Isaac Carothers

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Isaac "Ike" Sims Carothers is a former alderman of the 29th ward on the far west side of the City of Chicago. He was first elected in 1999. He resigned in 2010 after pleading guilty to federal corruption charges.

Contents 1 Early life 1.1 Conviction of father 1.2 Fined in civil suit for organizing intimidation campaign against political opponent 2 Early career 3 Aldermanic career 3.1 Election 3.2 Clout list 3.3 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District jobs 3.4 Relative on City Council payroll 3.5 Indictment 3.5.1 $100,000 bribe offer for airport contracts for Wafeek "Wally" Aiyash 3.5.2 $40,000 in home improvements for zoning change for developer Calvin Boender 3.5.3 Guilty plea and resignation 4 Personal life 5 References

[edit] Early life

Carothers grew up in Chicago. Carothers went to public elementary and De La Salle High School; he earned a degree in Political Science from DePaul University and his Masters in Criminal Justice from Chicago State University.^{[citation needed]}

Both Carothers' father and grandfather were city employees active in local politics. Isaac's grandfather, Isaac "Ike" Sims, was an Department of Sewers employee, Illinois State Representative and 28th ward committeeman. Isaac's father, William Carothers, was a Streets and Sanitation ward superintendent. William Carothers replaced his father-in-law, Isaac "Ike" Sims as committeeman in 1976. William Carothers was appointed alderman of the 28th ward upon the death of his predecessor, Jimmy Washington, in 1980.^[1]

[edit] Conviction of father

While alderman, William Carothers and his assistant Ozzie Hutchins threatened to block a $14.5 million Bethany Hospital expansion unless they received $15,000 worth of remodelling in their ward office. Both were convicted in 1983.^[1] William Carothers was convicted of conspiracy and extortion on August 23, 1983^[2] and sentenced to three years in the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. By the time of his conviction, William Carothers had been defeated in an attempt to be elected alderman of the 28th ward by Ed Smith in a run-off in early 1983.^[1]

[edit] Fined in civil suit for organizing intimidation campaign against political opponent

In 1985, a federal judge ordered William Carothers, his two sons, and a fourth man to pay $152,000 in damages for a campaign of physical violence and intimidation organized by William Carothers, from prison, against a political opponent. Independent incumbent Illinois State Representative Arthur Turner of the far west side 17th District was challenged in 1982 by William Carothers' former assistant, Ozzie Hitchins, who was supported by the then imprisoned William Carothers. Turner aides were threatened with guns and one Turner aide suffering severe injuries to the side of the head, including broken bones. At the time Isaac and his brother were both Cook County deputy sheriffs with access to guns. Turner and aides filed a civil lawsuit following their defeat by Hitchins. U.S. District Judge Charles Kocoras said Isaac Carothers appeared to be the ringleader and "organized their acts of intimidation" by force while the other son used his deputy's position to verbally threaten the plaintiffs. Isaac Carothers was ordered to pay $25,000 of the damages.^[3][4]

[edit] Early career

Carothers worked for the Cook County Defender's Office. Carothers was hired as a Superintendent for the Department of Water in 1989. Carothers was hired as Director of Internal Audit for the Chicago Park District in 1993. Carothers was named Deputy Commissioner of Streets and Sanitation in 1997.^[5]

[edit] Aldermanic career

[edit] Election

Carothers was elected alderman in 1999 after defeating eight opponents, including the incumbent alderman, Sam Burrell, in a February primary, and an ninth opponent, Floyd Thomas, in an April run-off.^[6]

Carothers highlighted a new police station, a senior housing development, a movie theater, and new restaurants as some of his accomplishments.^{[citation needed]}

Carothers served on five committees: Committees, Rules and Ethics, Finance, Aviation, Special Events and Cultural Affairs Transportation and the Public Way. Just two years after being elected alderman, Carothers was appointed chairman of the City Council's powerful Police and Fire Committee.^[5]

[edit] Clout list

Carothers name appeared more often than any other alderman on a list of clouted job seekers and their political sponsors unveiled by federal prosecutors in June, 2006 during the trial of patronage chief Robert Sorich.^[7]

[edit] Metropolitan Water Reclamation District jobs

In 2008 Carothers was one of seven Chicago aldermen who between them got ten of their children good-paying summer jobs with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.^[8]

