McHenry County Blog

A press release has been received from 8th congressional district Republican candidate Steve Greenberg calling for a Federal investigation into "Bean's work on behalf of foreign interests."

Previously, the Republican challenger caused a stir by pointing out that incumbent Melissa Bean's middle name,“Luburich,” was Serbian.

It was right after a Cincinnati talk radio host Bill Cunningham had used Barack Obama's middle name in introduced John McCain to a rally.

Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn criticized Greenberg on March 9th. Here's what he wrote about Greenberg's use of Bean's maiden name:

“Steve Greenberg, the Republican candidate in the 8th U.S. Congressional District this November, recently sent out a news release referring to his opponent, the Democratic incumbent, as 'Melissa Luburich Bean.'

“Bean does not generally use 'Luburich,' her Serbian maiden name, and the Greenberg campaign was not shy about admitting that they used it to draw attention to her opposition to independence for the Serbian province of Kosovo.

“Bean's spokesman Jonathan Lipman blasted Greenberg for the injection of 'ethnically and religiously divisive' rhetoric, and I saw shades of the appeal to bigotry inherent in the intonation of 'Barack Hussein Obama.'

"'Lurburich' indeed. Shame on you, Greenberg.”

I sent Zorn the new press release.

Today Greenberg points out that a foreign national, Serbian Consul General to Chicago Desko Nikitovic, is hosting a $1,000 fundraiser for Bean at his home.

Although I ran for unsuccessfully for Congress in 1980, my knowledge of Federal campaign law is rudimentary. I do remember President Bill Clinton's getting into trouble for taking Chinese money. So, I assume it is illegal to accept donations from foreigners.

Whether the Serbian Consul General contributes any cash or not, he certainly seems to be making a contribution in-kind.

Even if he is paid something for the use of a Chicago home, I would bet he doesn't allow just anyone to use it for United States political purposes.

Can you image the furor if Senator Obama held a fund raiser at an Arab consul's home?

Here's today's press release:

Serbian Government Repays Congresswoman Melissa Bean for her Chief Sponsorship of Pro-Serbian Resolution, H. Res. 445

Fundraiser tonight (3/17) at the home of Serbian Consul General

Independent Reformer Greenberg calls for Federal Investigation
of Bean's work on behalf of foreign interests

LAKE ZURICH 3/17/08- Serbian Caucus Co-Chair Melissa Bean sells access to Serbian government official for campaign dollars. Melissa Bean's campaign is charging a minimum of $1000 per person for a dinner at the home of Desko Nikitovic.

According to both the U.S. State Department and the Serbian Government, Mr. Nikitovic serves as the Serbian Consul General to Chicago.

The main draw to Ms. Bean's fundraiser is access to Mr. Nikitovic, a Serbian foreign national, whose government has recently recalled its U.S. Ambassador in protest of American recognition of Kosovo.

"Last month the Serbian government stood by while extremists set ablaze the American embassy in Belgrade. Recently the Serbian Government removed their ambassador to the United States in response to U.S. recognition of Kosovo as an independent nation 3.

"Congresswoman Melissa Bean is flagrantly working on behalf of foreign interests, against the interests of the United States.

"This is an outrage and today I am asking for an investigation of Ms. Bean's activities as an agent for a foreign government", said independent reformer Steve Greenberg, the GOP nominee in Illinois' 8th district.

Melissa Bean is the chief sponsor of H. Res 445 which stands against America's recognition of independence for Kosovo and Bean shares the same stance as Vladimir Putin4.

As a reward for Bean sponsoring this legislation, her campaign now gets to have fundraising events at the home of the Serbian Consul General, and she has received over $24,000 from the leadership Serbian Unity Congress who have in addition to hosting Melissa Bean at their conferences, denied the Srebrenica Genocide, denounced America, stated that the United States is responsible for making up a 'Holohoax' in Kosovo and that indicted war criminal Ratko Mladic, a General under Slobodan Milosevic, 'was fighting terrorists'5.

"It is illegal to accept contributions from foreign nationals and it is also illegal to use a foreign national's assistance to funnel campaign funds to Members of Congress. Steve Greenberg is asking the FBI, Justice Department, House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, and the Federal Election Commission to investigate this matter.

"Congresswoman Bean has shown by her own actions that she is more in line with the Serbian government priorities than American priorities.

"We ask that Ms. Bean cancel her illegal and unethical fundraiser at the home of the Serbian Consul General of Chicago, withdraw her resolution that stands against America, return the over $24,000 she taken from the Serbian Unity Congress which has denounced America and denies genocide in the Balkans", said Greenberg Campaign Manager Brad Goodman.

Greenberg continued, "We need real reform in Washington, not a Member of Congress taking campaign money from foreign interests and then lobbying for those same foreign interests in Congress. This investigation needs to start now."

Labels: American Serbian Unity Conference, Desko Nikitovic, H.R. 455, Melissa Bean, Serbia, Steve Greenberg