Among the questions Rep. Bernie Hunhoff posed to former Governor Mike Rounds last month about his EB-5 czar Joop Bollen's contract with himself was this loaded query:
Did you know Bollen was asked at deposition "why didn't you sign on behalf of SDRC, Inc." and he responded "it would look silly"? [Rep. Bernie Hunhoff, question 1d, letter from Government Operations and Audit Committee to Michael Rounds, 2014.09.16]
The deposition of Joop Bollen in Darley v. SDIBI shows that Rep. Hunhoff got it wrong. Bollen did not say it would look "silly." He told Darley attorney Jennifer Elkayam that it would have looked "goofy":
[Elkayam]: Why did Mr. Park sign as SDRC -- director of SDRC Inc.?
[Bollen]: First of all, this document was merely to advise the USCIS that a new entity was involved in the operational aspects of the regional center, and we are supposed to advise the USCIS if there is such a change. That was the whole function of this MOU and the reason why I -- Mr. Park signed it is because I had a conversation with him and said, "It looks so goofy for me to sign twice with the same signature," so he said, "Well, I can sign for it as well," so I said, "Okay, that's fine" [Joop Bollen, deposition 2, Darley v. SDIBI, 2014.04.17, p. 221].
Goofy indeed. But somehow I don't think that's the word the USCIS would use to describe signing a document and submitting false information concerning the administration of a federal program.
But in his deposition Bollen said that he couldn't sign contracts when he worked for the state. Yet here he is signing a contract on behalf of the state.
Goofier than most, that's for sure. Maybe the contract was illegal and invalid and he should have to give back all of his earned money.
Check out 18 U.S.C. 1001, which reads in relevant part:
"(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully—
(1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact;
(2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or
(3) makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry;
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years . . . ."
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1001
I know this is off topic, but I just saw an ad for Marion and he believes that the Keystone XL pipeline will create American jobs, sort of like he believed NBP would create American jobs?
Francis, it just another over simplified buzz word. It sounds good on the surface, but there are no guarantees of long term jobs, or of how many jobs.
It is like rolling a pair of dice and hoping for 7 or 11.
Jackley ... Jackley ... Jackley ...
Has anybody checked to see where Mr. Bollen is registered to vote and what signs he has in his yard?
I've been reading the deposition - and it's a hoot! It's like a Grisham novel, except most of the attorneys appear to be bumbling fools. He needs to stop the deposition to give his dog eye drops? Really? Bollen also doesn't appear to read emails or documents he signs. So, we have to ask Rounds, how did this maroon get a no-bid contract to run SDRC?!
grudz, nobody of authority in this state is watching him. that's kinda the problem.
whut's frightening is Jackley and his 100 lawyers all knew this at the time and now we are 3 wks. or less from the election. cover-up, distract/delay. somebody decided how to handle this mess.
Brendan must be scratchin' his head wondering how many former and acting state government employees he's gonna have to target to close-out this EB5 "trick" and ALL its tentacles. And that won't solve the problem. Jackley's office. Regents. Risk Office. No-bid hiring. Audits. GOAC. Transparency. Inadequate investigations. Banking Commission. Endless....
leslie, it is like the lyrics from a song: "Round like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel, never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel..."
The whole deeply embedded republican regime. Kind of like North Korea or some other place that we scorn because of their lack of law. When the head of law enforcement in the state is up to his beady little eyeballs in the proven corruption, where do you go? The current leader was in on the fix from the beginning so he ain't gonna want to rock the boat. It appears that not even the federal government has any kind of say in this, even when this involved federal statutes. I guess we are a sovereign state indeed, just like North Korea without the rice. Our former dear leader is about the same size with the same smile as the new gimpy one there, coincidence?
john t's blog digs at how much $ was misappropriated from the state from EB5 monkey business. add the half mill. plus expended on lawyers in cali. ect.
the cover-up and lack of audit and investigation; deleted emails; removed files; delay, misdirection and refusal of information, questions, and GOAC subpeonas; until after nov.4, make answering the question from the public's side impossible.
tsitrian notes a SDGOP political player's facebook remark that "$80 mil.[is]...a diminishing harm than was claimed [by rep. tyler]."
The latest news articles list Joop Bollen formally of Aberdeen and from what I hear his house is getting ready to sell on North Main in Aberdeen.
Joop made a load of cash in Aberdeen and with his vast rental empire he probably doesn't ever need to worry about money again and if the Republicans keep stonewalling this he does not need to worry about any prosecution. Wonder where Joop is residing now.
Jackley attended the Huckabee rally and spoke, so I highly doubt he will fully investigate Rounds and his role in the EB-5 scandal.
yup. wonder how south dakota law enforcement feels, standin' in the background with hands in its pockets, whistling?
leslie,
Their hands weren't in their pockets, their hands are in the state treasurers pockets.