By Steve Rhodes
“Of the 1,426 billionaires in the world, there are 17 in Illinois, according to the latest Forbes list,” Crain’s notes.
I have nothing funny or insightful to say about this.
Red-Handed
“Chicago’s embattled red light camera firm went to City Hall on Friday in its latest effort to come clean, acknowledging for the first time that its entire program here was likely built on a $2 million bribery scheme,” the Tribune reported over the weekend.
“By its sheer size, the alleged plot would rank among the largest in the annals of Chicago corruption.”
In a follow-up story today, the Tribune reports on a company news release outlining the findings of an internal investigation conducted by former city inspector general David Hoffman.
Hoffman’s findings outline 17 company-paid trips for [city program overseer John] Bills between 2003 and 2010, including airfare, hotels, golf outings, rental cars and meals. The report also says the executive vice president or the consultant – previously identified as Rosenberg and O’Malley, respectively – “purchased a computer, Chicago-area golf games and meals for the city program manager and was reimbursed by Redflex. These improper expenses totaled approximately $20,000.”
Improper expenses or just commissions?
I mean, you can hardly blame folks from thinking this is just how business is done with authoritarian regimes.
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Yeah, thought long and hard and couldn’t really come up with something that popped a little better than that. Having a rough morning.
Speaking Of Third World Chicago . . .
Would you like an investigative alert with your stop and frisk today? Or should we just starve you out?
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Better? I haven’t had time to really dig into each of those for the singular items they each deserve. Maybe tomorrow.
Bring In The Stunt Kids
Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” Disaster.
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You can report the stagecraft as if it’s real or you can report what’s real.
Reply All
I would do it for $44,255.
Battlefield Nurses
“Atundra Horne walks along the battered cement pathway to her patient’s home with a set jaw and a solemn face. A computer with patient records is slung over her shoulder; a backpack stuffed with gauze, bandages and other medical equipment rolls behind her.
“Horne is a home health nurse, and her patients live in some of the roughest areas in Chicago. On this day she is working in Auburn Gresham, a neighborhood on the South Side. Horne’s workplace is far from water coolers and cubicles; instead, she says, it involves drugs, prostitution and the occasional clap of gunfire.”
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Actually, I try to resist analogizing urban violence with war like I did with that little headline. It’s lazy and wrong. But I’m having a lazy and wrong morning.
Bad Brew
“State law mandates that local mayors generally serve as their community’s liquor commissioner, meaning they’re responsible for licensing businesses that want to sell booze, and cracking down on those that sell to minors or otherwise exhibit bad behavior.
“But the Better Government Association and CBS2 found a troubling trend: mayors across the Chicago region routinely take campaign contributions from restaurants, taverns and liquor stores they’re regulating.”
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I stole that headline straight from the story. So, credit given.
The Political Odds
Now with lieutenant governor possibilities!
How Does Obama Choose Drone Targets?
Not very well.
QT’s America
Goldman Sachs, the sequester and Swan Lake.
The Weekend In Chicago Rock
Pieces of Eight.
SportsMonday . . .
. . . will appear on Tuesday this week.
Programming Note
I’ll do better tomorrow, dear readers!
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Crystal visions.
Posted on March 4, 2013