The [Tuesday] Papers

"For the second straight year, all 50 aldermen - and state lawmakers who represent Chicago districts - have been offered the right to purchase two terrace reserved or upper deck tickets for each home playoff game at Wrigley Field all the way through the World Series," the Sun-Times reports.

"The lucrative perk comes three years after the City Council gave the Cubs the go-ahead to rebuild Wrigley and develop the land around it and less than four months after the Cubs won the limited right to sell beer and wine on an open-air plaza next to the stadium.

"Despite the apparent conflict of interest, 'more than 70 percent' of City Council members have taken the Cubs up on their generous offer."

So more than 35 of the council's 50 members? Just say it! Not the time to use percentages.

*

Spoiler: Of the 35-plus aldermen who took the tickets, we only learn the name of two in this article.

*

"They are paying for these tickets. They are not being given a discount or free tickets. In that case, it would be a direct conflict," Cubs spokesman Julian Green said.

So this is just an indirect conflict, which is the savvy Chicago Way.

*

"Green called the offer a 'courtesy' similar to the one extended to Chicago politicians in 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2015."

A) It's not a conflict, it's a "courtesy."

B) It's not a conflict because it's been done before. It's a tradition.

*

"Only this time, it comes with a warning.

"We are not providing tickets to elected officials to resell and turn a profit. This is only for their personal use to enjoy the excitement of the Cubs playoff baseball," Green said. "We plan to monitor the online secondary market for resales of tickets."

In other words, these tickets are not to be handled like everything else that comes into an aldermen's office - an opportunity for mischief and money-making.

*

For everybody else, ChumpHub.

*

"Last year, Ald. Danny Solis (25th), chairman of the City Council's Zoning Committee, spurned the Cubs' playoff ticket offer citing the conflict posed by past contentious votes that benefited the Cubs. This year, Solis changed his mind and said yes."

What changed?

"I really don't like to cut off my nose to spite my face. My chief-of-staff is a really big Cubs fan. I'll give a ticket to him. My wife is a big Cubs fan. I'll have her go. I'll go with her," Solis said.

"Last year, I said no. It was dumb. I have constituents, supporters and staff who would really enjoy the opportunity to see this championship season and I'm going to take advantage of it. If you share that opportunity with people who normally wouldn't be able to go, I don't think it's a conflict."

Yeah, here's what Solis said last year, which I looked up and the Sun-Times didn't:

"I get invited to a lot of things: Bulls, Bears. Sometimes, they're good seats. But, I don't take them even though I pay face value because it looks bad. It's an offer that's not available to the citizens of Chicago. You just highlight yourself as someone who's getting a special favor and that's not how I want to present myself."

*

"Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), who has dueled with the team over that outdoor plaza and other neighborhood issues, said he, too, plans to take advantage of the Cubs' offer, even though he might not make it inside the stadium for every single inning.

"I have to be around the ballpark to make sure everything is top-notch. But, I plan to get in there as much as I can," Tunney said Monday.

You're gonna take the tickets and then not even watch the games?!

This was a close one, but Tom Tunney, you are Today's Worst Person In Chicago.

*

"Rookie Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) has no intention of taking the Cubs up on their ticket offer. He called it an obvious conflict of interest.

"Someone who seeks to . . . get benefits from the city is offering a gift to aldermen and I have issues with that.

Bless him. He's a rookie.

-

More from the world's most interesting website . . .

Chicagoetry: My Emotional Shedd Aquarium
Guitarfish Lucille as Shame.

A Glimpse Of Moholy
From Bauhaus to the Art Institute: Chicago modern design legend was ahead of his time.

Upton Sinclair's Hell
Mammon, Satan's business manager, sent his efficiency demons to Earth.

Don't Let U.S. Prosecute Professor Over Book
"This important work helps keep everyone safer by finding weaknesses in computer code running devices critical to our lives - electronic devices, cars, medical record systems, credit card processing, and ATM transactions. Green's aim is to publish research that can be used to build more secure software."

