Illinois Republican Party

Pollak Calls on Schakowsky to Condemn Giannoulias Loans
10/13/2010

Joel Pollak, Republican challenger for U.S. Congress in the 9th district of Illinois, called on incumbent Democrat Jan Schakowsky to condemn loans made by fellow Democrat Alexi Giannoulias to known criminal figures.

Giannoulias, who is running for U.S. Senate, loaned millions of dollars to convicted criminal Michael “Jaws” Giorango over several years, including millions in the fall of 2005.

Yet by April 21, 2004, Chicago newspapers had already reported that as Giorango’s convictions received wider publicity, other Democrats, notably Schakowsky, were considering moving their offices out of space they had rented from him.

“As early as April 2004, Schakowsky knew that her business relationship with Giorango could not continue. Why did Giannoulias keep loaning him millions of dollars, more than a year later? Schakowsky ought to condemn Giannoulias for the loans, and urge him to come clean about what he knew about Giorango’s activities, and when. We can’t take the risk of electing another Chicago-style politician to represent us in Congress" said Joel Pollak

Editors Note:
1. On April 21, 2004, the Chicago Tribune reported:

"Four elected officials may move out of a North Side office building after learning about their landlord's criminal background.

Michael Giorango has been convicted twice of federal bookmaking charges and was found guilty in January of promoting a prostitution operation, according to a Justice Department press release and court records.

He owns the single-story building at 5533-39 N. Broadway and rents office space there to U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), state Sen. Carol Ronen (D-Chicago), state Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago) and Ald. Mary Ann Smith (48th)."

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