Re: Vet Committee: FW: Niranjan Shah Correspondence--Confidential

From:CoxC@dnc.org To: KaplanJ@dnc.org Date: 2016-05-06 18:40 Subject: Re: Vet Committee: FW: Niranjan Shah Correspondence--Confidential

Their attorney just forwarded to us Sent from my iPhone On May 6, 2016, at 4:38 PM, Kaplan, Jordan <KaplanJ@dnc.org<mailto:KaplanJ@dnc.org>> wrote: why? Jordan Kaplan National Finance Director Democratic National Committee (202) 488-5002 (o) | (312) 339-0224 (c) kaplanj@dnc.org<mailto:kaplanj@dnc.org> <EFA0E494-461C-4D20-85BC-5D1CD9801DD6[11].png> Begin forwarded message: Here’s his vet. The WH was very sensitive to Blagojevich ties. I could be ok for DNC donations and events. However, the WH and OVP might not want him at their events. Nothing new since last vet in Feb 2016 Niranjan Shah – Ties to Blagojevich; Pay to play accusations; Forced to resign as Chairman of University of Illinois board of trustees in the wake of a scandal providing a special admissions track for politically connected applicants. Previously failed multiple times; nothing New since last vet in March 2014 100 E Huron Street 2402 Chicago, IL 60611 DOB: 5/1953 EMPLOYER/OCCUPATION: Executive, Globetrotters Engineer Corp NOTES: See Below Vet History * 2/5/2016; Issue 6OK; Nothing new * 10/7/2014; Failed 6OK; Failed by VC * 3/14/2014; Failed 6ok; Per WH * 9/30/2013; Issue 6OK; Nothing new * 1/19/2013; Pass 6OK – OK per PIC VC * 1/16/2013; Issue 6OK – same issues * 6/18/2012; Failed 6OK – fail per OVP, vetted for IL172 * 6/15/2012; Failed 6OK – for IL172, nothing new * 6/27/2011; Failed – DNC Failed Vet Project * 2/17/2011; Failed – nothing new * 5/18/2010; Failed – removed from IL143 * 1/6/2010; Failed – No per WH * 7/23/2009; Failed – No per WH * 7/20/2009; Issue with Donor – Bad story re: Blago * 4/23/2009; Passed CONTRIBUTIONS: Yes Reed Committee 6/15/2013 $1,000 Quigley for Congress 5/6/2013 $500 Friends of Dick Durbin 3/22/2013 $1,500 Friends of Dick Durbin 3/22/2013 $1,100 Schakowsky for Congress 3/7/2013 $2,600 Robin Kelly for Congress 1/30/2013 $1,000 Friends of Sherrod Brown 10/9/2012 $3,500 Friends of Sherrod Brown 10/9/2012 -($2,000) Friends of Sherrod Brown 10/9/2012 -($2,000) Friends of Sherrod Brown 10/9/2012 $3,500 Schneider for Congress 8/10/2012 $250 Donnelly for Indiana 5/1/2012 $2,500 Quigley for Congress 4/30/2012 $1,000 Friends of Sherrod Brown 4/25/2012 $1,000 Bill Foster for Congress Committee 4/4/2012 $500 Ricky Gill For Congress 3/16/2012 $500 Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee 2/22/2012 $10,000 Friends Of Elizabeth Esty 1/19/2012 $1,000 Duckworth For Congress 9/26/2011 $2,500 Duckworth For Congress 9/26/2011 $2,500 Prairie Political Action Committee 9/23/2011 $5,000 Raja For Congress 8/12/2011 $250 Friends Of Dick Durbin Committee 5/19/2011 $1,500 Progressive Choices PAC 10/29/2010 $2,500 Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee 10/29/2010 $10,000 Schakowsky For Congress 10/28/2010 $2,400 Democratic Party Of Illinois 9/9/2010 $10,000 Alexi For Illinois 7/30/2010 $2,300 Bill Foster For Congress Committee 5/11/2010 $1,000 Kenneth Lewis For Us Senate Inc 4/30/2010 $250 Ellsworth For Indiana 1/22/2010 $1,400 Alexi For Illinois 11/17/2009 $2,400 Cheryle Jackson For U S Senate 11/4/2009 $500 Halvorson For Congress 8/20/2009 $2,000 People For Patty Murray 6/30/2009 $500 QUIGLEY FOR CONGRESS 12/31/2008 $1,500 MADIA FOR U S CONGRESS 10/20/2008 $500 OBAMA VICTORY FUND 8/25/2008 $1,000 DEMOCRATIC WHITE HOUSE VICTORY FUND 6/20/2008 $27,500 DNC SERVICES CORPORATION/DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE 12/31/2007 $20,000 JOHN KERRY FOR SENATE 10/23/2007 $2,300 DAN LIPINSKI FOR CONGRESS 9/13/2007 $500 MELISSA BEAN FOR CONGRESS 6/30/2007 $2,000 CITIZENS FOR RUSH 4/19/2007 $2,000 OBAMA FOR AMERICA 2/23/2007 $2,300 EVENTS: One * REChicago1 – Rahm Emmanuel – 1/10/2010 * DC258 - Vet Photo Line: NFC and NAB Event @ Corcoran Gallery of Art – 3/16/09 * Additional events from 1997-2008. LOBBYIST: No DOJ FARA: No EARMARK(S): No LIENS: No JUDGMENTS: No BANKRUPTCIES: No CRIMINAL RECORDS: No LEXIS-NEXIS NEWS SEARCH (BULLET PTS): Yes * It's not about you: “Once more, with feeling: "The board of trustees failed to discharge its duty as a governing board and, in particular, failed to exercise the care and diligence appropriate to protect against admissions-related abuses." That was the finding of the blue-ribbon panel that heard eight weeks of testimony about theUniversity of Illinois' special admissions track for well-connected applicants. The group's recommendation: The board should resign… While former trustee Lawrence Eppley served as a conduit for requests from ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich's inner circle and former board Chairman Niranjan Shah leaned on university leaders to create a six-figure job for his future son-in-law, Carroll says she intervened only on behalf of applicants from underrepresented areas or demographic groups. Montgomery lobbied -- unsuccessfully -- on behalf of a single applicant, a relative of his daughter's boyfriend.” [Chicago Tribune - 8/20/09] * Chairman of U of Ill. Board of Trustees resigns: “The chairman of the University of Illinois' Board of Trustees resigned Monday amid an investigation into the use of political clout to get underqualified students into the school. Niranjan Shah said in a letter to Gov. Pat Quinn that he decided to step down after members of a state commission investigating the admissions practices said they believed the trustees should resign. Shah is the second trustee to do so, after former chairman Lawrence Eppley quit last week.” I am not in public service for self-aggrandizement and therefore have no interest in a protracted process regarding my role," Shah wrote. "My interest is solely in the vitality of the University of Illinois.” The school's flagship campus at Champaign-Urbana has been at the center of a storm since the Chicago Tribune reported in May that the school maintained a list of politically connected students, known as Category I. The newspaper said some underqualified members of the list were admitted under pressure from former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, university trustees and others. Quinn said Monday he accepted Shah's resignation, which is effective in 90 days, or sooner if a successor is in place. He said the search for a successor would begin immediately. Shah had been accused of pushing to admit certain applicants and arranging for his future son-in-law to work for the school. Shah has denied trying to admit relatives to the school or being pressured by public officials to support certain applicants. University spokesman Thomas Hardy said the school respects Shah's decision and appreciates his service. Quinn appointed the Illinois Admissions Review Commission after the Category I list became public. Commission member Bernard Judge of Chicago said he was glad Shah resigned.” I think he did the university a favor by resigning now," Judge said. "It will end any further need to seek his resignation." The panel's final report is due this week.” [The Associated Press - 8/3/09] * Six counties in 60 seconds: “Dean intervened on admission: A University of Illinois dean says he intervened on behalf of a student who had been denied admission to a master’s degree program. Business School Dean Lawrence DeBrock testified Wednesday before a state panel investigating the role of political influence on the school’s admissions process. He said he admitted the student, who was supported by U of I Trustee Niranjan Shah. E-mails show Shah asked Chancellor Richard Herman for assistance with the student’s admission. MBA admissions director Jaquilin Wilson testified she originally denied the student admission because of a low grade-point average.” [Chicago Daily Herald - 7/23/09] * AP Exclusive: Blago's politics all in day's work: “Blagojevich's phone log is littered with people calling to take him up on invitations to be overnight guests at the governor's mansion. University of Illinois trustee Niranjan Shah, whose engineering firm gave Blagojevich $50,000, called in November 2005 to say "thank you" for his visit.” [The Associated Press State & Local Wire – 6/22/09] * How U. of I. scheme began; Applicant's denial was reversed in '02: “The University of Illinois formalized its system for tracking clouted applicants after an unqualified student with ties to ex-Gov. Jim Thompson was rejected, angering a top administrator who reversed the decision, a former admissions worker testified Monday. Abel Montoya said that when now-Chancellor Richard Herman found out the applicant had been denied, an admissions official "was told to call the family and tell them it was a mistake."… The commission was convened by Gov. Pat Quinn in the wake of a Chicago Tribune investigation that revealed more than 800 undergraduate applicants and dozens of graduate students within the last five years had been flagged for special treatment… and to call to testify trustee Lawrence Eppley; board chair Niranjan Shah, Chancellor Herman, President B. Joseph White and former law school dean Heidi Hurd” [Chicago Tribune – 6/30/09] * Trustees no strangers to clout; U. of I. board members backed applicants nearly 100 times in 3 years: “Another trustee whose name appears repeatedly on admissions logs is current Board Chairman Niranjan Shah, an Oak Brook businessman whose firm's records were subpoenaed last year as part of the pay-to-play probe of the Blagojevich administration. The firm has not been accused of wrongdoing. Companies associated with Shah have received more than $30 million in state contracts over the last five years and have contributed more than $53,000 to Blagojevich since 2000. Shah also hosted a fundraiser at his home for the former governor. "Niranjan Shah would like to have a quiet lunch or dinner," reads one entry. Another states, "Niranjan Shah called to say TY for their overnight