McDermott's under Grand Jury Criminal Investigation

It has been rumored from a couple of local (NWI) sources that the McDermott family is being investigated by the grand jury for the Hammond Cabellas deal.  If true and the indictments come down, then it will really re-assure NWI citizens that the system still has a chance in Lake County.

There was never any doubt that the McDermott family dealings with Cabellas were "over the top" unethical.  That it was unethical was certain and clear; but ethics has always been murky for politicians in NWI.  The facts and circumstances also made clear the it was illegal; but that is alway more difficult to prove.

That is why it is a vote of confidence in NWI that the grand jury is looking into this criminal activity.

Any sane thinking citizen could tell that this was a kick-back scheme.  Why would a legitimate U. S. corporation, Cabellas, hire an economically useless old man, even a former (14 years ago) mayor, for an hourly consulting fee plus a finders bonus for something that they can do themselves.  Cabellas has opened many stores across the country without this kind of "spotter."  Why now?  What new talents or capabilities does Tom McDermott, Sr. bring to the table?   Northing, he never even claimed that he did or could (neither did Cabellas). 

The fact is it makes good sense if for some reason Cabellas had hired a local real estate lawyer.  This is what a normal company does.  (By the way, they did hire Joe Allegretti as their lawyer.)

The only value the McDermott, Sr. has to offer is that he can leverage his son, the current mayor of Hammond.  Or it may be the other way around; the only way Tom McDermott, Jr. can get a piece of the Cabellas action is by getting the money to his father and other family members.  Otherwise, there is absolutely no reasonable sense to this hiring of McDermott, Sr. unless one wants to argue that Cabellas' management is so incompetent they willing to throw money away.  This latter scenario is not likely.

What is likely is that at some point Cabellas approached the City of Hammond expressing some interest, the big question is: approached whom?, and they were told that if they want to do business in Hammond they have to get the father involved financially.  That is the only scenario that makes any sense at all.

This is what the grand jury will be uncovering.  When that occurs then one can really say we are starting to have some level of ethics in NWI. 

Otherwise, the rest of the State will continue laughing at us for believing that this whole scheme was an "arms length transaction," as the McDermott's claim.