I donno.... I mean this is just too obvious. SURELY SOMEBODY ELSE sees this???!!!
With all of the bank closures, all of the bank bailouts, all of the jobs being lost... and then a Governor says he will suspend all his dealing with THE bank, Bank of AMERICA, until there is a resolution to the stand off is concluded to protect the workers ...
"Roughly 200 employees of a shuttered Chicago factory who refuse to leave their jobs continued getting some high-profile help Monday, but discussions to end the four-day sit-in ended without resolution."
Then the Governor says he will have the state's agencies stop working with the Bank of America (the Bank involved) until the workers are paid... THEN...
Bank of America, that got SO MUCH of our hard earned tax money by simply squeezing out ONE TEAR>>>> then BANGO!!!! the Governor is in a mess up to his ears!!!
You know what I say,.... "HA!" That guy tread on some toes and tampered with someone's money." This time the stories are TOO close together.... they just did not let it touch the ground.
Well, let's look at the stories.... because this one BEGS your attention.
Story one:
Workers at Republic Windows and Doors are on Day 3 of their sit-in occupation of the factory at 1333 N. Hickory, which was to be closed down when Bank of America refused to extend a line of credit to the company, despite taking $25 Billion of the bank bailout money (which was supposed to be for credit to keep businesses operating).
Then story two:
Roughly 200 employees of a shuttered Chicago factory who refuse to leave their jobs continued getting some high-profile help Monday, but discussions to end the four-day sit-in ended without resolution.
Rep. Luis Gutierrez says he's "relatively optimistic" following a round of talks between Republic Windows & Doors and Bank of America.
U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez and State Treasurer Alexi Gianoulias entered talks with Republic Windows & Doors and its prime lender, Bank of America, hoping to end the standoff that began Friday
Story three:
Earlier in the day, Gov. Rod Blagojevich said he believed that if Republic wouldn't do business in that facility, at 1333 N. Hickory Ave., then someone else should, using Republic's workers.
"We're going to do everything possible here in Illinois to side with these workers," Blagojevich said.
Stating that the state has "hundreds of millions of dollars" in dealings with the bank, Blagojevich threatened Bank of America with future state business unless the lender stepped up its assistance.
"We have contacted all of our agencies across state government, and as of now, every agency has been ordered to suspend doing any business with the Bank of America," Blagojevich said. "The Bank of America received $25 billion in taxpayer money as part of the financial bailout. This is exactly and precisely the kind of thing that isn't right when, on the one hand, powerful special interests get the help of taxpayer money to bail them out -- the banks -- and yet the purpose of that money was supposed to be to provide a line of credit to businesses like this, to keep workers working, and keep people employed. And yet the Bank of America has yet to step up and say that they're going to be helpful to this company and keep these workers working."
Story four:
Chris Swecker, assistant director of the FBI's criminal investigative division, leads the Integrity Committee. It also includes the head of the Office of Special Counsel, the director of the Office of Government Ethics and several sitting inspectors general.
Story five:
Bank of America has hired Chris Swecker, assistant director of the Criminal Investigative Division and acting executive assistant director for Law Enforcement Services at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to lead its Corporate Security organization. Swecker, who has announced his retirement at the FBI, will transition his bureau responsibilities over the next several months and join Bank of America in July.
Story six:
Bank of America isn’t empowered to tell a company how to manage its business, spokeswoman Julie Westermann said yesterday. Republic is unable to operate profitably in the current economy, she said.
"Bank of America has worked with the company and shared our concerns about the company’s situation and its operations for the past several months," she said. "It is unfortunate that the company has been unable to reverse its declining circumstances."
Robert Topel, a labor and economics professor at the University of Chicago, said it’s "just silly" that a governor or member of Congress would seek to "micro-manage" a business.
"What does Chris Dodd know about running an auto company?" Topel asked. "Is Bank of America supposed to pick and choose which line of credit they want to keep open based on political pressure? It’s not Bank of America’s obligation to make sure the employer has funds to pay its employees."
And now,
CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents on federal corruption charges alleging that they and others are engaging in ongoing criminal activity: conspiring to obtain personal financial benefits for Blagojevich by leveraging his sole authority to appoint a United States Senator; threatening to withhold substantial state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members sharply critical of Blagojevich; and to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for official actions – both historically and now in a push before a new state ethics law takes effect January 1, 2009.
I donno.... I think EVERYONE knew about Blagojevich's bad behavior. It just took his stand on Bank of America's MONEY TREE to get his little tookas thrown in the hooskow.....
So, let me get this straight.... Ex FBI agent can still get someone's house wire for sound???? Huh??? Or, he can say, "Democrat!!" and the ol' Repug's are ready..... Or, if it comes to a BANK's MONEY... to HELL with everyone else!!!!..... wait...
Story seven:
The plant's owners, union leaders and Bank of America reached the agreement Wednesday and it was put to a vote of the workers that night.
Bank of America spokeswoman Julie Westermann says the company loaned $1.35 million. Gutierrez says New York-based JPMorgan Chase added $400,000.
Did it all work out in the end..... I don't think so.... do YOU????