stay at Mansion. [Chicago Tribune -6/21/09] * Blago Had $2.3 Million Campaign Contribution "Hit List": “At least half a dozen people appointed by Blago to state boards or other state posts appear on the list. Some, including Illinois Finance Authority Chairman Bill Brandt and University of Illinois board member Niranjan Shah, were slated to host fundraisers but did not due to the ex-governor's arrest. The hit list was drawn up in September and federal investigators obtained it in October. The list was used to get permission to tap Blago's phone lines and the Sun-Times obtained an updated version in December, shortly before Blago's arrest. The document is likely to be used in the ex-governor's indictment -- which might be made public later this week. [Chicagoist – 3/29/09] * They gave big, they got big; 'Pay-to-play' probe looking at firms that were big Blago donors: “Another firm named in the subpoena is Globetrotters Engineering Corp., headed by Niranjan Shah, recently named chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. Globetrotters has gotten hundreds of millions of dollars in city and state business, and one of its subsidiaries helps run concessions at O'Hare Airport. Shah said his company gets government contracts on merit, not as a result of the thousands of dollars in campaign contributions he has given to Blagojevich and others. "I don't think we got any special treatment," Shah said. "We are very careful. We're a very good firm. We do lots of good projects. We have been in business for 35 years." Blagojevich's former chief of staff, Lon Monk, was Globetrotters' lobbyist the last two years. Shah said the relationship ended in December, when Monk's contract expired. In the criminal complaint against Blagojevich, Monk is the "Lobbyist 1" who is part of an alleged shakedown scheme of a potential Blagojevich campaign contributor.” [Chicago Sun Times – 2/9/09] GOOGLE: None WIKIPEDIA: None NOTES/Email Chain: Thanks, Laura! He still fails on our end as well. I’ll let the campaign know. Here you go! Hi Laura, We had an state lunch for India that day. It may be what he is referring to. However, we only vet the Vice President’s table for those events so Shah was never vetted by us for the event. Could you forward me his vet report? Since he has just failed, I assume that will be the outcome. Thanks! Nicole Hi Nicole, We don’t have any record of Shah being vetted for a VPOTUS event since 2012 (he was failed) and we don’t have a record of an event with VPOTUS on September 30th. He was failed nine days ago for an event with POTUS. Please advise. Thanks, Laura Good afternoon, Please find attached version 3 of the vetting sheet for the dinner in Chicago on 10.22.14. We have added Mr. Shah to the list to be vetted. Please note, he was recently vetted for a luncheon on September 30th with the VPOTUS. Thanks! Kevin 3/14/2016: Still fails Hello everyone, Finance would like for Nirajan Shah to attend, donate, and get a photo with POTUS at the Chicago roundtable in April. He’s been failed numerous times in the past. There are no new issues to report. Thanks, Kevin Niranjan Shah – Ties to Blagojevich; Pay to play accusations; Forced to resign as Chairman of University of Illinois board of trustees in the wake of a scandal providing a special admissions track for politically connected applicants. Previously failed multiple times; Nothing New since last vet in September 2013 100 E Huron Street 2402 6/18/2012 This is a no on my end as well. Thanks. Don’t think we should include him. Hi Nicole, Please see one issue for Monday’s clutch. Thanks IL172 - VPOTUS - DCCC Clutch with Duckworth, Schneider, Foster, Bustos 6/18/2012 2:10:00 PM Chicago Cuts Steakhouse (1) JS via KS 7/20/2009 and others Niranjan Shah – Ties to Blagojevich; Pay to play accusations; Forced to resign as Chairman of University of Illinois board of trustees in the wake of a scandal providing a special admissions track for politically connected applicants. Previously failed multiple times. >>> Elizabeth Jarvis Shean 1/6/2010 4:13 PM >>> Correct - still a no-go ----- Liz, Niranjan Shah was submitted for an event with rahm. Is he still a no from your end? All: As a follow up to earlier communication between Clayton Cox and Smita Shah on the subject matter of her father, Niranjan Shah, attached please find correspondence relating to Mr. Shah. Should you have any questions, please contact me. Regards, Patrick Patrick Collins | Perkins Coie LLP 131 S. Dearborn Street Suite 1700 Chicago, IL 60603-5559 D. +1.312.324.8558 F. +1.312.324.9558 E. pcollins@perkinscoie.com<mailto:%20pcollins@perkinscoie.com> http://www.perkinscoie.com/pcollins/ ________________________________ NOTICE: This communication may contain privileged or other confidential information. If you have received it in error, please advise the sender by reply email and immediately delete the message and any attachments without copying or disclosing the contents. Thank you. <DNC letter.pdf>