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         August 4, 2010        

Lisa Madigan asked to investigate
contract fraud by Friends of the Cross

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Rob Sherman Advocacy asked the office of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, yesterday, to investigate the contract fraud that was perpetrated by Friends of the Cross and its ex-President, the 72-year-old Pentecostal preacher Reverend Bill Vandergraff to, first, obtain an unconstitutional contract for a $20,000 grant from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to reconstruct a 110-foot-high Christian cross on private land in Southwestern Illinois and, second, to keep the money despite failing to complete the project by the Contract End Date, as required in the contract.

My organization has alleged that the grant was, and is, obviously unconstitutional, on a number of levels, all of which has been previously discussed in Rob Sherman News.  Now, I'm alleging that, when Friends of the Cross signed the contract, they falsely claimed that the project did not contain any sectarian issues.  The contract states, in three separate locations in the contract, that grants can only be made for projects that are secular.

In addition, Friends of the Cross fraudulently claimed, in subsequent follow-up contract documents, that the project was completed by the Grant End Date of March 31, 2010, as required by the contract.  The project still hasn't been completed, yet Friends lied to DCEO and signed off stating that they are entitled to keep the $20,000 because they finished the project by the Contract End Date of March 31, 2010.

Much controversy surrounds my assertion that there was contract fraud, so in tomorrow's report, I'll present to you the entire contract, all 37 pages, and the entire document file on the grant -- all 63 pages -- along with a description of where you can find the contract terms that

I'll also show you where, in the contract, Friends of the Cross falsely affirmed that there are no sectarian issues with the project and where, in the document file, Friends of the Cross fraudulently claimed that the project was complete by the Contract End Date, so they wouldn't have to return the money.

Friends of the Cross will tell you that DCEO sent them a letter stating that they had completely complied with all of the terms of the contract.  In fact, on June 15, 2010, DCEO did send Friends of the Cross such a letter.  However, what Friends of the Cross isn't saying is that the DCEO letter also stated that this finding was "Based upon the information provided in the report" provided by Friends of the Cross.  The report filed by Friends of the Cross falsely stated that they had complied with all contract terms, including the three provisions that the project not have sectarian issues, and Friends of the Cross fraudulently stated that the project was completed by March 31, 2010, which obviously is a lie.

If the project did not have sectarian issues and if the project had been completed by the Contract End Date, as affirmed in the report by Friends of the Cross, then the project would have actually complied with the terms of the contract.  Since those statements by Friends of the Cross were false and fraudulent, I've asked Lisa Madigan to investigate and use the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act and/or the Recovery of Fraudulently Obtained Public Funds Act to get our $20,000 in tax money back.

If Lisa won't do it, I will.  I'll take the matter to court, myself.  The Recovery of Fraudulently Obtained Public Funds Act, at 735 ILCS 5/20-104(b), specifically authorizes private citizens to go after the money. Stay tuned.

Previous Rob Sherman News stories on this subject matter:

Sunday, July 18:  Don't tear down the Vandergraph Cross of Shame

Saturday, July 17:  Friends of the Cross leader arrested for raping four-year-old girl!

Monday, July 5:  New $52 million Grant scandal at the Illinois General Assembly and DCEO

Tuesday, June 29:  Sherman meets Senate sponsor of $20,000 grant to Bald Knob Cross

Wednesday, June 16:  Day of Reckoning rapidly approaching for Friends of the Cross to return the $20,000

Thursday, June 3:  Pictures from meeting with Quinn, presentation to Friends of the Cross and from Stanley Cup Playoff game

Wed., June 2:  Sherman meets with Friends of the Cross and with Governor Quinn to discuss Bald Knob Cross controversy

Saturday, May 22:  Sherman to tell Friends of the Cross: Return unconstitutional $20,000 State grant

Tuesday, May 4:  Illinois donates $20,000 to restore 111-foot-high Christian cross on private land

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