Questions remain in '95 casino deal

Pat Durante's Aug. 13 letter to the editor attacking DuPage Democratic Chairman Bob Peickert is another diversionary attempt to dump blame and avoid the issue. After researching Pat Durante's claim against Bob Peickert, it's obvious Durante has stretched the truth and sidestepped a needed explanation about his own legal problems.

Peickert filed his reports late; that's it. The election commission found all of Peickert's documents to be in order. Durante, however, had a much more serious problem with the state authorities over his casino deal.

Here's some of what was reported in a March 29, 1995 article: "Court documents showed that Addison Township Republican Committeeman Patrick J. Durante and Itasca attorney James Schirott worked a deal with the Primadonna Resorts Inc. to receive about $10 million each over 20 years if the firm they represent secured a riverboat casino license in Illinois. Durante, an aide to Rep. Henry J. Hyde of Wood Dale, and Schirott, who represented Senate President James "Pate" Philip during the legislative remap battles several years ago, confirmed the payment arrangement."

And Durante is denying this? Another newspaper reported: "Documents from the DuPage lawsuit included invoices in which Schirott and Durante sought reimbursement for some of those donations from Primadonna - a violation of state election law." The article later stated: "The head of the Illinois Gaming Board said the $20 million is an 'excessive sum,' one so high that it suggests an effort to buy influence."

The boldness of Durante is shown in another part of the article that states: "'If a boat is going to make $50 (million) to $100 million a year... I'm making peanuts,' Durante said."

Read the reports.

Paul E. Sjordal

Naperville