By Steve Rhodes
1. I dunno, does Rahm Emanuel really want to spend his time fighting with Chicago aldermen about street sweepers?
2. “Garritt Cullerton has been pulled over eight times on Illinois roads since July 2001 for citations that included following too closely, speeding 115 mph in a 65 mph zone and twice previously for driving under the influence of alcohol, according to court records,” the Tribune reports. “In some of those cases, according to court records and interviews, he was driving his father’s car displaying the official Senate license plate “6” that denotes John Cullerton’s North Side legislative district.
“The legislator’s son was not convicted in the previous DUI cases, in 2004 and 2008, but was fined for lesser traffic offenses in both instances.”
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Perhaps there is a bit of projection to this:
“The Senate leader has long been a transportation safety advocate and sponsored legislation requiring motorists convicted of drunken driving to blow into an ignition-locking device to prove their sobriety.”
3. The Sun-Times tries to invoke outrage with a front-page tabloid headline screaming “Cop asks dying teen: Do you know who shot you? ‘I know. But I ain’t telling you . . . ‘”
The story is part of a media campaign of outrage over poor, relatively defenseless families and witnesses – as well as gangbangers – not “snitching” on their neighbors and peers. I’m not condoning the “no snitching” policy, but I think I understand it a lot better than the media and politicians who refuse to practice what they preach in their own lives and workplaces. Yes, we’re not talking about murder here, but on the other hand how many cops – and others – know something about Jon Burge and still remain quiet?
And here it comes . . . who hired Angelo Torres?
I don’t see a media drumbeat on those snitchy topics.
And when I see a Chicago police commander quoted saying “I have never seen anyone take it to the grave,” well, I see a police commander who must have just gotten out of the academy.
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Speaking of taking it to the grave, Rod Blagojevich lawyer Sam Adam Jr. claims that Chris Kelly killed himself “rather than come in [to court] and lie.”
Stay classy, Sam.
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But really?
“Police also revealed that Kelly left a note behind,” CBS2 reported last October. “Authorities say it was of no evidentiary value. They would not reveal the contents of the note, saying they wanted to spare the feelings of Kelly’s family.”
If Adam has evidence to the contrary, I’m sure he’ll be welcome to introduce it in court. Spurious claims not so much.
Adam would also have us believe that Kelly chose to die rather than implicate Rod Blagojevich, which is a stretch.
Finally, Kelly would have had another option: Just come in and tell the truth.
4. In my humble opinion, Mark P. Donahue, the president of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, hasn’t always done his members – or the public – any favors with his zealous defenses of cops gone astray, but his letter to the Sun-Times today is persuasive.
And because the Sun-Times doesn’t know how yet, I’ll repost the first paragraph here with a link added to show how it would have been helpful to readers:
“Once again the people of the City of Chicago were subjected to the ranting of a mayor who by his nearly incoherent words expressed his total ignorance of the collective bargaining negotiations that occurred between his representatives and the Fraternal Order of Police. (City Gets ‘Huge Win’ in Cop Raises Ruling, April 17.)This mayor has once again driven a wedge between himself and organized labor with his flippant and erratic remarks.”
5. Jim DeRogatis is leaving the Sun-Times for Columbia College and Vocalo. He will continue co-hosting Sound Opinions with Greg Kot.
6. Arne Duncan says that we have to “challenge parents to step up and take responsibility,” NPR reports.
Duncan then continued his refusal to comment on the CPS clout list.
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I think this item originally came to me from a similar comment by Alexander Russo, but I can’t seem to find the source. So h/t to Alexander – or whoever – just in case. I just tried to sharpen up the punch line.
UPDATE 10:54 A.M.: I’ve been reminded that this actually came from the Facebook feed of Jeremy B. Thompson. Thanks, JBT!
7. Wage Theft in Chicago.
8. Sportsmanship.
9. Elton John plays Hoffman Estates. We have highlights.
10. Yes, but what do four wins and nine losses really mean? In The White Sox Report.
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Be a sport.
Posted on April 20, 2010