Editor's note: FEDs this crook was broke. The GAL in the Probate Court of Cook County Estate of disabled ward, Alice R. Gore enjoys his Malibu beach house with the proceeds of Alice's life savings. Lucius Verenus, Schoolmaster, ProbateSharks.com
Details on admissions of bribery by state Rep. Derrick Smith
Derrick Smith speaks with supporters. (Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune / March 18, 2014)
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State Rep. Derrick Smith admitted to the FBI that he had pocketed a bribe of $7,000 and even took agents to his home to retrieve $2,500 in bribe money he still had in his possession there, federal prosecutors say in a court filing.
An FBI account of the alleged confession – made public as part of the filing – portrayed Smith as desperate to win his first campaign for state representative, broke and feeling under pressure to raise money to pay campaign workers.
Smith's lawyers are trying to block his admissions to the FBI in 2012 from his corruption trial, scheduled for late next month. He is accused of accepting $7,000 cash, believing it was from a day care operator in return for writing an official letter supporting the operator's bid for a $50,000 state grant.
Prosecutors contend the admissions are admissible because Smith had waived his rights to remain silent and have an attorney present.
According to the prosecution filing, FBI agents took Smith into custody early on March 13, 2012, as he prepared to drive from his garage. He was taken to the FBI headquarters on the FBI and questioned for much of the morning and afternoon.
"At numerous times during the interview Smith stated, 'I f---ed up' and said that he never should have written a letter for the day care," the FBI report said. "Smith stated that it was all about getting money to put money back out on the streets in the hands of his campaign workers."
Despite being contrite, Smith wanted to "keep the fact that he had been arrested discreet" and requested that only African-American agents accompany him back to his West Side home, where he retrieved $2,500 of the bribe money – two stacks of $100 bills paper clipped together – from a cedar chest in his bedroom, the FBI said.
Later that same afternoon, Smith make an initial appearance in federal court on the bribery charge.
Smith, a Chicago Democrat, was booted from office by his fellow representatives after he was charged in 2012 but won reelection later that year. Last month, however, he lost his primary election despite the backing of powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan.
According to the charges, a Smith campaign worker who was also an FBI informant told investigators that almost immediately after taking office, Smith tried to obtain a state grant to improperly pay the informant for campaign work. The informant also told the FBI that Smith began talking about needing help with fundraising as soon as he was appointed and was willing to accommodate reasonable requests from donors who wanted something in return for their contributions.
At the direction of law enforcement, the informant told Smith in December that he knew a day care operator who was hoping to obtain a state grant to cover repairs to the facility, according to the charge. As part of the ruse, the informant told Smith the female owner might be willing to contribute to his campaign. Smith offered his help for a $5,000 contribution – a figure he later raised to $7,000, prosecutors alleged.
The woman was fictional and the day care center – while real – was not actually applying for a state grant, authorities said.
Smith was recorded on several occasions agreeing to write a letter supporting the center's grant application in exchange for the money, prosecutors alleged. On March 2, Smith's office provided a letter written on his official letterhead supporting the center's application for the grant, according to the charge.
After his arrest, Smith told agents he was "going crazy" because he'd received very few campaign donations for the 2012 primary and "didn't want to lose," according to the FBI account of the interview.
jmeisner@tribune.com | Twitter: @jmetr22b
An FBI account of the alleged confession – made public as part of the filing – portrayed Smith as desperate to win his first campaign for state representative, broke and feeling under pressure to raise money to pay campaign workers.
Smith's lawyers are trying to block his admissions to the FBI in 2012 from his corruption trial, scheduled for late next month. He is accused of accepting $7,000 cash, believing it was from a day care operator in return for writing an official letter supporting the operator's bid for a $50,000 state grant.
Prosecutors contend the admissions are admissible because Smith had waived his rights to remain silent and have an attorney present.
According to the prosecution filing, FBI agents took Smith into custody early on March 13, 2012, as he prepared to drive from his garage. He was taken to the FBI headquarters on the FBI and questioned for much of the morning and afternoon.
"At numerous times during the interview Smith stated, 'I f---ed up' and said that he never should have written a letter for the day care," the FBI report said. "Smith stated that it was all about getting money to put money back out on the streets in the hands of his campaign workers."
Despite being contrite, Smith wanted to "keep the fact that he had been arrested discreet" and requested that only African-American agents accompany him back to his West Side home, where he retrieved $2,500 of the bribe money – two stacks of $100 bills paper clipped together – from a cedar chest in his bedroom, the FBI said.
Later that same afternoon, Smith make an initial appearance in federal court on the bribery charge.
Smith, a Chicago Democrat, was booted from office by his fellow representatives after he was charged in 2012 but won reelection later that year. Last month, however, he lost his primary election despite the backing of powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan.
According to the charges, a Smith campaign worker who was also an FBI informant told investigators that almost immediately after taking office, Smith tried to obtain a state grant to improperly pay the informant for campaign work. The informant also told the FBI that Smith began talking about needing help with fundraising as soon as he was appointed and was willing to accommodate reasonable requests from donors who wanted something in return for their contributions.
At the direction of law enforcement, the informant told Smith in December that he knew a day care operator who was hoping to obtain a state grant to cover repairs to the facility, according to the charge. As part of the ruse, the informant told Smith the female owner might be willing to contribute to his campaign. Smith offered his help for a $5,000 contribution – a figure he later raised to $7,000, prosecutors alleged.
The woman was fictional and the day care center – while real – was not actually applying for a state grant, authorities said.
Smith was recorded on several occasions agreeing to write a letter supporting the center's grant application in exchange for the money, prosecutors alleged. On March 2, Smith's office provided a letter written on his official letterhead supporting the center's application for the grant, according to the charge.
After his arrest, Smith told agents he was "going crazy" because he'd received very few campaign donations for the 2012 primary and "didn't want to lose," according to the FBI account of the interview.
jmeisner@tribune.com | Twitter: @jmetr22b
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