Operation Lease Fleece---Update
by Christopher Menkin

November 7, 2007, the FBI investigation dubbed "Operation Lease Fleece" indicted over 23 in their roles in a fraud scheme that allegedly caused more than $20 million in losses to several lending institutions that believed they were financing equipment leases. Many were disguised "sale/leasebacks" or leases that exceeded the "soft costs" such as software and installation. Many were on ghost equipment. Adam Zuckerman told Leasing News he set up phony bank accounts, trade references, fake vendors, knew how to fool site inspections, and existed before the days of Lease Police. He was taught this, he said, by Jim Raeder and Mark McQuitty, after they leased space in his building, and then when there were disagreements on commissions, he basically went on his own, as he thought this was a common practice, and even got an opinion from an Equipment Leasing and Finance Association recommended attorney (well-known in the industry) that it was "okay." Leasing News in a previous story printed an email from the attorney and had two parts of a series on Zuckerman printed until Leasing News was told authorities did not want further publication involving almost three months of interviews with Zuckerman published and Leasing News complied with the request.

It seems McQuitty and Raeder allegedly brought leases from their main business to this "group," and also started generating leads through fax marketing for working capital loans using equipment that originally existed, and then later, was more than inflated, did not exist at all.

The press release issued by the United States Attorney's Office Central District of California:

“The charges are a result of an FBI investigation dubbed Operation Lease Fleece, which targeted individuals in the equipment-leasing industry, including loan brokers, equipment vendors and an employee of CitiCapital.

“Some of the defendants – through companies called CapitalWerks in Santa Ana, Brickbanc Capital in Costa Mesa and others – marketed cash loans to small businesses experiencing credit problems. Once small businesses agreed to apply for loans, some of the defendants instead submitted equipment-lease applications to lenders. The equipment-lease applications, which were inflated so that the defendants could obtain lucrative “commissions” for themselves, were submitted along with false invoices that purported to document the sale of computer equipment to the small businesses. The defendants submitted the fraudulent equipment-lease applications because the qualifying criteria were less stringent than for a cash loan. After the lending institutions approved financing for the equipment leases, the proceeds were not used to purchase equipment as promised to the lenders. Instead, the money was used to make improper cash loans to the small businesses and to pay lucrative commissions to employees at CapitalWerks, Brickbanc and the other companies. Hundreds of bogus equipment-lease packages with fake invoices were presented to financial institutions.

“The FBI was assisted in their investigation by Citicapital, the leasing division of Citibank, which suffered an estimated $9.5 million in losses and discovered that one of their employees had perpetuated the fraud. Other victim-institutions include Wells Fargo Bank, GE Capital, American Enterprise Leasing, Key Bank, Bank of America and U.S. Bank. Investigators estimate that the victims suffered at least $20 million in losses.”

There have been other indictments since the first 23; almost all have turned evidence with a "guilty plea" except for what appears to be a key case the US Attorney and FBI want to try. No one has directly stated this, but in interviews with many of those named as well as law enforcement officials not directly connected to the case, it appears sealed cases of information are to be sealed until their trial, with some cases actually "closed."

Chant Vartanian and Sarkis Vartanian trial continued to October 18th, 2011. It appears to be the main one, although there may be other indictments, but the FBI and US Attorney General's office has no comment, public or private.

Shant (Chant) Vartanian, president of ISystems Technology and Solutions, 3650 East Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, and his brother, Sarkus Vartanian, Vice-President, Marketing are reportedly still in business, as well as working with several Southern California leasing companies. One company allegedly working with the Vartanian brothers is owned by the top salesman for CapitalWerks for five years, now a CLP and National Association of Leasing Broker’s Best Practice Broker. Previous requests for a comment or statements have not been issued.

Alphabetically these are the alleged top shearers and their sentencing dates (states are primarily California unless otherwise indicated):

Mark McQuitty, 50, of CapitalWerks/Preferred Lease of Trabuco Canyon sentencing date continued to August 22, 2011 (allowed to travel to New Zealand, where he was born and raised) from 4/16-5/16/2011.

Jim Raeder, 46, of CapitalWerks/Preferred Lease, formerly Mission Viejo, now living in Colorado, sentencing set for September 26, 2011. A condition of pretrial release was issued "...(a) do not use alcohol; (b) submit to drug and/or alcohol testing and outpatient treatment as directed by Pretrial Services; and (c) Comply with all conditions of probation for defendant's State of Colorado case."

Adam Zuckerman, 41, of BrickBanc, Laguna Beach sentencing set for October 24, 2011. He has been involved in other investment controversies, in which he has reportedly prevailed.

These are changes in sentencing, chronologically, of those named:

Brian Sime, 33, BrickBanc, Irvine also known as Joe Turner also known as Tonga sentencing continued until July 25, 2011

Leigh Dorand, 42, Tech Capital, Phoenix, Arizona sentencing continued until August 1, 2011.

Paul Arnold, 60, Brickbanc, Laguna Hills sentencing sent for August 1, 2011.

George Simon, 42, Advantage IT Solutions, Redondo Beach, sentencing sent for August 1, 2011.

Kirk A. McMahan, 35, Brickbanc, Newport Beach sentencing continued until August 29, 2011.

Jeffrey Greenough, 52, Peniche, Laguna Beach sentencing continued to September 19, 2011.

Troy Worrell, 51, Peniche, Newport Beach, sentencing continued until September 19, 2011.

