Pubdate: Fri, 18 May 2001
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Copyright: 2001 The Sun-Times Co.
Contact:  http://www.suntimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81
Author: Fran Spielman, City Hall Reporter

ACTIVIST QUITS AFTER SPOUSE'S POT ARREST

The wife of a man charged with running one of Chicago's most sophisticated 
marijuana-growing operations resigned Thursday as president of a Brighton 
Park community organization that has crusaded against gangs and drugs.

Jennifer McQueary stepped down as president of the Brighton Park 
Neighborhood Council as the state attorney general's office launched a 
preliminary investigation into whether $89,000 in state and federal grant 
money may have been used for illegal activities.

The attorney general's office will also try to determine why two volunteers 
were listed as directors without their knowledge on the annual report that 
tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations are required to file with the secretary 
of state.

"It may or may not result in a full-blown investigation," attorney general 
spokesman Dan Curry said.

Alex Poeter, executive director of the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, 
said he welcomed the preliminary investigation into what he called 
"witch-hunt allegations" by Ald. Ray Frias (12th).

"We don't have anything to hide. If anyone wants to look at our books, they 
can do it," Poeter said.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported Thursday that Frias was demanding that the 
attorney general follow the money trail after Michael McQueary, Jennifer 
McQueary's 36-year-old husband, was arrested last week.

About 350 marijuana plants were allegedly found growing hydroponically in 
pods in the McQueary home in the 4400 block of South Washtenaw. Special 
growing lights were installed in the basement, on the second floor and in 
the attic. Logs were kept to detail the growth of each plant, police said.

Jennifer McQueary announced her resignation Thursday even as she 
emphatically denied Frias' allegations that she had misused government money.

"She did it to protect the organization. . . . She doesn't want to be the 
reason for him to keep running a smear campaign to divide the community and 
she hopes her resignation will make him stop," Poeter said.

That's not likely to happen soon, if a City Hall news conference Thursday 
was any indication.

Frias, acquitted on federal corruption charges stemming from Operation 
Silver Shovel, said "If those plants were found in my basement, rest 
assured that, right now, Scotty [Lassar, the U.S. attorney] would be in my 
basement taking every bit of evidence and making sure that the 12th Ward 
[Democratic] Organization was as clean as a whistle. I'm just saying the 
same should happen with this organization."
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager