What a way to end a career in public office. Another African American politician has been charged with a crime and it is quite embarrassing that we are constantly confronted with these issues lately. The latest charges of fraud and corruption by an elected official comes to us courtesy of Chicago’s ex-Alderman Arenda Troutman (20th).
After she was charged with corruption in early 2007, Ald. Arenda Troutman (20th) defiantly denied wrongdoing and suggested she had been targeted for political reasons. She was spewing a lot of trash-talk when she was charged in 2007. Then she told the Chicago Tribune that “folk in my community understand there can be false allegations when there is someone who is the voice of the people.” Funny, yesterday in court she was a completely different person.Troutman, dressed in a colorful summer dress despite the rather somber occasion, nodded and quietly answered “yes” when a federal judge asked her if she had accepted illegal payments. According tot he Chicago Tribune, she likely faces about four to five years in prison after she pleaded guilty to one felony count each of mail fraud and tax fraud. U.S. District Judge Ruben Castillo scheduled sentencing for December 3. Guess who won’t be having a Merry Christmas?
The startling revelation is that she becomes the 12th Chicago alderman to be convicted of wrongdoing in the last 20 years, but the first since Percy Giles (37th) in 1999. Chicago isn’t the only city with its share of criminal wrongdoing, but that is a startling statistic, nonetheless.
According to the Tribune, prosecutors detailed the evidence against Troutman, including conversations that an undercover informant recorded as part of the FBI sting that snared her. In one exchange, the alderman promised to smooth the way for a development but then asked, “What do I get out of it?” In another infamous quote that was caught on tape and later drew scorn from council colleagues, Troutman compared politics in Chicago to prostitution.”Most aldermen, most politicians are hos,” she said. Boy, did they lay a trap for this idiot and she walked right into it. Loose lips sink ships!
In her plea agreement, which was 33 pages long, Troutman admitted it was “the general practice” of her office to direct staffers to solicit donations from developers seeking to do business in the 20th Ward. Prosecutors laid out payoffs totaling $21,500 in the document.Whether it was to change zoning, allow alley access or approve the sale of city-owned property, Troutman made it clear her support “would either not be forthcoming or would be delayed” if she weren’t paid, the plea agreement said.
The sad reality is that the people 20th Ward, which includes some of the city’s poorest and most crime-ridden neighborhoods, got robbed by this woman. Some community leaders said Troutman held up important redevelopment projects, but she responded that critics were promoting “the scourge of gentrification.”
Quite frankly, I am sick and tired of these elected officials pulling the wool over their constituents eyes, only to line their pockets. Ms. Troutman could have done so much good for the 20th Ward, but greed and self-aggrandizement were primary in her book. I hope she’ll be locked away for a long time.
Filed under: Arenda Troutman, Chicago's 20th Ward, Fraud Charges
Black Political Thought 