Geoffrey Silver, 39, of Silver Industries, Calabasas, sentencing continued until October 17, 2011.

Chance Nell Weaver, Axis Communications, Tarzana sentencing continued to October 31, 2011.

Michael Scott Grayson, Axis Communication, Tarzana sentencing continued to October 31, 2011.

Michard Norris, 60, CapitalWerks/Preferred Lease, Los Angeles, sentencing sent for November 14, 2011.

Les Spitzer, 64, Pyramid Infinite, Grenada Hills, also known as Guy Amsalem continued until November 21, 2011.

Alphabetically, these people have already been sentenced:

James H Breedlove, 55, Santé Fe Equipment, Newport Beach: “12 months and 1 day imprisonment, with credit for time served. Pay $100 special assessment. Pay total restitution of $391,976.25. The defendant shall be held jointly and severally liable with convicted co-participants Mark McQuitty (Docket No. SACR 07-00236-CJC) and James Raeder (Docket No. SACR 07-00237-CJC) for the full amount of restitution ordered in this judgment. Interest on restitution ordered waived. 3 years supervised release under terms and conditions of US Probation Office and General Orders 318 and 01-05.”

Mark Castleman, 51, Industrial Information Systems, Chino Hills, indicted for mail fraud and November 19, 2008 pled guilty. “April 23, 2009. Hearing held before Judge Cormac J. Carney as to Defendant Mark P Castleman. Defendant Mark P Castleman (1), Count(s) 1, 1 day imprisonment, with credit for time served. Pay $100 special assessment. All fines are waived. 3 years supervised release under terms and conditions of US Probation Office and General Order 318. Bond Exonerated. Sixty (60) hours of community service with the first six months.

Douglas Cox, 42, CapialWerks/Preferred Lease, Rancho Santa Margarita, placed on probation for 1 year under terms and conditions of US Probation Office and General Orders 318 and 01-05. Pay $100 special assessment

Harold Gold, 79, Leasing Services, Falmouth, Massachusetts, placed on probation for two years under terms and conditions of US Probation Office and General Orders 318 and 01-05. Pay $100 special assessment.

Lourey McComber, 57, Prescott Valley, Arizona, Peniche, appears to have had a medical problem, and last entry shows a Government motion to dismiss information without prejudice and signed by Judge Cormac J. Carney. There appears to be another entry made in Yuma, Arizona that was terminated.

Nohad Mousa, 44, Saut Wa Soora, Inc., Anaheim, pled guilty to 18:1341 MAIL FRAUD before Judge Cormac J. Carney. “JUDGMENT AND COMMITMENT by Judge Cormac J. Carney as to Defendant Nohad Mousa (1), Count(s) 1, 6 months imprisonment, time served. Pay $100 special assessment. Pay total restitution of $94,775. Interest on restitution ordered waived. Defendant shall be held jointly and severally liable with co-participant George Simon (Docket No 8:07CR00246) for the amount of restitution ordered in this judgment. All fines are waived. 3 years supervised release under terms and conditions of US Probation Office and General Orders 318 and 01-05. Signed by Judge Cormac J. Carney. “
Plea Agreement:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/NohadMousa.pdf

Leo J. Najera, 64, ECCI, Mission Vallejo, July 20th JUDGMENT AND COMMITMENT by Judge Cormac J. Carney as to Defendant Leo J Najera (1), Count(s) 1, Defendant is sentenced to 1 day imprisonment, which the Court determines has been served. Pay $100 special assessment. Pay total restitution of $396,251.22. The defendant shall be held jointly and severally liable with convicted co-participants Mark McQuitty (Docket No SACR 07-236-CJC) and James Raeder (Docket No SACR 07-237-CJC) for the full amount of restitution ordered in this judgment. Interest on restitution ordered waived. Placed on supervised release for 3 years under terms and conditions of US Probation Office and General Orders 318 and 01-05.

Anthony E. Watson, 65, CapitalWerks/Preferred Lease, Los Angeles, pled guilty before Judge Cormac J. Carney. 1 day imprisonment with credit for time served. Pay $100 special assessment. All fines are waived. 3 years supervised release under terms and conditions of US Probation Office and General Orders 05-02 and 01-05. (mt)

John J. Callaghan, 38, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, who worked at Citicapital, one of first 23 indicted, no record found.

John Budge, 38, of Sartell, Minnesota, who worked at Bach Business Credit, one of first 23 indicted, no record found.

Note: This list may not be complete as information gathered came from many different sources, including the original US Attorney Press Release. Ages also may not be correct, but are estimated from the original date of filings.

Indictment of Chance Nell Weaver showing how the scheme worked
http://www.leasingnews.org/PDF/ChanceWeaver.pdf

Grand July October, 2007 Indictment of Michael Scott Grayson (Citibank connection)
http://www.leasingnews.org/PDF/MichaelScottGrayson.pdf

Previous Operation Lease Fleece Stories:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Lease_Fleece.htm

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Leasing Association 2011 Conferences

September 15-17
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Special Funding Symposium

Conference Chair
Tara Aasand, of Great American Insurance Group

Committee
Chris Enbom, CLP, CEO, Allegiant Partners
Doug Houlahan, CLP, Maxim Commercial Capital
Jim McCommon, CLP, McCommon Leasing
David Normandin, CLP.of Envision Capital Group
Linda Parady, First Litchfield Leasing
Brad and Adam Peterson, Channel Partners
Chris Walker, CLP, GreatAmerica Leasing
Lynne Wicker, RTR Services

