El-Amin
Missouri state Rep. T.D. El-Amin today pleaded guilty to a bribery charge in federal court. He faces between 18 and 24 months in prison.
He pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe of $2,100 from the owner of a gas station. After the hearing he announced his resignation.
The federal investigation may not be over. El-Amin’s case apparently involves an unnamed St. Louis city alderman, who had tried to shut down the gas station. And El-Amin told the business owner that a city department head might need to be greased, according to testimony.
Also, El-Amin was worried about bugs in his office, so he communicated bribes in handwritten notes, it was revealed today.
Earlier in the hearing, El-Amin told the judge he has been prescribed Xanax for stress. Yaphett El-Amin, T.D.’s wife and former state representative herself, is sitting in the second row as the proceedings continue.
Sentencing was set for Dec. 14. See video after the hearing here.
El-Amin is the third St. Louis area Democratic member of the state Legislature in the last month to face corruption charges in federal court. El-Amin’s district includes a stretch of northwest St. Louis.
Then-state Sen. Jeff Smith and Rep. Steve Brown both resigned after pleading guilty to federal corruption charges last month.
While not a member of party leadership, El-Amin showed a flair for high-profile legislation during his time in the state Legislature.
Two years ago, El-Amin sought regulations on the sale of baking soda, which is used to make crack cocaine.
In the most recent session, El-Amin sponsored a push to restrict cell phone use while driving and a bill that would allow certain nonviolent criminal offenders to serve their term with the National Guard instead of in prison.
He also has led an effort to rename a portion of Interstate 70, currently Mark McGwire Highway, for the late John F. Bass, a former state senator and city comptroller.
Sinewy with a slender frame, El-Amin worked for more than a dozen years at the Ford plant in Hazelwood.
In Jefferson City, El-Amin earned a reputation as a lawmaker who could work across the aisle, particularly on school choice legislation. In 2007, wealthy retired financier Rex Sinquefield, one of the state’s most prominent charter school proponents, donated $40,000 to El-Amin’s campaign fund.
Still, court records suggest El-Amin had personal financial woes. A collection agency recently sued El-Amin for about $13,000 in debt.
According to his House biography, El-Amin and his wife have five children.
El-Amin’s father-in-law, Eddie Hasan, is currently in federal prison on tax evasion charges. Hasan ran a minority contracting consulting group, MoKan.
Today’s hearing would appear to be further evidence that federal officials are ratcheting up their corruption investigation of local elected officials.
At City Hall, License Collector Michael McMillan has acknowledged an agent of the U.S. Treasury Department — which includes the IRS — requested personal financial documents from him. In Clayton, St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley angrily denied his office was the subject of an investigation after a top aide, Darin Cline, abruptly resigned this week.
Cline acknowledged that he has tax issues. In July, the IRS issued a $493,000 tax lien against him.
It’s unclear whether any of the cases are related, or whether they are part of a larger crackdown on political corruption.
John Gillies, the head of the FBI’s St. Louis office, said recently that corruption investigations are on the rise, due in part to an increase in reporting.
Gillies, who set up a special corruption squad when he came to St. Louis two years ago, has been promoted to head the bureau’s Miami office. He leaves next month.
Previous Comments
My goodnes, do you mean to tell me that they caught a Democrat office holder who was dishonest?. Who would have thought of such a thing?.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
They all take bribes in the form of campaign contributions or straight out bribes. Chris Dodd changes legislation to give out bonuses, flat out lies to the public and he is still a major player in health care reform, finance and energy policy. I have no problem with this man going to jail. When is the public going to put the rest of them there?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Steve,
I couldn’t agree with you more. Dem/Rep doesn’t matter, your elected to serve the people,period.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I think it is pathetic, the people who jump to conclusion about another’s character without walking in their shoes. The job of politician is kind of thankless, is a pain in the neck, you deal with low IQ people, (like many of the posters). The system is inherently flawed to have to spend $300,000 in a campaign to get a job making in this case $31,300. I believe all of those who have posted should put their actions where their typing fingers are, and run for office. Until you do you have nothing to say. Put up or shut up, show us how smart you really are….I challenge you, come on. Oh, I know hide behind your anomosity, any small person can do that. Come on, got what it takes? Show us your stuff big talkers!
I can not condone bribery and am sad that this is person chosen this path, but I have to give him kudos to have the b**ls to step up to the plate, unlike some of the cowards who spew their venom in this blog.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Part of his sentencing should be sitting for a few hours in a room with Mark McGwire. For all he railed against McGwire’s morality, and the disappointment he created by cheating, he seems to have fallen down a similar path.
Hypocrite.
If you think your office is bugged, stop doing illegal things. And making it public record that you have been prescribed Xanax for stress? There are real people that use Xanax for different anxiety and panic disorders. What you are doing by making that statement is weak. Accept responsibility for your actions, and apologize to your family.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
The story said that he announced his resignation, but was it from politics or being a state rep.?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
This is nothing, they are all crooks starting with Mr. Gillies he is more culpable than all the rest. How many crimes have I told you John. still no indictments, why is that?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Eddie is in jail, Yaphett got fined last year by the Missouri Ethics Commission and now T.D. got caught…..and yet MOKAN can still get air time. These folks feel that they are truly entitled to something, mainly not having to work. Unfortunately, no one will stand up and tell them to shut up and sit down. Yea, T.D. maybe worked at the Ford Plant, but he would then come sleep at the airport, drawing two paychecks.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
corruption and greed permeate st louis and mo politics. there are too many office holders out to satisfy–not the voters==but their own high style lives. in st louis, opposition to democtrat office holders is non=existent. so . they answer to no one in what they do. a sad state of affairs. when one of the political parties stays in power for as half-century, like in st louis. bad things are bound to happen.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Come on this guys name is El-Amin isn’t that a battle that occurred in Africa that was a turning point in the desert war against Germany?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
If you’d like to see at least one honest politician elected, then I ask for your support.
