From the Daily Herald:

Former GOP leader Daniels now just going about his life
By Eric Krol
Daily Herald Political Writer
May 06, 2007


For a time a couple years ago, a week didn't go by without the political rumor mill loudly buzzing with word that former House Republican leader Lee A. Daniels was about to be indicted.

Now, as he settles into life after the General Assembly, it appears all but certain that Daniels, 65, will not be charged after a five-year federal probe into allegations state employees under his control illegally worked on campaigns.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's office isn't commenting — the days when the feds would send a letter formally telling a target they were in the clear have been over for decades.

But Daniels' attorney has told him to "go about your life," and a check of court filings shows the statute of limitations has run out on much of what authorities were probing.

While he's not bandying about words like "vindication," Daniels sounds like a politician who came out the other side of the wringer, bruised but with freedom intact.

"It has been difficult at times, but what carried me through was the fact that I knew that I had done nothing wrong and that eventually this would work out," Elmhurst's Daniels told the Daily Herald in a voice mail responding to a request for comment. "As you know, matters like this enter with a great big bang and die with a whisper, and there's never anything further said on it."

Beyond that, a party to honor Daniels was held a couple months ago, where word circulated about the apparent lack of charges against him.

Rise and fall

In November 2001, Daniels had watched his political fortunes rebound after failing to hold the majority in the Illinois House any longer than two years despite an electoral map drawn to greatly aid him. Daniels snared the long-coveted post of Illinois Republican Party chairman, adding that title to his House GOP leader position which gave him a seat at the table in Springfield.

Then the revelation struck in June 2002 that his House Republican operation was under federal investigation. Daniels quickly was ousted from his state party chairmanship, and shortly thereafter, was toppled from his job as House leader. Eventually, Daniels even parted ways with Bell Boyd and Lloyd, the large Chicago law firm that had named him partner. The reputation for arrogance he'd developed meant the leash was very short indeed.

Daniels stayed in the General Assembly through the end of last year, draining his campaign funds on legal defenses for himself and others to the tune of at least $1.1 million. It was money that otherwise could have been converted to personal use in retirement.

Ryan ties hurt

The aforementioned rumor mill ran rampant as former Gov. George Ryan, a Daniels ally, and Scott Fawell, Ryan's former chief of staff, were found guilty of corruption charges.

"In the court of the legal system, you're innocent until proven guilty," said Gregg Durham, Daniels' spokesman. "In the court of public opinion, the opposite is true."

The reason behind that public assumption could be found in prosecutors' filings in both the Ryan and Fawell cases. Authorities alleged that in 1996, Daniels cut a deal with Ryan and Fawell to have secretary of state employees under their control work on House GOP campaigns as Daniels tried to keep control of the chamber.

At the Ryan trial, Ryan's attorneys tried to block Fawell from testifying Daniels knew some of his campaign staff were state workers.

Speculation about Daniels' fate was further fueled by the indictment two years ago of Michael Tristano, his one-time chief of staff. Tristano was accused of using a number of ways to disguise that state workers were being paid by taxpayers to campaign for House Republican candidates.

Ultimately, Tristano pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. In the plea agreement, prosecutors stated Tristano "reported to and took direction from Lee Daniels."

Tristano, whose wife, Sandra, is a Cook County judge at the Rolling Meadows courthouse, is serving a year sentence in Oxford, Wis., and is scheduled to be released July 14, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Typically, prosecutors wait to ask a judge to sentence someone who's cooperating until after they testify to ensure maximum cooperation. That didn't happen with Tristano.

At Tristano's sentencing, prosecutors acknowledge his illegal conduct stopped in December 2001. The statute of limitations in most federal cases is five years.

"Under the statute of limitations, I don't see how charges can be brought," said Tom Breen, Daniels' attorney. "I've told Mr. Daniels I don't see any prosecution for anything. It seems to me the passage of time has borne that out. … I told Lee 'go about your life.'"

Under Fitzgerald, the U.S. attorney's office isn't known for giving people a pass if they think someone broke the law. There's also that old maxim in law enforcement: cases tend not to get better as they get older.

Starting anew

His friends say the federal investigation definitely impacted Daniels. "Anyone who says there isn't a huge toll in these things is kidding themselves," Durham said.

Addison Township GOP committeeman Pat Durante, a longtime Daniels ally, argues the fallout "still lingers. Lee had a shot for Congress" — a reference to the seat Henry Hyde gave up last year.

Earlier this year, Daniels was a guest at a party held in his honor at a hotel on the McDonald's campus in Oak Brook.

Durante, who served as master of ceremonies, said hundreds of people showed up — even Daniels' longtime friendly rival, former Republican state Senate President James "Pate" Philip of Wood Dale.

Since leaving the legislature after 32 years, Daniels started an Elmhurst commercial real estate firm that bears his name. "I've got a great life. Four grandchildren and a wonderful wife," Daniels said on the voice mail. "I have no complaints and look forward to the future."