With Shiller-mentum in the air, let's jump in the UU time machine and revisit what we said just over a year ago in surveying the Aldermanic race:
For her part, Ms. Clay has little track record and has bound herself closely to former Alderman Helen Shiller, who was on hand when Ms. Clay announced her candidacy. Ald. Shiller is effectively looking for someone to pass the baton. In our view, a vote for Ms. Clay is effectively a vote for Helen Shiller and her favorite organizations to regain power in the 46th Ward.
We have witnessed a neighborhood that has made tremendous strides in public safety and livability over the past 12 years under Alderman Cappleman. If you asked us what we expected to see in 2011 when he was sworn in for the first time, we were most hopeful for a change from a status quo that was willing to accept regular gang shootings and street crime as part of the "fabric" of the neighborhood. That change has happened, in large part, due to the work of police, the Alderman and his office, neighborhood groups, and Uptown's citizens, who have worked together to make Uptown a safe, clean and desirable location.
We started this blog in 2007 because we were sick of the way Uptown was in the thrall of special interests who had no interest in the neighborhood ever improving. The status quo (and worse) were acceptable, as was the loss of life and subhuman living conditions that accompanied it. We don't want to return to the way things were under Helen Shiller, which is what a vote for Ms. Clay (or Ms. Lalonde) would bring.
So here we are, a year later, and the prediction has come true. Call us NostradamUUs!
As the above photo (taken recently by a friend) illustrates, Helen Shiller is right behind Angela Clay, "counseling" Ms. Clay (who she has been grooming for years) and acting as shadow alderman. And in a brazen move straight out of her Wilson Yard and kitchen renovation playbook, she's trying to kill Uptown's decade-long renaissance by sticking a curfew free men's homeless shelter directly in the middle of the Wilson Avenue business district.
Oh, and she's using $4.5 million dollars in local taxpayer TIF funds, killing two businesses, and bolstering old supporters at JPUSA at the same time. A Shiller-Clay win-win-win-win!
From what we see and hear at the UU mothership, this is a VERY unpopular move, yet Alderwoman Clay seems unwilling to hear or consider the voices of the block clubs that surround the proposed shelter.
What can you do to share your opinion if you weren't able to make it to the ONE meeting that was held to discuss this? Email the Zoning Board of Appeals at ZBA@cityofchicago.org and be sure to mention the zoning change at 1140 W. Wilson. You can also sign a petition that is circulating here.
Don't just take it from us. Here's reader Ken's comment yesterday. Everything old is new again!
This sounds like Helen Schiller's way of doing things in 46th ward for over 20 years. I put up with it for 10 years (2005-2015) and that was enough. Everything happens magically under the table and decisions are discussed and made in secret, all the time. It's exhausting, but nothing ever changes.
As we have said repeatedly, elections have consequences. Hopefully the voter turn-out will be much higher in 2027 and this political move is remembered when Uptowners go to the voting booth. We won't forget!!!
Oh, and Alderwoman Clay? We know you're a reader. We still have questions you haven't answered. Pink ribbons come to mind.
Just signed the petition. I remember the chants of "Helen go home" when our community reached a boiling point with all the crime, drugs, and panhandlers after Helen Schiller was taking kickbacks to fund her house renovations from concentrating so much of the rehab clinics and shelters in Uptown. It makes sense why she doesn't even live in Uptown because she knows the mess she made. Its time for us to start chanting "Angela go home". Keep up the good fight Uptown Update!
ReplyDeleteWow the hate
DeleteIt’s the truth.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvUxPIoZf4g
ReplyDeleteThat song goes out to both Shiller and Clay. My only regret is that only one of them is likely looking at charges from the feds. If anyone believes Clay's PPP loans were legitimate you're a very naive individual.
The arc of the legal universe is long and bends towards indictments. There are likely a million plus "questionable PPP" loans out there. Feds will ignore the vast majority of them. They won't ignore any taken out by elected officials.
I said something to that effect on here before the April runoff. Clay would have been better off if she lost. Now she's likely undergoing a federal colonoscopy and likely to take down more than a few others with her.
One piece of advice to Dear Leader:
Don't lie to the feds. Look at Michael Madigan's former Chief of Staff to see the results of that. 30 month sentence. Get a good attorney and cut the best deal you can. Rat out your friends because odds are if you're not wearing a wire they're wearing a wire. End of transmission.
It just occurred to me. Was anyone at that table wearing a wire?
DeleteSnicker. Tip your waitstaff well.
Alright, I'm not in the loop but I recall she was investigated or owed IRS taxes. What happened to that?
ReplyDeleteI didn't vote for her, I voted for the other guy. But it's way past time for rank file voting. If we can just get it in the WARDS Only for aldermen....