"Wraparound" Services Are Not The Answer
We're not going to "non-profit" our way out of poverty, housing affordability and economic injustice.

In Wells Fargo Case, News Really Did Happen To An Editor
"Reporters view editor-generated stories as the bane of their existence, and not without reason. Random events and pet peeves are not often a great starting point for serious stories."

Apprentice Cast, Crew Say Trump Was Sexist
"In his years as a reality TV boss on The Apprentice, Donald Trump repeatedly demeaned women with sexist language, according to show insiders who said he rated female contestants by the size of their breasts and talked about which ones he'd like to have sex with."

Pie Commits A Hate Crime
I want my racists out in the open. Quieting speech doesn't stop racism, it just hides it.

The Weekend In Chicago Rock
Featuring: Brutto, Tobacco, Whitey Morgan and the 78's, Carpenter Brut, Alex Barnett, Eden, The Sound of Urchin, Terranaut, Uhtcearu, Ziggy Marley, Airborne, Carla Morrison, Korbee, Nothing More, Crystal Castles, Guidance, Anders Osborne, Black Violin, TWRP, Ninja Sex Party, Switchfoot, John Hiatt, The Proclaimers, and The Illogical.

-

From the Beachwood sports desk . . .

The Real Bears QB Controversy
Neither Hoyer nor Cutler should be here.

The White Sox Report
The Season In Verse: Back Up The Hearse. It actually got worse.

TrackNotes: 'Chrome Is King
Just enjoy the races, folks. This is fun.

Breakfast In America: Old Wives And Walking Sticks
Our mission is to talk EPL football. Because we are American fans, we will accidentally ruin it.

-

Cubs playoff prep . . .

The Cub Factor: Do It For Grandpa
Who has the balls to ruin the David Ross farewell tour? Who has those balls?!?

Worst Place To Be On Planet This Thursday Night Announced
Official "Divisional" Playoff Pep Rally On Division Street Hosted By David Kaplan.

Dear Cubs Fans: Hang In There
A little history with your marching orders.

-

BeachBook

America's Super Polluters: Most states have at least one; southern Indiana has four.

*

Maddon's Fingerprints All Over Suddenly Dominant Cubs.

A primer for managers/primers.

*

Poor But Good Drivers Pay More for Coverage Than Rich Drivers With Recent DUIs Or Serious At-Fault Accidents On Their Records.

*

The Terrorist Inside My Husband's Brain.

-

TweetWood
A sampling.

If you're applauding Trump's gaming of the system, I never want to hear your thoughts about who's taking advantage of welfare again. Ever.

— Ben Moser (@benjaminmoser) October 2, 2016

*

On @cnn Rudy Giuliani said @nytimes failed to mention until 26th paragraph @realdonaldtrump not paying taxes was legal. Here's paragraph 1: pic.twitter.com/mEZEG1bVVT

— Evan Smith (@evanasmith) October 2, 2016

*

Also, where was her editor - or did her editor make her do it? #Editors

Steph Yin of @nytimes swallows roller coaster for stones story https://t.co/TQ3O3c4XxL, doesn't keep up with @HealthNewsRevu & @KLomangino

— David S Goldfarb (@weddellite) October 3, 2016

*

What did they think their job was?

Rather bizarre that this is treated as some sort of grand epiphany for journalists. Hope it continues beyond electing Hillary Clinton... https://t.co/2C8aJgm0LR

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) October 3, 2016

*

First question to Rick Renteria at press conference is "How excited are you" C'mon. #Journalism

— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) October 3, 2016

*

Brutal. Ten times Trump has shamed others on paying taxes: https://t.co/4uJK1xRIcj pic.twitter.com/Qc4MaXRjEt

— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) October 2, 2016

-

The Beachwood Tronc Line: Winners only.

© 2006 - 2017, The Beachwood Media Company