[edit] Relative on City Council payroll

In 2008 Carothers paid a relative more than $30,000 from a taxpayer-funded payroll account available to aldermen without scrutiny. Carothers refused to say if the William Carothers on his payroll was his father or brother, who have the same name.^[9]

[edit] Indictment

In 2007 Carothers accepted $11,000 in campaign contributions from an FBI mole posing as a developer seeking zoning changes.^[10]

In 2007 the office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick Fitzgerald subpoenaed Carothers demanding documents including seven years worth of aldermanic expense records; 29th Ward zoning changes; ordinances introduced by Carothers, and correspondence between Carothers and the mayor's office regarding zoning changes. The subpoena further demanded information on comments made and votes taken by Carothers since January 2001 before two City Council committees.^[11]

Carothers began helping authorities in 2008 in hopes of winning a reduced sentence for his own crimes. Beginning in early 2008, Carothers secretly wore a wire and worked undercover with the FBI. He did so for more than a year.^[12]

[edit] $100,000 bribe offer for airport contracts for Wafeek "Wally" Aiyash

Carothers wore a hidden microphone and a video camera to secretly capture his meetings with businessman Wafeek "Wally" Aiyash in June, 1008. Aiyash offered a $100,000 bribe to Carothers Aiyash thought could help him open seven restaurants in Chicago's two airports. Carothers is a member of the City Council's Aviation Committee, whose duties include approving contracts at the airports. Federal charges against Aiyash allege that Aiyash had a corrupt relationship with Carothers before the alderman began cooperating with federal authorities. Carothers rents space for his ward offices from one of Aiyash's companies.^[13][14]

[edit] $40,000 in home improvements for zoning change for developer Calvin Boender

The US Attorneys office in Chicago indicted Carothers on federal corruption charges on May 28, 2009.^[15] Carothers and a real estate developer, who sought to transform a 50-acre former rail yard and industrial site on the city's west side into a residential and commercial neighborhood, were indicted on federal fraud and bribery charges. The developer, Calvin Boender, paid for approximately $40,000 in home improvements to Carothers' residence and provided him with meals and tickets to professional sporting events, which Carothers illegally accepted, in exchange for Carothers' official acts supporting successful zoning changes for Galewood Yards, which was the largest undeveloped tract of land within the city limits. Carothers was charged with four counts of wire or mail fraud and one count each of accepting a bribe and filing a false federal income tax return. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of at least $40,000 from Carothers, representing the financial benefits he received in home improvements.^[16][17] Carothers also asked Boender to donate to the campaign of Carothers' aunt, Anita Rivkin-Carothers, who ran unsuccessfully in 2004 for Congress, and Boender enlisted two others to give contributions on his behalf.^[18] Boender and his associates donated about $55,000 to Carothers according to campaign contribution records.^[19] On March 18, 2010 a federal jury convicted Boender on five counts including bribing Carothers for a zoning change.^[20][21]

[edit] Guilty plea and resignation

Carothers initially pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in federal court on Monday, June 8, 2009.^[22][23] On February 1, 2010, Carothers pleaded guilty to one count of failing to report the home improvements on his income taxes and to one count of corruptly accepting items of value for supporting a zoning change for the project. Carothers agreed to a 28-month prison term, continued cooperation with prosecutors, and $40,000 in restitution. The plea deal calls for prosecutors to drop four more serious wire and mail fraud charges that carried stiffer penalties. Under state law, the guilty plea requires that Carothers' City Council seat be vacated immediately. Hours after entering the plea, Carothers resigned from the City Council in a letter to Mayor Richard Daley.^[12][18]

[edit] Personal life

Alderman Carothers is married to wife Sharron, and they have two sons, Sherman and Matthew. Carothers attends Original Providence Baptist Church on Chicago's west side.^{[citation needed]}

Carothers' aunt, Anita Rivkin-Carothers, is currently a judge on the Circuit Court of Cook County in the domestic violence court. As an attorney, Anita Rivkin-Carothers represented white supremacist Matthew F. Hale before the Illinois Supreme Court, defended Gangster Disciples leader Larry Hoover in federal court when there was little doubt of the outcome, and represented Tina Olison in her custody battle with Alderman Ed Burke and his wife Anne over Olison's child "Baby T".^[24] Anita Rivkin-Carothers ran unsuccessfully for US Congress in 2004 from the 17th Congressional District against US Representative Danny K. Davis.^[19][25]

[edit] References

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