Agenda:
http://www.nefassociation.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=130

Sponsors & Exhibits
http://www.nefassociation.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=133

Rates:
https://m360.nefassociation.org/event.aspx?eventID=30371

NEFA Conference Attendees Why You Should Attend 3:25

Follow NEFA planning and information up-dates with NEFA "app" for users of IPhones,
Android phones, Blackberry phones, and other smartphones and web-enabled mobile devices.

http://www.fundingsymposium.org/mobile_website
http://www.nefassociation.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=128

October 14-15, 2011
Marriott Atlanta Buckhead Hotel & Conference Center
Atlanta, Georgia

October 23-25
Equipment Leasing and Financial Association
50th Annual Convention
JW Marriott Hill Country
San Antonio, Texas

Keynote Speakers

General Stanley McChrystal
Former Commander of U.S. and International Forces in Afghanistan

Marin Regalia
Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Economic and Tax Policy
United States Chamber of Commerce

Garrison Wynn
President, Wynne Solutions

The 50th Anniversary Convention promises to be "the largest meeting of the equipment leasing and finance sector---Whoever you need to see is likely to be there!"

ELFA is now accepting proposals from those interesting in making a presentation
at the Annual Convention.
For complete details, please go here:
http://www.elfaonline.org/pub/events/2011cfp.cfm
Submission deadline is July 1, 2011.

November 11-12
Hilton, Orange County
Costa Mesa, California

April 26-28, 2012
Denver Sheraton Downtown Hotel
Denver, Colorado

-------------------------------------------------------------------

To view Leasing Association Events-Meetings Open to All, please click here.

Long Island, New York-- Adopt-a-Dog

Murray

Breed: Yellow Labrador Retriever
Sex: male
Age: adult
Size: large

“My name is Murray. I am an older guy just looking for a nice warm bed to sleep in. I do like to go for walks too. I am past those playful puppy years so I really am no trouble at all.”

This pet is up to date with routine shots.
This pet is already house trained.
This pet has been altered.

Save-a-Pet
Animal Rescue and Adoption Center
608 Route 112
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776
631-472-6333

Application Paper:
http://www.saveapetli.net/dl/adopt_app.pdf

Adopt-a-Pet by Leasing Co. State/City
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Adopt_Pet.htm

Adopt a Pet
http://www.adoptapet.com/

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for investigations
and background information provided by John Kenny)

--- News Briefs

Most severe U.S. weather occurs in Texas
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2011/06/26/Most-severe-US-weather-occurs-in-Texas/UPI-15201309061903/

“Gimme that Wine”

My Neighbor Jerry Lohr Wants Research Revolution
http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=news&content=89402&
htitle=Jerry%20Lohr%20Wants%20Research%20Revolution

Free Mobile Wine Program
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2010/2_26.htm#mobile

Wine Prices by vintage
http://www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/

US/International Wine Events
http://www.localwineevents.com/

Winery Atlas
http://www.carterhouse.com/atlas/\

Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page
http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/wnensprts.htm

