Eavesdropping Device Disguised as a Fob
Most politicians would prefer to run unopposed for election even when their opponent doesn’t seem to have a chance at winning. One such political opponent says he secretly recorded for the FBI an incumbent state senator offering him a state job and cash to drop out of the race.
Little Village’s community activist Raul Montes Jr.’s candidacy would seem to pose no threat to the election of state Sen. Steve Landek. Landek is also the mayor of Bridgeview. Montes, 36, has never held political office and hasn’t raised any campaign donations. He is a one-man effort circulating nominating petitions and appears to have no network of volunteers behind him.
So why would Landek wage an aggressive legal campaign to challenge Montes’ nominating petitions and remove him from the ballot?
Montes stated that Landek recently invited him to a skybox at Toyota Park, which is owned by the village of Bridgeview. Montes says Landek used a carrot-and-stick approach to try to get him to back out of the race by alternately threatening to dirty him up in the petition challenge while also offering financial incentives and a job.
Of course, in the cut-throat business of politics, such tactics are not considered that unusual. Petition gathering and petition challenges are overseen by a small cadre of election lawyers who make it their specialty to keep candidates on or off the ballot. Incumbents almost always have the upper hand.
Montes decided to bring in the FBI to secretly record his conversation with Landek. According to Montes, he said Landek promised him a job working on his campaign and later with his Senate staff if he agreed to withdraw from the race. Landek isn’t commenting, but his lawyer, election law specialist Burt Odelson, said Landek understood his legal bounds and offered Montes nothing improper.
According to Montes, he brought along an FBI eavesdropping device, disguised as a fob on his key ring, to record what resulted in a 2½-hour conversation. He said he met two female FBI agents before the meeting with Landek, then followed them to a residential neighborhood near the stadium where they put the recording device on his keychain.
Based on the FBI’s prior instructions, Montes said he tried to draw out Landek on whether he was being offered a no-show job, but Montes said he only received assurances that he wouldn’t have to go to Springfield.
Again, why would Landek, who can expect to have the entire Democratic establishment behind him, be intent on eliminating a rival who by all appearances doesn’t seem to be a threat?
A few possible reasons: Currently Landek represents the 11th Senate District; however, legislative redistricting has pushed him into the 12th District, where Montes is his only would-be opponent. If you have an opponent, there’s always a possibility, however remote, that you could lose. Also, when you have an opponent, you are forced to mount a campaign. Campaigns involve time, energy, and most importantly, cost money.
Montes said Landek remarked on the cost of running a campaign several times during their talk to explain why it was worth his while to make a deal.
Also, redistricting creates uncertainty for incumbents. While Landek has only been in office a year, now he’s faced with running on new turf where Montes is bound to get some traction because of his Hispanic heritage.
The FBI is not confirming or denying any involvement with Montes. It is unknown as to what the outcome will be if the FBI did indeed set him up with an eavesdropping device for this meeting. It will be a wait and see as to what will happen. Will the FBI do anything with this information?
This would be at least the second time Landek has been wiretapped by the FBI. In 2006, the Sun-Times reported that Landek was secretly recorded by a businessman who said he was being harassed to sell a real estate parcel that Bridgeview needed to build Toyota Park for use by the Chicago Fire.
Some information for this story was obtained @ suntimes
Tags: eavesdropping, spying, wiretapping
