to Fast Eddie Vrdolyak. The best stories are the ones not known yet but known soon.
Aldercrook Walter "Bank robber but I was pardoned" Burnett's family got their jobs through Ed Vdrolryak. There was still a lot of zoning and favors going on in the 27th ward when Uncle Walt was pushing out his own people for the developers.
Brian Hynes is a sleazy geek who is involved with some bad clients with his partner the schemer who wants to rat Victor Reyes.
We should get hickey to tell some Jerry "the big potatoe" Joyce stories. After Daley was elected he was the low key more eccentric Fast Eddie.
Is doiligh drochrud a mharú
Mr. Vice President Quayle,
I don't know of any.
Pog Mo hone!
I have heard stories from the 70's or early 80s I guess about fundraisers/events in the 10th ward where they would raffle off call girls. I think Vrdolyak was one of the smartest pols ever and He used to be a good radio talk show host.
I used to caddy for Mr. Vrdolyak at South Shore Country Club. Terrible golfer; great tipper.
how about the fact that mayor daley (the first) met his maker shortly after a photo op at mann park in 10th ward hegewisch, eddies furthest south holdings. photo shows da mayor w/ his foot on a silver shovel and eddie smiling at his side. hmm
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