     1564-the first painting of an American scene by a European painter was painted near what is now St. Augustine, FL, by Jacques Le Moyne de Morgues, a cartographer who accompanied the French Huguenot expedition to Florida under Rene Goulaine de Laudonniere. The work, title, “ Laudonnierus et Rex Athore ante Columnan a Praefecto Prima Navigattione Locatam Quamque Venerantur Floridenses, was painted in gouache and metallic pigments on vellum. It shows Laudonniere being welcomed by a party of Native Americans led by Chief Athore.
http://www.floridahistory.com/de-bry-plates/le-moyne-bio.html
http://aradergalleries.com/gallery/LeMoyne/lemoyne.htm
http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/1492.exhibit/full-images/outina.gif
http://pelotes.jea.com/leMoyne.htm
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0829011.html
http://www.philaprintshop.com/debrytxt.html#Florida
http://www.castenmaps.com/america2.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0714107379/avsearch-df1-2-20/
103-6066912-8633404
    1776-the first execution by the Colonial Army took place at a field near Bowery Lane, New York City, in the presence of 20,000 persons, including an armed assembly of all the off-duty officers and men of four brigades.
A guard, Thomas Hickey, plotted with others to capture George Washington and deliver him to Sir William Howe. Hickey was tried, convicted, and hanged.
Ex-Governor Tyron was one of the 200,000 loyalist who returned to England. He had sent his wife there in 1775 with children and joined them in 1780
http://famousamericans.net/thomashickey/
http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/people/A0849552.html
http://www.tryonpalace.org/pages/classpgs/d1_footpg.html
    1780 - The Battle of Rantowle’s Bridge. Two companies of British Light Infantry, American Loyalist Volunteers, and one company of Dragoons, crossed at Rantowle's in scows; the rest of the army crossed yesterday. Col. Hamilton, of the North Carolinians, and Dr. Smith, of the Hospital, proceeding about a mile in front of the army, to Gov. Rutledge's house, were immediately surrounded by three hundred Continental Light Horse, and they consequently made prisoners. The British Dragoons fell in with them soon after, and had a skirmish; the Rebels soon gave way. Qr. Master Sergeant McIntosh, of the Georgia Dragoons was badly wounded in the face by a broadsword. Several Dragoons of the Legion were wounded. How many of the Rebels got hurt we can't learn; but they did not keep up the combat long enough for many to receive damage. This morning, Capt. Saunders, who came in with the flag on the 24th, was sent out; his attendant, Capt. Wilkinson, not being mentioned in the body of the flag, is detained as a prisoner of war. We took up our ground on Gov. Rutledge's plantation, about one mile from his house, where we remained all night.
    1829-The Smithsonian Institute is born from an endowment.
In Genoa, Italy, English scientist James Smithson dies after a long illness, leaving behind a will with a peculiar footnote. In the event that his only nephew died without any heirs, Smithson decreed that the whole of his estate would go to "the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." Smithson's curious bequest to a country that he had never visited aroused significant attention on both sides of the Atlantic. The gift turned out to be $500,000, quite a bit of money in its day.Congress agreed that the bequest would support the creation of a museum, a library, and a program of research, publication, and collection in the sciences, arts, and history.
John Smithson, the Smithsonian Institution's great benefactor, is interred in a tomb in the Smithsonian Building.
(lower half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jun27.html )
    1833- Prudence Crandall, a white woman, arrested for conducting an academy for black females at Canterbury Conn
http://www.state.ct.us/emblems/heroine.htm
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/history/crandall.html
    1836 - In a disastrous setback for the Texans resisting Santa Anna's dictatorial regime, the Mexican army defeats and executes 417 Texas revolutionaries at Goliad. More than 400 men were executed that day at Goliad. Ironically, rather than serving to crush the Texas rebellion, the Goliad Massacre helped inspire and unify the Texans. Now determined to break completely from Mexico, the Texas revolutionaries began to yell "Remember Goliad!" along with the more famous battle cry, "Remember the Alamo!" Less than a month later, Texan forces under General Sam Houston dealt a stunning blow to Santa Anna's army in the Battle of San Jacinto, and Texas won its independence.
    1841- Agnes Irwin - U.S. educator, Dean of Radcliffe who created a program for awarding doctorate degrees to women in conjunction with Harvard University and built Radcliffe's first gymnasium, library, and dormitories. At the resignation of President Elizabeth Agassiz, a man was appointed president of Radcliffe instead of Irwin. It was a painful snub but it is a living example of the prejudice shown to women. Radcliffe was the Harvard-attached women's college. It would be almost 70 more years before the seven sister all- women colleges would all have women deans and presidents. Radcliffe has since been fully integrated with Harvard.
    1844-Joseph Smith, Jr., the founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his brother Hyrum were shot to death by an armed mob in Carthage, IL. At the time, Joseph Smith was the presidential candidate of the National Reform Party, the first US presidential candidate to be assassinated.
His candidacy was advocated by the church’s Council of Twelve. The National Reform Party confirmed the nomination in a state convention at Nauvoo, Il. on May 17, with Sidney Rigdon of Pennsylvania as his running mate. Smith and his brother were killed when a mob shot him after breaking into the jail at Carthage, Il., where he was confined awaiting trial on charges brought against him by his personal enemies and by seceders from the church.
    1859- The melody of probably the most often sung song in the world, “Happy Birthday to You,” was composed by Mildred J. Hill, a schoolteacher born this day at Louisville, KY. Her younger sister, Patty Smith Hill, was the author of the lyrics which were first published in 1893 as “Good Morning to All,” a classroom greeting published in the book Song Stories for the Sunday School. The lyrics were amended in 1924 to include a stanza beginning “Happy Birthday to You.” Now it is sung somewhere in the world every minute of the day. Although the authors are believed to have earned very little from the song, reportedly it later generated about $1 million a year for its copyright owner. The song is expected to enter public domain upon expiration of copyright in 2010. Mildred Hill died at Chicago, IL, June 5,1916 without knowing that her melody would become the world’s most popular song.
