November 21, 2003
Former housing thief indicted
Steve LaBrake, who specialized in stealing money meant for the poor and lining the pockets of he and his friends, is finally facing charges. His old buddy Dick Greco aint talking.
...Greco stood by LaBrake until the end.The former mayor not only remained loyal to his housing chief, he lashed out at politicians who wanted LaBrake's head. He condemned reporters for destroying a man mired in a divorce.
"Many people would rather criticize or throw darts or whatever the hell they do without understanding all the facts," Greco said in a December speech.
Thursday, he wasn't talking.
Greco, now a senior vice president at the Edward DeBartolo Property Group, did not return calls about LaBrake's 60-count indictment alleging bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud.
......Greco's friends said he never had the heart to investigate friends. In eight years in office, he did not fire one senior manager.
"Dick has a lot of compassion for people," said friend George Levy. "I think in Dick's mind, the people doing the talking were blowing it out of proportion."
"Dick believed in people," Levy said. "He trusted people."
Greco, who has been married three times, also sympathized with LaBrake's personal problems. LaBrake had had an affair with his aide, then Lynne McCarter.
"He came in here and told me his whole story," Greco said in March, as he prepared to leave office. "I saw him cry on two occasions. He told me personal things that made me feel for him as a person."
So, Dick has compassion for white adulterous crooks with external genitalia! What a guy. How ‘bout a little compassion for the working poor in this area who will be paying for LaBrake’s crimes for years to come? Oh, wait... compassion for poor people just leads to laziness and welfare fraud...
More:
Events in the LaBrake case
LaBrakes charged in home scandal
Posted by Norwood at November 21, 2003 09:54 AM