Anyone know who the guy is? A defense attorney who specializes in federal fraud cases? I have restrained myself from commenting for maybe 10 months as federal investigators do what they do best. Investigate slowly. I am no longer going to be so restrained. Seeing Helen's visage has pushed me over the edge.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.uptownupdate.com/2023/04/8-simple-questions-for-angela-clay.html
The comment at 9:16 here was from me. Still no answers on Helen's granddaughter and former Alder Sawyer's kid getting PPP loans. Then again Angela has kept her smiling mouth closed on that one too. Here we have Mayor Johnson having a DBA(Doing business as) at an address associated with Brendan Shiller. Building housing his now former law practice which he owns or owns with another individual.
https://assumednames.cookcountyclerkil.gov/public/search
HARRISON LAW GROUP
No:D17149937 File Date:3/9/2017 Status:APPROVED
LEGAL COLLABORATION; ASSUMED NAME BEING USED FOR MARKETING PURPOSES.
Business Address(es)
1) 601 S. CALIFORNIA AVE., CHICAGO, IL 60612
Business Owner(s)
1) TANYA D WOODS
2) BRANDON F JOHNSON (REMOVED AS OF 2/23/2018)
MAMMOTH INDUSTRIES
Ms. Woods is an attorney with offices in that building. She also was appointed to the school board by Mayor Johnson.
https://www.cpsboe.org/about/bios/2022
The following was posted in various places online back in September or so. There are seven loans to a Melissa Ervin nationwide. Four are in Chicago. One of those four is literally right next door to the loans Angela took out. Next door. Not across the street. Not over the hills and far away. Right next door. Maybe it is a coincidence.
MELISSA ERVIN
6030 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL
19,358.00
(0.00) 19,423.23
(Aug. 2, 2021) 5 All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction (Sole Proprietorship) Cross River Bank March 18, 2021
Melissa Conyears-Ervin is the treasurer of the City of Chicago. Her husband is an alder. Helen's granddaughter is trying to open a legal weed shop in his ward.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/9/9/23863663/britteney-capri-helen-shiller-brendan-marijuana-westside-justice-center
Now I've searched for stories on the Mayor's DBA and found nothing. I know the media is shorthanded, but that is public information that was easy enough to find. Surely reporters should ask some questions about it. Perhaps it was legitimate. I have near zero doubt that Angela is going to be charged with PPP fraud and perhaps fraud related to her "businesses". I am less sure about Treasurer Conyears-Ervin. Might not be her and just a wild coincidence. I don't trust coincidences though. I did see a story this morning that CTU endorsed Ervin in next month's primary. She is running for Danny Davis' seat in Congress.
My guess on our temporary alder is that the FBI or whichever federal agency is taking the lead on this has already talked to her. Angela can run. Angela can hide. She cannot avoid federal scrutiny. She can or could have cut a deal though. If she were smart. Which she is not.
I am sure she won't take my legal advice, but it's likely better than any she has gotten. If federal agents come knocking say NOTHING. Lawyer up. Any good attorney will tell you that. Now a good attorney might tell you to sit back and see what happens. That is appropriate advice. A great attorney who regularly deals with the Northern District of Illinois would make the following suggestion. Let said attorney approach the DOJ with the following offer. Angela testifies voluntarily and honestly about any questions she is asked in return for leniency.
Worked for Daniel Solis. Did not work out so well for Edward Burke Or Michael Madigan.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/10/30/23914958/daniel-solis-fbi-mole-disgraced-alderman-ed-burke-michael-madigan
Missed something. Another connection. Probably does not mean much. Raised less than $2000? All candidates supported by CTU? Johnson, Clay and Yancy.
Deletehttps://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/CommitteeDetail.aspx?ID=FZwz3PcYHls0u0DmEclchw%3d%3d
Committee Details
JCUA Votes
Committee ID: 39321
Purpose: The PAC is organized to promote social justice in Chicagoland by working with the Jewish community on behalf of candidates and ballot initiatives that reflect our values as an "Organization".
Address: Attn: Anna Rubin
4411 N. Ravenswood Ave., Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60640
Status: Active
Type of Committee: Political Action
Creation Date: 2/28/2023
Candidates
Name
Address
District Type
Office
District
Clay, Angela 869 W Buena Ave, Apt 222
Chicago, IL 60613 Ward Alderperson Chicago 46
Johnson, Brandon 5715 W. Superior
Chicago, IL 60644 City Mayor Chicago
Yancy, Desmon C 6714 S Clyde 3rd Fl
Chicago, IL 60649 Ward Alderperson Chicago
Officers
Name
Title
Address
Mansfield, Benetta Chair 333 N. Canal St., Apt 2305
Chicago, IL 60606
Yenkin, Max Treasurer 2324 W Sunnyside Ave., Apt 21
Found some more coincidences. Angelas campaign office was in Holsten's Wilson Yard building. These are her campaign rent payments for the office.