June 27,1861
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15551a.htm
    1861-the first Union naval officer killed in the Civil War was Captain James Harmon Ward of the Thomas Freeborn, who landed at Mathias Point, VA, on the Potomac River about 50 miles south of Washington, DC, with about 35 men and 250 sandbags to erect breastworks to unload a cannon. They were surprised by 1,500 infantrymen, who attached them and drove them off. Ward was hit in the breast by a Minie ball and died from an internal hemorrhage. He had been appointed on May 16, 1861, to command the Potomac flotilla.
http://suvcw.org/mollus/art009.htm
http://www.usna.edu/InfoTech/ward_hall.htm
    1862- May Irwin birthday - U.S. singer-actor. She popularized ragtime with such songs "After the Ball" and "A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight."
    1874 - Using new high-powered rifles to devastating effect, 28 buffalo hunters repulse a much larger force of attacking Indians at an old trading post in the Texas panhandle called Adobe Walls. These white buffalo hunters, who had already greatly reduced the once massive herds, continued to hunt in the territory. By the early 1870s, Commanche, Kiowa, and Cheyenne hunters were finding it harder to locate buffalo, and they blamed the illegal white buffalo hunters. When the federal government failed to take adequate measures to stop the white buffalo hunters, the great chief Quanah Parker and others began to argue for war. In the spring 1874, a group of white merchants occupied an old trading post called Adobe Walls near the South Canadian River in the Indian's hunting territory. The merchants quickly transformed the site into a regional center for the buffalo-hide trade. Angered by this blatant violation of the treaty, Chief Quanah Parker and Lone Wolf amassed a force of about 700 Commanche, Kiowa, and Cheyenne braves. On this day in 1874, the Indians attacked Adobe Walls. Only 28 hunters and traders occupied Adobe Walls, but they had two advantages over the Indians: the thick walls of the adobe structure were impenetrable to arrows and bullets, and the occupants had a number of high-powered rifles normally used on buffalo. The huntersýý .50 caliber Sharps rifles represented the latest technology in long-range, rapid firing weaponry. Already skilled marksmen, the buffalo hunters used the rifles to deadly effect, decimating the warriors before they came close enough even to return effective fire. On the second day of the siege, one hunter reportedly hit an Indian warrior at a distance of eight-tenths of a mile. Despite their overwhelmingly superior numbers, after three days the Indians concluded that Adobe Walls could not be taken and withdrew. The defenders had lost only four men in the attack, and they later estimated that the Indians had lost 13. Enraged by their defeat, several Indian bands subsequently took their revenge on poorly defended targets. Fearful settlers demanded military protection, leading to the outbreak of the Red River War. By the time the war ended in 1875, the Commanche and Kiowa had been badly beaten and Indian resistance on the Southern Plains had effectively collapsed.
    1896—A kiss in a film brought demands for movie censorship.
    1864 --Atlanta Campaign-Battle of Kennesaw Mountain
http://ngeorgia.com/travel/kennesawmtn.html
http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/batkenne.htm
    1869- Emma Goldman birthday - Russian-born American anarchist and labor leader who renounced violence as a method for social change. Known in the press as "Red Emma," she was arrested several times and imprisoned for speaking out on subjects frowned on by the government, especially birth control. Her feminist stand on birth control, working conditions, free love (consensual love between two adults without coercion of church or state), and her opposition to child labor got her into more trouble with authorities than her anarchy and fiery speeches to unemployed workers. She edited the magazine Mother Earth that advocated extensive social change. She opposed the U.S. entry into World War I and was sentenced to five years in prison for opposing conscription. To get rid of her, the U.S. government canceled HER EX-HUSBAND's citizenship and said that the nullification of HIS citizenship automatically canceled hers because a U.S. married woman could only hold American citizenship in her husband's name. (At the time, native-born U.S. women LOST their citizenship if they married a man who was not native- born!) She was deported to Russia along with a large number of others but she left there to tour Europe and Canada speaking out on issues concerning the poor, the working classes, and women. She was also an advocate of European and British authors. She spoke and wrote in support of a number of the new writers including Ibsen and Shaw. She was bisexual.
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Goldman/
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Goldman/Guide/
    1872- birthday of African-AmericanPaul Laurence Dunbar, poet and novelist.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jun27.html
    1880- Helen Keller born - an icon of the human spirit. HK was struck blind and deaf at 19 months old by scarlet fever. She learned to communicate with the world through the efforts of Anne Sullivan who helped her develop into the most admired woman in the history of the U.S. - or the world. She became a world-wide advocate for the blind and handicapped by communicating through a system of tapping into the palm of Sullivan and vise versa. She graduated cum laude from Radcliffe with Sullivan at her side translating. (One wonders why Sullivan didn't get some recognition since everything Keller did had to go through Sullivan from being her ears to recording her thoughts.)
http://www.afb.org/info_document_view.asp?documentid=1351
http://www.time.com/time/time100/heroes/profile/keller01.html
http://www.afb.org/info_documents.asp?collectionid=1
    1888- Birthday of Antoinette Perry . She directed nearly 30 plays on Broadway including The Barrett's of Whimple Street and the even more famous Harvey. She established the American Theatre Wing in 1947. The Wing now names its annual awards for excellence in theater in her honor, recognizing her as one of the most influential people in the history of American theater. The Antoinette Perry Awards are popularly known as "The Tony.”
http://womenshistory.about.com/library/prm/bltonyaward1.htm
    1893-Birthday of Crystal Dreda Bird Fauset, American race relations specialist, state legislator, and first black woman elected to a U.S. State legislature (Pennsylvania 1938). She helped create the Swarthmore College Institute of Race Relations (1933).
    1901 - There was a rain of fish from the sky at Tiller's Ferry. Hundreds of fish were swimming between cotton rows after a heavy shower.
