Northwest Indiana's political hall of shame: The best money can buy
Post-Tribune (IN)
December 31, 1989
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December 31, 1989
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The '80s continued a tradition of political corruption that has earned Lake County national acclaim as the Oakland Athletics of dirty officials, a place where budding crooks can cut their teeth and hone their finagling skills. In Lake County, political corruption is followed like a team sport, although the decision by convicted former County Commissioner Rudy Bartolomei to enter the federal Witness Protection Program and fink on his friends may have changed the rules. Now it's every conman for himself.
Aficionados of the game carefully monitor large expenditures of public funds and admire the dexterity of the players in hiding the booty. Some say the dynasty peaked when federal officials nabbed a hat trick - all three Lake County Commissioners, Frank Stodola, Rudy Bartolomei and N. Atterson Spann , all at the same time.
But commisioners weren't the only ones convicted of extortion, embezzlement and assorted crimes. Former County Assessor Michael Jankovich was convicted of taking bribes to lower assessments. Former County Judge Steven Bielek was convicted of taking bribes in a drunken driving ticket scandal that also took down County Clerk Edward Lukawski.
A number of appointed officials were also caught with their fingers in the taxpayers' cookie jar. Former Tri-City Mental Health administrator Glenn Kuipers took bribes from Atterson Spann on the jacked-up purchase price of the East Chicago Rehabilitation Center, yet another grimey deal connected with East Chicago gambler Sonny Peterson.
Former Gary Manpower Director Ron Sullivan was convicted of filing false income tax returns when he didn't report $24,500 in bribes he took.
Here are a few highlights from what some might say has been a banner decade for political corruption.
J.J. FORSZT
The decade began on a high note in 1980 with the conviction of former Lake County Commissioner Joseph J. "J.J." Forszt. Forszt, once one of the most powerful politicians in Lake County, was convicted of bribery and extortion and sentenced to serve five years in prison and pay $25,000 in fines. That fine amounted to roughly $1,000 per year he was in office as commissioner, (1949-1974) little more than a nuisance. The 79-year-old Forszt served three years of his term in Minnesota and Missouri and now lives in Porter County.
NOAH ATTERSON SPANN
Noah Atterson Spann , yet another East Chicago-based crook, was convicted of taking more than $30,000 in kickbacks in a county building janitorial services deal and sentenced to a 20-year prison term. For 12 years Spann was one of the Calumet Region's most influential politicians. But it's hard to exert much influence from inside the Chicago Metropolitan Correctional Center. And to add insult to a jury, Spann was also convicted recently in a bribery scam associated with the inflated purchase of the East Chicago Rehabilitation Center. He'll will be sentenced in January on the most recent conviction. Forward this man's mail.
M. BRUCE CREASY
The former Post-Tribune circulation manager and Portage Township Trustee's downfall was his fascination with shrubbery, billing the township for thousands of non-existent flowers, trees and bushes. Not coindentally, Creasy owned a tree nursery. He was convicted in 1986 of embezzling state and federal money. He served his sentence in the federal prison camp at Duluth, Minn. You have to like a guy who'll throw himself at the mercy of the bankrupcy court and plead to have his $10,000 fine and $30,000 in restitution reduced. This Portage resident and convenience store owner has true grit.
ORVAL ANDERSON
Justice came at a price with former Lake County Judge Orval Anderson. He was convicted with fellow Judge Steven Bielek, County Clerk Edward Lukawski, a baliff, a policeman and several lawyers in the Operation Bar-Tab probe into the fixing of drunken driving tickets. Anderson was paroled after serving a year at the Big Spring federal prison camp in Texas. Everyone else received tougher sentences. Anderson, however, was only found guilty of perjury. He now lives on a farm south of Lake County, where, presumably there are fewer temptations.
ALBERT T. WILLARDO
The 67-year-old former Lake County Coroner was convicted in 1982 for theft. He falsified mileage documents and billed the county for trips he never took. Small potatoes, perhaps. But our local spuds have never been known for their common sense. Charges against his office of selling bodies to the highest bidding funeral homes never stuck. Willardo, who faced a one-year prison term, resigned his post to avoid serving time. He was disbarred by the state of Indiana and now practices medicine in Hammond.
HALLMARK HOOSIERS
Looking back at the 1980s in Northwest Indiana, one must recognize it has been quite a zany decade.
More than a few politicians have moved from their spot at the rail of their local bar to a place in the spotlight before the bar, trading pinstripes for prison stripes in the process.
While Northwest Indiana may not have more crooked politicians than other urban centers in the nation, we do seem to have more than our share of inventive, sophisticated and unrepentant public payroll pilferers, who have seemed genuinely surprised when the cuffs are snapped onto their wrists.
If, as Mike Royko says, the Chicago motto should be "Where's mine?", the seals of some local governmental bodies should bear the words "Who? Me?"
But the politicians aren't the whole story of the madcap memories of the 1980s.
Here's one last look at the daffy decade.
