By Steve Rhodes
Lori Lightfoot had a good day today.
Not so much Alds. Ed Burke, Patrick Daley Thompson and Ray Lopez, nor Robert Mueller and Donald Trump.
Let’s take a look.
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Leading a city council meeting for the first time, Lightfoot at times had a bit of nervous shake in her voice, and received the requisite parliamentary assistance when needed, but overall demonstrated that times have changed in Chicago.
First, she put Ed Burke in his place.
I mean, his place is a prison cell, but figuratively speaking:
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Never thought I’d see the day when the mayor would tell Alderman Ed Burke “we’re moving on” as he rises to complain, then she tells Burke later to basically sit down as he tries a 2nd time to complain about the NEW RULES @ChiCouncil #newday #Chicago @chicagosmayor
— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) May 29, 2019
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Or, as I put it:
Will the indicted alderman please shut up.#CityCouncil#Chicago
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) May 29, 2019
I wish I would’ve tweeted it like this, though:
Would the indicted former chair of the finance committee please shut up.
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Burke’s complaint? That several passages of the new rules up for council approval referred to he and him instead of using gender-neutral language.
On one hand, maybe he has a point? On the other hand, Lighfoot, in prosecutorial manner that affirmed that Burke was a lawyer and a member of the council for 50 years, pointed out that the terms he/his (or she/hers) applies under the law to all genders.
In post-meeting press conference, @chicagosmayor notes: “Apparently Ald. Burke has forgotten that I’m a 30-year trial lawyer.”
— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 29, 2019
Also after the meeting, Lightfoot told the media that Burke’s objection was clearly a stunt to test her, and that “The notion that Ed Burke is a champion of women’s rights is laughable.”
Via WGN-TV:
“Alderman Burke is somebody who likes to test people. He likes to see if there are weaknesses. He has attempted to do this in the past with me, and he’s failed spectacularly every time. And every time he tries it, he will again fail spectacularly. I’m not going to start my term as mayor with a City Council putting up with somebody who is just playing games for the sport of it. The people in this city expect us to do our jobs. They expect the government to actually work on behalf of the people and not have a Game of Thrones gamesmanship on the floor of the City Council. I’m not having it.”
Lightfoot cited a previous incident she had with Burke when she led the police board; she was appearing before the council on a budget matter when Burke attempted to use her as a “foil” for the inspector general. Then, too, she said, he “failed spectacularly.”
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Meanwhile, Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson repeatedly moved to reconsider on a series of votes establishing the new council and its committee chairmanship assignments despite Lightfoot having the votes to win each motion each time. All reconsideration did was show Thompson to be a childish Burke ally trying futilely to derail Lightfoot while the new mayor got the opportunity each time to proclaim, “The motion to reconsider fails” as each reconsideration vote was the same as the original: a win for Lightfoot.
“we were interrupted by Alderman Burke’s soliloquy,” Lightfoot says, giving the floor back to Harris.
Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson tries to re-consider the vote. It’s shot down.
— Claudia Morell (@claudiamorell) May 29, 2019
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At one point, Ald. Ray Lopez rose to attack Lightfoot for a relative lack of Latino representation among the new committee chairs, and to complain that the new mayor wasn’t listening to aldermen’s concerns.
Committee assignments now up for voice vote. Ald Ray Lopez (15th) rises to complain about shortage of Hispanic chairmen . He accuses Lightfoot of drafting plan in a silo and says it’s not good government and is a bad way to start.
— Fran Spielman (@fspielman) May 29, 2019
Bear in mind, Lopez left the council’s Latino Caucus in April because caucus members worked against his re-election.
So maybe not in a great position to speak of Latinos in the council nor where other aldermen’s heads where at – which isn’t to say he might not have a point about Lightfoot’s Latino representation. It’s to say he probably cares about as much as Burke cares about gender-neutral language.
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Another sign that times have changed:
Lightfoot is seated on the rostrum listening to public comment. Emanuel rarely (if ever) sat during a City Council meeting, and typically spent most of the 30-minute public comment period chatting with aldermen and his cabinet.
— The Daily Line (@thedailylinechi) May 29, 2019
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Mueller and Trump? Check out @BeachwoodReport for my commentary on today’s events, but you can also entry the fray with this thread if you want:
Robert Mueller is doing this country a great, and historic, disservice in resisting appearing before Congress to answer simple questions like, “What did you mean by that?”
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) May 29, 2019
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And then move on to this one:
Here’s another question I’ve raised before: Would Mueller have been able to indict the president if he was an Independent Counsel working under a judicial panel like we used to have rather than a Special Counsel working under DOJ and the AG?
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) May 29, 2019
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Also:
Robert Mueller also issues impeachment referral to Riot Fest. https://t.co/vx9TszHt80
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) May 29, 2019
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New on the Beachwood . . .
CEO Looting Spree Unabated
New York Times and AP join Bloomberg in finding executive compensation ‘out of control‘ with no link to performance or logic outside of pure greed.
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Stan Mikita Hockey School For Deaf Back For Another Year
“The school does not charge fees for athletes to attend its hockey school, all expenses incurred by the team or players (ice, time, lodging, equipment, etc.) are paid by the organization.”
June, in Bensenville.
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Ten Years Of The Modern Wing
Take a video stroll through it, learn its secrets, and read the Yelp reviews.
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Chicago House Music Festival
Highlights.
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Illinois’ Lost Capital
The ghost village of Kaskaskia.
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24 Hours With CAN TV19
From jazz jams to the Black Panthers.
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ChicagoReddit
187 animals are arriving at The Anti-Cruelty Society on Friday from Oklahoma as a result of the severe storms and flooding. Interested in fostering? 4-6 week commitment. from r/chicago
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ChicagoGram
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ChicagoTube
“At 114-years-old, this Bronzeville neighborhood jazz club is the oldest hardwood dance floor in Chicago. Nat King Cole and a list of other jazz musicians performed at THE FORUM in the past. It also held important civil and labor rights meetings. It is a Historic Landmark, tryin’ to be preserved by; #Urbanjuncture.com/the-forum/.
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BeachBook
97-Year-Old Grandpa Saves Village By Painting The Whole Town In Colorful Art.
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TweetWood
A sampling.
Breaking: The President of the United States has NOTHING against Roy Moore. https://t.co/65Dt4Eb0YV
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) May 29, 2019
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Exclusive: Long before Ethiopian Air’s Boeing 737 Max crash, one of the airline’s pilots had warned more training and better communication was needed via @RyanBBeene @japanizar https://t.co/PyopgpCXe0 via @business
— Flynn McRoberts (@flynnmcroberts) May 29, 2019
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The Beachwood McRibTipLine: Throw a dart.
Posted on May 29, 2019