    1912-Birthday of Min Okubo - award winning U.S. artist of Japanese descent was interned in 1942. She founded the literary magazine Trek with other internees. She illustrated the special Fortune magazine issue on Japan, exhibited drawings and paintings from the Japanese relocation camps, and published Citizen 13660 (1946) about her experiences in the camps. Major retrospect’s of her work have been held on both coasts.
    1912 - In Washington, D.C., Helen Taft, wife of President William Taft, and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, plant two Yoshina cherry trees on the northern bank of the Potomac River, near the Jefferson Memorial. The event was held in celebration of a gift, by the Japanese government, of 3,020 cherry trees to the U.S. government.
    1915 The temperature at Fort Yukon AK soared to 100 degrees to establish a state record.
    1923-June 27, Elmo Hope Birthday http://members.tripod.com/~hardbop/ehope.html
http://page.freett.com/basiemusic/elmo-hope.html
Feast day for Saint Peter and Saint Paul . Commemorates dual martyrdom of Christian apostles Peter (by crucifixion) and Paul (by beheading) during persecution by Roman Emperor Nero. Observed since third century.
    1924- cowgirl yodeler Rosalie Allen was born in Old Forge, Pennsylvania. Popular throughout the 1940's and '50s, Allen had hits with "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" and "He Taught Me How to Yodel." She was often teamed with another legendary yodeler, Elton Britt. Their record hits together included "Quicksilver" and "The Yodel Blues."
    1927-birthday of pianist Johnny “Big Moose” Walker, Stoneville, MS
http://www.storm.ca/~moparman/bmw.shtml
    1930-birthday of H. Ross Perot, philanthropist, businessman, 1992 and 1996 presidential candidate, born Texarkana, TX.
http://www.perot.org/
    1940-Cab Calloway Band with Chu Berry cuts “Ghost of a Chance.”
    1940 - The Germans set up two-way radio communication in their newly occupied French territory, employing their most sophisticated coding machine, Enigma, to transmit information. The Germans set up radio stations in Brest and the port town of Cherbourg. Signals would be transmitted to German bombers so as to direct them to targets in Britain. The Enigma coding machine, invented in 1919 by Hugo Koch, a Dutchman, looked like a typewriter and was originally employed for business purposes. The German army adapted the machine for wartime use and considered its encoding system unbreakable. They were wrong. The Brits had broken the code as early as the German invasion of Poland and had intercepted virtually every message sent through the system. Britain nicknamed the intercepted messages Ultra.
    1942 - The FBI announced the capture of eight Nazi saboteurs who had been put ashore from 2 submarines, one off New York’s Long Island and the other off of Florida. The men were tried by a military court and 6 were secretly executed in a DC jail. Ernest Burger and George Dasch were sentenced to 30 years in prison for their help in revealing the plot. They were pardoned in 1948 by Pres. Truman.
    1949- “Captain Video” premiered on the Dumont network. It was the first and longest running of several TV space shows. It was created, produced, and written by my father Lawrence Menkin, who also was program manager. He also created “Hands of Mystery” and “Harlem Detective”, the first Black television
Show ( in 1954 he was the producer of the first coast to coast television show on NBC, employing the first Black TV writer.) Captain Video was set in the 22nd century and starred Richard Coogan as Captain Video, a human who led a squad of agents (the Video Rangers) fighting villains from their own and other worlds. Al Hodge later replaced Coogan. and the show moved to NBC. My father often played the music to the series, “The Planets,” at home and brought it to his series. Also on the show were Don Hastings and Hal Conklin, with Ernest Borgnine, Jack Klugman and Tony Randall as guest villains. A second series, “The Secret Files of Captain Video,” began in 1953 but was discontinued in 1955, when my family moved to Pacific Palisades, California, where my father was hired by Ziv TV to write and be the editor for a number of television series, including “Highway Patrol” and later “Death Valley Days,” “Rawhide, “ “ Perry Mason,” and “Bonanza,” among many others. It was common when he was either the executive producer or story editor that he would write under another name as he felt other writers might thing he was a “hog.” James Cadigan was the program manager of the Dumont Network and often named as the producer.
http://slick-net.com/space/video/rugani/index.phtml
    1950-U.S. forces were ordered to Korea by President Harry S. Truman to help South Korea repel the North Korean invasion. The president received the approval of Congress for his action and the UN Security Council adopted a U.S. resolution for armed intervention.
    1953-CHARETTE, WILLIAM R. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Hospital Corpsman Third Class, U.S. Navy Medical Corpsman serving with a marine rifle company. Place and date: Korea, 27 March 1953. Entered service at: Ludington, Michigan. Birth: Ludington, Mich. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against enemy aggressor forces during the early morning hours. Participating in a fierce encounter with a cleverly concealed and well-entrenched enemy force occupying positions on a vital and bitterly contested outpost far in advance of the main line of resistance, HC3c. Charette repeatedly and unhesitatingly moved about through a murderous barrage of hostile small-arms and mortar fire to render assistance to his wounded comrades. When an enemy grenade landed within a few feet of a marine he was attending, he immediately threw himself upon the stricken man and absorbed the entire concussion of the deadly missile with his body. Although sustaining painful facial wounds, and undergoing shock from the intensity of the blast which ripped the helmet and medical aid kit from his person, HC3c. Charette resourcefully improvised emergency bandages by tearing off part of his clothing, and gallantly continued to administer medical aid to the wounded in his own unit and to those in adjacent platoon areas as well. Observing a seriously wounded comrade whose armored vest had been torn from his body by the blast from an exploding shell, he selflessly removed his own battle vest and placed it upon the helpless man although fully aware of the added jeopardy to himself. Moving to the side of another casualty who was suffering excruciating pain from a serious leg wound, HC3c. Charette stood upright in the trench line and exposed himself to a deadly hail of enemy fire in order to lend more effective aid to the victim and to alleviate his anguish while being removed to a position of safety. By his indomitable courage and inspiring efforts in behalf of his wounded comrades, HC3c. Charette was directly responsible for saving many lives. His great personal valor reflects the highest credit upon himself and enhances the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
