by Josh Levin
274 “I would do everything”: “Reagan would end busing,” Portsmouth Herald (Portsmouth, NH), January 29, 1976.
275 “that we had a racial problem”: Perlstein, The Invisible Bridge, p. 554.
276 “the dumbest thing”: “‘Closest Friend’ Was Reagan Teammate,” Washington Post, January 16, 1986.
277 “strapping young buck”: “Reagan is Picking His Florida Spots,” February 5, 1976.
278 “give back to the people”: “A Reporter in Washington, DC,” New Yorker, May 24, 1976.
279 the Cook County judge decreed: “Judge rules Linda can be called names—just 4,” Chicago Tribune, January 27, 1976.
280 asserting that five different judges: Petitions for substitution of judge, December 13, 1974, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
281 “the Defendant does not know”: Motion to dismiss each count of each indictment, February 18, 1975, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
282 “so staggering in its wastefulness”: People’s answer to defendant’s pretrial motion, December 18, 1975, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
283 “bore the rhythm and intensity”: “The Alfano Murder Trial: Analyzing the System,” January 24, 1971.
284 a habit of swiping sugar: “The Defiant One,” Chicago, July 1999, p. 50.
285 When Pincham was in high school: Travis, Racism, pp. 82–83.
286 stepped away from his firm briefly: Pincham, interviewed by Adele Hodge, August 13, 2002, the HistoryMakers digital archive.
287 “ye have done it unto me”: “The Alfano Murder Trial: Analyzing the System,” Chicago Tribune, January 24, 1971.
288 Jackson demanded: “Rev. Jackson Calls for Hanrahan’s Resignation, Replacement by Black,” Chicago Tribune, August 27, 1971.
289 His firm rented space: “Black Businessmen Produce Jobs,” Chicago Defender, October 14, 1968.
290 “When you cut through everything”: “Judge rules Linda can be called names—just 4,” January 27, 1976.
291 “not the rich nor the famous”: “Profiles—Black Advocates in the Forefront of Trial Litigation.”
292 published a front-page report: “Reagan Stories Don’t Check Out.”
293 “an excellent example of reportorial journalism”: Melvin Mencher quoted in “Truth on the campaign trail,” Washington Star, March 1, 1976.
294 “In recent weeks, you’ve been”: ABC News, raw footage.
295 the New York Times reprinted: February 15, 1976.
296 “latest con job”: “The Biggest Welfare Cheat of All,” February 18, 1976.
297 “stories are peopled”: “Reagan’s Half-Truths,” June 12, 1976.
298 on the order of $40,000: James Trainor to Don Moore, January 1975, ISA.
299 “may have understated the facts”: “Star Lays Egg With Reagan Story,” February 14, 1976.
Chapter 7
Author interviews with Jack Sherwin, Jim Piper, Johnnie Harbaugh, Chuck Neubauer, James Strong, Bill Bliss, Bill Recktenwald, J. Terrence Brunner, Bill Mullen, Ron Cooper.
300 When Linda Taylor walked out: NBC News, raw footage.
301 on February 25, 1976: George Bliss, “‘Welfare Queen’ charged with stealing furnishings,” Chicago Tribune, February 26, 1976.
302 a “fishing expedition”: Defendant’s petition to suppress evidence, May 15, 1975, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
303 The day before: Arrest report, continuation of narrative, February 24, 1976, People of the State of Illinois v. Linda Taylor (henceforth Linda Taylor burglary case), CCCC.
304 he decided to wait: Arrest report, continuation of narrative, February 27, 1976, Linda Taylor burglary case.
305 assembled at 7450 South Normal: “‘Welfare Queen’ charged with stealing furnishings.”
306 didn’t appear to have anywhere to sleep: Arrest report, continuation of narrative, February 27, 1976, Linda Taylor burglary case.
307 “No matter how much money”: Sherwin account in arrest report, continuation of narrative, March 5, 1976, Linda Taylor burglary case.
308 There was a bullet: George Bliss and Lee Strobel, “‘Welfare Queen’s’ bond to remain at $50,000,” Chicago Tribune, February 27, 1976.
309 cadre of welfare cheaters: “Panel probes welfare cheating charges,” Chicago Tribune, September 30, 1974.
310 “sought to publicize”: “Legislative Advisory Committee On Public Aid,” South Suburban Journal (Harvey, IL), September 18, 1975.
311 instructed the city’s cops: Superintendent James M. Rochford, notice on how to refer suspected fraud cases, January 14, 1975, ISA; George Bliss, “War on aid cheats saves $500,000 in 9 months,” Chicago Tribune, September 22, 1975.
