As the race for congress in the 6th congressional district heats up between Congressman Peter Roskam (R) and Jill Morgenthaler (D), disturbing revelations of Morgenthaler's connections to convicted felon Tony Rezko are coming to light.
While Morgenthaler originally claimed she never met Rezko, she now admits to writing a letter advocating for his (Rezko's) company, Companion Security. She also worked on the project advocating for Companion Security for at least seven weeks, (see time line below) and now admits to at least one meeting with Companion Security officials, during which it is difficult to believe that Rezko’s name did not come up.
Morgenthaler claims that she conducted research into Companion Security prior to writing the letter advocating for the company, and found no Rezko connection. However, even the most cursory research would show that this is a shady company:
- A Google search on Daniel Frawley, Rezko's partner and “front man” for Companion Security, shows a $750,000 lawsuit against him.
- The address for Companion Security is Frawley’s sister’s house in La Grange.
- The lawyer Companion security uses is Daniel Mahru, who is well-documented as being Rezko’s partner since the 1990’s. A Google search on his name with Rezko’s yields 2400 references.
- A search of Illinois business licenses shows no records for Companion Security.
- Additionally, the Sun Times turned up $4.5 million loan Frawley defaulted on, as well as a civil case in which he owes money.
Either Morgenthaler was cognizant of the connection and is denying it now, or was in the midst of a maelstrom of corruption and was blissfully unaware.
COMPANION SECURITY/MORGENTHALER TIMELINE
September 2003
Chicago resident Ayham al-Samaraie, an Iraqi/American dual citizen and
college buddy of Tony Rezko, is appointed to the post of Electricity
Minster of Iraq.
October 16, 2003
Daniel Frawley, Rezko’s partner in Companion Security, is sued for $750,000 by Nova Chemicals.
Source: public records at http://www.assetprotectionbook.com/IL_Nova-Frawley_2003.htm
January 2005
Tony Rezko's company Rezmar Corp. is hired to build a 200- to
300-megawatt electricity generating facility in the northern Iraqi city
of Chamchamal.
Source: Sun Times at http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/826685,CST-NWS-rezkofile120320.stng
April 18, 2005
Iraqi Electricity Minister Ayham al-Samaraie gives a $50 million
security contract to Companion Security, a company owned by his college
friend Tony Rezko and former Chicago police officer Daniel Frawley.
Source: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/499796,CST-NWS-rezko07.stng
May 2005
Ayham al-Samaraie leaves the Iraqi government.
May 26, 2005
Chicago Tribune writes a story (one of many at this time) detailing
suspicions about Rezko’s connections with Blagojevich, including
references to Daniel Mahru, Rezko’s partner since at least the 1990s.
Mahru is the attorney for Companion Security, according to the Sun
Times.
Source on Mahru: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/499796,CST-NWS-rezko07.stng
September 27, 2005
New Electricity Minister Muhsen Shallal announces his ministry was “a
hideout for corruption” under his predecessor Ayham al-Samarrai. He
says he has discovered ‘fake contracts” worth hundreds of millions of
dollars.
Source: Azzaman.com http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2005-09-27\10533.htm
March 2006
Companion Security seeks help from Illinois politicians to revive its contract with the Iraq Ministry of Electricity.
Source: Sun Times http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/499796,CST-NWS-rezko07.stng
April 26, 2006
Blagojevich chief of staff John Harris directs deputy chief of staff
Jill Morgenthaler in an email to find "a military site for the training
of Iraqi police forces.'
Source: Sun Times at http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/499796,CST-NWS-rezko07.stng
April 27, 2006
Maureen Frawley, Daniel’s sister, calls police to report $100k in cash
belonging to her brother and several guns stolen from her La Grange
house, which is also the address used for Companion Security’s HQ.
Source: Forest Park Review
http://forestparkreview.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=38&ArticleID=1504&TM=83207.85
April 29, 2006
Maureen Frawley calls police back and says the $100k has turned back
up. When police arrive, the cash is once again gone, supposedly taken
by Daniel Frawley to his lawyer.
Source: Forest Park Review
http://forestparkreview.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=38&ArticleID=1504&TM=83207.85
June 12, 2006
Morgenthaler writes a letter to Companion and several Iraqi government
ministers saying that if Companion can show a letter of intent from the
Iraqi government to do business with Companion, the State of Illinois
will lease them the Savannah Army Depot. The letter also invites
Companion officials to tour the depot.
Source: letter, attached
June 2006
Jill Morgenthaler travels to meet with representatives of Companion
Security and the Iraqi Electricity Minister. The Electricity Minister
reportedly doesn’t show. Morgenthaler says “I don’t know if he went
back that morning, or what happened, but he wasn’t there.”
Morgethaler’s travel reimbursement claim, which presumably would be
filled out after the travel takes place, apparently lists the meeting
with the Iraqi Electricity Minister as reason for travel. Morgenthaler
is unsure as to whether this is the former electricity minister
(al-Samarrai) or the current electricity minister.
Source: Chicago Tribune Editorial Board video at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ 49:50
August 8, 2006
Forest Park police announce that federal authorities are investigating the Maureen Frawley home burglary.
Source: Forest Park Review
http://forestparkreview.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=38&ArticleID=1504&TM=83207.85
October 12, 2006
Tony Rezko indicted.
October 2006
Ayham al-Samaraie convicted of corruption and imprisoned in Iraq.
December 18, 2006
Ayham al-Samaraie escapes from an Iraqi prison with the help of
expatriate security contractors he once employed as Electricity
Minister.
Source: MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16264322/
August 7, 2007
The Chicago Sun-Times breaks a story on Companion’s link to Blagojevich’s office.
Source: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/499796,CST-NWS-rezko07.stng
September 14, 2008
When asked about her relationship with Rezko, Morgenthaler says “Never met the rascal, never took any money from him.”
Source: WBBM “At Issue” http://www.wbbm780.com/pages/213.php
October 1, 2008
Morgenthaler admits to writing a letter on behalf of Companion Security.
Source: Chicago Tribune Editorial Board
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ 44:50
“I received this, I did some research, found nothing, you know, to stop me from going forward.”
Transcript of Morgenthaler’s Denial of Meeting with Ayham al-Samarrai
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ 49:50
TEB: “What Iraqi official did you meet with in June.”
JM: “I didn’t… I didn’t meet with any Iraqi officials.”
TEB: “Um… the Iraq Minister of Electricity.”
JM: “There was supposed to be a meeting, he wasn’t there. I just met with the retired police officers.”
TEB: “You claimed travel for it.”
JM: “I traveled to meet with him, he wha… he did not arrive.”
TEB: “He did not arrive.”
JM: “He was not there.”
TEB: “So the meeting didn’t take place.”
JM: “It just took place with the representatives of the company. The meeting took place but the Iraqi… I don’t know if he went back that morning, or what happened, but he wasn’t there.”
TEB: “Who exactly was it that you are supposed to meet with? Who was that Iraqi minister of electricity.”
JM: “I don’t remember his name.”
TEB: “Was it the current one?”
JM: “It was supposed… it was supposed… it was supposed to be the current one.”
TEB: “Not Al Sammarie?”
JM: “No it was supposed to be the current one, who came after him.”
