By Steve Rhodes
What’s a mob trial without a fake bomb scare? Juror intimidation is next. And then maybe a little something for the judge.
Family Secrets I
“As jury selection began Tuesday in the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, Frank Calabrese Sr. sat in a powder-blue sport coat talking to [defense lawyer Joseph] Lopez. It marked the first time that the five men facing trial – Calabrese, Joey “the Clown” Lombardo, James Marcello, Paul Schiro and Anthony Doyle – have been in the same courtroom,” the Tribune reports.
“They are accused in a sweeping Outfit conspiracy blamed for 18 decades-old gangland killings.”
We’ve got the scoop on Joey “the Clown” Lombardo – known on the street as “Lumpy.” Find out why, and everything else you need to know about one of the last links to the Outfit’s glory days.
Family Secrets II
An anonymous post on The Capitol Fax Blog:
Two headlines in today’s Tribune:
Stroger Has Prostate Surgery and County’s Health System Faces Ax
Hmm. Perhaps if the stories were combined, with a single headline – Stroger Faces Prostate Surgery With Ax at County Hospital – we’d see a change of heart regarding the devastating cuts to the Cook health system by the “President.”
Family Secrets III
Dear Todd Stroger: What the hell is wrong with you?
In Open Letter.
Beachwood Secrets
If you’ve missed this week’s previous Papers columns due to our technical glitches, you can find them here.
Cobra Bite
In the Sun-Times business section Tuesday, an article-tisement on/for Cobra’s new device for spotting intersection cameras had some great advice: “As we passed through a downtown intersection monitored by a photo enforcement camera, my pilot, Dave Marsh, a Cobra Electronics executive, and I smiled.Thanks to a unique, new camera-detector device Marsh was demonstrating, we knew the camera was there and took appropriate measures to avoid getting a $90 ticket.”
The device goes for $450.
Here’s some advice that will save you the $90 ticket AND $450 for the device: DON’T SPEED THROUGH INTERSECTIONS ON THE RED LIGHT!
– Tim Howe
Chicagoetry
GET THE LIONS
Get the lions
And tigers
From Lincoln
Park Zoo,
Put them
In New Soldier Field
And feed them
Aldermen.
– J.J. Tindall
Comeuppance I
The geese get their revenge.
Comeuppance II
“Daley was one of three mayors who testified before the [U.S. House] committee about municipal efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. He touted Chicago’s efforts in transportation, engery efficiency and environmentally sensitive building and challenged the federal government to join the city and ‘lead by example’ on climate change – starting by forcing federal buildings to comply with municipal codes,” the Tribune reports.
The timing of the mayor’s appearance couldn’t have been more exquisite.
“Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) . . . repeatedly invoked a front-page article in Monday’s Tribune to back up his contention that goals to reduce emissions are often unattainable for governments.
“That article reported that Chicago’s greenhouse-gas emissions have actually risen since Daley pledged to cut them six years ago.”
The story doesn’t tell us because, well, it’s the Tribune, but I’m pretty sure at this point the mayor’s face turned red and his eyes started to dart around.
“In a five-minute barrage of questions, Sensenbrenner mocked Daley for his administration’s unwillingness to verbally respond to Tribune questions about emissions efforts.”
Wow, we could use this guy in our City Hall press corps.
“When the mayor said he did not know where the newspaper got its information, Sensenbrenner peered down at the story.
“‘I know my eyes are getting a little weak,’ he said, ‘but it appears to me that the source is the City of Chicago.'”
Wow, we could use this guy in our City Hall press corps.
“Daley said that the Tribune story had ‘discrepancies’ and that it ‘has nothing to do with what we’re here for. We’re here for the environment.'”
And rising greenhouse-gas emissions have no place in that discussion!
Now, where were we? Oh yeah, greenhouse-gas emissions. As I was saying . . .
“Later, [Daley] told Sensenbrenner: ‘Remember, you can’t believe everything you read in the newspaper about a public official.”
Especially if it comes from City Hall.
Richard M. Jefferson
“It was a brief bump in an otherwise glory-draped day for the mayor, who received the Jefferson Award for Public Service at an evening gala,” the Trib reported.
Like Jefferson, Daley would rather have newspapers without a government than a government without newspapers.
Er, wait a minute. You can’t believe everything you read in the newspaper about a public official!
“Jefferson organizers brought Daley to the Mayflower Hotel before his congressional testimony to talk about his accomplishments.”
He was not under oath.
“Daley touted his emissions-control initiatives, along with efforts to improve Chicago public schools, expand affordable housing and crack down on gun crimes.
He was not under oath.
“‘Everyone’s concerned about Iraq’ and appropriately so, the mayor said. ‘But 30,000 people get killed every year in America [by guns], and no one says anything about it.'”
I know! I never read anything about people outraged at gun deaths! And the politicians – they hardly ever talk about gun control!
And here we are at the Jefferson Awards and you realize you never hear a debate about the Second Amendment.
On the other hand, Daley speaks out against the war all the time!
“Asked how he deals with the media, Daley said it’s important to stay focused and not take stories personally.”
Which he never does.
“‘They can judge me every day,’ he said. ‘I don’t go off on tangents . . . ‘”
Hey, I’ll supply the ironic jokes, Mr. Mayor!
“‘The next day’s another story – Paris Hilton or something like that.'”
Hey, I’ll supply the media criticism, Mr. Mayor!
“In a brief interview after the awards ceremony, Daley called the Jefferson Award a ‘great honor.’
“Asked whether the recent Tribune story would affect the weight of his ‘green’ testimony, which was due to start in a half-hour, he replied, ‘I don’t care what they write.'”
As long as it’s not true. Because when it is, that’s when the problems start.
The Beachwood Tip Line: Just like Jefferson wanted it.
Posted on June 20, 2007