I’m running in 2010 for state representative for the 79th District (Maryland Heights and a portion of unincorporated St. Louis County).
Reasons to support my campaign:
1) I’m running as an independent, which means that I’m free to follow my conscience.
2) I do not accept campaign contributions from special interests.
3) I will not accept a government pension, or the per diem.
4) I’m a moderate, and prefer to make decisions based on common sense and the issues, not based upon a partisan knee jerk reaction.
My campaign website is at http://www.stevensieber.com/.
Thanks,
Steven Sieber
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Matt Blunt never got caught. But we do know he stole from the poor, the handicapped and the elderly. Much more than 2100. However, the democrat pled guilty and should be punished. Matt Blunt smeared Eckersley’s name and used taxpayers money to get away with it. Whats worse?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Hahaha. Should’ve used some more of Rex Sinquefelds money to bribe some more to keep them quiet. Buh-bye you thug. Next up on the circus platter, who the north city idiot committemen will elect to replace him……..
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!! One more out! Now it’s your turn, Mr. County Executive. Unless, of course, you’re superceded by another State-level Dem.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
some of the comments on here make me laugh! ” It was only $2100.00!” ” Keep electing your conservatives in the county!” the funniest one was” he accepted responsibility…” OF course he did! he copped a plea! If he didn’t, he’d be facing 10 years on federal corruption charges. The blame everyone else and every one else is doing it and look, what I did isn’t as bad as what others are doing mentality is whats wrong with this country! some of you need to wake up and get out of this entitlement mind frame. Our current leadership both locally and federally are are destroying this country abd we’re sitting back and letting it happen.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I want to congratulate the Post for showing this criminal’s Democrat party affiliation in paragraph seven. It is well established that the liberal/Democrat mouthpiece newspapers like to hide the political affiliation of Democrat criminals below the fold, in paragraph 15, whereas Republican affiliations are mentioned in the first paragraph. It has taken years for us to have even this level of “equality” of treatment, but it is progress. But, then again, as much as many would like, this rash of Democrat criminality has become hard to ignore, so maybe this isn’t so momentous.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
What’s new?, There’s always some public official doing something out there that is wrong, Are there any honest officials out there anymore? If there are they are few and far between.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Sound’s like a Crack Move , I guess that Xanax wasn’t Good Enough! Who Isn’t STRESSED. NO Excuse! Now, Man of the House, What DO U tell Your Children ? A Lie or the Truth about Greed And OR Abuse On Drugs/Corruption. All for a few $100.00 . SSSSAAAAADDDD
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
This guy was just caught, maybe if he was part of the White good ole boy conservative party in St. Louis, he would be get away with a lot more money like the Republican conservatives have alway got away with. He was not in there like the Good-ole-boys that are not concentrated on like the African-American politicians. Concentrate on the real big money grabbers and you will find White on the left and White on the Right stealing like that have always been stealing. You investigators need to come out of the dark and into the light and you will get the real criminals that have been stealing FOREVER….
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
We really need to either spell out political or politico or something, I keep expecting somewhere to find this story about a Polish person, since every reference in my youth referred to Polish people as Pol for short.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
When will it be Mayor Slay’s turn to get indicted? He and his cronies should have been the first to go.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Is this a matter of 1) such arrogance that he didn’t think he would be caught; 2) stupidity for thinking that $2,100 was worth giving up everything; or 3) both?
Maybe he can share a cell with his father-in-law. The family that plays together stays togethers.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Vote in a Republican…….who….someone like Nathan Cooper!?! Corruption is corruption, it doesn’t matter which political party.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
This kind of behavior just furthers the label that politicians are corrupt. And, yes, it is also the citizens of various areas of St. Louis that need to do a better job electing people who are worthy of the job. This is not the end of the corruption. They need to look at who was supposed to be “greased” in St. Louis City. That person, and maybe others, needs to be driven from office too. Actually, a very serious housecleaning needs to occur at City Hall. There are too many “well connected” individuals that have been there for decades. Many of these people get re-elected based solely on the gravy train that flows to their friends and constituents. This wouldn’t happen if city government was efficiently structured. So, yet again, the call for restructuring the city/county governments needs to be undertaken and now. But, there’d be a lot of people “out of work” if city government cleaned up their act and these undeserving folks were cut off. I as a taxpayer would be happy, though, because more money would finally be spent in the right places.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
What?!?! Another corrupt Demoncrap in St. Louis? How could this be? Come on, give us a break, thugs like El-Amin, Jeff Smith, Steve Brown, Skip Ohlsen, Chief Mokwa and Charlie Dooley are amateurs compared to pros in the State of Chicago, ala Mayor Daley.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Now look who we’re stuck with – The Tyus clan. UUUgggghhhh!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Progressive=Liberal or Communist. Why do they call themselves progressive now? I suppose because they can’t get elected so they try to fool the public.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0