    1953--HAMMOND, FRANCIS C. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Hospital Corpsman, U.S. Navy, attached as a medical corpsman to 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Korea, 26-27 March 1953. Entered service at: Alexandria, Va. Birth: Alexandria, Va. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a HC serving with the 1st Marine Division in action against enemy aggressor forces on the night of 26-27 March 1953. After reaching an intermediate objective during a counterattack against a heavily entrenched and numerically superior hostile force occupying ground on a bitterly contested outpost far in advance of the main line of resistance. HC Hammond's platoon was subjected to a murderous barrage of hostile mortar and artillery fire, followed by a vicious assault by onrushing enemy troops. Resolutely advancing through the veritable curtain of fire to aid his stricken comrades, HC Hammond moved among the stalwart garrison of marines and, although critically wounded himself, valiantly continued to administer aid to the other wounded throughout an exhausting 4-hour period. When the unit was ordered to withdraw, he skillfully directed the evacuation of casualties and remained in the fire-swept area to assist the corpsmen of the relieving unit until he was struck by a round of enemy mortar fire and fell, mortally wounded. By his exceptional fortitude, inspiring initiative and self-sacrificing efforts, HC Hammond undoubtedly saved the lives of many marines. His great personal valor in the face of overwhelming odds enhances and sustains the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for
    1954---Top Hits
Little Things Mean a Lot - Kitty Kallen
Three Coins in the Fountain - The Four Aces
Hernando’s Hideaway - Archie Bleyer
I Don’t Hurt Anymore - Hank Snow
    1957 - Hurricane Audrey smashed ashore at Cameron, LA, drowning 390 persons in the storm tide, and causing 150 million dollars damage in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Audrey left only a brick courthouse and a cement-block icehouse standing at Cameron, and when the waters settled in the town of Crede, only four buildings remained. The powerful winds of Audrey tossed a fishing boat weighing 78 tons onto an off-shore drilling platform. Winds along the coast gusted to 105 mph, and oil rigs off the Louisiana coast reported wind gusts to 180 mph. A storm surge greater than twelve feet inundated the Louisiana coast as much as 25 miles inland. It was the deadliest June hurricane of record for the U.S.
    1962-The American Football League conducted a special draft of veteran players to assist its two weakest teams, the Oakland Raiders and the Denver Broncos. In the league’s first two years, the Broncos had compiled a record of 7-20-1, and the Raiders were 8-20. The draft helped a bit. Denver finished 7-7 in 1962, but Oakland slipped to 1-13.
    1962---Top Hits
I Can’t Stop Loving You - Ray Charles
The Stripper - David Rose
Palisades Park - Freddy Cannon
She Thinks I Still Care - George Jones
    1963 ---Bill J Kramer & Dakotas record Lennon & McCartney "I Call Your Name
    1964- Peter and Gordon's "World Without Love" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Paul McCartney wrote the song, but it was listed on the record under another name to see if a McCartney tune would be successful even if no one knew he had written it. At the time he composed "World Without Love," McCartney was courting Jane Asher, the sister of Peter Asher, one- half of Peter and Gordon.
    1966 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: ``Strangers in the Night,'' Frank Sinatra.
    1969- the Denver Pop Festival opened at the Mile High Stadium. Among the performers were Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter and Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was the last concert by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Later that year, Hendrix formed the Band of Gypsies.
    1969 - New York City police, attempting to serve a search warrant, charged into the well-known gay hangout, the Stonewall Inn. Events quickly got out of hand. Police ejected customers, managers, bouncers. Everyone got booted outside onto the sidewalk. The crowd became increasingly unruly and someone threw a bottle at the police. The plain-clothes police team was trapped inside the bar for over two hours before the NYPD Tactical Patrol Force arrived and drove the mob from in front of the Stonewall. Police arrested and jailed many of the chanting gays. For the next few nights, the Stonewall Inn became the focal point of gay protests. The gay community began to organize and form committees to bring about change. Many feel that the Gay Liberation Movement had its beginnings with the Stonewall Inn Riots.
    1970---Top Hits
The Love You Save - The Jackson 5
Mama Told Me (Not to Come) - Three Dog Night
Ball of Confusion - The Temptations
Hello Darlin’ - Conway Twitty
    1970 - The Jackson 5: Marlon, Tito, Jackie, Randy and Michael, jumped to number one on the music charts with "The Love You Save". The song stayed at the top of the charts for two weeks. It was the third of four number one hits in a row for the group. The other three were: "I Want You Back", "ABC" and "I’ll Be There". In 15 years (from 1969 to 1984), The Jackson 5/Jacksons had 23 hits, scored two platinum singles ("Enjoy Yourself" and "Shake Your Body [Down to the Ground]") and one gold record ("State of Shock").
    1971-Promoter, Bill Graham, closed the Fillmore East in New York City. It was a spin-off of San Francisco's legendary Rock and Roll palace, Fillmore West. The New York City landmark laid claim to having hosted every major rock group of the 1960s.
    1972 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: ``Song Sung Blue,'' Neil Diamond.
    1972 - Bobby Hull signed a 10-year hockey contract for $2,500,000, as he became a player and coach of the Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association.
    1973- Eighteen-year –old David Clyde, a recipient of a $125,000 bonus to sign with the Texas Rangers, made his major league debut against the Minnesota Twins. the Rangers won,4-3, before 35,6908 fans, the first sellout of the year at Arlington Stadium. He lasted five years and now works at his father-in-law’s lumber yard in Tomball, Texas .
http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/clydeda01.shtml
    1978---Top Hits
Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb
Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
It’s a Heartache - Bonnie Tyler
I’ll Be True to You - The Oak Ridge Boys
