PATLAK SILENT ON ON INSPECTOR GENERAL’S INVESTIGATION

Dan Patlak has been SILENT on the numerous investigations of him from by FOX Chicago, the Cook County State’s Attorney, Inspector General, and Board of Ethics. Why so silent, Mr. Patlak? What are you hiding?

Current Republican Chairman, Pat Brady, has also been silent on the Patlak investigation. Many conservatives are calling for Brady’s resignation. The electioneering scandal involving Patlak has been a frequent subject on websites and conservative blogs like the Illinois Review.

From Morrison’s campaign website:

Cook County Inspector General Opens Investigation Into Dan Patlak’s Electioneering Activities

The Cook County Inspector General’s office has launched an investigation into the electioneering activities of incumbent tax commissioner Dan Patlak at the Cook County Board of Review. The Cook County Inspector General’s investigation was prompted by a January 13th complaint filed with the Cook County State’s Attorney and the Cook County Board of Ethics filed last month by businessman Sean Morrison, a Republican candidate for Cook County Board of Review.

A recent Fox Chicago news investigation report revealed a portion of the video evidence from Morrison’s complaint on its newscast. Fox Chicago is continuing its investigation. See video.

The Fox video revealed Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak at a scheduled Board outreach program in Tinley Park, Illinois on November 30, 2011. Patlak was to appear to present a property tax seminar and the event was listed as part of his “official” outreach as Commissioner of the Board of Review. He attended the event with several of his employees at the Board of Review. However, as the video evidence reveals, the property tax seminar quickly became a campaign stop, where Patlak criticizes his political opponent, promotes his political website, passes out a printed flyer with personal information about Patlak, and asks for help for his campaign.

According to Morrison’s attorney, James Nally, “such conduct appears to be contrary to the Illinois Election Code 10 ILCS 5/9 – 25.1, which prohibits the use of public funds urging any voter to vote for or against any candidate.” According to Nally, the conduct also appears to violate the Cook County Ethics Ordinance.

The Cook County Inspector General has received copies of several videotapes, screenshots of the Board of Review website and Patlak’s political website, Facebook, and Twitter as well as various other statements, affidavits of witnesses that were all submitted to the Cook County State’s Attorney and Cook County Board of Ethics.

“This is an abuse of the public trust,” says Sean Morrison. “We need to demand more from our elected officials and Dan Patlak’s electioneering activities are dishonest at best and criminal at worst.”

Morrison Shames Patlak On Iraq, Latest Smear Campaign Lies

Republican businessman Sean Morrison has issued a one-time response to the smear campaign of his opponent incumbent tax commissioner Dan Patlak. Morrison says that Patlak’s smear campaign is a sign of “desperation” and will “say anything to get re-elected.”

Here is Mr. Morrison’s complete statement:

This extended letter is to address my opponent, tax commissioner Dan Patlak’s ongoing desperate smear campaign against me. To date, I have been accused by Patlak, his staffers, Ken Jocum and Israel Smith, and others in the Patlak campaign of no less than: being arrested for arson; being a super secret double agent Democratic operative collaborator; being a secret wartime profiteer; running a brothel; being in the adult film industry; operating front companies for the underworld; and the strange list goes on. Consequently, my attorneys are reviewing the statements and materials of Patlak and his staff for legal action.

In contrast, my strong criticisms of Mr. Patlak stem from how he has conducted himself as commissioner. He is hiding from the real issues of this campaign. He has resorted to slander, libel, and defamatory tactics so that he does not have to answer the serious questions about the $400,000 he has received from property tax attorneys and special interests or the electioneering investigation of him by the Cook County State’s Attorney, Inspector General, and the Cook County Board of Ethics. His dirty tactics reveal that he is no better than the machine Democrats he was elected to replace.

Let’s take tax commissioner Dan Patlak’s smears against me one by one:

My company’s work in Iraq: Tax commissioner Patlak and his paid hacks have also dared to question my company’s work in Iraq. Mr. Patlak is a bureaucrat; he knows absolutely nothing about Iraq and its dangerous conditions. The Fox News article Patlak forwarded in his email blast – was actually a positive piece about my company. He deliberately twisted the article for his campaign’s benefit.

Here are the facts: During Operation Iraqi Freedom, President Bush issued a call for help from U.S. security companies. My company, Morrison Security proudly answered that call. We didn’t need to – but we did. As part of our work in Iraq, my company facilitated twelve contracts for the Army Corp of Engineers and Department of Defense in addition to private security industries. This work involved rebuilding hospitals, and electric and water systems to name a few.

Most significantly, Morrison Security provided protection and escort for the canine explosives teams that needed to locate roadside bombs and other IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). We also provided security to Iraqi nationals who were deemed mission-critical to the U.S. intelligence-gathering efforts. But, again, I don’t expect bureaucrats to understand war.

There is no way to emphasize how dangerous this work is. More than 4,000 troops were killed and more than 17,000 U.S. troops were injured during Operation Iraqi Freedom and making casual statements about the war effort is an affront to the men and women who have put themselves in harms way in Iraq as well as to any right-minded conservative.

Tax commissioner Dan Patlak launches smear campaign against Morrison

During the week of February 16, 2012, incumbent tax commissioner Dan Patlak sent out an email full of inaccuracies to pro-family and Republican leaders in Cook County. He also set-up a dummy blog to distance himself from the smear campaign. But the phony blog and the letter involved deceitful personal attacks on Republican businessman Sean Morrison. So much for family values. Here is Mr. Morrison’s response to Patlak’s smear campaign:

Dear Fellow Conservative,

I am a Republican businessman and pro-family candidate who is running for Cook County Board of Review. My opponent, tax commissioner Dan Patlak’s campaign has decided to distort the facts in an effort to attack my personal character.  As a man of principle, I have decided it is necessary to respond in order to set the facts straight.  I hope that anyone that has helped spread tax commissioner Patlak’s falsehoods will, in fairness, be equally willing to distribute my response.

Tax commissioner Dan Patlak’s Chief of Staff at the Board of Review and Campaign Manager, Ken Jochum has questioned my pro-life beliefs as well as my respect for women.  These attacks could not be further from the truth.

Here are the facts:

-Throughout my career and life I have fought to protect women and helped to bring those that threaten them to justice.
-I received the LEADS 2011 Humanitarian Award for my work in solving missing persons and exploited children’s cases.  In my work I have helped to reunite dozens of families with their children and loved ones.
-I have worked with the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force to stop the exploitation of women and we have been successful in helping many victims. But there is much more work to do.
-I have worked with these and other causes pro-bono, in an effort to help the victims of these crimes and to prevent further victimization from taking place.
-I am a parishioner of our Lady of the Woods Catholic Church.
-My wife Lora is a nurse at Christ Hospital and together we are raising our two beautiful daughters.
-I am 100% pro-life and have, for many, many years, attended pro-life conferences. Over the years, I have also donated to pro-life organizations. Being pro-life is not just an election issue for me – it is a way of life.

I hope this helps set the record straight.  Tax commissioner Patlak is desperately trying to smear my character in an effort to distract from the real issues of this campaign.  Many questions have been raised which are directly related to tax commissioner Patlak’s responsibilities at the Board of Review, including:

– How can tax commissioner Patlak justify collecting over $400,000 from lawyers who practice before him at the Board of Review?
-How can tax commissioner Patlak be a credible voice of reform when he receives checks in excess of $5,000 from property tax attorneys representing Chicago commercial properties while in session?