ReplyDeletehttps://t.co/U3qIhGb8o1
Wilson Yard 4400 LLC
922 Highway 81 East #152
McDonough, GA 30252 $575.00
4/21/2023 7/16/2023 Expenditure
Neighbors for Angela Clay Rent
Neighbors for Angela Clay
Wilson Yard 4400 LLC
922 Highway 81 East #152
McDonough, GA 30252 $575.00
4/6/2023 7/16/2023 Expenditure
Neighbors for Angela Clay Rent
Neighbors for Angela Clay
Wilson Yard 4400 LLC
922 Highway 81 East #152
McDonough, GA 30252 $575.00
3/19/2023 7/16/2023 Expenditure
Neighbors for Angela Clay Rent
Neighbors for Angela Clay
Wilson Yard 4400 LLC
922 Highway 81 East #152
McDonough, GA 30252 $575.00
3/5/2023 7/16/2023 Expenditure
Neighbors for Angela Clay Rent
Neighbors for Angela Clay
Wilson Yard 4400 LLC
922 Highway 81 East #152
McDonough, GA 30252 $1,150.00
2/8/2023 7/16/2023 Expenditure
Neighbors for Angela Clay Rent
Neighbors for Angela Clay
Wilson Yard 4400 LLC
922 Highway 81 East #152
McDonough, GA 30252 $1,150.00
1/11/2023 7/16/2023 Expenditure
Neighbors for Angela Clay Rent
Neighbors for Angela Clay
Wilson Yard 4400 LLC
922 Highway 81 East #152
McDonough, GA 30252 $927.42
12/2/2022 1/15/2023 Expenditure
Neighbors for Angela Clay Rent
Neighbors for Angela Clay
Wilson Yard 4400 LLC
922 Highway 81 East #152
McDonough, GA 30252 $3,450.00
11/9/2022 1/15/2023 Expenditure
Neighbors for Angela Clay Rent
Neighbors for Angela Clay
Then this.
Shiller, Brendan
3651 Arville
Las Vegas, NV 89103 $3,500.00
4/7/2023 7/16/2023 Expenditure
Neighbors for Angela Clay Election day coordination
Neighbors for Angela Clay
Long time Uptown residents may remember Peter Holsten being associated with a lawsuit against Uptown bloggers.
https://www.dmlp.org/threats/holsten-v-uptown-update-and-what-helen
If I recall correctly Holsten's attorney had the same business address as Brendan Shiller Esquire. Law partner?
Why did Angelas campaign send the rent checks to McDonough Georgia? Holsten office is literally in the same building as her campaign office was. West on Montrose.
Seemingly Brandon Johnson has a brother who lives in McDonough Georgia.
https://twitter.com/Christie4524/status/1642718763882512385
Now we tracked it down and the Brandon Johnson who got the PPP loan in McDonaugh is NOT the Brandon Johnson who is mayor of Chicago. Coincidence of the weird nature as that Brandon J is about the same age and has ties to Chicago. Still Mayor Johnson does seemingly have a brother in that town in Georgia. Who the guy with the PO Box in Georgia is somewhat of a mystery. Mayor Johnson? Address databases can mix up people with the same or similr names.
Might all be a wild coincidence. Still why is the rent payment going to Georgia? Directly to the lender? Different ownership of that unit. Partial ownership. These are things that should be looked inn to. Maybe Peter Holsten can hire an attorney to sue UU and try to out everyone. Lost last time. Spend some money. Streisand effect. Maybe it is all legal and above board. Just weird.
I have also been doin mah research, and Georgia is famous for pecans, and those are tree nuts, and dere are tree nuts who commented here, implicating themselves in the process.
DeleteSherwood Forest is especially nutty.
Please get some fresh air.
Talk to me after the indictments come down.
DeleteIt amazes me how people don't see this crap before they vote. This neighborhood under Schiller was an absolute war zone that nobody wanted to touch. Capplelman turned it around. And for what?? Do your research before you vote! Sign the petition.
ReplyDeleteAmazing how the population who choose to vote choose the past over progress.
ReplyDeletethe other choice was the walgreens rohmulan and i dare you to name her absent a search
Deletethat was a carpetbagger and I'd wager she no longer lives here
How do we start organizing against her. I have a lot of free time and we need to start getting the information out early. The less pushback they have the worse things will become. She has experience in community organizing, which means we will have to organize just as well. It doesn’t make sense to complain about her if we don’t actually do anything about it. We need to make our voices heard and make life impossible for her. Accountability is our only tool for change.
ReplyDeletetotally agree!!
Deleteif only this blog knew a candidate who could assist you to be the thorn you want to be
Delete