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The [Monday] PapersChicago Today? Just trying to imagine what the Tribune would look like under Gannett management. * *
- DeLayed Gratification Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) wrote that "We all have our flaws, but Dennis Hastert has very few. He is a good man that loves the Lord. He gets his integrity and values from Him. He doesn't deserve what he is going through." A little history is in order. From Politico last June: "What Hastert did do was protect his closest ally and mentor, Majority Leader Tom DeLay, from tough investigation of misconduct by intervening with the House ethics oversight committee . . . "Apart from the Abramoff scandal, DeLay earlier faced other ethical challenges in which Hastert went to bat to help him. When three of DeLay's political allies in Texas were indicted, Hastert helped engineer a rule change that would have permitted DeLay to remain Majority Leader should he too be indicted. Hastert also shuffled the leadership of the House Ethics Committee, which had been probing and exposing misconduct by DeLay." And then they went to Bible study. * "Further underscoring Hastert's insensitivity to ethical matters was the scandal sparked by Rep. Mark Foley when it was revealed in September 2006 that he was sending suggestive online messages to young male pages. In this case, Hastert's failure to act was particularly awkward and confusing: Boehner and Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.) said they had alerted the Speaker to Foley's escapades months before the news broke. Hastert lamely said he didn't recall being told about Foley's improprieties." Maybe he just pulled up a chair to watch. * Also, a reminder: "Hastert personally enriched himself by millions of dollars while Speaker in part by the shrewd use of an earmark. In early 2006, the Sunlight Foundation revealed that Hastert had made a little over $2 million on a complicated and unusual land transaction in Illinois. Working in tandem with rich political allies in Illinois, Hastert bought some land at a cheap price while his allies bought nearby land at a much steeper price. The adjacent properties were then consolidated and a trust was set up in which Hastert had a bigger share. "Next, the Speaker deployed his muscle to push a transportation bill and he managed to attach an earmark that subsidized a highway interchange roughly a mile from the property - even though state authorities or neighbors did not desire it. The payoff from the earmark for Hastert: the property's value soared. After a chunk of it was sold to a developer, Hastert had garnered a profit of over $2 million and he still had valuable land holdings." Yup, good ol' Denny. - See also: Wrestling Propelled Hastert's Career, And Provided Opportunity For Abuse. - The Cub Factor: Laughably Historic The White Sox Report: Gifted SportsMonday: Game Seven Obama Speaks No Evil Snapchatting The Environment At The Art Insitute: The Modern Chair The Weekend In Chicago Rock - BeachBook Obama Has Deported More Immigrants Than Any Other President. Now He's Running Up The Score. * Jimmy Carter: The U.S. Is An "Oligarchy With Unlimited Political Bribery." * Final Illinois Primary Tally Shows Why Bernie Sanders Won't Quit. * America's Long Misguided War To Control The Greater Middle East. * Amazon Same-Day Delivery Basically Serves All Of Chicago Except South Side. * Open The Cages! * The Mobile Web Sucks. * How Fusion Is Producing Investigative Journalism For The Jon Stewart Generation. * Chicago Web Series Maybe Worth Checking Out. * SIU Adds Degree In Brewing. * La Margarita Restaurants Commercial, 1981. - TweetWood
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- The Beachwood Tip Line: Leisurely. Posted on April 25, 2016 |
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