312 from $100,000 to $188,000: “Legislative Advisory Committee on Public Assistance, Budget for FY 1975,” ISA; “Legislative Advisory Committee On Public Aid.”
313 saved taxpayers more than $1 million: “Welfare: Finding Society’s Cheaters,” Star-Tribune (Harvey, IL), April 4, 1976.
314 “the greater crimes are being committed”: Moore speech transcript, ISA.
315 Moore’s proposal to set up: Moore on Senate Bill 1312, 79th Illinois General Assembly, May 20, 1975, session transcript, ILGA online archive.
316 succeed in lobbying: “Legislative Advisory Committee On Public Aid.”
317 “finder’s fee” of up to $2,500: “Senate Bill 1942 (Berning),” IDPA interoffice memos, May and June 1976, ISA; “Welfare cheat ‘bounty bill’ faces oblivion,” Chicago Daily News, June 17, 1976.
318 “too many people on welfare”: “Results of public opinion survey ‘Viewpoint’: December 1975–January 1976,” state senator Thomas H. Miller to Don Moore, February 10, 1976, ISA.
319 These volunteer guardians: IDPA director’s administrative files, 1962 to June 1989, ISA.
320 launching a 24-hour, toll-free welfare fraud hotline: IDPA news release, May 22, 1975, ISA.
321 At 9:07 a.m. on August 14, 1975: IDPA director’s administrative files, 1975, ISA.
322 more than five thousand tips: Charles Conner to Robert Wessel, June 23, 1976, IDPA/ISA.
323 Two-thirds of those callers: “Tipsters on hotline aid war on welfare cheaters,” Chicago Tribune, May 20, 1976.
324 $25,135 a year to maintain: “The Hot Line,” fact sheet, IDPA director’s administrative files, 1976, ISA.
325 “been too successful”: James Bailey quoted in “Tipsters on hotline aid war on welfare cheaters.”
326 “Big Brother’s helper”: “Public Aid’s wrong number,” October 28, 1975.
327 “dangerous and un-American”: October 28, 1975, IDPA/ISA.
328 The “CHIGO PD” placard: Mug shot, February 26, 1976, CPD/FOIA.
329 A month before, she’d married: Marriage license, January 22, 1976, VA/FOIA.
330 Arthur Krueger: Written statement, February 25, 1976, Linda Taylor burglary case.
331 “split certain expenses”: Brame statement in burglary police report, February 26, 1976, Linda Taylor burglary case.
332 “feared that she would have trouble”: Officer Raymond Howe, supplementary report, February 26, 1976, Linda Taylor burglary case.
333 Brame’s neighbors had seen: Arrest report, continuation of narrative, February 26, 1976, Linda Taylor burglary case.
334 at 1:30 a.m. on February 26: Ibid.
335 “deposition of Patricia M. Parks”: Property inventory forms, February 27, 1976, Linda Taylor burglary case.
336 “exorbitant, prohibitive, punitive”: Defendant’s bail reduction motion, April 12, 1976, Linda Taylor burglary case.
337 “to have some respect for the court”: “Dander up, bond down, for ‘Queen,’” April 15, 1976, Chicago Tribune.
338 “a champion of deception and deceit”: Ibid.
339 reducing his client’s bail to $7,500: Bail bond slip and cash deposit form, April 15, 1976, Linda Taylor burglary case.
340 left the court no forwarding address: Motion to revoke bond, June 7, 1976, Linda Taylor burglary case.
341 the campaig
n’s chartered plane: Peter Hannaford interview, Ronald Reagan Oral History Project.
342 Nancy Reagan urged: Perlstein, The Invisible Bridge, p. 637.
343 “collapse of the American will”: Witcover, Marathon, p. 402.
344 “We bought it”: The Panama Deception, dir. Barbara Trent, 1992.
345 “gross factual errors”: Perlstein, The Invisible Bridge, p. 633.
346 “The Panama Canal issue”: Witcover, Marathon, p. 402.
347 “Miss Sally Jones sitting at home”: “Arithmetic plaguing Reagan in Ford fight,” New York Times, March 25, 1976.
348 Reagan reportedly demanded: Witcover, Marathon, p. 411.
349 “As much as I hate to admit it”: Ibid., p. 419.
350 “Welfare is destroying human beings”: “Audio Recently Found of Ronald Reagan’s Visit to Chattanooga in 1976,” the Chattanoogan online, September 1, 2014.
351 “What do you propose to do”: ABC News, raw footage.
352 by wooing delegates: Witcover, Marathon, pp. 440–441.
353 “we’ve nominated the wrong man”: Shirley, Reagan’s Revolution, p. xxiii.
