Martin asks federal probe of Broadway National Bank

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:


MARTIN FILES FEDERAL CHARGES AGAINST BROADWAY
NATIONAL BANK, SEEKS TO OPEN TOPINKA/GIANNOULIAS
BANKING RECORDS TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY

(CHICAGO)(March 20, 2006) Republican gubernatorial candidate Andy Martin told a Chicago news conference today that he has filed a request for a federal investigation of Broadway National Bank (BNB) and its links to Judy Baar Topinka and the Giannoulias family. Martin released copies of his complaint to the Comptroller of the currency. [A copy of Martin’s letter to the Comptroller is attached to this release.]

Martin also noted that Topinka has refused to respond to his Freedom of Information request concerning her office’s links to BNB and a listing of other banks where Topinka deposits overnight funds. Martin said he is trying to prepare legal papers to sue Topinka for access to the State Treasurer’s office concerning BNB. [A copy of Martin’s letter to Topinka is attached to this release.]

“The BNB scandal is not going away,” Andy said. “My opponents are making a joke of the campaign process, proposing lotteries, making jokes about me, and in general making pests of themselves. I am the only candidate who is developing serious issues and pointing the way to a potentially explosive banking scandal in Illinois, involving everyone from the Crime Syndicate to Judy Topinka’s office to national Democratic Party bigwigs such as Barack Obama.

“Last week I was smeared by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which said there was ‘no evidence’ to back up my campaign claims. What jerks. I have asked for an apology. They were too lazy to look for the evidence or to ask me to provide them with leads. Well, here’s new proof that I am still the best investigative columnist in this city: The BNB scandal is going to percolate through the campaign season and, depending on the outcome of the primary Tuesday, is going to singe some mighty big fingers.

“The canaries are singing. It is music to my ears.

“Three or four of my opponents will disappear the day after the primary. I will still be at it, as candidate or columnist, fighting corruption in this city and state,” Martin said.

Media contact: Andy Martin Campaign Headquarters: (312) 440-4124.

BNB scandal documents are also being accumulated at: AlexiGiannoulias.blogspot.com.

ADDITIONAL CONTACTS:

Web: AndyforIllinois.com;
Blog: AndyontheIssues.blogspot.com;
E-mail: AndyforIllinois@aol.com;
Web: StopTopinka.us
Blog: JudyTopinka.blogspot.com
Blog: AlexiGiannoulias.blogspot.com

Ax Alexi Giannoulias for State Treasurer

ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEWS CONFERENCE:

ATTENTION: DAYBOOK/ASSIGNMENT EDITORS

*****************
MONDAY: CHICAGO
*****************

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

ANDY MARTIN BLASTS FORMER GOVERNOR JIM EDGAR FOR BANKROLLING TOPINKA “COMBINE” CAMPAIGN AND “CORRUPTION CARAVAN” ACROSS THE STATE MONDAY, SAYS EDGAR WAS ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH WHILE GEORGE RYAN CRIME WAVE TOOK PLACE IN THE CAPITOL

MARTIN PLANS LAWSUIT TO FORCE RELEASE OF TOPINKA TREASURER’S OFFICE BANK DATA INVOLVING OVERNIGHT DEPOSITS AND BROADWAY NATIONAL BANK, RENEWS CHARGE OF LINKS TO “MOBBED UP” BANKER ALEXI GIANNOULIAS

ANDY SAYS CRIME SYNDICATE IS USING GIANNOULIAS TO MAKE “THE BOLDEST GRAB FOR POWER IN ILLINOIS SINCE AL CAPONE TOOK OVER THE RACKETS DURING PROHIBITION”

“HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL” FORMER GOVERNOR IS “BLINDED TO THE REALITY OF 2006 CAMPAIGN; TOPINKA AND HE MAKE A PERFECT PAS DE DEUX” MARTIN SAYS

(CHICAGO)(March 20, 2006) Republican gubernatorial candidate Andy Martin will hold a Monday news conference in Chicago to blast former Governor Jim Edgar for bankrolling Judy Topinka’s “combine” campaign and election eve “corruption caravan” across the state. Martin asks the retired governor: “What do you know about the Broadway National Bank and its mob connections?”

“I think it is shameful the way Jim Edgar is bankrolling Judy’s Topinka’s ‘corruption caravan’ across the state on the eve of the election,” Martin will charge. “Jim Edgar was governor when George Ryan was looting the state in the Secretary of State’s office. Like Topinka, Edgar neither heard nor saw any corruption or misfeasance in Springfield during Ryan’s pre-gubernatorial years. How stupid could they be? And now Edgar supports Topinka’s election? The Combine stinks, and it has contempt for the people of Illinois. Edgar and Topinka? Just one dirty hand washing another.

“Edgar and Topinka are doing a pas de deux, the same way they were part of the Combine’s heyday during the 1990’s. Jim Edgar was blind to reality in the 1990’s; he is blind to reality in 2006. Voters are sick and tired of crooked politicians in both parties, and sick and tired of people such as Edgar that blind themselves to what is going on all around them.

“Today Illinois faces one of the boldest power plays by organized crime since the Al Capone era. Alexi Giannoulias and his mobbed-up family bank are trying to extend crime syndicate control right into the State Treasurer’s office. The media have been fooled; many Democrats have been fooled and big shots such as Obama and others have become patsies for Giannoulias.

“Topinka’s office has not yet responded to my Freedom of Information demands. I am preparing to file suit if they ignore my requests. This campaign against corruption will not end on March 21st,” Martin says. “It will end only when we throw the rascals out of the state capitol.”

Martin has launched a blog attacking Giannoulias and seeking to block Democrats from nominating someone with family ties to organized crime figures.

MEDIA CONTACT: Andy Martin Campaign (312) 440-4124

CHICAGO NEWS CONFERENCE DETAILS:

WHO: REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE ANDY MARTIN

WHERE: Chicago, SE Corner of Huron and Wabash Streets
(St. James Cathedral)

WHEN: Monday, March 20, 2006 2:00 P. M.

WHAT: ANDY MARTIN ATTACKS FORMER GOVERNOR JIM EDGAR FOR
BANKROLLING TOPINKA’S “CORRUPTION CARAVAN” ACROSS THE
STATE, SAYS CRIME SYNDICATE IS MAKING BOLD POWER PLAY
WITH ALEXI GIANNOULIAS AS TREASURER CANDIDATE TO
SUCCEED TOPINKA

ADDITIONAL CONTACTS:

Web: AndyforIllinois.com;
Blog: AndyontheIssues.blogspot.com;
E-mail: AndyforIllinois@aol.com;
Web: StopTopinka.us
Blog: JudyTopinka.blogspot.com
Blog: AlexiGiannoulias.blogspot.com