Barbara Byrd Bennett pleads guilty, October 13, 2015... Guilty on one of the 23 counts, she will be sentenced after her cooperation is evaluated... 'The government attorney stated that this investigation is expanding to several others states...'...
Above, then "Chief Executive Officer" of Chicago's public schools, Barbara Byrd Bennett (foreground) answers questions from Board members during the March 26, 2014 meeting of the Chicago Board of Education. Andra L. Zopp (rear right) was one of the Board members who voted in favor of the now infamous "SUPES contract" during the Board's June 2013 meeting. The only Board member who did not vote for the SUPES contract was Carlos Azcoitia (rear left), who was absent when the vote was taken. By the time the above photo was taken, Byrd Bennett was two years into her time at CPS (she had been hired as a consultant in March 2012). The exchange of corrupt emails that found her guilty of federal crimes had begun six months before she was even installed at "CEO", virtually upon her arrival in Chicago from Detroit, where she had helped with the destruction through privatization of Detroit's public schools. Byrd Bennet resigned as CEO of CPS in June 2015. Zopp and Azcoitia are no longer on the Board of Education, although Zopp remains very active in public life, currently trying to get the nomination for the U.S. Senate seat from the Democratic Party of Illinois. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.The arraignment for Barbara Byrd Bennett, former "Chief Executive Officer" of Chicago's public schools, took place on October 13, 2015, before U.S. District Judge Edmond Chang in the federal courthouse at 219 S. Dearborn in Chicago. The courtroom was crowded, as her guilty plea was expected after the six-month federal grand jury investigation into charges of corruption.
Judge Edmond Chang began the arraignment by informing Byrd Bennett her rights.
Judge Chang asked her questions regarding her desire to plead guilty. He asked her about her family, her medical health, her mental health and whether she was informed about the �Nature if the charges.�
Byrd Bennett�s attorney, Michael Scudder, explained the elements of the crime that Byrd- Bennett knowingly violated, Count 2 in the indictment. He said that she deliberately schemed to acquire kickbacks using the "wires."
Chang explained that the Government attorneys have informed Byrd Bennett that according to the [21-page] plea agreement the maximum sentence would be 20 years and $250,000 for wire fraud. She would have three years supervised release after her prison term is finished. The government will lower her sentence 66% with Byrd Bennett�s "full and truthful cooperation."
As part of the agreement, Byrd Bennett waives her rights to any appeal. She gave up the right to any post-conviction motion. He reminded her that the government will remove all the other counts against Byrd Bennett. Originally, there were twenty three counts against the defendant and that was lowered to one count.
Chang continued that sentencing will be post-poned until after sentencing of co-defendants. Byrd Bennett has the right to a jury trial with council. The defendant by pleading guilty gives up the right to either a bench trial and a jury trial.
Chang reminded Byrd Bennett that she had multiple counts in the indictment against her.
The United States Attorney explained the factual basis to this plea by reading the indictment. According to the government, pursuant to the CPS Code of Ethics, defendant Barbara Byrd- Bennett was prohibited from having an economic interest in contracts with the Chicago Board of Education, regardless of expense, price, or consideration. Like all top officials at CPS, Byrd Bennett had signed a statement on the Code of Ethics.
The U.S. Attorney went on to note that Bennett became a CPS consultant [March 2012], she said she did not have any financial interests. Byrd Bennett filed a statement of financial Interest with the Board each year from 2012 through 2014, answering �no� to the following question: �Did the CBOE award; any work, business contract, to any person or entity in which you or a relative have an economic interest?"
The government continued, noting that in April 2012, "The defendant and codefendants knowingly devised, intended to devise, and participated in a scheme to defraud and obtain money and property from CPS by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, promises, and by concealment of material facts, and to defraud and deprive CPS and CBOE of their right to the honest services of Byrd Bennett through bribery and kickbacks."
-- April 30. 2012. A false letter was sent to CPS saying that Barbara Byrd Bennett was no longer working for SUPES Academy...
After the reading of the facts, Judge Chang asked Byrd Bennett if all of this was true and she replied; �I plead guilty.�
Next appearance in court is January 27.2016.
The government attorney stated that this investigation is expanding covering several states.