354 by drinking champagne: “Reagan resumes career as radio commentator,” AP/South Mississippi Sun, September 2, 1976.
355 on airplanes and car rides: Reagan in His Own Hand, p. xvi.
356 “the ‘welfare queen,’ as she’s now called”: Hoover Institution archives.
357 “the abuses in the program”: “Interview with Managing Editors on Domestic Issues,” December 3, 1981, American Presidency Project.
358 “The new Human Events readership study”: advertisement, p. 17.
359 a piece on police brutality: “Police brutality in Chicago: Bad apples on the beat,” February 9, 1974.
360 it landed on the front page: George Bliss and Chuck Neubauer, “Tax breaks for Daley pals told,” Chicago Tribune, September 14, 1976.
361 On the morning of July 8, 1976: Arrest report, CPD/FOIA.
362 grew by 151 percent: U.S. Census Bureau data, cited in “Study finds 1 in 5 Chicagoans is poor; up 24% since 1970,” Chicago Tribune, January 9, 1983.
363 Sherman Ray’s unemployment checks: Chicago office memo, November 23, 1976, FBI/FOIA.
364 April 1, then to May 6: Memorandum of orders, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
365 twenty-two criminal judges: “County justice system to be unveiled on local TV,” Chicago Defender, December 20, 1975.
366 350 pending cases: “Continuances delay justice: 25 in County Jail wait years for trial,” July 6, 1976.
367 A mere thirty defense attorneys: “Reformers move on court delays,” Chicago Tribune, September 1, 1974.
368 “Right after an incident”: “Criminal Courts Trials Mired in Endless Delays,” May 19, 1971.
369 “can’t try every criminal case”: “Continuances try a judge’s patience,” November 22, 1976.
370 “welfare abuse cannot be ignored”: “Walker announces task force to probe state welfare abuses,” Dixon Evening Telegraph (Dixon, IL), September 10, 1974.
371 even, hypothetically, $1 million: “$1 million welfare fraud only misdemeanor—Rice,” Metro-East Journal (East Saint Louis, IL), February 26, 1976.
372 In November 1976, Piper: Chicago office memo, November 17, 1976, FBI/FOIA.
373 $3,250…and $3,757.40: Chicago office memo, July 26, 1976, FBI/FOIA.
374 “Any federal prosecution would”: Ibid.
375 “blew this matter way out of proportion”: Chicago office memo, January 26, 1977, FBI/FOIA.
376 Illinois Supreme Court ruled: People of the State of Illinois v. Louise Brooks, December 3, 1976.
377 for up to twenty years: “Chicago ‘welfare queen’ may get up to 20 years,” Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN), March 18, 1977.
378 “on the docket too long”: “Scolds ‘welfare queen’s’ lawyer,” Chicago Defender, February 23, 1977.
Chapter 8
Author interviews with Isaiah “Skip” Gant, Jim Piper, Kenneth Gillis, Jack Sherwin, Johnnie Harbaugh, David Grimes, Etta Tomczyk, Bridget Hutchen, Robert Sklodowski, Bernard Judge.
379 The air-conditioning didn’t work: “$92 million court repairs aimed at improving justice,” Chicago Tribune, February 10, 1975.
380 “trying a criminal case”: “Profiles—Black Advocates in the Forefront of Trial Litigation.”
381 When a gust of wind: UPI Telephoto image in “More agencies join ‘welfare queen’ quiz,” Chicago Tribune, December 1, 1974.
382 A few months later, Taylor dressed: CBS News, raw footage, c. February 1975.
383 “brightly colored mod outfits”: “Welfare Queen Sentenced,” AP/Times and Democrat (Orangeburg, SC), May 13, 1977.
384 One year and ten continuances: Memorandum of orders, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
385 her name was Linda Wakefield: Taylor examination, February 24, 1977, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
386 “used eight of their ten”: Nathaniel Clay, “God and criminal justice,” March 22, 1977.
387 three of them black: “‘Welfare Queen’s’ trial goes on,” March 8, 1977.
388 “This woman is the fall guy”: “State ‘welfare queen’ a ‘fall guy,’ jury told,” Chicago Sun-Times, March 5, 1977.
389 Sherwin led off: “Suspect had 4 bogus welfare ID cards, cop testifies,” Chicago Sun-Times, March 8, 1977.
390 “Is this your card?…not your card?”: Summary by Sternik in closing statement, March 17, 1977, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
391 “for a while…but not anymore”: “‘Welfare Queen’s’ trial goes on.”
392 “During last year’s race”: March 7, 1977, broadcast.
393 a 230-word news brief: “‘Welfare queen’ aliases cited by witness at trial.”
