[Mpls] Basim Sabri and City Hall (was: Friends)

[Derek Burrows Reise]

Bless Lisa McDonald for being ahead of her time and
telling it like it is!

The article doesn't seem to indicate that any of these
council members considered Mr. Sabri a 'friend'
--but how often do you see that many city council
members express such a level of united praise for one
single (and controversial) figure?

-Derek Burrows Reise, Longfellow

Date: Thu, 6 Jan 2005 00:04:57 -0600
From: "gemgram" <gemgram at mn.rr.com>
Subject: Re: [Mpls] Basim Sabri and City Hall (was:
Friends)
To: "Jay Clark" <clark037 at umn.edu>, "David Brauer"
<david at tcq.net>
Cc: mpls at mnforum.org


Thank you Jay.  That City Pages article was one I was
referring to, but 
I 
thought it might be a little more "enlightening" if
coming from 
another, 
more distant, source.  I did not follow up on it
because I did not 
think it 
would be helpful to argue with David about it.

I well remember the article because I had an interview
from the 
reporter 
while driving and had to stop because I was so
agitated by statements 
attributed to some Council Members.  While I gave the
reporter 
permission, I 
know my more"colorful: quotes were not published.  As
I remember I was 
even 
more descriptive of Sabri's "methods" than Lisa
McDonald was quoted. 
Knowing 
Lisa McDonald, and how direct and truthful she can be,
I have to 
believe 
that Lisa was also a little more descriptive about
Sabri than what was 
quoted.

Only a few months ago Basim was in City Hall for a
Council meeting on 
the 
Elroy Block issue.  While gesturing and boasting to
Somali people he 
stated 
that his friends in City Hall would support whatever
he wanted and that 
those same politician friends hate this guy Jim
Graham.  I laughed at 
him. 
Fortunately there were some on the Council who knew it
was not raining 
when 
Basim stood behind them.  And again thanks to Gary
Schiff and the other 
Council Members who saw through the bait and switch
and supported 
Whittier 
Neighborhood.  The amazing thing is that the Sabris
were allowed to go 
so 
long with the full support of some Council Members and
other 
politicians. 
Doubly surprising after his indictment.  I still
cannot believe that 
someone 
under indictment for bribing a Minneapolis Council
Member in order to 
get 
access to City Land and funds is later sold other City
owned property 
with a 
huge loss to the City while awaiting  trial for the
bribery charges.

Well I guess we have to remember that another very
similar criminal 
named 
Alfonso Capone once was lauded as a friend of
politicians and good for 
the 
economy of Chicago. I believe Al was also famous for
using a baseball 
bat on 
"family" members.

In the article Basim says, "Money does not rule me;
it's not 
everything. You 
take all my money away today and throw me in China,
you know what? I'll 
find 
something to do."  Well Basim is being thrown into
prison not China, 
but I 
am sure Basim will "find something to do".  Making
License plates IS 
something to do.  Like a Palestinian friend said about
Sabri, "Basim 
will 
learn that like God the Federal law is patient, but it
does not forget, 
and 
just punishment is inevitable!"

Thanks again Jay.

Jim Graham,
Ventura Village, Phillips Community, Sixth Ward of
Minneapolis

>"It is always an utter folly to underestimate the
lure and attraction 
of a 
>great evil.  The whitened bones of their victims
litter the highways 
and 
>byways of mankind’s history. Stopped only by the few
willing to pay 
the 
>ultimate price and make a stand."

 - Toe



		
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