    1979-Amalya Lyle Kearse of New York City was sworn in as judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals by Chief Judge Irving Robert Kaufman at the U.S. Court of Appeals, New York City. She became the first African-American woman to become a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals.
    1980 - The "National Anthem Act", making "O Canada" Canada's national anthem, was unanimously accepted by the House of Commons and the Senate. Royal assent was also given this day. "O Canada" was officially proclaimed Canada's national anthem on July 1, 1980. Parliament had approved the song as the national anthem 13 years earlier, but the National Anthem Act made it official. "O Canada" was written by Calixa Lavallee and Adolphe-Basile Routhier, and was first performed in Quebec City in 1880. The anthem was originally known as "Chant nationale," and was not heard outside Quebec until the turn of the century. Toronto schoolteacher Robert Stanley Weir provided an English translation of the lyrics, which were changed somewhat after the parliamentary debate in 1980.
    1986---Top Hits
On My Own - Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) - Billy Ocean
Crush on You - The Jets
Mama’s Never Seen Those Eyes - The Forester Sisters
    1988 - The afternoon high of 107 degrees at Bismarck, ND, was a record for the month of June, and Pensacola, FL, equalled their June record with a reading of 101 degrees. Temperatures in the Great Lakes Region and the Ohio Valley dipped into the 40s.
    1989 - Thunderstorms produced severe weather from the Ohio Valley to western New England. Thunderstorm spawned six tornadoes, and there were 98 reports of large hail and damaging winds. Tropical Storm Allison spawned six tornadoes in Louisiana, injuring two persons at Hackberry. Fort Polk LA (my basic training alma mater) was drenched with 10.09 inches of rain in 36 hours, and 12.87 inches was reported at the Gorum Fire Tower in northern Louisiana.
    1989-The NBA draft was television for the first time by WTBS. The Sacramento Kings selected center Pervis Ellison of Louisville with the first pick.
    1990-Becoming the highest paid player in professional baseball, Jose Canseco of the Oakland Athletics signed a contract that would earn him $23,500,000 over a five-year period. By the end of 1990, 23 players had signed contracts giving them more than $3,000,000 a year.
    1991-Signaling an end to the era of a liberal Supreme Court, Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall announced his resignation from the United States Supreme Court, effective once his successor was confirmed by the US Senate. Marshall was a pioneering civil rights lawyer who helped lead the fight to end racial segregation and served as US Solicitor General prior to his appointment to the high court by President Lyndon Johnson in 1967 as the first black ever to sit on the Supreme Court. As an attorney for the NAACP, he successfully argued the case of Brown v Board of Education before the Supreme Court, ending the doctrine of “separate but equal”” Marshall’s 24-year tenure on the bench was marked by his strong liberal voice championing the rights of criminal defendants and defending abortion rights, his opposition to the death penalty and his commitment to civil rights. On July 1, 1991, President George Bush, selected Clarence Thomas, a conservative black jurist, to succeed Marshall. Thomas’s nomination was quite controversial as a former aide accused him of “sexual harassment.”
    1992 - Michael Jackson kicked off the "Dangerous" tour in Munich, Germany. 70,000 fans saw Jackson, with a helmet on and a fake rocket pack on his back, appear to fly off stage (or, maybe he really did). The tour would continue through November 11 stopping in some 42 cities.
    1997 -John's Grill on Ellis St. in San Francisco was declared a national literary landmark by Friends of the Libraries USA for its role in Dashiell Hammett's life and classic work "The Maltese Falcon." It was the 28th landmark site.
    1999 - Sporting leather thongs, feather boas and political banners, gays and lesbians took to streets around the world in festive pride parades. The 29th annual Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Parade and Celebration took place in San Francisco, New York, Berlin, Manila and many other cities. Among the organizations taking part were the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a gay veterans group, an antique auto club for gays and Roman Catholics in favor of gay rights. The pride marches commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, when patrons of a gay bar in Greenwich Village (New York) fought back against a police raid. The bar, the Stonewall Inn, is now on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Gay Parades were here to stay.
    2005--*MURPHY, MICHAEL P. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, Naval Special Warfare Task Unit. Place and Date: Asadabad, Konar Province, Afghanistan, 27 - 28 June 2005. Entered Service at: Patchogue, New York. Born: 7 May 1976, Smithtown, New York Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as the leader of a special reconnaissance element with Naval Special Warfare Task Unit Afghanistan on 27 and 28 June 2005. While leading a mission to locate a high-level anti-coalition militia leader, Lieutenant Murphy demonstrated extraordinary heroism in the face of grave danger in the vicinity of Asadabad, Konar Province, Afghanistan. On 28 June 2005, operating in an extremely rugged enemy-controlled area, Lieutenant Murphy’s team was discovered by anti-coalition militia sympathizers, who revealed their position to Taliban fighters. As a result, between 30 and 40 enemy fighters besieged his four-member team. Demonstrating exceptional resolve, Lieutenant Murphy valiantly led his men in engaging the large enemy force. The ensuing fierce firefight resulted in numerous enemy casualties, as well as the wounding of all four members of the team. Ignoring his own wounds and demonstrating exceptional composure, Lieutenant Murphy continued to lead and encourage his men. When the primary communicator fell mortally wounded, Lieutenant Murphy repeatedly attempted to call for assistance for his beleaguered teammates. Realizing the impossibility of communicating in the extreme terrain, and in the face of almost certain death, he fought his way into open terrain to gain a better position to transmit a call. This deliberate, heroic act deprived him of cover, exposing him to direct enemy fire. Finally achieving contact with his headquarters, Lieutenant Murphy maintained his exposed position while he provided his location and requested immediate support for his team. In his final act of bravery, he continued to engage the enemy until he was mortally wounded, gallantly giving his life for his country and for the cause of freedom. By his selfless leadership, courageous actions, and extraordinary devotion to duty, Lieutenant Murphy reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.