*21  GANGSTA PAC:  ABC UNCOVERS AN PAC RUN BY A DRUG GANG
     In a two-part report, ABC News uncovers a PAC in Chicago run
by, according to ABC's Jennings, "one of the meanest and
cleverest street gangs in America": "This startling picture of
political ambition is the result of a four-month investigation by
ABC News."  PART I:  ABC's Hayes examined the Gangster Disciples
(GD), a 30,000 strong Chicago gang that, according to police,
controls 1/3 of the drug trade in Chicago and takes in over $300
million per year.  Hayes documented a transcript obtained by ABC
of a phone call placed by gang "Chairman" Larry Hoover from
prison in late '92.  Hoover: "I got a political action committee.
 ... I got an organization called 21st Century Vote."  Hayes: "It
is registered officially as a [PAC] like any other: registering
voters, gathering money, supporting candidates.  Votes, Hoover
said, ... would translate to power."  Hoover: "It's 40% African
vote in Chicago.  And that vote is our folks.  That's the folks
in the projects, the poor people.  You got them dope fiends and
wineys, we can get the vote out.  We got the army.  We got what
nobody else got.  We got the army.  We got what nobody else got
out there."  Hoover also talked about uniting rival gangs in
order to increase their electoral effect.  Hayes: "21st Century
Vote's directors deny that the PAC controlled by Hoover, but our
investigation shows the Hoover connection runs throughout the
21st Century Vote PAC":  Hoover's common-law wife "conducts much
of the business" for 21st Century Vote, the groups president has
visited Hoover 31 times in prison and is considered a GD member
by police; the group's treasurer is Hoover's cousin, and the
group's board of directors "includes reputed gang members and two
convicted felons, one of them a murderer."  One gang member:
"21st Century Vote is the same as GD. ... Most of the money be
coming from the drug money."  Hayes: "21st Century Vote's
finances have certainly raised questions.  The PAC's reported
income was $65,000 last year.  But a single picnic sponsored by
the organization cost over $90,000, much of that paid in cash." 
Hayes also played a videotape of a GD meeting wherein one member
scolds the others for not paying enough "dues" to help Hoover
with the PAC.  A GD member: "Ain't none of them dues been
reflected toward the chairman. ... These brothers trying to open
up political offices, you know, where the contribution at?" 
ABC's Jennings: "Despite the gang's involvement, there are civil
right's groups and Chicago politicians who support the ... PAC"
(ABC, 9/28).


     PART II:  In the segment airing tonight, Hayes examines GD's
political aims.  21st Century Vote pres. Dwayne Harris on gang
involvement: "We're trying to come up with solutions to help them turn
themselves around and become involved politically, positively, and become
more entrenched in the community."  Hayes: "The work and growing numbers
of [the PAC] have, despite the gang's involvement, impressed a good many
politicians."  Alderman Virgil Jones: "If they are organized properly,
they have the
potential to elect people, or unelect people."  Hayes: "One
they'd like to unelect is Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.  When Joe
Gardner announced he would challenge Daley, he welcomed the
support of 21st Century Vote, unconcerned about their ties to the
gang."  Hayes: "Police believe Hoover and the Gangster Disciples
are gathering political power to benefit their own criminal
enterprise. ... In this [GD] meeting secretly taped by state
police ... a gang lieutenant tells gang members politics is now a
top priority."  GD: "We tryin' to put people in office where it's
going to benefit us.  And take people out of office."  Hayes:
"Federal agents worry the political model may be exported.  They
say the gangster disciples have chapters and affiliates in over
150 cities. ... The Gangster Disciples have always been a force
to be reckoned with.  They are even more so now" (Release, 9/28).

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just like prohibition-