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does he need city paid drivers and protection?
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Former Mayor Richard M. Daley, son of Hizzoner, left office eight years ago, yet he still has a taxpayer-funded security detail provided by the Chicago Police Department, according to the Tribune’s Gregory Pratt and Jeremy Gorner. The same goes for former Mayor Rahm Emanuel. After finishing his final
term in May, police assigned a detail to him.
This is an oddity and a concern. Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas and San Jose all provide security for their current mayors, but not their predecessors, the Tribune reports. New York City officials declined a request for comment.
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Philadelphia noted that its “Dignitary Protection Unit” provides temporary security as needed on a case-by-case basis. That’s a sensible position, based on the idea of assessing and acting on any threat risks to public officials.
We sense something else at play in Chicago: stature enhancement. Machine politics is so entrenched in Chicago, and so deferential to those at the top, that a tradition took hold of providing special treatment to certain elected officials, regardless of the need or cost to taxpayers.
Years ago, during the tumultuous Council Wars era, Ald. Edward Burke had officers assigned to him for protection. But he kept his contingent of four full-time officers until 2011, when it was replaced with two retired officers paid for by the city. Burke finally lost his detail late last year after the FBI raided his City Hall offices.
Until this summer, CPD provided security for the city clerk and treasurer. When that stopped, Clerk Anna Valencia and Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin complained about the decision, saying they faced threats to their safety, but the city stood firm. Conyears-Ervin’s chief of staff claimed the decision was politically motivated, which Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration denied.
Lightfoot this week defended the practice of protecting former mayors, “given the world in which we live.” But she also said: “If that time becomes obsolete where that’s not necessary, then we’ll evaluate it at that time.”
It’s the Police Department’s responsibility to keep everyone safe in Chicago.Protecting high-profile individuals who may face threats is part of CPD’s job. But Chicago also has a budget crisis and a crime problem.
Let CPD continue to assess any security risks to former mayors and react accordingly. But if it turns out ex-mayors receive bodyguard treatment as a retirement benefit, Lightfoot ought to end the practice. Former mayors can take the bus just like the rest of us.
Patrick Daley Thompson For Mayor! Keep hope alive!
ReplyDeleteYou're gonna get me fat shaming again if you start pushing YoungJowls for mayor this early. He hasn't explained the loans he got from that suicided banker found in Park Ridge.
DeleteHe will explain it. He will a better mayor than Lori.
DeleteHey here's a campaign slogan if Daley-Thompson decides to run for mayor: Cue the chubby guy to point his finger and into the camera, say forcefully, "No Excuses". Never mind, Billy already tried that one.
DeleteThompson will never be Mayor. His future is cloudy for the next year at least. Strong possibility he gets indicted because of the bank scandal. If he survives that, the 11th Ward ain’t a shell of what it once was. Chinese have a large footprint that continues to expand from the north, and everything west of Halsted is being overrun by pain in the ass progressives. He’s got this term, maybe one more if he escapes indictment.
DeletePeople said Jane Byrne, Harold Washington, Eugene Sawyer, Ritchie Daley, Rahm Emanuel and Lori Lightfoot would never be mayor.
DeleteWhy are the Chinese not demanding a minority set aside district?
DeleteBecause they’re just taking it with good old fashioned money.
DeleteIt's kind of strange that congressmen, senators, judges etc don't receive bodyguard and chauffeur service yet these millionaires do. I'm convinced that there is rampant waste in virtually all Cook County Government bodies. If this waste was cut, there would probably be more than enough money to pay for pensions and essential services. Virtually all connected individuals get soft landings when they lose an election or their position. I've been employed by 10 different government agencies over the past 41 years and know the system well.
ReplyDeleteSo you are part of the problem as well, politically connected types feeding at the trough....
DeleteI'm sure you feed at some trough yourself...
DeleteI used to think he did a good job but he really left our city with a massive budget hole and he sold moneymaking assets to plug the holes so he would go out looking good. Also did not like how he got himself a pension teaching like one day total. He and his bankster brother need to fade away. If his dufus brother who feinted at his ownpress comference had not entered the mayoral race at the 11th hour and then, unbelievably stopped running ads a few days before the vote, maybe local Jerry Joyce may have won...or anyone besides Lori Lightweight and Toni Taxwinkle. Just sayin....
ReplyDeleteIf fainting Billy had not run, Jerry would have had his votes and would have been in the runoff. Fainting Billy needs to fade away.
Delete4
ReplyDeleteVote for Todd Stroger
ReplyDeleteThe Daley family of 2019 is nothing like the Daley family of the 60's or 70's. Back then they had honor and sincerity. You could rely on what the mayor said.
ReplyDeleteNow the Daley family is highly dishonorable. You cant trust any of them, they just want the money. Look at the city finances. Richie really was stupid. Nobody knew. One of them committed a manslaughter by punching out a guy half his size and the whole family went into cover-up mode. Another Daley thinks late term abortion is a good thing and votes for it.
Chicago is better off without the Daleys.
Patrick shouldn't be judged, by his family's actions. He is own person.
DeletePatrick Daley Thompson For Mayor!
The Daley family of the 60's and 70's were conservative democrats. Today there some like 3 conservative democrats in the nation. The Smithsonian has a display of a conservative Democrat it's a manikin of a guy, dressed Levis and a golf shirt and a green wind breaker carrying a clip board with poll sheet. A real door knocker.
DeleteFor Cook County State's Attorney, voters chose Ritchie Daley over Eddie Burke, Bernard Carey, Larry Bloom and Terrence Gainer, in 1980, 1984 and 1988, which were the years to stop Daley 2.
DeleteThey can cut retired workers health insurance why not Police bodyguards?
ReplyDeleteThat's the $64,000 question.
Delete