394 a front-pager on a Cook County court case: “Father cleared of death plot on son,” March 12, 1977.
395 food vouchers…checks totaling $419.33: Slimkowski and Memra Taylor trial testimonies, March 8 and 9, 1977, Illinois v. Linda Taylor; check images, FBI/FOIA.
396 the intake worker got suspicious: Etta Tomczyk testimony, grand jury indictment, February 6, 1975; and summary of Tomczyk’s testimony by Sternik in closing statement, March 17, 1977, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
397 “suffered a setback”: “2 can’t identify ‘welfare queen,’” March 10, 1977.
398 “key witness”: Chicago office memo, January 26, 1977, FBI/FOIA.
399 on thirteen of the twenty-three checks: Charles Mount, “‘Welfare queen,’ checks linked by writing expert,” Chicago Tribune, March 12, 1977.
400 “So the last shall come first”: Gant, closing statement, March 17, 1977, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
401 “You may feel that”: Ibid.; Clay, “God and criminal justice.”
402 “just a parasite”: Piper, closing statement, March 17, 1977, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
403 “sat stoically through”: “Welfare Queen guilty in fraud,” AP/San Bernardino County Sun, March 18, 1977.
404 “With her face pinched and drawn”: “Welfare Queen guilty,” March 19, 1977.
405 “You seriously offer that”: Court transcript, March 17, 1977, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
406 Operation Greylord…judges’ chambers: “BFI ‘sting’ hits lawyers, judges,” Chicago Tribune, August 6, 1983; “Greylord’s roots deep, intricate,” Chicago Tribune, December 18, 1983.
407 “I love people that take dough”: “Judge Liked ‘People Who Take Dough,’ Greylord File Shows,” Chicago Tribune, April 27, 1985.
408 Jones had insisted: “Reveal death threats to Judge Mark Jones,” Chicago Defender, October 29, 1975.
409 “We, the jury, find the defendant”: Court transcript, March 17, 1977, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
410 “Mr. Piper had them put”: Ibid.
411 The Tribune published: Charles Mount, “‘Welfare queen’ found guilty in aid fraud case,” March 18, 1977.
412 “Miss Taylor showed no emotion”: “‘Welfare Queen’ convicted,�
� March 18, 1977.
413 “nervous and gloom-stricken”: Clay, “God and criminal justice.”
414 “Although it was obvious”: Ibid.
415 When Taylor emerged: CBS News, raw footage, March 17, 1977.
Chapter 9
Author interviews with Bill Bliss, Larry Bliss, William Crawford, Jerry Crimmins, William Gaines, Bernard Judge, Bill Mullen, Chuck Neubauer, Bill Recktenwald, James Strong, Jim Piper, Isaiah “Skip” Gant, Phillip Wertz, Ward Hamlin Jr., Robert Sklodowski, Jeffrey Simon, Bernard Carey.
416 an enormous Bible: “Welfare Queen Jailed,” AP/Mt. Vernon Register–News, March 26, 1977.
417 “Since you came and searched my house”: “Welfare queen gives court wrong address, goes to jail,” Chicago Tribune, March 26, 1977.
418 “she attended church meetings”: “Welfare Queen Jailed.”
419 “Judge, can I say something?”: Quoted in “Welfare queen gives court wrong address, goes to jail.”
420 “She was so greedy she couldn’t stop”: Court transcript, March 17, 1977, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
421 “cold, calculated plan”: Quoted in “Illinois ‘Welfare Queen’ Sentenced,” Chicago Daily News/Waukesha Daily Freeman (Waukesha, WI), May 13, 1977.
422 “If there is anybody”: Ibid.
423 Gant also cited: Charles Mount, “Welfare queen gets 2-6 years in jail,” Chicago Tribune, May 13, 1977.
424 “Black schoolchildren in Chicago”: Quoted in “Illinois ‘Welfare Queen’ Sentenced.”
425 “telling me what to do”: “Welfare Queen Gets 2- to 6-Year Term,” AP/Decatur Herald, May 13, 1977.
426 For each of those counts: Certified statement of conviction, Illinois v. Linda Taylor.
427 “quietly replied ‘No’”: “Welfare Queen gets 3 year jail term,” May 14, 1977.
428 Sun-Times added: “‘Welfare Queen’ Linda Taylor gets two prison terms,” May 13, 1977.
429 “I’m concerned about”: “Mental Test for ‘Queen’ of Welfare,” AP/Mt. Vernon Register–News, April 1, 1977.
430 “dishonesty, fraud”: Report and recommendation of the review board, March 14, 1988, In the Matter of William Starke, Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
