Greek News Responds to the Trib’s Piece on Giannoulias

Pointing out how far of a reach most of it was and laying it at the feet of Rahm:

I’m reprinting it all because is one of the best attacks on crappy journalism I’ve read in some time:

Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias became the target of a dirty campaign as he moves on to his bid for the U.S. Senate. Local Chicago daily “Chicago Tribune” is trying to involve the 33 year old Greek American in a case of intervention in favor of a Greek American student, to be accepted in the University of Illinois.

There has been no communication between Alexi Giannoulias and the University of Illinois, but according to the Chicago Tribune, “internal campus documents released last week, show that Giannoulias’ adviser Endy Zemenides sent information about the student to U. of I. Provost Linda Katehi (also a Greek American) in February 2008. He e-mailed from his law office, but copied his “Alexi for Illinois” campaign address on the exchange.”

Endy Zemenides categorically denied any involvement of Alexi Giannoulias in the issue and in a statement to the Chicago Tribune (the newspaper printed only a small part” he said:

“I am a personal friend of the student’s father and know him through the Greek community, in which I hold several leadership positions. I made a simple inquiry on the student’s admission status while she was on the wait list. I did not, have not, and would not represent that I was inquiring on behalf of the Treasurer for this student or anyone else.”

The Chicago Tribune article is arbitrarily trying to connect Zemenides’ recommendation to Greek Orthodox priest Fr Alex Karloutsos and Greek American billionaire Michael Jaharis, who contributed to the Giannoulias campaign $20,000, during a fundraiser event held in New York last June.

According to the “Tribune”, “the student’s father reached out to Zemenides at the urging of Rev. Alexander Karloutsos, a Greek Orthodox priest who frequently lends his support and extensive Rolodex to political candidates. Karloutsos, who lives in New York, told the Tribune he has known the student her entire life, having introduced her parents, married them and performed her baptism.”

Although the student’s father has not made a personal campaign contribution to Giannoulias, the “Chicago Tribune” is trying to built a case through the relationship between Fr Karloutsos and Michael Jaharis.
“A month after the student’s scheduled admission, the article points out, Karloutsos attended a Giannoulias fundraising event in New York with several other deep-pocketed Greek contributors. The campaign collected at least $120,000 that night, documents show. Karloutsos acknowledges he had introduced Giannoulias to several prominent guests, including billionaire Michael Jaharis who gave him $20,000 at the event, according to campaign records.”

But Jaharis – as he told the audience during his speech at the event – met Alexi Giannoulias in 2006 – two years BEFORE this “inquiry” – and had been a supporter of Alexi’s from the beginning. In addition the fundraiser was neither hosted by Father Alex nor did he contribute money. The main hosts were in fact prominent Greek Americans who have supported virtually every Greek American candidate.
“Greek News” that covered the event, wrote on June 23, 2008:

“Michael Jaharis, a Greek American billionaire and Vice Chairman of the Archdiocesan Council speaks very randomly in public about public figures. Last Thursday he spoke very warmly about a breakfast he had two years ago with a very young man from Illinois, recommended to him by father Alex Karloutsos.
‘All he was talking was about a Senator that I haven’t heard of, Barack Obama. Listening to him I saw his strength and his character. And my instinct told me that Alexi Giannoulias would do a lot and I know that he has already accomplished a lot.’

Jaharis praised the role of the Hellenes and Hellenism in our civilization and the western world and expressed hope that everyone must make sure that Alexi Giannoulias is well supported, because he has a chance to accomplish much more.”

STRANGE COINCIDENCE
Although people close to Alexi Giannoulias see in the story of the “Chicago Tribune” “just a case of bad journalism”, prominent Greek Americans in Washington raise the possibility of the involvement of Rahm Emmanuel, White House Chief of Staff, was behind an effort to clean up the field of the Democratic nominees for the U.S. Senate seat, in favor of the Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

According to a prominent Greek American, Emmanuel’s subversive tactics against Giannoulias and in favor of Madigan, started immediately after he became Obama’s chief of staff. His efforts were reported to prominent Greek Americans by a member of Congress.

Ten days ago, while Greek American leaders were attending a White House event, they pointed out to Rahm Emmanuel their interest on Giannoulias and they made an issue (along with Cyprus) to President Obama.
The following day, Obama’s senior advisor David Axelrod called Giannoulias on the phone, reassuring him on behalf of the President that the White House will stay neutral in the Illinois senatorial campaign.
Giannoulias’ campaign reported on March 30th one million dollars in contributions, an amount that is expected to be almost doubled in the latest filling, June 30th.

Greek Americans around the country have shown their support to Alexi Giannoulias and discard the “cheap tricks” used against him.

“As a former member of Congress and a Jewish American, Rahm Emmanuel should know better how many similar letters has signed himself for his constituents”, a prominent member of the Greek Lobby said, adding that “there is nothing wrong in trying to help our own people”.

“The only mistake Endy Zemenides did, was to copy the wrong e-mail. We are very thankful to someone trying to help young Greek Americans”, he added.

According to the Chicago Tribune article, “more than 800 U. of I. undergraduate applicants received special consideration because of their ties to powerful patrons during the last five years”.

But, they decided just to pinpoint on the case that involved Greek Americans.

George Athanson the late Mayor of Hartford Connecticut was once questioned by a reporter who accusing of “favoring Greeks”.

“So, the reporter asked him, if someone is qualified for the position and he is a Greek American, that means you hire him?”

“That’s lie”, Athanson replied. “If he is Greek, I will hire him anyway”.

That Greek-Americans donated to a Greek American candidate is a dog bites man story.  It’s an incredibly close community.  If you recall Vallas raised a lot of money from the Greek American community in 2002–which is the only way he stayed at all competitive given he was a bad fundraiser.

It should be a scandal that Alexi’s campaign got two pages online compared to less than a full page for the far more cases where direct intervention was done by a politician or U of I board member.

Or in easier terms for those who love movies:

You know, the root of the word Miller is a Greek word. Miller come from the Greek word “milo,” which is mean “apple,” so there you go. As many of you know, our name, Portokalos, is come from the Greek word “portokali,” which mean “orange.” So, okay? Here tonight, we have, ah, apple and orange. We all different, but in the end, we all fruit.