Jan 20, 2010 Article by Joseph Fosco | 114 comments

A Practical Joke On The People Of Illinois: Hynes Hires Anthrax Hoaxer

It has been nearly 10 years since the tragic September 11th terrorist attack on our great nation. In the wake of this terrible tragedy, preventing terrorist attacks became America’s highest priority. In the weeks following 9/11 letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to several news organizations and U.S. Senators. This definitely put America in mind of the horrors of biological and chemical warfare. Threats like anthrax attacks became our next concern, and it was a very real concern.

For a few twisted Americans, the anthrax scare became fodder for practical jokes. Sadly, hundreds of Anthrax hoaxes popped up throughout the country. From firefighters to prosecutors, hundreds of people committed such despicable and dangerous hoaxes. Thankfully, most of these disturbed people received multi-year prison sentences.

Only one practical joker received a job in Illinois State Comptroller Dan Hynes office drafting legislative proposals while serving Hynes as a staff attorney. In late 2001, Then Cook County Prosecutor James M. Vasselli resigned from the Cook County States Attorney’s Office after creating an Anthrax scare in a Cook County Court building. Vasselli admitted to placing an envelope containing sugar on then fellow prosecutor Adam Weber’s desk, bearing a return address of a defendant that was recently prosecuted.

Luckily for Vasselli, Dan Hynes seemed not to mind Vasselli’s deplorable actions, as he issued the disgraced prosecutor, James M. Vasselli, a prestigious job working as a staff attorney.

Please do a Google search on ‘Anthrax Hoaxes in America’ or ‘Vasselli Anthrax’. You will find hundreds of anthrax hoax cases – though many not as serious as Vasselli’s infraction. Most Anthrax hoax defendants were sent directly to prison. I noticed some Anthrax hoax prison sentences ranged from a few years to life. Look for yourself. You will definitely find James M. Vasselli’s story among the many. Perhaps if the others knew Dan Hynes they would have not gone to prison and would have received a job working on legislative proposals instead.

I will give you three reasons not to vote for Hynes for Governor:

1) James M. Vasselli
2) William Norels
3) David Pippy

Hynes, I would say three strikes and you are out.